Carl Robertson becomes head of operations in Belleville
Carl Robertson is our new Chief Operations Officer (COO) in the USA. He is the successor of Julius Rummel, who returned to his position as Managing Director in Germany at the beginning of the year. Carl previously held the position of Quality Manager at Mayser USA and can contribute decades of experience in the automotive sector. The ingredients in his recipe for success include specific goals, clear communication and well thought-out problem-solving strategies. In an interview he told us more about his professional background and his goals at Mayser.
How long have you been at Mayser USA?
My first day at Mayser USA was July 5, 2016. So I have been with the company for almost two-and-a-half years.
What were your responsibilities at Mayser before you became COO?
As Quality Manager I was responsible for certification in accordance with IATF 16949, and with the help of the production team I established a feedback system between quality and production personnel, to meet the expectations of our customers for consistently high product quality. Today we have an efficient team that focuses on achieving these goals.
What were the most important milestones in your career before you joined Mayser?
An important milestone in my thirty-year career in the automotive industry was working for a Japanese automobile manufacturer in North America, where I learned a management style characterized by patience and long-term planning. I also worked as a business unit staff manager for two of America’s biggest aluminum companies that manufacture automotive components. There I worked closely with our production teams and the managers and executives of the automobile manufacturers in the USA, Germany and Japan.
What are the main goals you have set as COO at Mayser?
The main goal is to fulfill the expectations of customers for the reliable delivery and high quality of our obstacle detection sensors. It is also necessary to continuously improve our processes, by boosting our efficiency and reducing costs.
Do you have a general message for your fellow employees?
First, I would like to say that it is a great pleasure for me to work together with our dedicated teams in the USA and Germany. If you ask me about messages, there are three things that are important to me:
One is the importance of setting goals. I believe we should define short- and long-term goals that we can use to measure our progress and see how effective our work was.
Then I consider communication an important factor for success. My maxim is: Think about what you want to achieve, and then be clear and concise in your statements.
And finally, it is important to have the right problem-solving strategies. Mine is this: If you run into a problem, first try to understand the overall process. Then think about how the problem can be solved.
In summary, one can say: An effective team is a team that sets goals, communicates effectively and solves problems quickly with the big picture in view.
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