Mark Whitworth

Chief operating officer

With nearly 25 years of management, technology, and entrepreneurial experience, Mark Whitworth specializes in architecting global, cloud-based software platforms and developing partnerships to help clients enhance performance, control and flexibility throughout the production and process life cycle. He is extensively familiar with operational improvement frameworks—having run a successful management consulting firm catering to Fortune 500 clients, including Toyota and Johnson & Johnson—and has worked with regulatory bodies in the audit and assessment space for more than two decades. As chief operations officer at Ease Inc., Whitworth provides the leadership, management, and vision to ensure stable company growth and dependable, high-quality customer support. 

Wed, 11/11/2015 - 12:12
Five Ways Paper-Based Audit Programs Block Quality ImprovementsAvoid these and pave the way for a culture of quality
Mon, 07/31/2017 - 12:02
For decades, audit management has centered on paper checklists, with tracking moving to Excel spreadsheets in more recent years. Despite growing adoption of cloud-based manufacturing software, many auto suppliers still rely on paper checklists and…
Taking the Step from Gemba Walks to Layered Process AuditsA natural progression in on-site internal auditing
Mon, 06/12/2017 - 12:02
Reading the Automotive Industry Action Group’s CQI-8 Layered Process Audit (LPA) Guideline, you might notice a line saying LPAs are “completed on site ‘where the work is done.’” For lean manufacturing experts, this specific quote might bring to…
Evaluating Effective Supplier Quality AssuranceThe nine-step SQA process and how it’s measured
Wed, 04/12/2017 - 12:03
Supplier quality assurance (SQA) is the process that ensures a supplier reliably provides goods or services that satisfy the customer’s needs. This process is collaborative to make certain the supplier’s offerings meet the agreed-upon requirements…
What Are Layered Process Audits?The path to better performance and profitability
Wed, 02/08/2017 - 12:03
Layered process auditing (LPA) is a quality management approach increasingly used by manufacturing and service companies alike to address a gap in traditional product-oriented approaches. When properly implemented, layered auditing is the most…
Your Transition to IATF 16949: Five Critical Things to Think About Right NowGet ready for the evolved standard
Wed, 12/14/2016 - 16:33
For 17 years, ISO/TS 16949 was the leading standard for quality system requirements in the automotive industry. The technical specification was jointly developed by the International Automotive Task Force (IATF) and the International Organization…
From Automotive to Aerospace Key cross-industry lessons in quality management
Tue, 07/26/2016 - 10:44
Quality is, for every organization and across all industries, a key competitive differentiator. This is especially true in the highly competitive automotive industry, where cost pressures have pushed automakers and their suppliers toward global…
How Software Can Close the Loop on Manufacturing Quality ControlEliminate information silos to improve performance
Wed, 02/17/2016 - 15:39
A recent article in The Wall Street Journal detailing how Boeing is facing up to 24 million dollars in FAA penalties over quality control going back several years across a number of locations shows how even the biggest manufacturers need to close…
Best Practices in Creating a Layered Process Audit ProgramGoing beyond inspection of work
Wed, 11/11/2015 - 12:12
Layered Process Audits (LPAs) offer companies tremendous potential benefits, but they’re also more involved than other audits. They task all of a plant’s personnel - including multiple levels of management—and cover all key areas at varying…