1. ROBERT SKIDMORE 15550 W. Highview Drive Goddard, Kansas 67052
Residence: (316) 722-5982 Cellular: (316) 640-9308
skidmoreict@sbcglobal.net
Manufacturing Operations Leader, Engineering, Customer Technical Services,
Six Sigma Black Belt, Lean Implementation Leader,
Customer Recognized For Driving Solutions to Customer Issues
Challenge-Driven * Solution Oriented * Encourage & Empower * Thinks Big
Picture
Career Profile
Challenge-driven leader with progressively responsible leadership and management
experience in Business Aircraft Production Operations, Customer Technical Services
and Engineering. Highly successful in establishing and achieving mission goals for
safety, quality, schedule, cost and customer satisfaction. Strong ability to influence
thinking of others, forge cross-functional relationships and agreements. Able to see the
"big picture" while staying on top of the details. Talented leader, motivator, and creative
problem solver with an interactive and decisive management style.
~ Areas of Expertise ~
Production Management Production Planning & Scheduling Safety
Management
1,100+ Team Leadership Continuous Process Improvement Engineering
$100M Budget Management Creative Problem Solving Inventory Mgt
Total Quality Management Waste Reduction Management Customer Support
Performance Metrics Cost Reductions & Profit Growth Consensus Builder
Professional Experience
LEARJET / BOMBARDIER, Wichita, Kansas 2011 - 2015
Engineering Manager/Section Chief, Production Support Engineering
Led the Engineering team that consistently met shop demand for structural engineering
deliverables during the L85 Flight Test Vehicle completion push.
Established and managed the Structures Engineering Production Support Team;
Design, Liaison and Stress Engineers.
Forged Multi-Site (Wichita, Montreal, Queretaro and Belfast) and Multi-Discipline
collaboration and agreement on technical and operational solution development
and implementation.
Significant on-Site support - leadership of technical solutions at facility in Mexico.
2. Established and managed Engineering activities for Pre-Production Certificate
Non-Conformance Management process.
Robert Skidmore Page Two
CESSNA AIRCRAFT COMPANY, Wichita, Kansas 1983 to 2010
Senior Product Director - 2001 to 2010
Promoted into position to direct and oversee full operating, manufacturing, and P&L
responsibility for billion-dollar aircraft production operation, 1,100+ employees, and
$100M budget. Directed overall operations with accountability for quality control, cost
controls, production schedules, project/program management, meeting facilitation, new
and existing model planning, safety management, team leadership and development,
on-time deliveries, and customer satisfaction.
Consistently increased productivity 7%-10% per year, setting performance
benchmark.
Developed strategic processes that increased forecasting accuracy and
maximized cost reductions.
First to design, sell, and implement standard work and load charts in assembly
operations that delivered continuous improvement and cost reductions.
Reduced inventory that resulted in a cost savings of $1M per year and served as
a model for other value streams.
Developed and promoted numerous team members into positions of increased
responsibility and contribution.
Product Manager - 1999 to 2001
Complete management responsibility for aircraft production, P&L, 450+ employees, and
$31M budget including quality control, cost control, production schedules, program
management, safety, on-time deliveries, and customer satisfaction.
Supervised engineers in analyzing Citation owner's technical and business/warranty
issues on hydraulic, wheel, brake, and landing gear technical problems.
Received "5-Star Achievement" and "Outstanding Contribution" award for safety,
quality control, on-time delivery schedules, and meeting or exceeding forecasted
production plans.
Citation Customer Technical Service Manager - 1995 to 1999
Complete management responsibility for department that provided technical services
worldwide to entire fleet of Citation airplanes. Direct responsibility for identification and
resolution of customer technical and business issues.
Received "Outstanding Contribution" award from NBAA Technical Committee for
driving rapid and effective resolution of customer issues.
3. Robert Skidmore Page Three
Citation Customer Service Engineer - 1989 to 1995
Served as liaison between customers, production, engineering specialists, and suppliers
to resolve technical issues for Citation owners on hydraulic, wheel, brake, and landing
gear technical problems.
Design Engineer - 1983 to 1989
Applied engineering principles to redesign aircraft hydraulic and landing gear systems to
solve manufacturing, customer, and regulatory compliance issues.
Education
University of Central Missouri, BS Aviation Technology Warrensburg, Missouri
Wichita State University Wichita, Kansas
- Mini MBA
- Mathematics, Business, and Leadership Coursework
Lean Enterprise Training from Lean Works/University of Tennessee Nashville, Tennessee
Six Sigma - Black Belt, Green Belt and Champion