Richard Goyette MassMEP Employee Highlights
Meet MassMEP Continuous Improvement Project Manager, Richard Goyette. Richard explains that his role revolves around delivering MassMEP’s training to different companies and providing them with education on topics such as Lean, Six Sigma, and engineering basics like GD&T, math, and metrology. Certified in Six Sigma, Richard’s specialty area includes Six Sigma and also lies in the basic manufacturing skills realm, particularly blueprint reading and shop math.
Richard began his career in micro lithography. He explains, “Those are the machines that make computer chips. Following that I moved into wire and cable. I have been in engineering in each of these companies. Over time I became Engineering Manager and took on the training role of teaching topics in Lean, Six Sigma, and basic engineering skills to new engineers and new operators to get them up to speed. The last company that I worked for brought MassMEP in at the beginning of their Lean journey. Throughout my entire time there, the Vice President continually referred to that first kaizen that he did with MassMEP. That’s how I found MassMEP. When I realized that it was time to look for a new challenge, a new path in life, I knew it was time to reach out and help as many people as I can.” Richard has a master’s degree in software engineering. He continues, “I took a different path with my undergraduate degree. That degree is in theoretical mathematics and theoretical physics. I was originally intending to be an inventor but that’s hard to do with just a bachelor’s degree.”
“My passion for my work is rooted in the joy of discovery, the joy of something new happening, and of creating something new. I got to do that a lot when I first started working as a process engineer. The job was to go out and fix a problem, and/or create a whole new process, or maybe fix or create a poka-yoke. As an engineering manager, I was able to train people to do this, but I no longer got to do it. It was nice to bring other people along and show them how to do it, but I was no longer able to get my hands dirty. My job at MassMEP helps me to continue along that dual path of helping to develop people and share these awesome insights and allows me to roll up my sleeves and get dirty. I also can experience these brand-new manufacturing facilities and see how these things are made.” When asked if he was a Lego kid, Richard replies, “I was not so much a Lego kid, we couldn’t afford them. I was always a stick and vine kid. I took all the things from the woods and put them together to see what I could invent that way.”
Outside work hours Richard involves himself in a broad spectrum of hobbies. “I like being out in nature, camping, hiking, and challenging myself on something new out in nature. I also make wines and meads. I don’t drink a lot, but I have more fun with seeing what I can come up with and I love to break the rules. And because of my love for manufacturing and love making things, I have a 3D printer and spend time making things for my family. Its lots of fun cleaning the gifts up and painting them.”
How well do you know Brian? Two of these statements are true and one is not. Can you guess which one?
- I love traveling and love being outdoors. I’ve traveled to 25 states and 7 different countries
- I am really motivated by being the underdog. I ran the 55-meter dash with a broken foot and achieved my fastest time overall.
- In middle school, back when we had shop classes, if we stayed after school we could learn how to forge. I forged my own sword from scratch and created 6’ long sword that I still have to this day.