Chadd Flint

Welding and fabrication shop built on Toyota Production System discipline — 5S, Kaizen, and standard work applied to a one-person operation that serves regional customers and contractors. Performed this work informally for years; formally incorporated in 2019. • Run the full sales cycle solo — customer intake, on-site quoting, scope of work, closing, and invoicing. • Manage vendor relationships for steel, consumables, gas, and shop equipment. Negotiate on pricing and lead times. • Apply Toyota Production System habits — 5S, Kaizen, continuous improvement — to keep the shop predictable and profitable. • Built the business strategy, pricing structure, and customer-facing materials from the ground up.

Grew program enrollment 3x in under three years (20 → 60 students), recruited the first 11 female students in program history, and built employer partnerships that move graduates directly into welding careers. Built and run the welding program at a regional CTE high school covering SMAW, GMAW, GTAW, FCAW, plasma cutting, oxy-fuel cutting, blueprint reading, fabrication, and shop safety. • Grew program enrollment from barely 20 students to 60 — a 3x increase in under three years driven by program quality, employer connections, and word of mouth. Recruited the first 11 female students in program history. • Designed curriculum, skill rubrics, weld documentation, cut checks, and bend-test procedures aligned with real industry standards. • Manage all shop operations — equipment uptime, consumables, PPE, OSHA compliance, and constant student rotation. • Built employer and post-secondary partnerships to move students directly into welding careers and apprenticeships. • Serve as Bargaining Chair for the local teachers' union. Negotiate multi-year contract terms directly with district leadership and bring opposing sides to a signed agreement. • Use Google Workspace, Apps Script, custom dashboards, and AI tools to track student performance, certifications, and program outcomes.

Founded and ran a paintless dent repair company for 13+ years — maintained 10+ active dealership and insurance accounts at all times, negotiated multi-state hail damage estimates with insurance adjusters, and ran every function of the business solo. Founded and grew a paintless dent repair company serving auto dealerships, insurance carriers, and retail customers across southern Indiana and beyond. • Maintained 10+ active dealership and insurance accounts at all times — full responsibility for prospecting, in-person estimating, pricing, account development, closing, and long-term relationship management. • Negotiated hail damage estimates directly with insurance adjusters across multiple states. Worked alongside independent body shops to push for top-dollar estimates on every vehicle — coordinating three parties with opposing interests on each deal. • Built a steady book of dealership accounts through consistent quality and follow-through. • Traveled out-of-state for hail work when storm season demanded it, then returned to maintain local accounts year-round. • Coordinated sub-contractors across multiple jobs and locations without missing turnaround commitments. • Ran every back-office function a one-person sales operation requires: invoicing, books, vendor relationships, marketing, scheduling.

Promoted to Lead Kaizen Fabricator at 23 — youngest on the line in that role. Cross-trained on all 20+ processes in the group and served as the line's backup welder whenever a robot went down. Worked the weld line and paint offline repair team during a period of major production growth at Toyota's Princeton plant. • Promoted to Lead Kaizen Fabricator at age 23 — youngest in that role on the line at the time. • Cross-trained on every one of the 20+ processes within my group's line. • Served as the backup welder whenever a robot went down — kept the line moving without missing takt. • Operated inside the Toyota Production System with daily Kaizen, 5S, and built-in safety practices. The discipline from those years still drives how I run a shop today.

Crew lead for a family-owned bush-hogging operation handling multi-state grounds maintenance contracts. • Coordinated team members on the job while working alongside them. • Managed lodging, daily routing, and customer-facing logistics on the road.