PROTOFAB Management has almost 210 years of combined experience in manufacturing and prototyping parts. Our staff has worked with large and small clients to create a diverse range of products that gives the knowledge and ability to create high quality machined parts with quick turnaround times. PROTOFAB is dedicated to their customers and committed to becoming one of America's great companies.
Biography: Mike Maendl, President/Founder
Mike Maendl, 45, is the president and founder of PROTOFAB, which he started in 1998, after a 15-year career with Schlage Lock Company in San Francisco, now a subsidiary of Ingersoll Rand. Schlage Lock Company, one of the most trusted names in the security industry, moved the company to Colorado in that same year.
He began his career as an apprentice tool and die maker for his first five years at Schlage, while attending college at night. Within nine years, he was involved in R & D and model making. Mike's forward thinking and organizational skills resulted in bringing turnover time for projects from six to eight weeks to just two weeks. He streamlined the paper flow, set up computer systems and improved the inventory, keeping perishable tooling materials in stock, which had not been done before. Maendl credits his last manager at Schlage, who gave him the opportunity to handle much of the business in the model shop including customer relations for putting him on the road to success at PROTOFAB. Mike's experience, dedication to his work and the team he has developed at PROTOFAB, is the reason for the admirable reputation he is earning for his business in CNC machining and tool and die prototyping.
Maendl is a native Californian, whose parents immigrated from Germany. His father, also a tool and die maker, instilled a strong work ethic in his son. Mike's first entrepreneurial endeavor was a successful landscaping business that he started in high school. He is an avid skier, rock climber and mountain biker. Mike also enjoys sailing his boat on the San Francisco Bay. He is married to Leslie and resides in Novato, California.
Richard Parchman General Manager
Richard brings 35 years of manufacturing industry related experience to Protofab In. His industry experience began in the family business as a machinist and sales person. After moving to Northern California, Richard began a successful career with Hewlett Packard/Agilent Technologies. During his 22-year tenure, he worked as a machinist and then moved into procurement supporting activities that included the development of Commodity Strategies, Supplier Management, and was strategically involved in Core Competency studies.
Most recently, Rich worked as the General Manager of a manufacturing company in Santa Clara, CA. His work there included ISO 9001:2001 and Long-Term Business Planning
and Implementation. Additional activities included Domestic and International Customer Interface and Supplier-Managed Inventory Programs.
Rich joined Protofab Inc. in February 2009. He brings to the General Manager position many years of manufacturing experience. Immediate responsibilities include taking the lead in developing a business plan to support the targeted growth of the company as outlined by the President of the company. Additional responsibilities include daily oversight of the operation and insure the team is informed and working together to support the company objectives.
Outside interests include spending time with his family, traveling, NASCAR, tennis, hiking, wine tasting and working on home projects.
Robert Routh: QA Management, Director of Quality & Production
While working 30 years in manufacturing environments, Robert has gained a solid professional background in many areas of manufacturing processes and quality assurance activities. These include tight tolerance machining, metal injection molding, plastic injection molding as well as product assembly.
During Roberts career in manufacturing, he has received formal training in Machine Tool Technology, Inspection & Test, Quality System Auditing (CEEM/BSI Lead Auditor), Statistical Process Control, Failure Modes & Effect Analysis (Seagate Technology), Design of Industrial Experiments (3 day seminar held in Rohnert Part CA by the University of Wisconsin at Madison).
As a quality assurance professional, Robert has spent the last 15 years working hands on in the development, implementation, and maintenance of quality assurance systems based on various ISO 9000 standards including medical Quality System Regulations. He has most recently held the positions of Director of Quality and Production at Injectamax Corporation a Metal Injection Molder in Escondido CA, and Director of Operations at RPM Optoelectronics an Optics and Diamond Turning company in Santa Rosa CA.
While at Protofab, Robert designed and implemented our quality management system as “intranet” based which makes all of the various quality system information needed for the manufacturing and management processes at Protofab readily available to its staff, while maintaining the necessary access and change controls.
Biography: Ferdinand Krall, Senior Programmer/Project Manager
Ferdinand Krall, Senior Programmer and Project Manager, has been a member of the PROTOFAB team since January of 2002. His extensive experience in CNC programming, intensive training in CAD/CAM, and his analytical skills are a tremendous asset for PROTOFAB and for the diversity of projects that PROTOFAB can manufacture.
Krall began his career in 1988 with an apprenticeship at AESCULAP AG in Tuttlingen, Germany. After three years, he began producing numerous types of surgical instruments. AESCULAP AG then sent him to the United States, where he was a prototype and modification specialist, then prototype development supervisor at their shop in South San Francisco. In 1996 he joined PACIFIC SURGICAL INNOVATIONS in San Carlos, California. At Pacific Surgical Innovations (now known as Cardinal Health), he was the Lead CNC-Programmer.
His production experience helps PROTOFAB create more efficiency in its production runs, his ability to problem-solve creates quicker turnaround times for customer projects and the respect for his craft assures quality machined products. Ferdinand is a hiker, skier, mountain biker and amateur outdoor photographer.
Biography: Sheryl Eiberg: Purchasing, Project Coordinator
Sheryl came to Protofab with excellent work experience in the areas of customer service, production & logistics planning, purchasing and shipping & receiving. Her experience in manufacturing has been in high tolerance machining, and Powder Coating processes.
Her main role at Protofab is in the activities for Purchasing (Raw Materials, Services, and Supplies), Document and Inventory Control of raw materials and finished goods, the management and function of Protofab’s MRP system JobBoss™ for general control and project coordination of our current operations.
Sheryl invested 6 years (1978-1984) in the Army National Guard, where she became a trained financial secretary and medical clerk. She has also attended Santa Rosa Jr. College (California Real Estate Principals), University of Wisconsin at Madison (Management & Leadership), and Midstate Technical Institute in Marshfield Wisconsin (EMT Training) as a part furthering her education and experience.
Biography: Daniel Patrascu, Shop Floor Coordinator
Dan joined PROTOFAB in July 2002. His prior experience in related industries is a perfect match for PROTOFAB, and his artistic flair and attention to detail complement the PROTOFAB team.
Dan has been the owner/operator of Mostly Miniatures in Petaluma, California since 1992, serving clients such as Lucas film, The Sharper Image and the San Jose Museum of Modern Art. Machining, prototyping, acrylic fabrication, furniture building, vacuum forming, mold building and computer design are on the list of services offered at Mostly Miniatures. Dan has also been a machining assistant at Z-Tech in Novato, California, a mold builder and designer for Zoltar Engineering in Novato and a fabricator and shop manager for Tap Plastics in San Rafael, California. As Shop Floor Coordinator for PROTOFAB, he manages project work flow, documents procedures, and ensures enforcement of safety regulations. His expertise in sanding and polishing puts the finishing touch on PROTOFAB's machined prototypes.
Dan loves ocean kayaking and making airplane models and aquariums in his leisure time. He has been told that the saltwater fish tanks he designs and builds are works of art. In fact, his acrylic display cases exhibiting original models made for Lucas film movies are displayed at at George Lucas' Skywalker ranch, and in the homes of such individuals as Steven Spielburg, Jeff Goldblum, Sam Neill, Laura Dern, and Sir Richard Attenborough. Dan is married with two young daughters and resides in Petaluma, California.
Mary Graham: Senior Account Manager