At Pentaflex, the strength of our team stems from the diverse experiences and talents each member brings to the table. We are excited to introduce our new Director of Engineering, whose journey through the manufacturing industry reflects a deep commitment to innovation, teamwork, and excellence. With decades of hands-on experience across multiple industries, he brings a fresh perspective and a passion for continuous improvement. In this Q&A, he shares insights into his professional background, leadership philosophy, and the goals he’s bringing to Pentaflex.
Can you share more about your professional career before joining Pentaflex?
I began working at a plastic injection mold company during college. While there, I worked through a few different positions, including general machining, CNC Operating & Programming, and eventually working my way into design. From there, I spent eighteen years at a tool and die company in the Dayton, Ohio area, designing new tools and working hand-in-hand with the toolmakers to debug the dies we were working on. This position provided excellent exposure to a wide variety of industries from automotive and heavy stamping to aerospace and medical.
I was extremely fortunate to work with several skilled mentors that helped propel me into the engineering and programming management roles I’ve held. With their guidance, I was continually given the opportunity to lead and direct teams to ensure projects were delivered on time and on budget while avoiding as many potholes as possible along the way.
After my time in Dayton, I spent nearly a decade with a manufacturing company based in Cincinnati, Ohio, handling all aspects of new product launches from initial concept, tool design & build, trials/approvals, and all the way through to official handoff and full production.
What are your primary responsibilities as Director of Engineering at Pentaflex?
My primary responsibility at Pentaflex is to oversee the engineering side of the plant and our processes. This includes, but is not limited to, technical reviews, understanding customer needs and requirements, cost estimating, new product/process design, as well as making sure new product launches are delivered on time, on budget.
Process improvements and implementation is another large portion of my role. Having a fresh set of eyes and a new set of background skills allows me the opportunity to review our current processes and identify improvements that can be made.
How did you find yourself in the manufacturing industry?
I have always been mechanically inclined and always enjoyed Industrial Arts classes that were available at my junior high and high school. I also had a family member, whom I always looked up to, that always seemed to be working on interesting manufacturing projects that caught my attention at the time.
What do you believe is the most important aspect of a team?
I believe the most important aspect of a team is trust. Communication is an obvious one and is needed, but to me if everyone involved trusts that everyone else on the team is working towards the same goal and you know without a doubt they will perform their role in any given task, that to me removes a lot of stress out of any situation.
Everyone makes mistakes and obstacles will present themselves, however if everyone trusts each other and team members focus on their own task, this reduces distractions in any situation.
I always revert back to the sports analogy. I can’t be an effective pitcher if I’m constantly worried about the base runners because I’m not sure if the second baseman will catch the ball or not. When people can focus on their own role in a team, and not worry about having to cover for the next person, the whole team is more cohesive and successful.
What would you say are your initial goals with joining the Pentaflex team?
My first goal here is to take in and fully digest what Pentaflex does and how they do it. I believe it is vital for me to fully understand how and why everything currently works the way it does. Then with that knowledge, I can figure out a way to make improvements for our customers and our team.
What drew you to Pentaflex?
The team atmosphere here drew me in during my initial visits to Pentaflex, even before interviewing with them. They were a prior stamper that a previous employer contracted with occasionally and they always delivered what they said when they said.
Once I did choose to interview here, I got to see the full extent of their tremendous investment in automation. I felt like this was a company that was not only looking at today, but investing in technology for their future. That impressed me and made my decision to join Pentaflex easy.
When you’re not at work, how do you like to spend your free time?
I enjoy being outdoors and traveling as much as possible. Golfing with my two sons in the summer when everyone’s schedules align is also one of my favorite pastimes. I do enjoy cooking when my schedule allows. Pretty much any type of food and any style I am a fan of, as long as you can pair a glass of wine or a good cocktail with it.
We are thrilled to have such an experienced and thoughtful leader join the Pentaflex family. His focus on building trust within teams, streamlining processes, and driving innovation will help ensure we continue to meet and exceed our customers’ expectations. We look forward to the future with excitement, knowing our engineering team is in capable hands. Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to grow and evolve with our new leadership.