Root Cause Analysis for Food and Beverage Using 8D Method

Ruth Pierson joined IEH as Vice President of Technical Services in 2024. She holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Texas at Arlington and an M.S. in Systems Engineering from Southern Methodist University. Her academic achievements complement her extensive practical experience in operations, engineering, food and beverage equipment, quality, sanitation, optimization, and operational excellence, gained through positions at notable food processing companies such as Niagara Bottling and Tetra Pak, as well as other FDA-regulated firms.

Previously, she served as the Senior Manager of Technical Operations at Niagara Bottling, supporting both low and high-acid aseptic beverage plants. Prior to this role, she managed issue resolution at Tetra Pak for dairy, low-acid, high-acid, cheese, and ice cream customers. Ms. Pierson achieved expert-level proficiency in Tetra Pak’s root cause analysis process and shared her knowledge with specialists and field service engineers.

In addition to her academic and professional accomplishments, Ms. Pierson is a Certified Six Sigma Black Belt from ASQ and has extensive experience in failure analysis, process improvement, and troubleshooting. She is also a Licensed Professional Engineer and has contributed to academia as an Adjunct Professor in Mechanical and Energy Engineering at the University of North Texas.