Hector Pena

Uniquely qualified operations professional with 20 + years of solid experience and knowledge in the apparel and textile industry. Well-rounded, diversified industry resource who leverages apparel manufacturing, management skills, engineering, and Lean principles to streamline production, reduce costs, reduce product lead time, manage end-to-end production cycle, and facilitate overall company stability and growth. Expertise in factory start-ups, product development, quality, sample making, time study, capacity study, and Lean Six Sigma.

Professional Experience

Cidra Manufacturing Inc.

Cidra, PR

5/2021- Present

A manufacturer of commercial garments, military equipment, and uniforms.

           Position:  Operations & Contracts Manager

• Coach and supervise personnel in charge.
• Develop items operation list.
• Train the trainers.
• Stablish new business relations.
• Analyze and improve work methods.
• Design layouts.
• Calculate standard times for all operations.
• Create and develop cost sheets for new items or contracts.
• Improve process and work methods.
• Cost reduction.
• Manage spare parts and machines inventory.
• Develop Product Demonstration Samples of new DOD BIDS.
• Create Product construction instructions.
• Calculate and establish learning curves for all operations.
• Keep Preventive Maintenance of all equipment updated.
• Calculate materials yields.
• Manage the Training Center.

Propper International, Inc.

Cabo Rojo, PR

1/2020- 5/2021

A manufacturer of uniforms and military equipment for the Department of Defense of USA and commercial items,

           Position:  Quality Assurance Manager (Sewing and Cutting)

• Under my management we had no rejected lots by the QAR.
• Managed construction process of FAT, inspect, and approve them.
• Improved cutting department quality, reducing the customer complaints.
• Due to the excellent quality of our Products Demonstration Models submitted for evaluation to DCMA, Propper International won some contracts of 5 years term.
• Coach and supervise personnel in charge as one Senior Quality Supervisor, 1 Quality Supervisor for cutting, 7 final quality auditors and 5 in process quality auditors.
• TSA production line set up (long and short sleeve dress shirts and cargo pants.

Blue Water Defense, Inc.

Corozal, PR

4/2018- 11/2018

A manufacturer of uniforms and military equipment for the Department of Defense of USA.

           Position:  Production Plant Manager

• Achieved bringing ACU Trousers exceed 15,000 units per week, while maintaining and superseding excellent quality standards.
• Schedule dates for all building preventive maintenance and comply in a 100% of preventive maintenance monthly program.

Vista Outdoor Eagle Industries Unlimited

Lares, PR

3/2014- 04/2018

A manufacturer of military equipment and sporting accessories for the Department of Defense of USA, and commercially.

           Position:  Production Manager

• Make samples, First Article Test for Government and Commercial Programs.
• Responsible for the training of all styles on the Production Schedule.
• Responsible for analyzing machinery, tools and fixture needed to improve sewing processes, efficiency, and cost reduction.
• Meet Angel Armor Program commit dates.
• Meet the shipping dates on IOTV Program.

Unifirst Corporation (Uniformes de San Luis)

Ciudad Valles, San Luis Potosi, Mexico

9/2013 – 2/2014

A manufacturer of Commercial Uniforms

           Position:  Operations Manager

• Make quality control improvements on products.
• Achieved bringing the Jeans Department rate from 79% to 96% in 3 months, meeting and exceeding 4,000 units per day, while maintaining and superseding excellent quality standards.
• Schedule dates for all building preventive maintenance.
• Reduce the Production Back Log.
• Exceed 12,000 shirts per day between short sleeves shirts, long sleeves shirts, shirts with reflective tape and flame-resistant shirts,

ATK Eagle Industries Del Caribe

Lares, PR

5/2012 – 9/2013

A manufacturer of military equipment and accessories for the Department of Defense of USA, and commercially.

           Position:  Production Manager

• Achieve and exceed production goals.
• Monitor production data to make necessary adjustments and changes.
• Make rapid production product changes efficiently.
• Coach and supervise personnel in charge.
• Make quality control improvements on products.
• In charge of various service departments such as: Mechanics, Cutting Room, Warehouse, and the Preparation department.  
• In charge of the second and third shift personnel.
• Achieved bringing second shift efficiency rate from 60% to 86% in two months and up to 100% in three months, while maintaining and superseding excellent quality standards.
• Achieved lowering absenteeism from 18% to 6 %. 

Blue Water Defense, Inc. (Formerly known as DJ Manufacturing Corp.) 

San Lorenzo, P.R. 

(4/1996 – 5/12)

A manufacturer of uniforms and military equipment for the Department of Defense of the USA.

            Position:  Section Leader

• Developed and implemented operating methods and procedures designed to eliminate operating problems and continuously improve product quality.
• Improved the operational systems, processes, and policies in support of organizations’ mission -- specifically, to support better management reporting, the information flow and management, business processes and organizational planning. 
• Implemented and maintained all the engineering-related data entry in the computer system, that was necessary to fulfill the bill of material and labor requirements in the company overall production, material, and labor system. 
• Planned, directed, and controlled production and quality control activities, and established production and quality plans for the products, to keep an effective operation.
• Coordinated production activities with engineering and maintenance management, to obtain optimum production and quality of products.
• Reviewed and analyzed production, quality control, and operational reports to assure conformity with product specifications, operating and production requirements.
• Revised production schedules and priorities because of operational or customer needs.

            Position:  Product Development Analyst

• Interpretive of customer requirements (written specifications, drawings, and patterns) to define the material requirements and manufacturing processes required in the production of customer products and/or by performing reverse-engineering of the design from a given customer sample.
• Trained operators in each specific operating machine and manufacturing operation defined requirement. 
• Implemented operator training system to assure each one was knowledgeable on its operation and crossed trained on other operations to maintain a skill inventory of trained operations for each operation for used or transferred to any required similar line when needed.
• Validated patterns and drawing against end item specifications to assure compliance with finished measurements and end item specifications.
• Designed and implemented manufacturing methods and procedures to ensure the best productivity efficiencies were obtained to meet established and exceed standard goals.
• Used a lot of creativity and sense of possibility and urgency at the start-up of new products.

Position:  Instructor trainer

Position: Production Supervisor

Position: Engineering Technician

Position:  Assembly Machine Operator

(Undergoing) NUC UNIVERSITY ONLINE DIVISION BACHELOR’S DEGREE IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION 

JOSE COLLAZO COLON HIGH SCHOOL, 

COMMERCIAL COURSE – MARKETING

PROFESSIONAL TRAININGS AND CERTIFICATIONS

• Knowledge of Federal Acquisitions Regulations, Master Solicitation requirement/clauses. 
• ISO 9001-2015 Quality Control System and Implementation- Quality for Business Success, Inc., San Juan, PR and Primex
• MODSEW (Byte software standard times calculating module)
• Lean Enterprise Academy – 80hrs.  Primex
• Yellow Belt Certification – by Black Belt Mr. Antonio Delgado/DJ Manufacturing Corp.
• Process Certification/Change Control Board - Francis Flores, Dir. Eng. DJ Manufacturing
• Fundamentals of Total Quality Management (TQM), Roberto Rondon, DJ Manufacturing, 
• Supervision of New Millennium/High Performance Management, Loyalty Mgmt. Group
• Labor laws and regulations, Loyalty Management Group
• Managing Projects and Priorities - Loyalty Management Group
• Aligning for Success -Loyalty Management Group
• Thinking Style Analysis and Feedback - KBA, LLC. The Human Resource Technology Co.

PC SKILLS AND TRAININGS

• Windows Microsoft Office, Vista, (Excel, Word, Outlook, Power Point & Internet search)
• Bytes Software System (Engineering, Production, and Inventory Modules)
• ADP Software System (Timecards, payroll, and administration)
• Exenta Shopfloor 
• Typing/Accuracy 40 WPM
• AX Dynamics System