Outstanding Industrial Technologist - 2001

Improved product quality, customer service and reduced unit cost are the attributes of success of Rue Patel as Plant Manager of the Buffalo Operations of General Mills. He is directly responsible for providing leadership to his employees for the efficient utilization of the manufacturing and distribution facilities of the operation.

Rue Patel graduated from Purdue University with a Bachelors Degree in Industrial Technology in 1988, subsequent to which he was a Supervisor for Pepsi-Cola Bottling Company. Mr. Patel joined General Mills at Cedar Rapids in 1991 as a Team Leader in Research and Development. Soon thereafter he was promoted to Processing Department Manger responsible for the production, engineering, maintenance and safety of a three shift cereal operation. In 1995 he was transferred to the Buffalo Operation which produced such well-known cereals as Wheaties, Total, and Total Raisin Bran. Holding increasingly responsible positions as Operations Manager and Assistant Plant Manager, Patel lead employee participation teams that resulted in significant cost reduction through restructuring and consolidation of activities. Concurrently, he was the chair of an industry committee that developed new packaging technologies for cereal products. Rue Patel was promoted to General manger of General Mills’ largest volume producer of cereals in June 2000.

His division’s cereal products have been a major contributor to corporate profits. Mr. Patel’s strong sense and deft application of the value of collaborative personnel relations to effect Systems Efficiency has made the Buffalo Operation a leader in his company.