Meet Our Team
Michael Barnes
VP Manufacturing Operations
Mike.Barnes@OptiFuelSystems.com
P: (240) 367-5822
Profile
Michael R. Barnes, currently serving as the Vice President of Manufacturing Operations at OptiFuel Systems, is a seasoned executive with a robust background in engineering, manufacturing and operations management. His extensive career is marked by achievements in leadership, operations management, and successful execution of complex projects.
Mike Barnes brings a wealth of experience to OptiFuel, having worked alongside the company’s founder, Scott D. Myers, in previous ventures. Their collaboration spans several successful companies, demonstrating a remarkable synergy that combines visionary leadership with the practical expertise needed to scale manufacturing operations globally.
With a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Johns Hopkins University, Barnes has consistently proven his capabilities in various roles throughout his career. Notably, he served as the Vice President of Operations and Automation Systems at General Dynamics Robotics Systems, overseeing a 600-employee, $200M+ business focused on military robotics, automation systems, and manufacturing.
Barnes’ career highlights include leading the deployment of multi-million-dollar projects for the United States Postal Service, where he played a crucial role in the development and production of innovative postal automation systems. His expertise extends to material handling automation, weapons automation, and process improvement technologies. Barnes is named inventor on several patents of automation systems for High-Speed Optical Character Recognition Systems.
Prior to joining OptiFuel Systems, Barnes served as the Sr. Director of Manufacturing and Supply Chain Management at Siemens Infrastructure and Cities, Mobility and Logistics. In this capacity, he was responsible for overseeing all aspects of operations, from planning and sourcing to manufacturing, delivery, and commissioning. His leadership contributed to the successful completion of significant projects for USPS, FedEx, UPS, and airport baggage automation applications.
As a demonstration of Barnes’ technical capability, he previously served as the Deputy Group Manager/Vice President at Alion Science and Technology. In this role, Barnes managed a $250M, 525-employee team focused on technology development for Department of Defense and Federal Agency customers.
Barnes’ exceptional track record in executive management, operations, and manufacturing makes him a valuable asset to OptiFuel Systems. His collaborative history with Scott Myers ensures a well-structured and synergistic leadership approach, setting the stage for success not only in cutting-edge product development but also in the efficient scaling of manufacturing operations on a global scale.
Education
Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD – 1990
Awards & Qualifications
- Named Siemens Division Manufacturing Lead to include multiple operations locations (Austin, TX/Raleigh, NC/ Novato, CA/ DFW, TX).
- Member of Siemens USA Top Team for 2011 – “Buy Siemens”
- Holds a Secret Security Clearance
- Named Inventor on multiple Patents of high speed document processing and Optical Character Recognition Systems – 1990’s
- Nominated, Selected and Completed GD LEAD High Potential Leader Training in 2002
- Nominated, Selected and Completed GD Executive Program Management Training in 2005
- Led the establishment of GD Automation Systems Division where many systems were produced for mail automation and recognition systems.
- Author of article “Robots for Homeland Security” published in 2004
- Contributing Speaker to GD Program Management Studies Course in 2006 for the topic “Engineering and Manufacturing Collaboration – Transition to Production”.
- Led effort resulting in AS9100 Quality Certification in 2007
- Led effort resulting in ISO14001 Environmental Management System Certification in 2008
- Led effort resulting in OHSAS 18001 Occupational Health and Safety Management System Certification in 2008