Driving Detroit to redefine what’s possible

Detroit Manufacturing Systems (DMS) develops state of the art automotive interior systems. Utilizing the latest technology we assemble and manufacture injection molded interior trim components for global automotive brands with a commitment to quality and efficiency.

DMS was founded in June 2012 as a joint venture with Rush Group Ltd. and French auto supplier Faurecia Interior Systems. Ford approached its longtime supplier the Rush Group, to form the joint venture as part of their commitment to minority supplier partnerships and their desire to create jobs in the city. Majority partner, Rush Group Ltd., is 100% owned by President and CEO, Andra Rush, who is a Native American, Woman-Owned Business entrepreneur that has been supplying the automotive industry since 1984.

Faurecia Group is based in Nanterre, France and is the sixth largest automotive supplier in the world. Faurecia Interior Systems is the number one vehicle interiors  supplier worldwide, supplying instrument panels, center consoles, cockpits, door panels, door  modules and acoustic systems.

The new joint venture, located in the Gateway Industrial Center in Detroit, is the largest Native American owned automotive supplier in North America.

Our team’s expertise hails from a mixture of diverse automotive backgrounds, producing a staff who is dedicated to quality and innovation, while being committed to community growth and the revitalization of Detroit.  Our collaborative culture is unwaveringly focused on our people which produces a lean and unique environment that we have not yet seen in the automotive industry. We live by our core values which propels us in the pursuit of excellence in all we do, developing superior products, great people and creating a legacy for seven generations.

Building great products starts with building a great team.

Our leadership team of automotive veterans have the skills needed to ensure continuous expansion and superior products.

Andra Rush – Chief Executive Officer
Wade Phillips Chief Operating Officer
Charles Pear – Chief Financial Officer
Mike Hostinik – Vice President of Strategic Manufacturing Development
Rosemary Brewer – Director of HR
Tom Bargerstock – Director of Quality
Darlene Clevenger – Director of Purchasing
Saundra Marion – Plant Manager
Michael Rutkowski – Treasurer

Andra Rush – President & Chief Executive Officer

Andra Rush, a Native American woman, is the founder, president and chief operating officer of the Rush Group, a Minority Business Enterprise, which includes Rush Trucking Corporation and Dakkota Integrated Systems, LLC. This consortium of manufacturing, trucking, assembly and distribution is one of the largest Native American-owned businesses in the USA.

Based in Wayne, Michigan, Ms. Rush started Rush Trucking in 1984 with three trucks and has successfully grown the company to include more than 800 tractors and 1,350 trailers, with 350 employees and 900 associates. Rush Trucking services many Fortune 100 companies throughout North America.

Dakkota Integrated Systems, launched in 2002, is a joint venture between Magna Interiors and Rush Group, LLC. It was created to efficiently and effectively service original equipment manufacturers, providing complete automotive systems, such as those for cockpits, overheads, doors, and HVAC.  The first systems that Dakkota Integrated Systems produced was for General Motors Corporation for their revitalization of  the Cadillac brand.

Recently, Ms. Rush announced the creation of Detroit Manufacturing Systems Ltd., LLC (DMS), a joint venture between Rush Group Ltd.  and Faurecia Interior Systems, that will assemble and manufacturer automotive interior components in the city of Detroit  for nine of Ford’s key vehicles.  This operation has substantial room for future growth.

Ms. Rush serves many organizations on boards and commissions, including the Minority Business Roundtable, the Boys and Girls Clubs of America, the Detroit Economic Club, Child Help of Michigan, Current Motor, and the Michigan Women’s Foundation. She is a part of the minority supplier programs for GM, Ford, Chrysler and Toyota, serving on the Supplier Advisory Board for Chrysler.

Ms. Rush has received many honors. She was given the 2002 Pioneer Award from the Minority Enterprise Development group, a 2004 Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition from the Minority Business Roundtable, the 2002 Diamond Award from the Michigan Minority Business Development Council, the 2007-2008 Woman of the Year Award from the Native American Chamber of Commerce, the 2008 Spirit Award from the Native American Business Alliance, plus many others. In June 2012, Ms. Rush will receive the JVS Business Leadership Award.

Ms. Rush has a Bachelor of Arts in Nursing (1982) from the University of Michigan. She has three sons. top

Wade Phillips – Chief Operating Officer 

Wade Phillips, Chief Operating Officer for Detroit Manufacturing Systems, is responsible for the daily operations, sales and marketing, and strategic planning for the interior business portfolio.

As a graduate of the US Military Academy at West point with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering concentrating in Aerospace, Wade was drawn to the military parallels that the manufacturing industry offered.  He wanted a career with a company where he could grow while providing a team environment where his leadership would have a direct impact on people’s lives.

His ability to solve problems and lead teams provided him opportunities to take on continuously increasing responsibilities for companies such as Kelsey-Hayes, Johnson Controls and Faurecia Automotive.  After gaining great experience as a Production Supervisor at Kelsey-Hayes, Phillips steadily rose through the ranks at Johnson Controls from Plant Manufacturing Engineer to Managing Director through roles that touched most manufacturing functions.  Throughout his time, he was deployed to plants around the country to manage budgets, quality and product launches while overseeing hundreds of employees. He ultimately left Johnson Controls as the Managing Director in the Ford Business Unit, where he had numerous flawless product launches, saved the company over $10 million dollars in cost reductions, and significantly increased profits through lean manufacturing initiatives.

From Johnson Controls, Phillips joined Faurecia Automotive where he served as the Director of Manufacturing Engineering for North American Operations in their automotive exhaust division.  He was responsible for launch process development, innovation and overall strategic planning before his problem solving and team leading skills were required again as Plant Manager for a Faurecia plant in South Carolina. After having held the position of Vice President of Sales and Program Management, Phillips ultimately left the company as Vice President of Manufacturing Engineering for North American Operations where he was responsible for the strategic manufacturing planning, capacity planning, and launch processes for the $1.4 billion division.

Still looking for the perfect combination of company culture, personal growth and community impact, he found that opportunity with Detroit Manufacturing Systems CEO, Andra Rush. “The DMS opportunity gives me the chance to be a part of something bigger.” Phillips says as he looks forward to the economic impact that the company’s job creation will have on the Detroit community as well as the family-culture impact on the employees.

Wade Phillips has an MBA in Management from Spring Arbor University and currently lives in Brighton, MI with his wife and three children.

Mike Hostnik – VP of Strategic Manufacturing Development

Mike Hostnik is the Vice President of Strategic Manufacturing Development.

He manages the Human Resources and Quality functions for DMS, focusing on global strategy, diverse staffing and maintaining certifications standards.

His 30-year career has been a journey through the many aspects of the manufacturing business from the plant floor to executive office, and according to Hostnik, he brings “the people side of the business”.

As a young Engineer, Hostnik focused on training hourly employees at Borg Warner Automotive and worked his way up to Operations Manager. He successfully launched new business that nearly tripled revenue while only requiring 50% more floor space through the application of sound, lean principals.

He then moved to Tower Automotive in Operations and eventually became a Plant Manager. While at Tower’s $200M welded frame assembly plant, productivity increased 66% over the first 24 months. His assembly experience was further enhanced as Plant Manager for Android’s Lansing Delta Township Plant which supplied highly contented cockpits, delivered just in time for GM’s Lambda programs.

Hostnik moved into the DMS opportunity when it was still a work in progress, and led the team in creating the plan and agreements for the joint venture structure.  DMS recruited him from MSSC, a division of Mitsubishi Steel where he managed three manufacturing plants in the U.S and Canada, as the Sr. Director of Operations.

He understands that hiring the right people and providing the best training will produce the best quality products. His goal for the start-up company is to create systems that are lean and flexible and to train and develop “multi-talented” team members who are capable of performing in more than one role.

Mike Hostnik is a Detroit native, who is married and the proud father of four children. He received his MBA from the University of Phoenix.

Charles R. Pear, CFO

Charles Pear was named Chief Financial Officer of Detroit Manufacturing Systems, and is responsible for the overall financial leadership of DMS, providing accurate financial reporting, on-going cash flow projections and developing the financial systems strategy. Additionally, he leads the financial team to support the executive leadership based his principals of ownership, accountability, visibility and transparency.

Pear has more than 28 years of experience helping companies identify risk and implement controls, while anticipating industry trends and competitor initiatives.  His experience covers both international and domestic finance within various areas of the automotive industry.  With a 15-year career at Chrysler Corporation, he brings a well rounded background in finance.

The next 12 years of his career were with Donnelly Corporation and Magna International were he advanced through several executive financial positions.  He served as Vice President and Corporate Controller for Magna Donnelly, Vice President of Administration for Magna Exteriors and Interiors United Kingdom, and Vice President Administration and Operational Controlling for Magna Powertrain.  During his tenure, he had a track record of improving the controls environment while supporting and driving numerous improvement initiatives.

Pear came to the DMS opportunity after a CFO position with Key Plastics, LLC, and was excited about an opportunity to do something different with his career. A second generation automotive executive, his parents were Detroit natives and although his experience was with large companies in remote areas, he says a city location for a startup manufacturing operation “is not what I’ve dealt with in the past, but that’s not bad.” He looks forward to supporting growth in his hometown community and helping DMS reach the global status they desire to achieve.

Charles Pear has an MBA from the University of Michigan and currently lives in Michigan, where he and his wife are the proud parents of two daughters and one son.

Rosemary Brewer, SPHR- Director of Human Resources

Rosemary Brewer is the Director of Human Resources for DMS. The scope of her responsibilities includes Staffing Management, Organizational and Employment Development, Policy Development, and Labor Relations for the company.

Rosemary is a Michigan native with a Bachelors degree in Criminal Justice from Western Michigan University.  After gradation, she took a short summer job at a General Motors plant but subsequently stayed with the company for thirty-two years. She served in various functions such Production Supervisor, Worker’s Compensation, Salary Personnel and Labor Relations.

Rosemary moved her family to Fremont, California to become the HR Manager at NUMMI plant, managing all aspects of the operation’s staffing, employee relations and relocation efforts. She was selected to participate in the Toyota Production System training, and came back to GM to teach lean manufacturing principals to hourly and management leaders.

She was promoted to Plant HR Director for Delphi Safety & Interior out of Vandalia, OH for a site that serviced 1,300 salaried and hourly employees. Her responsibilities increased to managing labor relations, health and safety, medical, security and daily HRIS activities

Advancing to Site HR Director for Delphi Thermal & Interior in Lockport, NY, she managed a site for 4,200 salaried and hourly employees.

Brewer came back to Delphi headquarters in Troy, MI as the Divisional Salaried HR Director shaping the overall strategic development and implementation of human resource policy and program design for a division of 38 global sites, 16,000 employees and $5.5 billion in annual revenue. She led a successful transition for the sale and closure of the Delphi Holding Division, while finding creative ways to maintain engaging relationships with the hourly and salaried employees.

Retiring from Delphi, she took on a Director of Human Resources position in a new industry for Greatbatch Medical, providing guidance to the HR departments across the U.S, Mexico, France and Switzerland for the medical device company that generated $450M in revenue.

She remembers a time when Detroit was a vibrant city, with a thriving economy, filled with opportunity.  As the new Human Resources Director at DMS, she looks forward to being a part of a company who is committed to being a part of the rebirth and transformation of the city.

Rosemary is married and the proud mother of two sons.

Saundra Marion – Plant Manager

Saundra Marion serves as the Plant Manager.  She is responsible for executing all manufacturing  activities and program launches, which include several fully contented cockpit  assembly lines and injection molding processes.  When fully launched, Saundra will manage over five hundred UAW hourly team members and salary employees.

Originally from North Carolina, Saundra began her career with Ford Motor Company at their, then, Mt. Clemens Vinyl Plant. She later joined General Motors and Delphi and held numerous management positions at both companies over a twenty-eight year time period.   She started her career with GM supporting Materials Engineering for the Seat and Door Trim products.  She was selected as a GM Fellow and obtained her MBA from the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University.

Throughout her tenure at GM and Delphi, Saundra obtained a wide variety of management experience through positions in Operations, Lean Manufacturing, Materials Engineering, Program Management, Business Planning, and Quality.  As a manager for Delphi Corporation, she advanced through various positions of increasing responsibility.  Her wide-ranging expertise and success led to her appointment as Plant Manager for the Cottondale Cockpit Assembly Plant, with revenues over $300M. She led a team of  350 workers in a Build-to-Broadcast, Sequenced, Just-in-Time delivery of assembled cockpits for Mercedes Benz’s M-Class vehicles built in Vance, Alabama.

Saundra left Delphi as the Quality and Program Management Director for Residential and Commercial Heat Exchanges where she spent time working with non-automotive OEM’s.  The DMS position gave her the opportunity to return to Operations, which she enjoys doing the most.

Saundra likes the DMS environment which will allow her and her team to collectively build a strong company based upon the broad automotive and Operations experience at DMS. She looks forward to being a part of a leadership team that is creating a “different kind of company” in how it will value and develop all of its team members while simultaneously build a great quality product for its customers.  She states that “at DMS, it just feels right…the right attitude, the right values, and the right culture.”

In addition to being a successful leader, Saundra is also the proud mother of one son.

Tom Bargerstock – Director of Business Systems, Training & Development

Tom Bargerstock is the Director of Business Systems, Training & Development, charged with strategy planning to support long and short term business objectives. He is responsible for designing and implementing consistent training and personal development programs  that are consistent with DMS’ vision and core values. He began his career at DMS as the Director of Quality and is additionally responsible for developing all business operating systems, and achieving industry and customer required certifications. Tom is a systems driven professional focused on capturing what he calls, “Elegance in simplicity in our systems”.

A Taylor, MI native and a Persian Gulf War Veteran with the U.S Navy, Bargerstock returned to Detroit as the Quality Manager for Mexican Industries where he managed the execution of quality systems in three locations and all joint venture activities. He became Plant Manager and oversaw all aspects of a $45M injection molding and assembly facility, reducing inventory levels by 55%, reducing the operational budget by 20% and implementing KANBAN inventory management system.

He then became the Director of Quality for international plumbing parts manufacturer BrassCraft, under the Masco Corporation. Bargerstock successfully implemented an ISO-9000 based quality management system, improved process performance levels that produced significant cost savings and managed overall quality and warranty return materials.

In 2007, he moved on to Android Industries where he steadily advanced through various positions.  As Quality and Commercial Account Manager, Bargerstock lead the Lansing facility through TS-16949 certification, achieved PPAP approval all GM LAMBDA program cockpits and center consoles and also managed a supply base that provided over 400 component parts. As Corporate Training Manager Bargerstock developed and deployed Android’s succession planning strategy as well a new Leadership training series.  His diverse experience ultimately led him to become the Lean Manufacturing Team Engineering Manager, where he helped deploy Android’s lean manufacturing strategy for all North American plants and a plant in Spain.

Detroit Manufacturing Systems was an opportunity for Bargerstock to work with an executive team in developing a lean, quality systems strategy from the ground up. This position is a welcomed challenge and the chance to do something major in an underserved community, which motivates him to make sure that DMS succeeds.

Tom Bargerstock and his wife are the proud grandparents of one grandson. He has his MBA from California State University and is a Certified Manager of Quality and Organizational Excellence (CMgr Q/OE).

Darlene Clevenger – Director of Purchasing

Darlene Clevenger was named the Director of Purchasing for Detroit Manufacturing Systems. With over thirty years of experience in the automotive industry, she is an expert in procurement strategies and negotiations. She is responsible for management of the procurement team, and purchasing strategy and process development for DMS.

She spent the first twenty years of her manufacturing engineering and purchasing career at the Packard Electric Division of General Motors Corporation in Warren, OH, currently known as Delphi Corporation. Clevenger advanced through various roles in industrial engineering and manufacturing planning until she moved to Detroit in 1996, and became a Senior Buyer and Global Creativity Team Leader. There she led the global sourcing strategies for piston and connecting rod components for GM Powertrain.

She moved into management of axles and propshafts for metallic product purchasing representing a $2 billion annual spend and exceeded material cost reduction targets. As the Purchasing Manager for Indirect/MRO she managed the North American buying team to achieve a 13% cost reduction on an annual purchase value of $500M.

From 2004-2009, Clevenger served as the Global Purchasing Manager for GM Powertrain Process Equipment, managing a global procurement team from the U.S, Germany, South Korea, Brazil and Mexico. This included assignments in Mexico City and Seoul, South Korea.  She developed strong internal cross-functional relationships and led initiatives that resulted in 13% cost reductions to the annual $800 million budget, while developing a global buyer skills assessment for GM machinery and equipment buyers.

Clevenger came to the DMS opportunity after a brief stay as an Officer Manager for a successful H&R Block office. However, her spark for purchasing still existed. She was drawn to the Detroit based operation for the opportunity to contribute her skills and experience to a smaller company, whose core values are centered on developing people.   According to Clevenger, “DMS is not a manufacturing company that employes people, it is a people company that manufactures great products.”

Originally from Virginia, she has a BS with honors in Industrial Engineering & Management Science with an Operations Research option from Pennsylvania State University and is the mother of two children.

Michael Rutkowski– Treasurer & Controller 

Michael Rutkowski serves as Treasurer and Controller for Detroit Manufacturing Systems reporting directly to CFO, Charles Pear, and is responsible for cash flow management, internal controls and financial reporting.

Rutkowski has always worked for midsize companies and is used to wearing many hats to get the job done.  He has 22 years of financial management experience in the manufacturing and automotive industries.

Prior to coming to DMS, he was the Assistant Controller for multi-national conveyor systems manufacturer, Dearborn Mid-West Conveyor, where he was responsible for consolidated financial reporting, audits, treasury and risk management. He successfully helped guide the company through the GM and Chrysler bankruptcy of 2009, limiting corporate exposure and risk of loss.

Rutkowski has held a number of previous financial roles, including CFO of OEM trailer manufacturer, Benlee and Financial Director for Systrand Manufacturing Corporation, where he played a lead financial role in the $2 billion dollar joint venture with Tier 1 Supplier and wholly owned subsidy in Korea.

Returning to a repetitive manufacturing environment at DMS is what he loves best and is glad to be working in the same neighborhood where his mother and grandparents lived.  “I love the city and I’m proud of it”, says Rutkowski.

Michael Rutkowski lives in Riverview, MI with his wife and teenage daughter and son. He holds a BS in Accounting and MBA from Wayne State University.

Board of Directors

Andra Rush- Chairman of the Board

President & CEO, Rush Group Limited

Stephane Jegou - Board Member

Vice President, Group Business Development, Faurecia

Jean-Michel Renaudie - Board Member

President, Faurecia Interior Systems North America

Mike Hostnik -Board Member

Vice President Strategic Manufacturing Development, Detroit Manufacturing Systems

President, BW Limited LLC