St. Louis, MO – Beckwood Press Company, a leading manufacturer of custom hydraulic and servo-electric presses, automation systems, and the Triform line of precision forming equipment, proudly announces the addition of Quality Engineer, Yolanda “Cotton” Smith, to support the company’s continuous improvement initiatives.
As Quality Engineer, Ms. Smith will lead the Quality Team in developing, establishing and maintaining initiatives to ensure quality standards and continuous improvement goals are achieved throughout the organization. With more than 23 years of experience in a Quality role, her knowledge and application of best practices from ISO and Six Sigma will streamline the company’s Quality Management System.
Ms. Smith holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Ecology and Systematics from the University of Northern Iowa, seven Quality-focused certifications from the Automotive Industry Action Group (AIAG) and an ISO 9001:2008 Supplier Auditor Certification from Plexus International.
Prior to joining Beckwood, Ms. Smith served as Senior Quality Engineer, Quality Manager and ISO Coordinator for several manufacturing companies in the automotive, rubber, plastics and machining industries. During this time, she developed, wrote and implemented processes and procedures, performed internal and external audits and mentored Quality Team members to ensure products leaving the facility exceeded customer expectations.
“The value that Quality brings to our organization extends well beyond just manufacturing. Having a dedicated person to focus on refining our Quality Management System that touches every aspect of the business—engineering, purchasing, R&D, and inspections—is critical to Beckwood’s future success,” said Giancarlo Pierangeli, Beckwood’s Director of Operations. “We needed someone with a proven track record in leading Quality initiatives, and Cotton’s wealth of experience and can-do attitude made her the best person for this job.”