Holger Schmidt
Head Of Engineering Product Portfolio
Saint Johns
Overview
21
21
years of professional experience
4
4
years of post-secondary education
Work History
Head of Engineering Products Portfolio
Siemens
Jacksonville, FL
06.2022 - Current
- Manages Product Portfolio Group for infrastructure products manufactured by Siemens Mobility in the US with a business volume of approximately USD 160 Million
- Trusted advisor to senior management for all new potential lines of business and major strategy decisions.
- Visits customers regularly, demonstrates products, identifies problem areas of customers and discusses potential solutions
- Attends trade shows, and participates in show strategy decisions together with senior management
Global Product Line Manager
Siemens
Jacksonville, FL
11.2015 - 05.2022
- Managed the important Highway-Rail Level (Grade) Crossing product line for the Rail Infrastructure Business Unit of Siemens Mobility. Products are marketed in North America, Latin America, Australia, and other regions worldwide with a business volume of approximately USD 40 Million
- Re-defined and streamlined Highway Crossing product line for better alignment with customer needs
- Introduced digital tools to support remote diagnostics and preventative maintenance into a very traditional product base
- Trusted advisor to Senior Management
- Manages multi-year R&D projects executed by globally distributed teams (US, UK, Spain) of up to 50 team members in total
- Joins sales team in regular customers visits demonstrates products, identifies problem areas of customers and discusses potential solutions
- Attends trade shows, demonstrates products and discusses solutions with customers
Lead Engineer Field Product Support
Siemens
Jacksonville, FL
04.2014 - 10.2015
- Responsible for integration of field support for Siemens products into Field Support Group that previously served exclusively Invensys products. Assisted group manager in group development and group management.
- Customer interface for various transit agencies (Metro Houston, Metro San Diego, Metro Minneapolis, MN, UTA in Salt Lake City)
- Worked directly with end-customer with maintaining delivery schedule of non-Siemens train fleet by analyzing and overcoming integration problems with Siemens provided train control system
- Provided product training to customers and integrators
- Enabled standard skills assessment for support group by defining skills matrix, and managing initial assessment
Project Manager & Lead Engineer
Siemens
Jacksonville, FL
09.2011 - 03.2014
- Project Management for customer projects, including customer relation management, change management, project procurement, and claim management.
- Negotiated supplier contracts
- Participated in regular meetings with prime-contractors and end-customers
- Project sizes between USD 1.0 Million and USD 10.0 Million. Customers projects include Minneapolis Central Corridor LRT, Hennepin County Interchange LRT and BHP Billiton in New Mexico.
- Responsible for complex system architecture and design. Interface definition to existing train control system, system integration with vehicles, control center and communication system
- Provided product training to customers and system integrators
Systems Engineer
Siemens
Jacksonville, FL
10.2008 - 09.2011
- Systems Engineer for Mass Transit projects. Provided expertise and leadership for pilot projects to introduce European products to the North American market.
- Worked directly with customers including TriMet (Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon), WMATA (Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority), Tren Urbano (Puerto Rico) and Go Transit (Ontario, Canada)
- Pilot projects
- Systems engineering for SICAS S7 based interlockings
- Technical sales for SICAS S7 and Siemens axle counter systems
- Estimator for mass transit projects
System Development Engineer
Siemens
Braunschweig
11.2003 - 09.2008
- Software architect and software development for safety critical embedded systems according to CENELEC rules (SIL4). Lead hardware-software integration including documentation, environmental testing and verification and validation activities.
- Implemented various tools for automated software and system testing
- Commissioned first pilot installation of SICAS S7 system at CSX in Jacksonville, FL
- Support and training for Siemens team in USA
Student Trainee
Siemens
Braunschweig
07.2002 - 09.2003
- Implemented software tool for automated regression testing of vital (SIL4) remote control system for relay interlockings – OC5/15.
- Collaborated with employees from various backgrounds
- Documented work in Diploma Thesis
Education
Dipl.-Ing (FH) - Electrical Engineering And Information Technology
Anhalt University of Applied Sciences
Köthen, Germany 10.1999 - 09.2003
Timeline
Head of Engineering Products Portfolio
Siemens
06.2022 - Current
Global Product Line Manager
Siemens
11.2015 - 05.2022
Lead Engineer Field Product Support
Siemens
04.2014 - 10.2015
Project Manager & Lead Engineer
Siemens
09.2011 - 03.2014
Systems Engineer
Siemens
10.2008 - 09.2011
System Development Engineer
Siemens
11.2003 - 09.2008
Student Trainee
Siemens
07.2002 - 09.2003
Dipl.-Ing (FH) - Electrical Engineering And Information Technology
Anhalt University of Applied Sciences
10.1999 - 09.2003
Summary
Manages product strategy and product development for multiple Siemens Mobility product lines.
Experienced leader and engineer with international experience and a record of successes in a variety of railroad projects in USA, Germany and Canada.
Drives success through leadership, customer focus, innovation and accountability.
Skills
Product strategy management
Mapping solutions to customer needs
Business case modeling
Leading internationally distributed teams
Process optimization
Agile, scrum & waterfall
Affiliations
- Wireless Communication Committee of the Association of American Railroads - AAR (joined 2023)
- American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association - AREMA (joined 2011)
Accomplishments
- Named co-inventor on eight (8) patents around railway signaling and highway-crossing control for Siemens Mobility
- Siemens certified Project Manager (PM3, C-Projects)