Mark Mann was a high school student in Charlotte, N.C., when he caught the bug. “I had a love and excitement for cars in general,” he says. “I knew early on that I wanted to do anything that had to do with engines and performance parts. That led to me being the first member of my family to go to college.”
After earning a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and a master’s degree in engineering management, Mann didn’t have to venture too far to land a job.
“At the time, Auria was in Charlotte, so I could stay close to home,” he says. “I got an interview and that’s how everything started.”
Not bad for a guy whose previous gigs didn’t exactly tee him up for a career in engineering. “When I was 16, I was pushing carts at Target,” Mann says. “In college, I worked in the deli department at Costco. This is only the third job I’ve had in my life.”
Mann has come a very long way in his 10 years at Auria, a Tier-1 automotive supplier. Today, as director of engineering – North America, he’s in charge of four distinct subgroups: advanced manufacturing engineering, capital equipment, manufacturing engineering, and tooling engineering.
“The company specializes in automotive interior and acoustic components, not the speakers,” Mann says. “It’s more sound-deadening and dampening, and keeping all the engine and road noise out of the passenger cabin so the ride is a more enjoyable experience for the occupants in the car. We do everything from floor carpets to the P shelf in the rear back, the inner dashes, the wheel arch liners, and the trunk floors and side trims. It’s a vast commodity base.”
At the company’s North American headquarters in Southfield, Mann oversees the engineering operations. “Our footprint ranges from St. Clair, Mich., all the way down into Mexico. Since I’ve inherited my position, we’re still very data-driven, but I’m constantly trying to push our team to new innovations that will deliver us the opportunity to gain more business.
“The more innovative we are, the more cost-competitive we become, and the more business we get. To me, unless you’re an industry leader, you’re not in an acceptable place.”
When Mann earned his master’s degree in engineering management, he also completed what’s known as a Six Sigma Black Belt.
“It’s a certification that means you’re a statistician and you can use statistics to influence processes,” he casually explains.
Does this mean that his black belt has nothing to do with karate, and Mann’s hands aren’t registered as lethal weapons? “I wish! That’s a lot cooler than math. Unfortunately, it’s just an uber nerd designation that means my calculator is always on me.”
