Career Move: Knorr Brake Corporation

Most of you know that I work in the rail industry as a Quality Assurance Engineer.  I've been in the industry for about 12 years now, starting off my first five years as a QC Inspector at a Baltimore based supplier; RailPlan.  From RailPlan I went to a major car builder; Kawasaki Rail Car.  I worked as a QA Engineer for four years at Kawasaki, on various railcar projects with NYCT, PATH & WMATA.  In 2012 I left Kawasaki and took a job with the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) as a QA Engineer.  With each leap in my career came more responsibility, better pay and a resultant increase in my knowledge base for rail cars, components and quality management systems.  This career path has been good for me.  I have a genuine interest in trains (instilled in me by my father’s Lionel trains he would set up at Christmas time) and a detail oriented mindset, essential for anyone working in the quality field.  

Yesterday marked my last day of employment with WMATA.  Monday I will be starting my new job at Knorr Brake Corporation as the Manager of Supplier Quality.  I will truly miss the people that I have worked with in the Authority but I am confident that I will be successful and happier in this new venture.  I was given a great send-off the other night at a restaurant.  The Superintendent of Car Maintenance had a plaque made for me.  After he spoke very kindly of me he gave me the plaque, saying that the plaques were typically retirement gifts and that a plaque had never been given for anyone working at the Authority for such a short amount of time (less than two years!).  I was honored that I had made such an impression.  The plaque will be hung in my new office at Knorr.  I think it's fantastic, one of the coolest things I've ever received.  The machinists that work in my yard machined the wheel out of aluminum and ran a program to inscribe my dates of service and their gratitude.  I really love it!

Above: (Left to right) Hakim & Steve and Mike D and myself.

I will miss the friends I have made and worked with at WMATA.  My manager, Steve is one of the best men I have ever worked under.  As an assistant scoutmaster, he and I had several Boy Scout stories to tell.  He like myself, made the trip out to Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico and hiked over the Tooth of Time.  I respect him for his work ethic, moral character, guidance and genuine personality. There is a bond here that will always be. I’ll miss Steve, but we’ll keep in touch. 

A little about Knorr:

Knorr is a very large supplier in the rail industry, manufacturing brake systems, door systems, HVAC systems and inverters.  I will be responsible for controlling their suppliers through auditing and other best practices.  I am really anxious to make a name for myself at Knorr.