Sunny JOHN
Postfach 2803  Karlsruhe, Germany D-76015  +49-171 2700393 (Mobile Germany)
P.O. Box 54432  Atlanta, Georgia 30308  678-608-3171 (Mobile USA)
 SunnyJohn@Leankipedia.com
Citizenship  USA / GERMANY
D.O.B  March 7th 1971
LEAN OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE
PROFESSIONAL
~ Transforming business & operations through dynamic, motivational leadership & robust process improvement ~
PROGRESSIVE 16-YEAR CAREER IN MANUFACTURING AND BUSINESS OPTIMIZATION with resultsdriven record of change management and Lean Management Leadership. P&L direction of businesses and
operations in start-up and turnaround senior management roles. Demonstrated ability to define, design, and lead
transformational business restructuring with resounding success. Track record of driving aggressive improvements in top
and bottom-line performance — powering market and sales growth while solidifying organizational infrastructure to
minimize risk, avoid costs, and ensure sustainability. Sophisticated multilingual / multicultural awareness — with a
history of delivering results in changing or uncertain business environments. Master of Business Administration in
Technology Management and Bachelor of Technology in Mechanical Engineering with core competencies including:
Start-Ups & Turnarounds
Senior Management With P&L Responsibility
Lean Sensei TPS, Six Sigma Certified
Industrial Engineering & Quality
Production Management & Facility Layout
Problem Solving, Pull systems & Kaizen
Health & Safety
Business Development & Industrialization
Automation Engineering
Language Skills: English & German
SELECT CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
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Exceptional training in operational excellence and improvement: Student of Dr. Jeffrey Liker from the Toyota Way
Academy, Six Sigma Certified and leadership coach and mentor.
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Rocketed 5S scores from 20 to 95 (100-point scale) and decreased warranty losses by 50% while maintaining a safety
record of 5+ million hours without injury as a “hands on” leader of operational improvement and strategy planning.
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Reversed adversarial culture to one of empowerment as Operations Manager for Peguform GmbH, contributing to a
€50 million one year sales increase and decline of employees want for union support.
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Enabled a 21-month annualized operational cost reduction totaling $5 million as Operations Manager of Lean
Enterprise for Enidine an IMC Inc. company.
Sunny John • SunnyJohn@Leankipedia.com
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Co n tin ue d . . .
SUMMARY
OF
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
AS CONSULTANT AND INTERIM MANAGER
LEANKIPEDIA LLC, Atlanta, Georgia
2006 – Present
Start-up consulting services company reaching sales of €900K through assessment, development, and
implementation of a wide range of Toyota Production Systems and process alignment services for global
client companies form a diverse industry base. Clients included many Fortune 500 companies including, Ford
Motor Company, General Motors Corporation, Chrysler Corporation, Mercedes Benz, BMW, Bosch, Volvo,
Vauxhall Motors, TRW,Ai3, Intermaca, Sapa Chromes, Sanarmotive Mekra Lang, Venture Industries, Hans
Lang Techniques, Rausfos Aluminum, Faurecia, Patheon Pharmaceuticals, Daito Press Japan, Sumitomo,
Tomoe Systems Inc., Plastech, BE Aerospace, Recaro, Airbus, Boeing, Phoenix Mecano to mention a few.
Managing Partner and Founder: Established and grew this start-up consultancy from 2006.
Drove operational successes to all client companies through design and execution of 5S, Visual Management, Kanban,
Pull Systems, Elimination of Waste (Muda), Value Stream Mapping, Ergonomics, Single Minute Exchange of Dies
(SMED), Low cost intelligent Automation (LCIA), Preventative Maintenance (TPM), Leader Standard Work, Throughput
Management, Constraint Management, Error Proofing (Poke Yoke), Red-X, Heijunka, DSFF, DMAIC, DOE, Micro
Mapping, Capability Building, Industrial Engineering, Practical Problem Solving, and Kaizen Workshop practices, Six
sigma methodologies.
Planned and directed business and operations with full P&L accountability for finance; business development; client
negotiations / contract management, training, development / management of contract and client employee teams;
customer, program, project, and delivery planning as consultant from 2006-present.
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Strategized and directed operational transformation for Mekra Lang facilities [Largest Global Truck Mirror
Manufacturer], realizing a 23% (75% to 98%) productivity increase through leadership of organization-wide culture
change. Refined operational vision updated and optimized manufacturing practices of union shop through
multilevel, multifunctional consulting from executive management to the shop floor.
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Standardized work processes while establishing lean management systems to achieve significant improvements in
quality, customer satisfaction, inventory, safety, health / ergonomics, productivity, and resultant profit increases
with representative highlights including:
 Slashed inventory from 10 million to 2.6 million Euro while minimizing production floor space needs by 55%
 Reduced labor force by 15% through attrition and retirement through waste-free process redesign
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Contributed lean and change management expertise as strategic planning member of corporate teams, trainer /
coach, program and engagement manager. Conducted world-class assessments for client road maps, facilitated
value stream and micro mapping activities for current state assessment, and performed 3P process design for new
equipment and fixtures for capital improvement projects.
Leadership on projects achieving savings in excess of €4.2M toward overall program goal of €4M.
Drove process waste removal, asset management, overtime reduction, set-up time reduction, and inventory
reductions in all client operations. Reduced or eliminated overtime through increased productivity, streamlined
assets in perceived over capacity situations, slashed set-up times by 81+%, while improving process flow
Sunny John • SunnyJohn@Leankipedia.com
3
Co n tin ue d . . .
SARNAMOTIVE, Ludenscheid, Germany [Interim Manager]
€180M international injection molded plastics supplier to the automotive industry. Employing 1,300 at seven facilities.
2005
Operations and Lean Director: Developed and led enterprise execution of lean manufacturing systems and
industrial engineering optimization efforts through focused staff coaching and motivation.
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Contributed to €70 million in new customer sales, while saving €6 million through operational and capacity
enhancements realized by the planning and facilitation of 223 hands-on, employee-driven kaizen workshops.
Achievements:
 Involved staff as Green Belts to increase understanding, acceptance and delivery of process change. Staff
successfully completing improvement projects increased from 0.8% to 12%. Implemented plan to increase this to
30% in 2005.
 Deployed resources to highest impact processes with a projected profit impact of €26M+.
MB-Tech, Germany and USA
December 2004 – October 2005
Global Consultancy Company serving multiple clients with operational excellence transformation, leadership training and
development, production system implementation, finance, risk management & operational strategy in 15 countries.
Senior Consultant – North America Group Sector: Direct major transformation projects for Daimler Chrysler and
other key OEM customer value chain accounts, managing direct reports and coordinating client-responsible teams.
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Project coordination and business improvement strategy development for Major North American supply Chain
Company. Successfully implementing improvement results while simultaneously changing the culture surrounding a
business over one hundred years old.
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Directorial support roles including strategic planning and transformational implementation of production system for
major supplier to one of the worlds largest Automotive OEM’s
Quantifiable results leading to market share and business attraction over competition during recession.
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ENIDINE an IMC Company, Bad Bellingen, Germany [Operations Manager]
October 2003- September 2004
Managed effectively the daily operations and sales of a 120 Man Manufacturing facility, met and exceeded all
company set operations and sales goals, using my knowledge of Cost-Benefit Analysis in developing and implement
budgets. Productivity and quality standards were the order of the day, with attention to waste elimination.
Implemented the stream-lined enquiry-delivery process, reducing the lead time of the entire process from 21 Days to
4 Days, ensuring the delivery of customer service excellence.
Supply chain improvement at suppliers such as Mektec- a leading manufacturer of Flexible Printed Circuits in the
United States and numerous projects with Phoenix Mecano Worldwide.
Worked with Purchasing Department and Accounts Receivable Department, putting in place a replenishment-basedon-consumption-system to reduce inventory cost by €1,3M+.
Achievements:
 Blue printed and integrated Parts and processes with an annual profit impact of €3M+.
 Consolidated Purchasing and setting up strategic supply chain with JIT consignment plan to reduce inventory cost
of about €1,3M+.
 JIT/ JIS production on all Manufacturing lines with Lead time savings up to 40% of actual.
Sunny John • SunnyJohn@Leankipedia.com
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Co n tin ue d . .
PEGUFORM GmbH & Co. KG Bötzingen Germany [Operations Manager]
September 1999 – September 2003
Co-authored the Peguform Manufacturing System Workshop presentation, this is a five day workshop with between
twenty to fifty participants from all areas of the plant , brought together to discuss all aspects of lean manufacturing
and have a hands on chance to go on the shop floor and use the lean tools.
This training session is the vehicle in which the company is using to implement lean manufacturing throughout the
corporation. It was also the answer to the customer’s question, (how are you going to implement lean manufacturing
simultaneously in 32 facilities).
Responsible for operational and tactical command on active service in Europe and North America. Developed and
delivered classroom and practical training prior to deployment on operations.
Achievements:
 Project manager for product development and launch of a new Product and associated processes. This generated
€1,8M Manufacturing equipment savings in its first year.
 Project-managed the launch of an enhanced version of the company's core product into new distribution channel.
 Developed integrated claims process for all business lines and provided business analysis for DOE system
development.
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Improved Logistics process for inbound goods operation resulting in €450K p.a. savings.
Consolidated 2 Manufacturing Facilities into one with the best demographic location to meet customer demands
fast and JIT.
VENTURE INDUSTRIES, Fraser, Michigan
October 1996 – September 1999
$1.6B (2007 peak prior to closure) tier 1 automobile supplier with 14,000 employees serving leading automotive
manufacturers including General Motors, Ford, Chrysler and Johnson Controls.
Automation & Industrial Engineering with Lean Change Management Reengineering: Planned and
executed a focused change management program to all 46 national facilities, directing Automation, Industrial
Engineering and Lean Manufacturing group of 12. Drove integration of lean methodologies to all levels, from CEO to
shop floor.
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Rescued troubled General Motors bumper facia production facility in first lean assignment, driving a 400%
throughput increase through value stream improvements to meet increasing customer demand.
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Championed a third-party containment initiative that generated $10,000 in weekly savings.
Lean Sensei: Selected to engineer and execute continuous improvement and manufacturing standardization
programs to tame growth resulting from recent acquisitions.
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Strategized and facilitated lean manufacturing system implementation to 40 manufacturing facilities through
coaching and execution team of 90 Six Sigma Black Belts.
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Developed lean roadmaps and piloted quarterly Shingo assessments while directing enterprise implementation of
pull systems, quick-change dies, visual factory, and waste reduction procedures and systems.
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Served as key contributor to a $50 million 2001 sales increase realized through five new customer programs.
Refocused staff efforts on common quality and efficiency goals, creating multifunctional partnerships to replace
entrenched silo approach. Highlights of operational transformation include:
 Enhanced labor efficiencies by 18% (80% to 98%) in the first quarter of tenure
 Cut scrap losses by 38% in one year from previous year rate of 1 million out of 2.6 million
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Overachieved 18-month target as project manager for $15 million design and build of 65,000 square foot painting
facility, positioning Venture as a more aggressive competitor through in-sourcing painting cost and quality.
Sunny John • SunnyJohn@Leankipedia.com
Co n tin ue d . .
SKILLS SUMMARY
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A global change manager and project leader in the Automotive / Manufacturing industry.
Process improvement expert (Six Sigma certified Master Black Belt) with depth of industry experience. Led 9 BB
projects, mentored 25+ GB projects to successfully meet goals.
Consistently delivered substantial process and cultural changes with significant financial impact.
Wide cross-functional experience, including post-acquisition integration, product development, Product design,
operations and Supply chain Management.
Strong man-management, communication and presentation skills.
Excellent quantitative and qualitative analytical skills. Team Oriented Problem Solving techniques
Experienced trainer in Lean methodology, Toyota Production Systems, Mercedes Benz Production Systems and
skills.
SOFTWARE SKILLS
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Advanced MS Office (Excel, Visual Basic, PowerPoint, Access, Word, Projects)
Minitab (statistical analysis)
Visio (Value Stream Mapping / Design) & Process Model (process analysis)
SAP, AS400, Way & Damgard
GENERAL SIX SIGMA SKILL
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Project chartering
VoC collection and analysis
Cause and Effect, Pareto, Control/Impact Matrix
Process Mapping and Analysis (NVA/VA, Moments of Truth etc.)
FMEA / SIPOC Analysis
Gauge R&R
Process capability & z shift / Run and Statistical Control Charts
Various graphical analyses (box plots, normality/probability plots etc.).
Hypothesis Tests: Chi-Square, ANOVA, t-test, correlations and regression
Design of Experiments (DoE)
DFSS SPECIFIC:
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Multi-generational product plan (MGP/MGPP)
QFD (House of Quality)
5
Sunny John • SunnyJohn@Leankipedia.com
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Co n tin ue d . . .
EDUCATION & PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Mechanical Engineering
(B. Tech)
College of Technology
(affl. Southbank Uni. -UK)
Black Belt Six Sigma
(Lean Professional)
Georgia State University
(Atlanta, GA)
1990 -1994
2007
Master Black Belt Six Sigma
(Lean Professional)
Villanova University
(Villanova, PA)
2009
Master Business Administration
(MBA)
Kennesaw State University
(Kennesaw, GA)
2010
SELECT CERTIFICATIONS & SPECIAL STUDY:
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Dale Carnegie Gold Star Graduate & Graduate Assistant
Steven Covey Seven Habits of Highly Effective People Graduate
ISO / QS 9000 I, II & TS and Job Safety & Health - Macomb Community College, Warren, Michigan
Global 8D - Ford Motor Company & Macomb Community College, Warren, Michigan
Product Development Level I & II – Venture Industries
Advanced Robotics Programming for Assembly & Painting, Robcad-Base & Paint - ABB Robotics
Industrial Engineering - National Technology Transfer
Maintenance Management – Georgia State University Adv. Education
Safety Administration - Georgia Department of Labor, Bureau of Safety & Regulation
Advanced Communications and Manager – Skill-Path
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS:
Lean Enterprise Institute, Society of Automotive Engineers and Society of Plastic Engineers
Sunny John © 2013