VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA
Russell Thomas.
Supply manager. Community leader. Lifelong learner.
I bring people, information and practical technology together to make work easier. I listen to the people doing the job, keep things simple, and stick with a problem until I understand what needs to change.
russellt83@gmail.comExperience
Supply Manager
Barker Trailers · Woodend, Victoria
Joined the business in 2012
My day-to-day focus is getting more value from the purchasing budget and keeping production supplied. That means reviewing suppliers, products and alternatives, holding suppliers accountable, and working with the planning team to minimise production delays.
Alongside those responsibilities, I’ve used my technical background to improve how information moves through the business:
- Implemented a manufacturing management system that brings previously fragmented information into one place, with adoption growing across the business.
- Introduced digital goods receipting: staff capture delivery dockets and parts photos on a phone or tablet, follow a guided process, and submit receipts to the ERP.
- Made delivery records easier to check later by keeping docket and goods images together.
Lasting change takes more than a new system. I work with the people using it, listen to where my assumptions fall short, and respond to their feedback. Regular requests for improvements are a good sign that it’s becoming part of everyday work. A little humour helps too.
Local IT support & repair
Before joining Barker Trailers
My path into IT started with a traineeship in 2003. Before joining Barker Trailers, I was the local IT repair guy, working mainly with small businesses.
- Set up and supported small-business networks.
- Helped businesses with their accounting software.
- Built computers and provided IT support.
Technology has been a thread through my working life ever since. These days, that interest sits alongside my experience in manufacturing: understanding the job people need to do, then finding a practical way to support it.
Qualifications
- Certificate IV in Leadership and Management
- Certificate IV in IT — Network Management
- Additional study in machine learning
Community
President · Kaniva Lions Club
Vice President · Nhill Aero Club
My Lions priority this year is supporting people close to home whose struggles may go unnoticed. Our club also runs Driver Reviver, giving travellers a coffee, a biscuit and a rest break.
Outside work
I’m married with a teenage child and live in a small rural community. I fly recreationally and love the freedom—but enjoyed the study, exams and new knowledge just as much. Technology has been an interest since childhood.
An ongoing interest in AI
Alongside work, I’m an independent, unaffiliated researcher exploring AI. I develop experimental specifications and use AI tools to help implement them, with strict controls and programmatic checks. I enjoy investigating why something failed as much as finding what works.
RWKV7 State Machine
My primary project is RWKV7 State Machine. It brings my interest in AI into hands-on experimental work. The repository is where I share the code and document the latest updates.
Always happy to have a conversation.
If we share an interest, or you see an opportunity to help or collaborate, get in touch ↗