Organizational Capability • Learning • Continuous Improvement

Build the people. Improve the system. Move the business.

Senior learning and organizational development leader with roots in manufacturing engineering, quality, and Lean Six Sigma. I build practical systems that connect workforce capability, leadership development, and business performance.

Global L&D StrategyLeadership DevelopmentTechnical TrainingLean Six SigmaOrganizational Development
  • 800Professionals supported globally at RYAM
  • 700Professionals trained through ULSS
  • 22Leadership-development cohorts at RYAM
  • 95%Approx. ULSS certification exam pass rate
  • 20+ yrsEngineering through enterprise L&D
The throughline

One career. Three disciplines. One operating philosophy.

The roles changed, but the work stayed remarkably consistent: understand the system, define the capability needed, build a practical mechanism to close the gap, and measure whether performance improves.

01 • ENGINEERING

Design better work.

Manufacturing processes, technical standards, equipment utilization, quality systems, and operational problem solving.

02 • CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

Improve the system.

Lean Six Sigma, KPI discipline, root-cause analysis, standard work, employee involvement, and change.

03 • L&D / OD

Build capability to sustain it.

Leadership development, OJT, learning strategy, organizational development, coaching, governance, and scalable systems.

ENGINEERING → CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT → ORGANIZATIONAL CAPABILITY
Signature capabilities

Where I create value

My differentiator is not simply experience in L&D. It is the ability to connect development systems to operating reality, business performance, leadership behavior, and continuous improvement.

  • Enterprise Learning Strategy

    Governance, operating models, policies, portfolios, priorities, and measurement systems.

  • Leadership Development

    Scalable pathways, coaching systems, cohorts, facilitation models, and application-based development.

  • Technical & Operational Training

    Structured OJT, qualification systems, training matrices, standard work, and role capability models.

  • Continuous Improvement

    Lean Six Sigma, root-cause thinking, process analysis, KPI discipline, standardization, and employee ideas.

  • Organizational Development

    Engagement, succession, development planning, change management, leadership capability, and performance.

  • Learning Technology & AI

    LMS platforms, digital learning, Microsoft tools, LinkedIn Learning, and applied AI for faster design and access.

Selected evidence

From problem to system to result

These case studies show the pattern behind the resume: identify a business capability gap, build the mechanism that closes it, and operationalize the solution.

RYAM • Enterprise L&D
35%
approx. annual savings / spend reduction

Building a global L&D function

Challenge

Learning was largely decentralized and employee-initiated across the U.S., Canada, and France.

Role

Lead enterprise learning and organizational capability strategy for approximately 800 salaried professionals.

Build

Created a five-year strategy, policy, governance model, L&D Council, leadership portfolio, and development-planning system.

Outcome

Structured enterprise learning, greater global reach, reduced duplication and spend, stronger leadership pipeline.

90%+ leadership-program completion • ~20% average improvement in L&D-related engagement items
RYAM • Leadership
400
employees served across 22 cohorts

Creating an enterprise leadership pipeline

Need

A repeatable system to strengthen leadership capability across levels, sites, countries, and operating contexts.

Build

Three enterprise programs: Leadership Foundations, Frontline Leader, and Mid-Level Leader.

Scale

Expanded delivery from one primary facilitator to approximately 7–10 qualified facilitators.

Evidence

Approximately 20–30 Frontline Leader participants advanced into Mid-Level Leader roles.

The objective was not “deliver training.” It was to create a repeatable internal leadership-development system.
Malnove • Workforce Capability
45
roles mapped to structured qualification standards

Replacing tribal knowledge with structured OJT and qualification

Challenge

Operator training was informal, inconsistent, and weakly documented across an approximately 300-person site.

Analyze

Identified role-specific KSAs through task observation, structured interviews, SMEs, and SME/ToolingU.

System

Built matrices, qualification standards, OJT guides, work instructions, assessments, signoffs, and LMS records.

Sustain

Developed ~50 frontline trainers and transferred day-to-day ownership into Operations.

A recurring ISO audit weakness became a sustained strength through year-round qualification management.
All Metals • Quality + CI
12 mo.
to ISO 9001 certification

Building operational discipline in a growing custom manufacturer

Challenge

A 75-person fabricator needed stronger quality, workforce capability, KPI discipline, and CI infrastructure.

Role

Executive leadership team member responsible for quality, CI, workforce development, and operational capability.

Build

Created the QMS, training systems, KPI tracking, root-cause processes, employee improvement mechanisms, and standard work.

Result

ISO certification with one minor initial finding plus material performance improvements across operations.

Rework ↓ ~30% • Scrap ↓ ~25% • OTD 90%+ • Returns <1% • 5S ↑ ~85%
ULSS • Founder
700
professionals trained

Building a professional training business around practical continuous improvement

Concept

Practical Lean-biased education built around being Applicable, Attainable, Available, and Affordable.

Build

Created curriculum, certification pathways, delivery systems, facilitator standards, quality controls, and partnerships.

Scale

Seven repeat organizational clients and approximately 14 Yellow, Green, and Black Belt cohorts annually.

Performance

Approximately 95% exam pass rate and roughly 20% year-over-year revenue growth.

Demonstrates curriculum design, adult learning, entrepreneurship, market positioning, partnerships, quality assurance, and scalable delivery.
Career progression

From technical process capability to enterprise organizational capability

The chronology matters because each chapter added a layer that now informs how I approach organizational performance.

  1. 2022 – Present

    RYAM

    Global Learning & Development Manager

    Enterprise learning strategy, organizational capability, leadership development, development planning, governance, AI enablement, and global L&D systems.

  2. 2019 – Present

    Utah Lean Six Sigma Training Center

    Founder & Chief Educator

    Founded and scaled a professional continuous-improvement training organization serving individuals and organizational clients across multiple states.

  3. 2017 – 2022

    All Metals Fabrication

    Director of Quality & Continuous Improvement

    Quality, CI, workforce development, operational systems, and capability building as a member of the executive leadership team.

  4. 2012 – 2017

    Malnove Packaging

    Learning & Development Manager

    Structured OJT, qualification systems, leadership development, and multi-site improvement programs for a manufacturing workforce.

  5. 2003 – 2012

    Zero Manufacturing

    Manufacturing Engineer

    Manufacturing processes, CNC standards, technical documentation, operator training, equipment utilization, and process improvement.

Education & credentials

Built on both people systems and technical systems

Formal preparation in human resource development and manufacturing engineering supports a deliberately cross-functional approach to organizational capability.

Graduate Education

Master of Human Resource Development

Clemson University

Engineering

B.S. Manufacturing Engineering

Weber State University

Continuous Improvement

Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt

American Association for Lean Six Sigma Certification

Learning Design

Instructional Design

Association for Talent Development

People • Process • Performance

Building capability as an operating system, not a collection of training events.

Where learning, organizational development, technical capability, leadership, and continuous improvement need to work as a cohesive system.

mrcraigarcher@gmail.com(801) 928-9191LinkedIn (opens in a new tab)
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