Thomas Hopper

Past

• Warranty Returns Manager at Cobasys
• Six Sigma Black Belt at Cobasys
• Product Development Program Manager at Cobasys

• Quality Engineer at Cobasys
• Manager, Analysis and Quality Assurance at Ovonic Fuel Cell
• Research Scientist at Energy Conversion Devices (ECD)
• Research Scientist at Energy Conversion Devices
• Research Scientist at Ovonic Battery Company

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5 more...

Education

• University of Detroit Mercy
• Alma College

Recommended

3 people have recommended Thomas

Connections

149 connections

Industry

Renewables & Environment

Websites

• My Blog
• My Company

Thomas Hopper’s Summary

Extensive experience with invention and innovation of new technologies and products, particularly in Nickel Metal Hydride and Alkaline Fuel Cells. Strong interest in "end-to-end" innovation, from earliest technology concept through to production of manufactured product, and sustainable solutions to social problems.

A systems thinker who prefers to develop systemic solutions to technological, business and social problems. Dedicated to data-based decision making (e.g. evidenced-based management) using the best available analytical tools.

Background in physics, secondary batteries, fuel cells and information technologies. Focused on creating environments that support innovation of commercially successful products.

Thomas Hopper’s Specialties:

New product development, project management, technology invention, Design for Six Sigma, Six Sigma, materials science and testing, physics, applied mathematics and statistics, leadership of technology development programs.

Thomas Hopper’s Experience

• Warranty Returns Manager

  Cobasys

  (Privately Held; Oil & Energy industry)

  January 2007 — September 2009 (2 years 9 months)

  Manages all aspects of warranty returns for new products, including customer contact, root cause analysis, supplier returns and billing and warranty trend analysis.

• Six Sigma Black Belt

  Cobasys

  (Privately Held; Oil & Energy industry)

  June 2006 — September 2009 (3 years 4 months)

  Leads process improvement, process design and product design efforts using the tools and methodology of Six Sigma and DFSS. Responsible for successful completion of assigned Six Sigma projects. Primary Six Sigma project focuses on improvements to the product development process.

• Product Development Program Manager

  Cobasys

  (Partnership; 51-200 employees; Renewables & Environment industry)

  July 2005 — June 2006 (1 year )

  Responsible for planning, coordination and execution of product development programs.

• Quality Engineer

  Cobasys

  (Privately Held; 201-500 employees; Renewables & Environment industry)

  October 2003 — July 2005 (1 year 10 months)

  Reports to the Corporate Quality Manager, assists in the development and implementation of a quality management system that is compatible with ISO/TS-16949, ISO-17025 and TS-9000. Certified auditor to all three standards, responsible for auditing company compliance to those standards.

• Manager, Analysis and Quality Assurance

  Ovonic Fuel Cell

  (Public Company; 201-500 employees; ENER; Renewables & Environment industry)

  November 2002 — October 2003 (1 year )

• Research Scientist

  Energy Conversion Devices (ECD)

  (Renewables & Environment industry)

  1995 — 2003 (8 years )

• Research Scientist

  Energy Conversion Devices

  (Public Company; 201-500 employees; ENER; Renewables & Environment industry)

  July 1995 — November 2002 (7 years 5 months)

• Research Scientist

  Ovonic Battery Company

  (Renewables & Environment industry)

  1998 — 2000 (2 years )

Thomas Hopper’s Education

• University of Detroit Mercy

  M.S. , Product Development , 2004 — 2005

  Master's Thesis "Sustainable Energy: A Technical and Economic Model" develops a predictive model of the optimal mix of energy production sources for a given region based on predicted costs for the next fifty years. Sources include coal, oil, gas, hydro, nuclear, solar and wind, in distributed and centrallized modes. Five regions were analyzed.
  
  Graduated with a 3.893/4.0, 45 credit-hours.
  
  From the UDM website:
  
  The UDM Product Development Program [is] a local version of MIT's System Design and Management Program - Product Development Track...This program is consistent with the design and management terms, tools, processes and strategies that have evolved through the Center for Innovation Product Development (a National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center at MIT)...Students learn the methods developed at CIPD through their application to cases and projects related to the development of the automobile and major automotive product and manufacturing systems.

• Alma College

  B.S. , Physics, Mathematics , 1989 — 1993

Additional Information

Thomas Hopper’s Websites:

• My Blog
• My Company

Thomas Hopper’s Interests:

new technology, sustainable energy, sustainable technology, New Space development, Six Sigma, organizational development, people-centric technology interfaces, history, politics, science, physics

Thomas Hopper’s Groups:

Product Development Management Association (PDMA), American Society for Quality (ASQ),
Project Management Institute (PMI)

•    Product Development and Management Association
•    Project Manager Networking Group
•    Lean Six Sigma
•    International Space Fellowship
•    Battery Pros
•    University of Detroit Mercy Alumni Association
•    Is your next role in aerospace ?
•    Alternative Energy Group
•    Entrepreneur's Network
•    University of Detroit Mercy College of Engineering and Science
•    Programme Assurance Professionals
•    Supply Chain Today: Continuous Improvement, Technology Innovation, Executive Jobs, Education 10,000+
•    Aerospace & Defense Jobs
•    PMI OPM3 Special Interest Group (SIG)
•    Leaders & Thinkers
•    Battery Innovation - Driving New Product Development in the Battery Industry
•    Renewable Energy Technology Inventions Group
•    Renewable Energy Jobs
•    BATTERY JOBS EUROPE

Thomas Hopper’s Honors:

Co-inventor on the following U.S. patents:
7,018,740 Fuel cell cathode with redox couple
6,926,986 Fuel cell with encapsulated electrodes
6,828,057 Fuel cell with framed electrodes
6,818,348 Nickel hydroxide paste with molasses binder
6,783,891 Fuel cell cathode with redox couple
6,777,125 Fuel cell cathode with redox couple
6,703,156 Fuel cell cathode utilizing multiple redox couples
6,613,471 Active material for fuel cell anodes incorporating an additive for precharging/activation thereof
6,605,375 Method of activating hydrogen storage alloy electrode
6,589,686 Method of fuel cell activation
6,503,659 Layered metal hydride electrode providing reduced cell pressure
6,492,057 Electrochemical cell having reduced cell pressure
6,447,942 Alkaline fuel cell
6,218,047 Active electrode compositions comprising Raney based catalysts and materials

Thomas Hopper’s Contact Settings

Interested In:

• new ventures
• expertise requests
• reference requests
• getting back in touch