Business Service Director – Operations Support
A former manufacturing executive, Eades has led numerous large plant transformations, including performance turnarounds, rapid volume growth and product line changes.
He has extensive experience as a supervisor, engineer, production manager and operations manager. For over 15 years, he served as a plant manager for companies such as Blue Ridge Fireboard, IKEA Industry, Elkay Manufacturing, Mohawk Industries, and Armstrong Flooring.
Eades earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mechanical engineering from Virginia Tech. A resident of Danville, Va., he is an officer of the Pittsylvania County Public Library Foundation and served on the board of the Danville-Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce for several years.
Jeff Shook is a Business Services Director at GENEDGE, specializing in Advanced Manufacturing. He also continues to lead the Virginia Smart Manufacturing Accelerator (VSMA) program, supporting manufacturers across the Commonwealth as they assess, adopt, and scale smart manufacturing technologies. Jeff brings more than 30 years of experience across multiple industries and is a certified CESMII Smart Manufacturing Roadmap Professional.
Jeff joined GENEDGE in 2017 as a Project Manager serving clients and partners throughout the Shenandoah Valley. He later advanced into GENEDGE’s Automation and Advanced Manufacturing practice, where he supported companies in deploying new technologies, improving processes, and strengthening operational performance.
Jeff’s extensive background includes lean and Six Sigma, design for manufacturing, new equipment introduction, and full production line development. He has managed more than $7 million in capital equipment sourcing and has designed manufacturing lines ranging from high-volume consumer electronics to large-scale HVAC production systems—integrating modern automation and advanced manufacturing technologies throughout. His work as a practitioner and master trainer in kaizen methods contributed to his team receiving the National Association of Manufacturers (National Association of Manufacturers) 1st Place Award for Workforce Excellence in 1997. Earlier in his career, Jeff trained directly in the Toyota Production System while working at Pioneer’s Lexus (Toyota) production lines in Kawagoe, Japan.
Jeff holds a BS in Electrical Engineering from the University of Dayton. His professional certifications include Six Sigma Black Belt, Design for Manufacturability (DFM), OSHA 10-hour, Kaizen Master Trainer, and CSCP (Certified Supply Chain Professional). He is based at the Blue Ridge Community College campus in Weyers Cave, Virginia.
