Loren L.

Leimer
Anaheim, CA 92806

Phone: (714) 501-6495

Email: lleimer506@aol.com
LinkedIn: lleimer@hochiki.com

OBJECTIVE
To secure a position with a well-established and stable organization, that can lead to a lasting and beneficial
relationship in engineering management.

SUMMARY
High integrity engineering professional with 31 years of experience in an engineering environment. Responsible for
the establishment and operation of an R&D center in the United States. Generated and instituted the engineering
document control system for ISO-9001 compliance. Worked extensively with Sales & Marketing to conceptualize
new products. Led a team of hardware, mechanical, and software engineers to develop smoke detection products to
meet market needs. Traveled extensively both domestic and internationally.

EXPERIENCE
HOCHIKI AMERICA CORPORATION Buena Park, CA

Feb. 1984 to March 2015

Manufacturer of commercial smoke detection equipment

Vice President of Technical Services

April 2012 to March 2015

Assumed responsibility for the Technical Support department.

Released the Quality department responsibility to the new Quality manager hired in 2010.
Established and conducted the company Operations meetings involving key organizational members to motivate
and improve staff communications.
Identified a mechanical flaw in the Japanese smoke sensor design that would have had a negative impact on life
safety, thereby protecting the reputation of the company.
Established a detection and suppression design center for application layout of Hochiki products.
Received HAZMAT training for the handling of hazardous materials.
Worked with the Department of Transportation to obtain approval to ship hazardous materials
Chosen as US/UL representative for Hochiki Global R&D team.
Executed the de-commissioning of the Hochiki Buena Park facility for radioactive materials possession.
Vice President of Engineering

April 2011 to April 2012

Maintained responsibility for Engineering, R&D, and Quality departments.

Instituted a cross training program for the Quality department to avoid disruptions with sick employees or vacation
time.
Assisted the president and CFO with departmental budgets and company organizational structure.
Investigated areas of new potential business and markets for the president.
Conducted competitive analysis of products and performed a GAP analysis to identify development needs.
Served on the Underwriters Laboratories task group to establish new test fire protocols for inclusion in the current
UL smoke detector standards.
Prepared and submitted the renewal of the Hochiki U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission radioactive materials
distribution license.
Manager of Engineering, R&D, and Quality Control

April 2009 to April 2011

Assumed responsibility for the quality control department.

Conducted a study to assess the current state of the Quality Control department by reviewing the quality manual,
quality procedures, and work standards.
Worked with an outside consultant to re-engineer the quality system.
Developed quality objectives and objective targets to comply with ISO9001 requirements.
Upgraded the UL268 smoke boxes with data acquisition to ensure reliability of the readings.

 Hired and trained a Quality manager to assume responsibility for the department when determined appropriate.
Identified a stability problem with a smoke sensor being used by the parent company. Recommended changes to
the moving average algorithm which was ultimately implemented.
Served as a member of the Underwriters Laboratories task group responsible for writing multi-criteria detector test
standards.
Manager of Engineering and R&D

Apr. 2001 to April 2009

Opened the first US based R&D center for the corporation.

Worked with the president to secure a strategic partnership with a UK based control equipment company.
Developed and implemented a plan to bring a UK control equipment design into compliance with local regulatory
and market requirements.
Worked with the UK partner to develop control panel peripherals to fill the gaps in the product line.
Led a project team with the objective of bringing new sensor technology to the US from Japan.
Led a project team to perform a cost down involving local sourcing of components and parts.
Directed the development of a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) duct detector for OEM sales.
Developed a duct detector Test/Reset station which saved the customer 19% while making a 73% gross margin and
ultimately became a high volume product.
Developed a mechanical solution for an addressable manual pull station allowing the polling LED to be viewed at
very wide angles.
Accepted as an Underwriters Laboratories Inc. member of the UL217 Standards Technical Panel tasked with
development/ and or revision of UL smoke detector standards.
Prepared, submitted, and obtained the NRC license renewal for the manufacturing of ionization smoke detectors.
Senior Operating Manager Engineering

Apr. 1997to April 2001

Reformatted Document Control system to streamline procedures and improve the accuracy of the
Engineering documentation.
Appointed Radiation Safety Officer for the company.
Facilitated the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) approval of the NS ionization product line.
Performed the de-commissioning of the Huntington Beach production facility when the factory relocated to Buena
Park, CA.
Directed the development of a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) duct detector for OEM sales.
NS Project Leader (special assignment by the president)

Apr. 1996 10 Apr. 1997

Led the NS Project Team with the objective of bringing Japanese manufacturing technology to the
United States. This project obsoleted the existing product line and was crucial in driving the company's future.
Responsible for all facets of the project including the project budget, factory construction, technical information
transfer, scheduling, equipment delivery, equipment installation.
Completed procurement and first article approval of product materials from local sources including metal stampings
and injection molded parts.
Guided product costing and cost reduction strategies.
Supervised the NS product agency listings (UL, ULC, FM, CSFM, and MEA).
Senior Operating Manager of Engineering

Apr. 1991 10 Apr. 1996

Instituted and directed a one year plan to educate Hochiki employees to improve computer literacy and efficiency
throughout the company. Personnel were educated in word processing, spreadsheets, graphic presentations, and the
Windows environment.
Appointed to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) technical committee as a representative
of Hochiki America and the American Fire Alarm Association (AFAA).
Guided generation of procedures and implementation of engineering document control for ISO-9002 compliance.
Organized and acquired the equipment necessary to conduct listing agency testing on site resulting in reduced
listing expenditures.
Established and directed a stateside R&D center capable of responding quickly to customer needs.

Engineering Manager

Apr. 1989 to Apr. 1991

Established a new engineering specification and drawing system for the company.
Assumed leadership of the technical support and customer service department.
Formulated and implemented a plan to tum the customer service department into its own cost center
resulting in the realization of hidden company profits.
Assisted the Sales department in introducing new product to customers.
Product Compliance Manager

Apr. 1987 10 Apr. 1989

Established excellent working relationship with Underwriters Laboratories Inc., Factory Mutual
Research, Underwriters Laboratories of Canada. California State Fire Marshal, and the City of New York.
Generated in-house database tracking system for agency listing fees resulting in savings of thousands
of dollars due to agency billing errors.
Generated company guidelines for obtaining listing agency compatibility with our customers.

Project Engineer

Feb. 1984 10 Apr. 1987

Designed a single zone fire alarm control panel for use with Hochiki America smoke detectors and
system accessories. Panel specifications met customer requirements and the UL864 standard.
Designed numerous detector bases to interface our smoke detectors with other OEM control panels.
Assisted in the design of a multi-zone (4 - 40 zone) fire alarm control panel.
Assisted our customers with technical support for our products via telephone and/or in person.
Converted existing engineering hard copy drawings to Versa Cad 20 computer drawings.
EDUCATION
California State University Fullerton
BSEE degree in Electrical Engineering

Fullerton, CA

California State University Fullerton

Certificate in Microcomputer Systems Design.

Fullerton, CA

Proficient in many software packages including: Microsoft Word, Excel, Power Point, Access, Project,
Visio, One Note, AutoCAD, Solid Edge 3D Modeling, Circuit Maker, Adobe PageMaker, Adobe InDesign CS6, and
Photoshop CS4.

REFERENCES
Excellent references available upon request.