Scott Hacker MBA | Quality & Continuous Improvement Manager

About Me

Turning Process Into Performance

I'm a Quality and Continuous Improvement Manager with a track record of transforming operations through Lean methodology, rigorous quality systems, and team development that makes change stick. Currently at Safe Fleet in Kansas City, MO, I lead initiatives that connect the shop floor to the bottom line.

My approach is rooted in the Toyota Production System -- not as a textbook exercise, but as a living philosophy. I believe the best quality systems are the ones your team builds ownership of. That means getting into the gemba, listening first, and designing solutions that are both rigorous and practical.

Over my career I've grown pilot programs from near-zero to multi-million dollar pipelines, reduced lead times through Kanban implementation, driven delivery performance from 62% to 96%, and held a U.S. patent for a product I helped design. Whether I'm leading a Kaizen event, building an 8D corrective action, or mentoring a team member, I bring the same energy: purposeful, data-driven, and people-focused.

I hold an MBA from Western Governors University and a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt from Purdue University -- a combination that lets me connect shop-floor improvement work directly to strategic business outcomes.

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MBA -- Western Governors UniversityMaster of Business Administration

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Lean Six Sigma Green Belt -- Purdue UniversityProcess Improvement & Statistical Analysis

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Strategic Business Acumen -- MBABridging CI work to financial & organizational outcomes

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U.S. Patent HolderAir Vue Wireless Transmitter Camera System

Core Competencies

Skills & Expertise

A blend of technical quality systems knowledge, Lean methodology, and the leadership skills to make transformation last.

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Lean & Continuous Improvement

Deep practitioner of the Toyota Production System. I design and lead Kaizen events, implement pull systems, and create value-stream improvements that stick beyond the workshop.

TPS / LeanKaizen5SKanbanVSM

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Quality Management Systems

Experienced with ISO-aligned QMS frameworks, PPAP, FMEA, and control plan development. I build quality systems that are auditable, scalable, and meaningful to the people using them.

ISO 9001PPAPFMEAControl PlansSPC

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Root Cause & Problem Solving

Structured problem solver using 8D methodology, 5-Why analysis, Fishbone diagrams, and A3 thinking. I focus on permanent corrective actions, not band-aids.

8D Analysis5-WhyA3 ThinkingFishbone

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Leadership & Team Development

Builds high-performing quality teams through coaching, psychological safety, and a culture where problems are surfaced -- not hidden. Strong communicator across all organizational levels.

Servant LeadershipMentoringChange ManagementGemba Walks

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Operations & Supply Chain

Hands-on experience improving delivery performance, inventory management, and supplier quality. Proven ability to translate CI projects into measurable supply chain outcomes.

Supplier QualityInventory MgmtDelivery PerformanceScheduling

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Communication & Business Leadership

MBA-trained communicator who translates complex process data into clear business cases. Skilled at presenting CI results to senior leadership and facilitating cross-functional workshops.

MBA -- WGUExecutive PresentationsTraining DevFacilitation

Experience

Professional Resume

Work Experience

Quality / Continuous Improvement Manager

Safe Fleet · Kansas City, MO

Current

Lead quality and CI initiatives across manufacturing operations, applying Lean and TPS principles to drive measurable improvements in delivery, cost, and quality metrics.
Manage 8D corrective action processes for internal and supplier quality issues, ensuring root causes are addressed with sustainable solutions.
Champion Kaizen events and continuous improvement culture on the production floor through structured gemba-based coaching.
Develop and maintain quality management system documentation, control plans, and FMEA for key product lines.
Partner with operations, engineering, and supply chain teams to align quality goals with business objectives.

Quality & Continuous Improvement Leader

Previous Employer -- Manufacturing Operations

Prior Role

Grew a strategic pilot program pipeline from $1.3M to $38M through quality-driven product development and cross-functional collaboration.
Implemented a Kanban pull system that increased product sales by 175% by dramatically reducing lead times and improving schedule adherence.
Improved on-time delivery performance from 62% to 96% through systematic process improvement and scheduling discipline.
Held a U.S. patent for the Air Vue wireless transmitter camera system.

Key Achievements

$1.3M to $38M pipeline growth through product quality and strategic CI initiatives
175% product sales increase via Kanban implementation and lead time reduction
62% to 96% on-time delivery improvement through scheduling and process discipline
U.S. Patent Holder -- Air Vue Wireless Transmitter Camera System
MBA, Western Governors University -- strategic business acumen applied to CI leadership

Portfolio

Work Examples & Achievements

High-impact projects that demonstrate the real-world results of disciplined quality and CI leadership.

Pipeline Development

Strategic Pilot Program Growth: $1.3M to $38M

Led a quality-driven initiative to identify, qualify, and scale a pilot product line. Through rigorous PPAP processes, supplier collaboration, and CI discipline, grew the recognized pipeline value nearly 30x.

29x Pipeline GrowthPPAP-DrivenCross-Functional

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Delivery Performance

On-Time Delivery: 62% to 96%

Diagnosed chronic delivery failures through value-stream mapping and root cause analysis. Implemented scheduling discipline, visual management boards, and daily accountability cadences.

+34pts DeliveryVSM AnalysisVisual Management

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Lean / Kanban

Kanban Implementation Drives 175% Sales Increase

Designed and deployed a pull-based Kanban system for a key product line, reducing lead times and improving schedule adherence. The resulting availability improvement directly drove a 175% sales increase.

175% Sales GrowthLead Time ReductionPull System

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Innovation & IP

U.S. Patent: Air Vue Wireless Camera System

Co-invented and patented the Air Vue wireless transmitter camera system -- a product that emerged from a quality and innovation program, demonstrating the intersection of CI expertise and creative problem-solving.

U.S. Patent HolderProduct InnovationR&D Collaboration

Read Full Case Study

Knowledge Hub

Insights, Articles & Resources

Practical perspectives on quality, Lean thinking, and building improvement cultures that last -- from Kansas City, MO.

Lean Thinking

Why Gemba Walks Beat Dashboard Reviews Every Time

The most important data in any operation isn't on a screen -- it's on the floor. Here's how making gemba walks a non-negotiable habit transforms what you see, know, and fix.

Quality LeadershipRead Article

Problem Solving

The 8D Process: A Practitioner's Field Guide

8D is more than a corrective action form. When applied with rigor, it's a structured thinking process that builds organizational problem-solving muscle.

Quality SystemsRead Article

Culture Change

Building a CI Culture Without the Poster Campaign

Real continuous improvement culture isn't built with slogans. It's built through daily habits, leadership behavior, and making it safe to say "this process is broken."

LeadershipRead Article

Kanban

Kanban in Manufacturing: Beyond the Sticky Notes

Most Kanban implementations fail because they treat it as a visual tool, not a system. A step-by-step guide to designing a pull system that actually reduces lead time.

Lean / FlowRead Article

Quality Systems

FMEA That Actually Gets Used: Making Risk Analysis Practical

FMEAs often end up as shelf documents. Here's how to structure failure mode analysis so it becomes a living tool your team actually references.

Risk & PreventionRead Article

Metrics & KPIs

The 5 Quality Metrics Every CI Manager Should Track

Not all metrics are created equal. Here are the five indicators I always prioritize -- and why the ones most companies track are often the wrong ones.

Data & AnalyticsRead Article

New articles published regularly on Lean, quality systems, and CI leadership.

View All Articles

Lean / Pull Systems

Kanban Implementation Drives 175% Product Sales Increase

+175% Sales Revenue

Replaced a forecast-driven push system with a two-bin Kanban pull system, reducing lead times by 60% and driving a 175% increase in product sales through dramatically improved availability.

KanbanVSMPull SystemsVisual Mgmt

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Delivery Performance

On-Time Delivery Transformed: 62% to 96% in One Year

+34 Percentage Points

Diagnosed chronic delivery failures through VSM and 8D root cause analysis. Implemented tiered accountability meetings, visual management boards, and supplier scorecards.

8D AnalysisVSMSchedulingSupplier Mgmt

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Pipeline Development

Growing a Pilot Program Pipeline from $1.3M to $38M

29x Pipeline Growth

Built the quality infrastructure -- PPAP documentation, supplier qualification, and launch readiness gates -- that gave customers the confidence to commit at volume.

PPAPSupplier Qual.FMEAControl Plans

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Innovation & IP

From Process Problem to U.S. Patent: The Air Vue Camera System

U.S. Patent Awarded

A recurring field installation problem was escalated through structured problem-solving methodology, ultimately producing a patentable innovation.

Problem SolvingProduct Dev.R&D Collab.Patent Process

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Short-form video explainers on quality and Lean topics -- designed for practitioners who learn by seeing, not just reading. Subscribe on YouTube to be notified when new content is posted.

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Lean Fundamentals

What Is a Gemba Walk -- And Why Most Managers Do It Wrong

A quick breakdown of the gemba walk -- what it is, what it isn't, and the three habits that make them actually work.

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Problem Solving

5-Why Analysis: How to Actually Get to Root Cause

5-Why sounds simple but most teams stop too early. Here's a practical walkthrough with a real manufacturing example.

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Quality Systems

The Difference Between Inspection and Quality

Inspecting for defects is not a quality system. Here's how to shift your team from detection to prevention.

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Kanban

How to Design a Kanban System That Actually Works

A visual walkthrough of the key decisions in Kanban design and how to avoid the most common implementation mistakes.

Subscribe on YouTubeNew videos on Lean, quality systems, and CI leadership posted regularly from Kansas City, MO.

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ScottHackerMBA

Turning Process Into Performance

Skills & Expertise

Professional Resume

Work Examples & Achievements

Insights, Articles & Resources

Let's Connect

Scott
Hacker
MBA