Petra’s experience in manufacturing operations, technology development, and business development stretches back to 1988. Before joining Catalyst Connection, she was employed by GE Aviation, where she held positions in manufacturing engineering as a front line supervisor and a project manager, focusing on process development, quality control, and statistical analysis. She was selected to participate in the GE manufacturing development program, and completed GE’s comprehensive advanced course in manufacturing.
Petra joined us in 1994 as a senior operations consultant, focusing on improvements in material flow, production planning and scheduling, facility layout, energy usage, and setup reduction. She moved from a managing director’s role, in which she focused on developing Catalyst Connection’s business growth services and gained expertise in tools and methods for strategic planning and new product development, to a vice president’s position, where she forged critical partnerships that advanced our business objectives. She was named president of Catalyst Connection in 2007. She holds a B.S. in mechanical engineering from the University of Dayton, and an M.S. in engineering with a concentration in manufacturing management from the University of Cincinnati.