Manufacturing Extension Partnership of Louisiana Appoints Project Managers at Louisiana Delta Community College

News Release

For Immediate Release                                                                      Contact: Kayla Gentry or Darian Atkins

January 18, 2019                                                                                 (337) 394-2764 or (318) 345-9265

MANUFACTURING EXTENSION PARTNERSHIP OF LOUISIANA APPOINTS

PROJECT MANAGERS AT LOUISIANA DELTA COMMUNITY COLLEGE

BATON ROUGE – John Garrison and Miriam Russell, professionals with a combination of 40 years’ experience in project management, have been appointed as Project Managers of the Manufacturing Extension Partnership of Louisiana at Louisiana Delta Community College (LDCC).

Garrison and Russell will support MEP of Louisiana activities to help North Louisiana manufacturers grow and compete. As a project manager, they will deliver industry consulting services and drive implementation engagements with manufacturers in North Louisiana.

“Both John and Miriam are great additions to the MEP of Louisiana team”, said Dr. Ali Ahmad, Director of the Manufacturing Extension Partnership of Louisiana. “Their extensive project management expertise and involvement in North Louisiana will expand the support available through the Manufacturing Extension Partnership of Louisiana in that part of the state.”

The MEP of Louisiana is operated by the Louisiana Community and Technical College System (LCTCS) in partnership with the National Institute of Standards and Technology and part of a national network of Manufacturing Extension Partnerships based in every state. The MEP of Louisiana provides a full range of services to manufacturers, including growth and cost-reduction strategies, website development and branding, process and quality improvement, engineering and prototyping, facility layout, and leadership training. All activities are focused on increasing productivity, profitability, and manufacturing success. The MEP of Louisiana also connects manufacturers to workforce development services offered by all 12 LCTCS colleges.

Louisiana Delta Community College Chancellor, Dennis Epps stated, “Louisiana Delta Community College is extremely pleased to have these talented individuals to serve in our region.  The College prides itself on its service to business and industry and this partnership augments our efforts to help our manufacturers achieve success and further growth.”

Dean Baugh, Executive Director of Workforce and Economic Development at Louisiana Delta Community College affirmed, “This is another key component in fulfilling the needs of our manufacturing industry, as well as further positioning LDCC as the Advanced Manufacturing Training hub of Northeast Louisiana”.

Garrison offers over 15 years of experience executing projects such as visual management systems, work standardization development, multiple facility capability expansions and enhanced facility layouts.  “It has been a blessing to have the opportunity to join such a great MEPOL team.  I look forward to the challenges ahead, partnering with manufacturers to enhance their businesses, and helping grow our economy,” John said of his appointment.  During his previous employment at several North Louisiana manufacturing companies, he managed multiple individual capital projects and has instructed several 40 hour classes of Lean Manufacturing tools and techniques to over 200+ employees.  As a certified Project Manager, Garrison has completed numerous job shop projects simultaneously from RFQ to closure.  John has an Industrial Engineering degree from Louisiana Tech University.

Russell has been part of the manufacturing industry for 30+ years, where she started with the Small Business Development Center (SBDC).  “I am very excited about working with MEPOL.  Throughout my career, working directly with owners, managers and employees of companies has provided the greatest satisfaction of my work.  Knowing I am involved in an effort to help make these employers more effective, more profitable and helping them get to a position to hire more employees and thereby strengthen the economy of Northeast Louisiana is very rewarding for me personally and hopefully for the companies as well,” Miriam said of her position.  Responsible for providing management, technical assistance and training to the small business community throughout North Louisiana, Russell counseled more than 3,000 clients over a 13 year period and trained in excess of 5,000 individuals.  More recently as a North Louisiana Regional Director for Louisiana Economic Development (LED), Russell was responsible for the economic development of the 22 parish region where she kept businesses apprised of activities through LED that affected their respective organization and the businesses in their areas.  Miriam has an MBA degree from the University of Louisiana Monroe.  She lives in Collinston, Louisiana.

# # #