Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, Deirdré Mercedes relocated to California in 1986 with hopes and aspirations of a new beginning and making a lot of money. The new beginning worked out well. The large amounts of cash – well, let’s just say that she’s not filthy rich…yet.
Deirdre got started in the quality field at Amdahl Corporation in 1988. She was invited to join a project team that was commissioned to investigate ISO 9000 documentation and find inconsistencies in the processes. When Deirdre recognized the value of her ISO experience she investigated the 9000 set of standards. Deirdre arranged for training and 2 years later she was implementing the 9001 & 9002 requirements.
In 1994 Deirdré founded Quality Business Initiatives. QBI operated for 3-4 years. During that time she worked with quite a few companies improving their quality systems and implementing ISO requirements.
NASA Ames Research Center / Hernandez Engineering
Deirdré was a member of the Aeronautical Test and Simulation Division’s ISO 9000 Implementation Work Group. She provided consultation and technical services to the implementation sub-groups
Logitech, Inc. – Imaging Division/Quality Department
Deirdré was first contracted to manage the corrective action request system, enhance the internal quality audit program and re-organize the management review meetings. The Quality Manager recognized Deirdre’s problem solving skills and recruited her to investigate the high inventory levels in the RMA department. Deirdré coordinated efforts between Customer Service, Receiving, Marketing, Engineering and Legal to ensure that uniform product warranty requirements were developed, communicated and enforced. She successfully reduced RMA inventory from 1.2 million dollars to 75,000 dollars per month. After completing the RMA Reduction Project, Deirdré was recruited by the Imaging Division where she designed and implemented a stratospheric ozone protection program that ensured compliance to federal requirements to eliminate harmful material and chemicals from production.
In 1996 Deirdré accepted a full time position at LTX Corporation as the Manager of the Documentation Control Center. This is where she first started to dabble in UNIX code, HTML and script writing. Deirdré was charged with the integration of the San Jose, CA and Boston, MA engineering change order systems. This included the organization of weekly meetings between the two facilities, enhancing the computer systems to support shared data and implementing cross-functional training of personnel on both campuses. While taking on this project and other critical assignments, Deirdré managed a staff of 6 employees including Auto Cad Drafters, ECO Coordinators/Analysts, and Documentation Administrators She also managed a department budget of 260K.
In 1997 a small medical device company by the name of Orthopedic Systems needed to trans
ition its ISO 9002 Quality system to a 9001 system. Deirdré was hired to develop and implement a Design Control Program and upgraded their system in less than 9 months, which was when OSI received it’s upgraded ISO 9001 certificate. OSI also benefited from Deirdre’s change management expertise as she enhanced and managed the corrective action program and the engineering change control system. Deirdré also designed and implemented electronic data tools used to support critical systems and coordinated with the QA Manager, the VP of R&D and customers to ensure adherence to FDA, UL and MD requirements.
Deirdré has gained many skills since her move to California. The ISO 9001 training and experience proved to be quite fruitful. In 1998 OPAL, Quality Systems Management was founded. Deirdré decided to use her 12 years of computer technology, quality assurance and ISO experience towards building an organization that provides consulting, coaching, training an
d program management services that support organizational excellence. Deirdré focuses on improving business processes, promoting continuous improvement and facilitating growth and development.
Deirdré has yielded successful, customer-focused results in large, global enterprises as well as in small, entrepreneurial settings. She has advised leadership teams in best practices leading their companies to successful growth and development phases through quality concepts. Deirdré has worked with executives in many industries including aeronautics, manufacturing, medical devices, chemical, pharmaceutical, semiconductor, construction, entertainment and retail.
Chevron, Oronite – Deirdré was recruited as the SAP Global Implementation Coordinator. After 3 months on the project, she was given the additional responsibilities of Richmond (RTC) Co-Site Deployment Lead. Deirdré was responsible for the global coordination of SAP change management activities and management of the RTC Site Deployment Net
work, managing relationships and communications between P&T Leadership, Global P&T Project Teams, and SAP Implementation Team, ensuring the resolution of issues originating from these business relationships, reporting critical issues to P&T Leadership Teams and coordinating global support from counterparts in France, Rotterdam and The Netherlands. Deirdré also provided the following services:
- Managed the coordination of end user training, SAP role mapping, power user and SAP trainer network
- Managed P&T cutover and blackout activities
- Coordinate with IT and SAP implementation Team to implement and test infrastructure
- Coordinated with Enterprise Business Solutions (EBS) and managed Mission Control activities at P&T
Mainetti Americas is the world’s largest global hanger manufacturer, operating in over 35 countries. In 2003 Opal, QSM was awarded a Program Management contract. Deirdré assumed the position and was responsible for Mainetti’s largest garment account, Gap Inc. For 3 years she was the primary point of contact for Gap’s executive management teams. She managed new product introductions, contract negotiations and global logistics. Deirdré coordinated with garment and hanger factories in over 35 countries, product sourcing offices, customs agents, freight forwarders and brokers to ensure the timely and cost effective delivery of product to over 250 Gap, Old Navy, Banana Republic & Fourth & Towne stores in the US and Canada.
Port Of Oakland – Deirdré coordinated with management teams to analyze the operation systems within the 
Aviation, Communications, and Commercial Real Estate divisions of the Port of Oakland and identified opportunities for improvement. She created and revised ISO 9001 procedures ensuing that documented operational processes were clear and concise.
Extron Logistics – Deirdré managed ISO 9001 certification program and represented Extron during the successful surveillance audit in 2006.