Phillips is pleased to announce that Brandon Woodard, a Wyakin Veteran, has joined the team as Corporate Director of Continuous Improvement and Operational Excellence. Woodard will lead Phillips’ operations initiatives, focusing on enhancing global manufacturing efficiencies. This will involve the adoption of manufacturing best practices and the introduction of innovative processes by leveraging automation, robotics, and a deeper adoption of lean manufacturing practices. Woodard’s leadership is pivotal in Phillips’ pursuit of being the most reliable and trusted supplier in transportation.
Rob Phillips, Phillips Industries CEO, says, “We are really excited to have Brandon as part of our Phillips Family. Adding him to our leadership team is also very personal to me – through years of personally mentoring Brandon in different roles within our industry, I recognized his incredible leadership talent and a deep hunger for continuous learning. I’m confident that Brandon will lead our global operations to the next levels and create an incredible support structure for our customers.”
Following his graduation from the Wyakin Program, Woodard joined Meritor in 2016 assigned to various roles of leadership in their Aftermarket Distribution Center. In 2020 Woodard was hired by SAF-HOLLAND as Warehouse Manager, and was soon promoted to Director of Aftermarket Distribution Centers. In that role, he worked with a team successfully merging the Haldex Kansas City Aftermarket Distribution Center into SAF-HOLLAND’s U.S. Aftermarket Distribution and Supply Chain business.
Woodard’s first objective at Phillips is streamlining and improving operations at the recently expanded Mexico campus. He will implement sustainable practices, foster continuous improvement through an advanced KPI process, and apply effective leadership and communication strategies. These efforts will establish meaningful benchmarks that meet the quality and productivity standards that Phillips customers have come to expect.
Since forging their partnership with Wyakin, over 175 veterans have found career success in part through Phillips funding veterans in academics, trades, and even CDLs. Rob Phillips has been a professional mentor for Wyakin graduates and has seen firsthand the high level of career readiness that the Warriors possess in the program. In addition, Phillips Connect is currently providing an internship to another Wyakin veteran in Phoenix, AZ.
Jeff Bacon, Co-Founder and Board Chairman of Wyakin says, “Brandon Woodard perfectly embodies the ideal we had in mind for a Wyakin Warrior when we first initiated the program in 2010. Not only did he serve and sacrifice for his country, but he worked hard to get to where he is in his career. To hear that he is now a part of the Phillips Family thrills me to no end. Phillips has walked the walk in support of veterans and has been an absolutely invaluable supporter of Wyakin in so many ways. Having a Wyakin alumnus working at a company as phenomenal as Phillips is a match made in heaven.”
Cory Rodriguez, Executive Director of Wyakin comments, “Having a personal relationship with Rob, Dave and Bob Phillips, and several employees, the Phillips Family is just that, a Family. We sometimes describe our Foundation as the Wyakin Family, encouraging those types of bonds with our veterans. Phillips, in all their entities, promotes a culture of Family that is sometimes lost in big corporations these days. Seeing Brandon’s career come full circle is a testament to the bond we all share. Wyakin is proud to partner with Phillips, and we are proud of Brandon for all his hard work. Congratulations to Brandon and his Family, and Congratulations to Phillips. Thank you for your continued advocacy for Veterans in our great country!”
Woodard served in the US Army as an Infantry Squad Leader from 2004 to 2012 in the 82nd Airborne Unit stationed at Fort Bragg. During that time Woodard completed four combat deployments. He holds a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) History from Boise State University, an MBA in Operations and Management from the Ohio State University Fisher College of Business, a Six Sigma Green Belt Certificate from Ohio State University, and a Project Management Professional certification from the Project Management Institute.