Tony Burk

Retired / Manufacturing Engineering Consultant

Columbia, South Carolina Metropolitan Area

About

A proactive and innovative problem solver who enjoys leading and empowering departments, teams and individuals to achieve excellence in manufacturing. Specializes in development and implementation of new products and processes. Analytical in nature and driven by a determined desire to achieve. A corporate recognized achiever and consultant on manufacturing issues. Extensive experience in Manufacturing Engineering, Project Management, New Product Design and Introduction, Process Development, Continuous Improvement, Lean Manufacturing. Areas of experience include Audio and Electronic Products Manufacturing, Automotive Parts Manufacturing, Nuclear Fuels Manufacturing and in the Aluminum and Stainless Steel Production and Welding Industries. Specialties: Product and Process Development, Project Management (Member of Project Management Institute), Toyota Production System / Lean Six Sigma Green Belt / Design for Lean Six Sigma Trained

Experience

  • Retirement at Career Break
    Apr 2023 - Present · 3 yrs 4 mos

    After many years in Manufacturing and Product Development Engineering, I have retired but still looking for that next great adventure!

  • Senior Development Engineer at KEMET Electronics Corporation
    Nov 2017 - Apr 2023 · 5 yrs 6 mos

    Research and development, patenting and implementation of new capacitive products, passive electronic assemblies and their associated manufacturing processes in the KEMET Ceramics Innovation Center.

  • Senior Project Manager at INVISTA
    Feb 2016 - May 2016 · 4 mos

    Manager of capital equipment projects related to plant and building infrastructure.

  • Bose Corporation (Columbia, South Carolina Metropolitan Area)
    • Engineering Manager / Noise Reduction Technology Production Team Manager
      Jan 2013 - Nov 2015 · 2 yrs 11 mos

      A member of the Bose South East Engineering supervisory staff. Managing engineering efforts relative to manufacture of commercial, aviation and military noise reduction headsets. Serving as Manager and Mentor for cross functional core team that supports daily operation of headset manufacturing using Toyota Production System methodologies and lean principles. Serving as Lead Project Manager for projects involving manufacturing initiatives in Noise Reduction Technology (NRT) products as well as assisting in new product development for ease of manufacturing. This includes managing manufacturing cell process development and implementation for NRT products including the new Bose NFL headsets and Aviation headsets and micro-transducer manufacturing for Military Headsets.

    • Engineering Project Manager
      Jan 2005 - Jan 2013 · 8 yrs 1 mo

      Served as Project Management Subject Matter Expert for Bose Columbia, SC Manufacturing facility. Led major engineering capital projects for Bose and the Bose Columbia Manufacturing Facility. Managed a wide variety of projects to develop, improve and introduce new products and processes into the Bose Columbia Facility including Automotive, Home Entertainment and Noise Reduction Headset divisions. Served as advisor to corporate design group relative to design of products for manufacturability. Utilized Lean Six Sigma and Design for Lean Six Sigma methodologies to drive improvements in product design and manufacturing processes eliminating historically problematic quality issues in previous products. Supplied Final Assembly technical expertise in support of optimizing / improving processes including the manufacturing lines to support production of Bose Automotive Amplifiers and the Bose Wave Music System. Drove project to implement fully automated painting of cosmetic parts. Served as project lead supporting product design and launch relative to Noise Reduction Technology products for Columbia and for the transfer of the Noise Cancelling Headsets business and technology from Massachusetts to Colulmbia, SC. Developed and delivered a Project Management Training Program to Bose Columbia engineering. Series included Project Management Fundamentals, Microsoft Project and Bose Specific Project Management classes.

    • Engineering Supervisor
      Jan 2003 - Jan 2005 · 2 yrs 1 mo

      Managed the Injection Molding Engineering group through a transitional period in the plants staffing, product mix and physical plant arrangement. Groups efforts relative to this transition period resulted in savings of over $1.5 M due to molding cycle reductions and strategic project planning and execution. Executed a project to select, develop and implement a palletized and robotic paint system to cosmetically cover radio top covers for Bose top of the line products.

  • Quality Engineering Manager at Westinghouse Electric Company
    1988 - 1991 · 3 yrs

    Managed a Quality Engineering group of 9 engineers and 10 cross functional teams in the development and implementation of a NQA1 Quality System (Nuclear Version of QS 9001) and applied it to existing nuclear materials stockpiles and nuclear fuel and target manufacturing processes at the Savannah River Nuclear Facility allowing the plant to come back on line after a prolonged shutdown. Specially requested and double promoted into this position because of initiative, demonstrated abilities and recognized process and product knowledge, this position regularly interfaced with and reported to the Department of Energy and US Congressional Tiger Teams. Held D.O.E. "Q" Security Clearance.