Eric Fries, MBA, Ssbb, Cqe
About Eric Fries, MBA, Ssbb, Cqe
Eric Fries is the Director of Global Quality at Kennametal, bringing extensive experience in quality management and engineering from previous roles at MillerCoors, Parker Hannifin, and GE. He holds an MBA and certifications in Quality Engineering and Six Sigma, and has a strong background in mentoring professionals in quality methodologies.
Current Role at Kennametal
Eric Fries serves as the Director Global Quality at Kennametal, a position he has held since 2021. In this role, he focuses on enhancing quality management systems across the organization. He has successfully reorganized the corporate quality group to align with corporate quality objectives, which has improved leadership effectiveness. His leadership emphasizes the importance of a customer-focused quality culture that prioritizes defect reduction and engages all levels of the organization.
Previous Experience in Quality Management
Prior to his role at Kennametal, Eric Fries gained extensive experience in quality management at Parker Hannifin. He worked there as a Plant Quality Manager from 2016 to 2020 and as a Supplier Quality Engineer from 2012 to 2016. Additionally, he served as the Department Quality Manager in the Parflex Division from 2020 to 2021. His tenure at Parker Hannifin involved building and managing global quality management systems across multiple manufacturing sites.
Education and Certifications
Eric Fries holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Baldwin Wallace University, which he completed from 2019 to 2021. He also earned a Bachelor of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Dayton, graduating in 2007. In addition to his degrees, he is a Certified Quality Engineer (CQE) and a Certified Six Sigma Black Belt (SSBB), reflecting his expertise in quality assurance and process improvement methodologies.
Career Background
Eric Fries began his career at GE, where he participated in the Edison Engineering Development Program in 2008. He also completed a co-op at the Manufacturing Engineering Center of Excellence from 2005 to 2008. Following his time at GE, he worked at MillerCoors as a Reliability Engineer and Process Leader between 2008 and 2012. His diverse background in engineering and quality management has contributed to his extensive knowledge in the field.
Achievements in Quality Improvement
Throughout his career, Eric Fries has demonstrated a commitment to quality improvement and operational excellence. He has implemented strategic planning and quality assurance practices that have successfully reduced key performance indicators while maintaining high quality standards. His experience in mentoring and coaching professionals in Six Sigma methodologies has led to significant cost savings and enhanced quality outcomes across the organizations he has worked with.