Faces of GM

Christina: In the Supplier’s Shoes

February 19, 2010 at 1:54 pm

Christina McLain visited a supplier and worked on the line to get to know her customers better

Christina McLain, Senior Buyer, Floor Consoles Midsize Crossovers, Global Purchasing and Supply Chain, Warren

Outside the Office: When I am not working on homework for my master’s degree, I like to run 5K’s during the warmer months. I also enjoy going to concerts by Lady Gaga to Kid Rock. I love to bake; I’m always baking something and putting my spin on it, always trying to make a healthier version of sweet treats. My husband is a car guy and is always teaching me anything related to cars and engines whenever he has the chance. As long as I have known him, he has been a huge GM fan and part of the reason I decided to work for GM. We have two cats, Gizmo and Jynxy.

From Supplier to Buyer:  I graduated from Kettering University in 2002 with a BS in Mechanical Engineering and did my five-year co-op at Dow Automotive in Auburn Hills, Mich. After graduating, I worked at ZF Lemforder for three years as a supplier quality engineer for chassis components. While there, I worked on different lines in the plant to get familiar with the parts and the processes.  I joined GM in 2008 as a Senior Supplier Quality Engineer in Powertrain and was responsible for valvetrain and exhaust after treatment. Last October, I joined the purchasing group as Senior Buyer in Floor Consoles.

Back to the Future: As the newest person to our group, my director, Chris Naegeli, asked me to be the first GM buyer to take part in a new training program to work directly with Johnson Controls and Android Industries, the suppliers we buy from to see how the commodities we buy are made. I was excited. I thought ‘This is an awesome idea’ because when I was at ZF Lemforder, I really liked working on the line because it really helped me learn the parts. Once I arrived, both were very welcoming and very excited. People there were shocked and surprised that someone from a customer would want to come and work on the line.

It’s About the Relationships:  I think what was great about doing this was the chance to not only learn my parts but get to know some of the people who are making them. I was really able to build on my relationships with the suppliers. This experience also helps me look for additional cost savings and also helped me really learn each component of the floor consoles and how they are assembled together.

Keeping Up:  When I was at Android, it reminded me of that ‘I Love Lucy’ episode where Lucy and Ethel are working in the bakery on the cake line. We were building consoles in sequence for just-in-time delivery to the Lansing Delta Township plant. The line is moving so quickly, I definitely had moments like that. It was a challenge to assemble the consoles at line speed, but every one passed in-line quality checks, so I guess I did OK.

What’s Next? I am pursuing my Masters degree through the University of Michigan and the GM Technical Education Program. I’m in my second year of the Energy Systems Engineering Master Program, where I hope I can make a difference by learning about alternative energy and applying that knowledge at GM.