Kash Patel has worked at New Source Corporation on two occasions in the past. Though his work had always been stellar, he had moved on to a job as an IT analyst. Deep down though, he always knew the goals of New Source Corporation were aligned with his work style and his career ambitions.
So, four years ago, he contacted Jamie Barron, Vice President of New Source Corporation, to inquire about openings.
Patel joined the team as Quality Manager and—two years later—became Operations Manager, the position he now holds. As Operations Manager, he oversees the day-to-day business of shipping, packing, and quality issues.
“When he wanted to come back, it was perfect because—having worked with us as a Warehouse clerk previously—he knows our business,” Barron said. “His growth in the last four years has been incredible.”
In his first stint at the company, Patel worked under co-owner James Barron Sr., whom he met personally before he joined New Source Corporation as a Warehouse Clerk. James Barron Sr. began the company with his wife Antonia.
The two had met while Patel worked as a clerk in a gas station where Barron frequently stopped.
“James brought me in for an interview because he had known me for some time and said ‘this guy would be a great fit’” Patel said.
Return to the Fold
“I went back because I missed what I did at New Source Corporation,” he said. “I learned about different types of materials and got an understanding of what goes into building a plant or missile. I knew I wanted to follow my job into this line rather than IT.”
Now, Operations Manager, Patel meets with new and existing customers to understand the scope of their aerospace parts needs. He ensures those parts meet AS9100 quality management standards for the aerospace industry and delivery requirements in an ever-changing world.
Patel quickly got up to speed on material production. He oversees the production of key quality actions: a nonconformance report (NCR) (this is done when a supplier has an issue with the materials its received); a corrective action report (CAR) (a report on what caused the issue, how to fix it how to prevent it from recurring); and a preventive action request (PAP) (a look at internal actions the company could take to ensure the quality issue doesn’t happen again). Because New Source Corporation maintains a 99.85 percent quality rating, issues with quality rarely arise. The PAP is key here. It preemptively avoids nearly all quality issues.
As Quality Manager, Patel implemented new quality processes and procedures, which is never an easy feat. “I am always up for a challenge,” Patel says. “I like to learn and I never shy away from a challenge.”
That’s good because, as he points out “there’s no such thing as the same day here.” Challenges small and large pop up every day but this aspect of the job is what Patel enjoys best.
“You figure out how to solve the problems without getting mad or frustrated,” he says. This is no doubt, where his early, on-the-job lessons in customer-relationship management come in handy.
Jumping in
His past roles in the company allow him to be a versatile player now, donning other job hats when needed, Barron said. “When we’re short handed, he writes a sales order or does some paperwork,” he said. “There’s even been times when Kash jumped in at the warehouse.”
Quick to help out for a variety of needs, Patel exemplifies the importance of cross-training at New Source Corporation.
“He leads by example,” Barron said. “Everyone else wants to work with that same mentality. You see it in people who have been with us for a long time or a short time or new hires, everyone wants to learn something and to get the product shipped out.”
Patel has recently accompanied Barron on quality meetings with representatives from Lockheed Martin and has helped train personnel in New Source Corporation’s California office.
“Kash was the guy we wanted to bring out there. As an integral part of our Florida branch, he was the perfect person to ensure that both locations are functioning to their highest ability,” Barron said.
He admires how Patel “goes with the flow” during his ever-changing workday.
“He apologizes for a delay, reaches out on LinkedIn to answer a question, messages someone with a sales follow up,” he said. “Meanwhile, the order flow goes on.
“Kash has a hunger to want to keep growing and building, that’s why he’s invaluable to the future of New Source Corporation.”