When Jd Marhevko speaks about how to measure performance, apply solutions and improve overall quality, suppliers listen.
Currently, Vice President of Quality for a major Tier 1 automotive supplier, Jd built her reputation over decades in the automotive industry. Starting college at just 16, Jd studied engineering, which she saw as a road out of poverty. Around the same time, she rebuilt her first engine on a fishing trip with her grandfather, a Chrysler employee and operations expert, after she accidentally dropped their boat’s motor in the water.
The award-winning quality guru offers her sage advice on this episode of Automotive Supply Chain Prophets. She believes that silos — whether good or bad — are culturally dependent and that without looking at leading indicators, lagging indicators can create a reactive environment.
Themes discussed in this episode:
Name: Jd Marhevko
Title: Vice President of Quality, Major Tier 1 automotive supplier
What she does: Jd is a revered expert in Quality, working in Operations and LSS efforts for almost 30 years. Jd is an ASQ Fellow, Shainin Medalist and in 2016, was recognized as one of the top 100 women in manufacturing by NAM. She holds an ASQ CMQ/OE, CQE, CSSBB and is an ASQ Certified Trainer. Jd has co-authored 5 books on Quality and Lean Management systems.
Connect: LinkedIn
Timestamped inflection points from the show
[1:00] A standout: Quality expert Jd Marhevko is an ASQ fellow, a Shainin medalist, was named a “Notable Woman in Manufacturing” by Crain’s Detroit in 2018, and in 2020, was inducted into the Women in Manufacturing Hall of Fame.
[2:31] Early exposure: Jd grew up working with her grandfather, a tool and die maker for Chrysler for 46 years and an operations expert. At his behest, Jd rebuilt her first engine after she accidentally dropped their boat’s motor into the water while they were fishing.
[4:35] A realignment: Jd’s most recent assignment was remote and globally distributed. Of the many disruptions the industry has experienced in recent years, Jd says the cumulative effect hasn’t been negative but has forced “an intensive readjustment to Agile problem-solving.”
[6:52] Delivery is the sum of its parts: Jd sees quality and delivery as inseparable metrics in that “delivery incorporates and includes quality of that product in that definition of delivery.”
[10:51] Transactional analysis: Jd thinks the most effective tool to break down silos in an organization is, “
