Kara Smith

Kara Smith has a diverse and extensive work experience in various leadership roles. Kara started their career at Grain Processing Corporation as a Project/Process Engineer, where they focused on capital projects and continuous improvement initiatives. Kara then moved on to Mead Johnson Nutritionals as a Project Engineer and later as a Process Engineer, where they provided technical support for new product launches and process optimization. Kara joined Amway in 2008 as a Research Scientist/Process Engineer and gradually progressed to roles such as Project Manager, Associate Group Leader, Group Manager, and Director of Manufacturing. In these positions, they led teams responsible for new product development, process management, and technical support, and drove initiatives to improve safety, quality, cost, and delivery. Kara's most recent position was as the Senior Director of NA Operations and Consumables Development at BISSELL Homecare, Inc., where they led multiple sites across North America and was responsible for remanufacturing, device manufacturing, product development, and sourcing. Currently, Kara is the Senior Director of Operations at Ring Container Technologies.

Kara Smith obtained their Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from Michigan Technological University, where they studied from 1997 to 2002. After a break in their education, they pursued further studies and earned a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree in Strategic Management from Davenport University. Kara attended Davenport University from 2011 to 2017 for their MBA.

In addition to their degrees, Kara Smith has obtained two certifications. Kara is a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt, which they achieved in July 2023 through Six Sigma Online and Educate 360. Kara also holds a Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt certification, which they earned in May 2023 from the same institutions.