D.R.E. System Improvement LLC
D.R.E. System Improvement was started in 2008 by Deborah Rindfuss Ellis. As president of the company, Deborah has over 40 years’ experience in the quality management / quality engineering fields encompassing both the manufacturing and academic sectors.
Deborah was the previous Director of Quality for Avox Systems Inc., a division of Safran which is a global leader in Aerospace products and services. In this role, Deborah was responsible for the direction of quality activities and initiatives for this multi-product/multi-plant aerospace organization.
Prior to her role at Avox Systems Inc., Deborah was the Corporate Director of Quality for Oerlikon Balzers Coating USA Inc. and oversaw the quality activities of 15 tool/component coating centers across the United States and Canada. Other manufacturing positions held during her career include Quality Systems Manager for the Buffalo Ford Stamping Plant and Manufacturing Quality Administrator for the 2.0 liter engine assembly line at the General Motors Powertrain Tonawanda facility.
In addition to her many years in the manufacturing sector, Deborah spent 13 years in the academic sector. As an assistant professor in the Technology Department at Buffalo State College Deborah taught a host of quality related coursework. During her time at the college, she was the interim Chair of the Technology Department, Coordinator for the Industrial Technology Program, and led a team to develop the Industrial Technology’s first Quality Option and Quality Minor degree programs.
Deborah holds a Bachelor of Industrial Administration degree from General Motors Institute (Kettering University). In addition, she holds an M.B.A., a M.S. in Industrial Engineering, and a Ph.D. in Higher Education Leadership and Policy from the State University of NY at Buffalo. Deborah is an American Society for Quality (ASQ) Certified Six Sigma Black Belt (CSSBB), Certified Quality Engineer (CQA), past RABQSA ISO 9001:2000 Principal Auditor, and past chair of the ASQ Buffalo Section. To date, she continues to maintain involvement with the Buffalo Section.
