Brian Newman

About Brian Newman

Over the course of my career, I\'ve built a reputation for driving quality and operational excellence in fast-paced manufacturing environments. Currently, I serve as the Quality and Continuous Improvement Manager at James Hardie, where I oversee two plants and lead initiatives that elevate product standards, streamline processes, and empower teams. My Six Sigma Black Belt certification has been instrumental in guiding data-driven improvements, reducing defects, and enhancing throughput.One of the most rewarding aspects of my role has been leading the Engineering Development Program (EDP)—a strategic initiative focused on cultivating engineering talent and building a pipeline of future leaders. Balancing this with plant-level responsibilities has challenged me to think holistically about performance, culture, and long-term capability building.Prior to James Hardie, I brought similar energy and focus to Wheelworx, where I applied lean and Six Sigma principles to improve manufacturing processes in the freight railcar sector. Our team’s commitment to quality helped reinforce the company’s reputation for reliability and operational strength.Earlier in my journey at Rivian, I played a key role in advancing vehicle quality standards during a period of rapid growth and innovation. By collaborating closely with engineers and inspectors, we achieved significant improvements in quality metrics and cost efficiency—experiences that sharpened my ability to align strategy with execution and build strong supplier relationships.Throughout each chapter, my passion for continuous improvement and team development has remained constant. Whether mentoring CI engineers or leading cross-functional projects, I strive to create environments where excellence is not just expected—but built into the culture.

Experience

1. Quality Cims Manager

   James Hardie

   Oct 2024 — Present · Peru, IL, US

   As the Quality and Continuous Improvement Manager overseeing two manufacturing plants, I lead strategic initiatives that enhance product quality, operational efficiency, and team development. I apply Six Sigma Black Belt methodologies to drive measurable improvements in process performance and customer satisfaction.Lead cross-functional teams in quality assurance and CI projectsMentor and develop CI engineers, ensuring alignment with business goalsSpearhead the Engineering Development Program (EDP) to guide engineers with trainign and devlepmentUtilize data-driven decision-making to reduce defects, improve throughput, and sustain gains

Education

• Cornell College

  Bachelor of Arts - BA, Politics

Skills

• Root Cause Analysis
• Black Belt
• Logistics Management
• Kaizen
• Supply Chain Management
• Logistics
• Supervisory Skills
• Lean Manufacturing
• Green Belt
• Continuous Improvement
• Supply Chain
• 5s
• Sap
• Management
• Operations Management
• Dmaic
• Leadership
• Supply Chain Optimization
• Kanban
• Supply Management
• Project Management
• Value Stream Mapping
• Process Improvement
• Inventory Management
• Warehousing
• Microsoft Excel
• Cross-Functional Team Leadership
• Six Sigma