ISE 288 INTERVIEW Interviewee John Bowen BS Industrial

ISE 288 INTERVIEW Interviewee: John Bowen BS Industrial Management Mercer University Interviewer : Thomas Knerr Editor : Dr. Joan Burtner Thomas Knerr ISE 288 Interview Spring 2008

Introduction § § § Armstrong World Industries John Bowen’s Background A Typical Day The Job Experience Mercer Highlights Thomas Knerr ISE 288 Interview Spring 2008 2

Armstrong World Industries § § § Global Manufacturing Company Headquartered in Pennsylvania Product Line § Flooring § Ceiling Tile § Cabinets § Middle Georgia Production Facility located in Macon Thomas Knerr ISE 288 Interview Spring 2008 3

Interviewee: John Bowen § Graduate of Mercer University § Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Management § Current position, Production Supervisor at the Macon facility § Previous position, Industrial Engineer at the Macon facility Thomas Knerr ISE 288 Interview Spring 2008 4

What can you tell us about your current position? § Supervises 13 people § Responsible for receiving and mixing raw materials and operating board formation to the dried board § Uses skills acquired during internship with packaging company § Learned how to ask others about problems he could not solve alone Thomas Knerr ISE 288 Interview Spring 2008 5

What is your typical day like? § There are no typical days § Ranges from getting a pair of gloves for a worker to fighting a small fire § Responsibilities § Eliminating the barriers that hinder the people on his crew from doing their jobs § Fixing problems § Making sure everything is running smoothly Thomas Knerr ISE 288 Interview Spring 2008 6

The Job Experience at Armstrong 1 § Ups and Downs of the job § The best part of his job is handling the unexpected § The worst part of his job is sharing the responsibility of scheduling the crews and covering jobs vacancies § He enjoys the manufacturing setting because there is always something happening and something else to learned Thomas Knerr ISE 288 Interview Spring 2008 7

The Job Experience at Armstrong 2 § § § Mainly uses Lean Manufacturing Great Benefits Friendly Co-workers Thomas Knerr ISE 288 Interview Spring 2008 8

Mercer Highlights 1 How did your classes at Mercer prepare you for this job? § Built a strong foundation for the technical detail of Armstrong § No class that can truly prepare you for manufacturing ceiling tile but having a solid knowledge so that when someone asks you to perform a task or lead a project you have the skill to perform the job Thomas Knerr ISE 288 Interview Spring 2008 9

Mercer Highlights 2 What classes were most helpful? § Overall, the most helpful classes have been Dr. Burtner’s data analysis class, managerial accounting, cost accounting, statistics, and human resource management Thomas Knerr ISE 288 Interview Spring 2008 10

Mercer Highlights 3 What classes were most helpful? (cont. ) § As an Industrial Management major and he found that the business classes have been a real asset in understanding the workings of a manufacturing facility § Sometimes he uses text books from college to research ISE ideas and principles Thomas Knerr ISE 288 Interview Spring 2008 11

Questions? § John Bowen at Armstrong World Industries § Thomas Knerr § thomas. john. knerr@student. mercer. edu § Dr. Joan Burtner § Burtner_J@Mercer. edu Thomas Knerr ISE 288 Interview Spring 2008 12