Bristol Compressors Names Burton Vice President of Operations
BRISTOL, Va. — Bristol Compressors International, Inc., a global producer of compressors for use in air conditioning, heat pump and refrigeration systems, has named Keith Burton as vice president of operations. Burton is based at the company’s headquarters in Bristol, Va.
Burton most recently served as vice president of global operations at Jacobs Vehicle Systems in Bloomfield, Conn., where he was responsible for facilities at Bloomfield and Suzhou, China. Prior to that, he was general manager and vice president of manufacturing at HON/HNI, a supplier of office furniture in the mid-market segment. Burton’s earlier career positions were in the heavy truck and automotive industry, including Siemens Diesel Systems Technology and Detroit Diesel. As director of operations at SDST in Columbia, S.C., he led the start-up for diesel fuel injectors, a joint venture between International and Siemens.
“Keith is an outstanding addition to our management team,” says Ed Gniewek, CEO of Bristol Compressors. “His manufacturing experience and career accomplishments are among the best in the industry, and we are confident in his leadership of our company’s operations as we grow and expand our markets.”
As vice president of operations, Burton will ensure that manufacturing stays on track in the areas of safety, quality, delivery and inventory; that processes meet performance requirements and that BCI is a viable company for the future.
“The company is ripe for growth and change,” Burton says. “Our product is good, our quality is good, and our employees are eager to do everything they can to make our ongoing efforts successful.”
A native of Kokomo, Ind., Burton received his undergraduate and graduate degrees at Indiana University. He has earned certifications in JIT, SPC, SPS, Lean, Kaizen, Six Sigma Black Belt, Taguchi DOE and DBS. In addition to his manufacturing career that has spanned more than three decades, Burton has been involved with school-to-work programs and is eager to continue teaching the Lean aspects and other interesting elements of manufacturing to elementary, middle school and high school students. He also volunteers in church activities.
Burton and his wife, Linda, reside in Blountville, Tenn., and are the parents of three grown children.
