R&D Machine Quality Specialist Receives High Honor
Like a lot of Compass Precision employees, Richard Scouten was born to be a machinist. He moved to a farm when he was five years old, which had its own working machining shop with welders, drill presses, saws, and lathes.
Richard first started a career in residential construction. “Making chips,” though, came more naturally and offered a steady income. So, Richard joined the machining industry in 1989.
But despite that seemingly perfect fit, R&D Machine has offered Richard something he enjoys even more.
“When I’m making the parts, I can only be responsible for my parts,” Richard said. “But when I’m working in the quality department, I can have a hand in everybody’s quality. I like that a lot better.
“I feel like I’m more satisfied being able to help other people make a better product.”
Richard started as a quality specialist at R&D in January 2024. Just eight months later, Compass named him their Employee of the Month for August.
”Richard has done everything asked of him and then some,” explained Justin Kovscek, R&D’s VP & General Manager. “He has quickly become a key member of our quality organization and our entire company.”
Richard is the fifth employee of the month, including the second this year, at R&D Machine. Machinist Corey Kunkel earned the honor in February 2024.
Furthermore, Richard is the 53rd employee of the month since Compass began the program in March 2020.
His role at R&D Machine is the second quality department position he has held in his career. In addition to loving the bigger impact he can make, Richard appreciates his quality specialist role because it allows him to stay in the industry.
Over the years, Richard has had a few nerves reattached and plates placed in his body. A role away from the shop floor in the quality department gives him more peace of mind.
R&D has had more peace of mind too with Richard aboard. His daily tasks include writing all the first-article inspection reports and submitting them to the customers before the product is shipped. He also schedules all source inspections for third-party inspectors.
With his terrific start at R&D, Richard became the first employee to receive the employee of the month award in his first year at Compass since Quality Products & Machine’s Brandon Faulkenberry in December 2021.
“I was flabbergasted,” Richard said of being named employee of the month. “I thought [Justin] was pulling my leg at first. Then, I started getting a couple emails about it, and I was like, ‘Oh, so he was serious?’”
“It is just like Richard to downplay his contribution,” said R&D Operations Manager Kat Pennison. “We are so much better, so much stronger in quality, with Richard as our quality specialist.”
But as much as Richard enjoys his role in the R&D quality department, that’s not his favorite part about working at the Compass operating company.
“The people here are fantastic. I’ve worked in a few different shops, and everywhere you go, there’s always something,” Richard said. “But everybody here, they just work so closely together that there aren’t many issues. These people are great here.”
Richard was born on Parris Island, SC, but his father was in the Marine Corps, so he moved around during his childhood. Primarily, Richard grew up in South Carolina, Hawaii and upstate New York.
Over the past several years, Richard has moved back and forth between Florida and New York due to the health of his parents and parents-in-law.
Richard is married to his wife, Kimberly. They met in 1985 and celebrated their 34-year wedding anniversary this year.
They have two grown sons – Andrew and Joshua. They also raised two foster sons who they are still very close to – Monroe and Justin.
For fun, Richard likes to hunt and ride his motorcycle.