Chirag H. Bhatt
Food Safety and Quality Assurance Expert
Houston, TX
Results driven, energetic, detail-oriented Food Safety Professional with 30+ years experience in the food service industry. Natural leader with demonstrated strengths in implementing strategic and innovative solutions to complex challenges. Clear-thinking decision maker with strong interpersonal and communication skills.
Exceptional organizational and management abilities and proven success in optimizing resources to maximize productivity. Self motivated and self managed team player.
BACKGROUND SUMMARY
• Food Safety Laws • Food Safety/Security Rules • Best Practices
• Strategy Development • Planning/Implementation • Business Development
• Education/Training • Public Speaking/Presentations • Policies & Procedures
• Media Savvy • Business/Market Analysis • C-Level Interaction
• Benchmarking • Internal Quality Audits • Resource Planning/Scheduling
• Government Liaison • QA/Regulatory Compliance • Product and Technology R&D
• Technical Integration • Work Place Diversity • Multicultural Relations
Work Experience
VP, Client Consulting and Environmental Health
2007 to Present
• Spearheaded Digital Health Department (DHD) ® software application for clients. Managed the consulting, design, implementation and training for Public Health agencies during their custom software
design process. Identified key essential functionality for smoother transition from paper-pen to PC-Software
daily work processes. Result: Expanded client base.
• Improved and developed sales and delivery of consulting and on-site training services. Provided
procedure and business logic related responses to agencies during system design. Created training guidance
documents and conducted onsite training for clients upon system design completion. Result: Improved
client satisfaction based on successful implementations.
• Facilitated and coordinated product enhancement. Worked with developers and project managers for
Quality Assurance, troubleshooting and issue resolution process. Participated in the R&D strategy planning at the company level to enhance company products by working closely with CEO, CTO and Director of implementation. Worked closely with the Marketing Department and Sales team in acquiring new clients.
Result: Enhanced product delivery process.
• Directed the first product roadmap for private sector. Provided technical expertise with food code
interpretations and practical applications for a new client resulting in additional revenue. Result: Created
new client sector.
Chirag Bhatt
Program Manager, Food Inspection Program
1980 to 2007
Program Manager for regulatory agency. Managed a staff of 60 employees including field staff, first line supervisors and senior managers. Responsible for regulatory inspections at over 13,000 food service establishments in the city. Program conducted over 45,000 regulatory inspections and investigated over 2,500 citizen complaints.
• Initiated creative concepts using computers. Introduced Excel file for field staff while PC use was not very
common. Eliminated wasted time and resources by removing manual logbooks with introducing a
spreadsheet. Increased productivity and boosted morale while reducing the wear and tear on assigned
vehicles and saving fuel cost. Result: Reduced backlog of regulatory inspections to ensure safe food supply in City of Houston.
• Introduced hardware and software applications to enhance productivity. Planned, designed, monitored and implemented a custom software application that allowed the field staff more productive output.
Improved public awareness with real-time information exchange by using technology. Result: Created
more legible and consistent output for the regulated industry. Provided real-time information exchange.
• Strengthened media relations. Evaluated media concerns and needs to provide usable information for print, news and television reporters on a regular basis. Represented the department at various levels in
educating the general public during crisis and events related to food safety and security. Result: Better
rapport with media.
• Negotiated work challenges with industry stakeholders and political branches. Advised Mayor's Office,
Council Member's Office and others with program related issues and challenges for better relations.
Worked closely with all industry stakeholders before implementing changes using illustrative and persuasive skills. Facilitated discussions prior to publishing on-line inspections results with the Mayor's
Office and stakeholders. Result: Improved interaction and rapport with elected officials and stakeholders.
• Initiated creation of Procedures Manual. Drafted, developed and formulated a Procedures Manual for the program staff improving consistency in daily work. Conceptualized and authored Hurricane Preparedness
Guide for the division. This guide was also used as a draft document while creating a similar document for
Conference for Food Protection (CFP) as a committee chair. Result: Enhanced consistency in daily work.
Education
Bachelor of Science in Chemistry / Biology
1981 to Present
Skills
Food Safety, Food security, Quality Assurance
Certifications
Professional Sanitarian
State of Texas registration as a professional sanitarian. Equal to RS, REHS.
