Summer Thompson, E&M Design Solutions, Interviewed Regarding Audit Prep - Performing a Gap Analysis

Summer Thomson is the Manager of Business Process and Senior Project Manager for E&M Design Solutions. She is a business consultant, technical writer, industrial services compliance expert, trainer, speaker and operations startup manager. In 2019, Summer was invited to join the NSBA economic development and small business technology counsels. She comes from a business management and production planning background and has been with EMDS for over seven years.

E&M Design Solutions is the brainchild of Cheryl Lyttle who started the company 11 years ago when the manufacturing plant she worked for closed the facility. EMDS is a multi-faceted company serving manufacturers and businesses of all sizes, offering customized training, quality management system development, and audit preparation. Additionally, EMDS offers engineering support services that include design, AutoCAD drawings, project management and construction management. The companies' compliance experts provide internal auditing and gap analysis to ISO 9001, IATF 16949, Medical Device, Rail, and industrial services, such as PSM, and RMP, as well as supply chain auditing and gap closure. They have an extensive background in food processing and pharmaceuticals manufacturing, as well as automotive, which are some of the most highly regulated sectors.

Debbie: Why do clients choose your small firm over a larger competitor?

Summer:  I believe that it is because we are a small firm that our clients can expect our full attention. Many of our projects cross over between services and we find the transfer of information between department very efficient. We have dedicated project managers assigned to clients and projects, just like the larger firms offer.

Debbie: Can you tell us more about the trainings you offer?

Summer: Absolutely! We are excited about our recently launched training portal. We offer Quality and Compliance, Business Development and Engineering courses. These include ISO 9001 and IATF 16949 awareness and internal auditing, foundations of supervision, communication in the workplace, Fundamentals of AutoCAD, Corrective Action, and Shop Math to name a few. We are working towards adding to the course listings and are currently working on SQF, HACCP and OSHA 10&30 General Industry. The great thing about our virtual classes is that they allow for customized scheduling, but attendees still have a live instructor, Q&A, exercises, as well as support after course completion, and no travel expenses. Attendees do not have to block multiple days in one work week to complete the course and this method allows for more time to digest and retain the information.

Debbie: Can you briefly describe a couple of projects, or types of projects that your firm has handled and the outcome?

Summer: Most recently, I fulfilled the role of industrial compliance services for two years in the absence of a Utilities Manager. I handled audit preparation and gap closure, vendor liaison for bidding, ensuring regulated preventive maintenance was completed on time, scheduling training outside of their electronic system, reporting, point of contact for corporate utilities, vendors, contractors, monitoring regulation and corporate changes and implementing them internally. All of these audits resulted in findings for continual development but, during this time, we completed 4 out of 5 audits with the least number of findings in the entire division and the auditors said they were the most organized audits they had ever completed.  For more information, including lessons you can walk away with, listen to this podcast.

Summer Thompson can be reached at sthompson@emdsmi.com or 231-690-1953.

Debbie Fliehman can be reached at Debbief@creativetechresources.com or 847-902-4175.