As part of a special series on The Faces of KION North America, we sat down with members of our leadership team to talk about their thoughts on leadership. During this installment, we feature Craig Romine, Quality Manager.
What is your position, and in summary, what do you do?
I am the Quality Manager at KION North America, and I am responsible for:
- The Quality Management System (this ensures we follow our defined processes).
- Project Quality (making sure we plan the quality control of new product launches).
- Operational Quality (making sure we build the current product to the standards).
- Supplier Quality (making sure our suppliers follow their processes and supply us with conforming products).
What made you get into this industry?
I was finishing up a contract position for an automotive supplier in Germany and had an interest in working for an OEM. As a QM and QE for automotive components suppliers in the past, it was always a goal to be at the “Final Assembly” of a product. KION North America gave me that opportunity. I had no idea of the global reach that the KION Group had in the world. I only knew material handling equipment as those trucks you look out for while on the manufacturing floor. Working here has been a real eye-opener to the product mix we provide.
What are the most important attributes of successful leaders today?
Take care of your people. Listen, ask questions, rally the troops when you see they are facing obstacles. Bring ideas but be aware and accepting that your idea might not be the best.
What advice would you give someone seeking a leadership position in the material handling industry?
- Surround yourself with people smarter than you.
- Be a motivator, not a dictator. You need people to follow you because they believe in you, not because the job requires them to do so.
- Advertise the individual team member’s successes.
