No Job Too Small: Marc Cammarata on Reliability, Listening, and Leadership - Episode #99
What does it really take to keep a complex, 24/7 manufacturing facility running without missing a beat?
In this episode of Facility Rockstars, Jay Culbert sits down with Marc Cammarata, Facility Manager at BD Manufacturing in Meriden, Connecticut, to unpack the mindset, discipline, and decision-making required to prevent problems before they become crises. From missed first steps while traveling as a service engineer to building systems that anticipate failure, Marc shares hard-earned lessons from decades at the intersection of science, engineering, and facilities leadership.
At the heart of Marc’s approach is a people-first philosophy rooted in listening, preparation, and trust. He explains why reliability depends on a deep understanding of your equipment, your data, and your team, and why safety must be everyone’s responsibility, regardless of title. Whether he’s talking about under-promising and over-delivering, empowering technicians to stop unsafe work, or thinking through worst-case scenarios from the couch at night, Marc offers a candid look at what separates reactive facilities from resilient ones.
Takeaways:
- Listen before you fix: Don’t assume you know the problem—let the full story unfold and ask the right questions before acting.
- Know your equipment like a system, not a checklist: Understanding how components interact allows you to adjust service intervals, reduce waste, and prevent failures.
- Use history to make smarter decisions: Detailed maintenance records and CMMS data help identify repeat issues and optimize preventive maintenance.
- Under-promise and over-deliver: Setting realistic timelines builds trust and creates flexibility when things go better than expected.
- Make safety everyone’s job: Empower your team to stop unsafe behavior, speak up across hierarchy, and reinforce a shared safety culture.
- Always have a backup plan: Plan A isn’t enough—great facility leaders think through Plan B and Plan C before problems arise.
- Lead by getting your hands dirty: Showing up on the floor, helping your team, and understanding the work builds credibility and respect.
Quote of the Show
No job is too large or too small. If it’s important to the customer, it’s important to me.
Links
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marc-c-2638868/
- Email: marc.cammarata@outlook.com
- Website: https://www.bd.com/en-us
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