When Doug Lewis walks the production floor at Premier Automation’s Georgia facility, he is looking for the smallest details. 

A wire that could be routed more cleanly. 
A layout that could make troubleshooting easier. 
A component that could be positioned just a little better for the technician who will maintain it years from now. 

That level of attention comes from decades of experience and a mindset built around one simple principle: 

“Good enough is not good enough.”  

Today, Doug serves as Production Manager for Premier’s Georgia facility, overseeing the teams and processes responsible for building high-quality electrical control systems for customers across multiple industries. 

A Career Built on Experience and Problem Solving 

Doug began his career in the skilled trades before expanding his technical expertise through electronics training. He later spent 30 years with Siemens, starting as a wireman and eventually moving through roles in production, management, and engineering support.

Over the course of his career, he developed a deep understanding of how complex electrical systems are designed, built, and maintained. That practical knowledge continues to guide his approach to production leadership today.

Doug’s problem-solving mindset was shaped early in life. Growing up on a farm meant learning how to troubleshoot issues and find solutions without always having outside help.

“You had to figure things out,” he says.

During his time at Siemens, that mindset proved valuable when he encountered conflicting documentation while building a large power control system. Rather than waiting for multiple engineering groups to resolve the issue, Doug worked through the design problem himself and updated the documentation to ensure the cabinet would function properly.

After engineers reviewed the changes and confirmed the system worked as intended, the solution was accepted.

For Doug, the lesson was simple: doing the job right the first time saves time, money, and frustration later.

Building Quality into Every System

At Premier’s Georgia facility, Doug oversees the production floor and the teams responsible for assembling control panels and electrical systems. His role goes far beyond managing schedules and shipments. He also takes responsibility for ensuring every system leaving the facility meets the highest quality standards. 

Nothing leaves the shop without passing his review. 

“I look at it like it’s shipping to my house,” he says.  

That mindset reflects a philosophy he reinforces with his team every day. 

“You can’t inspect quality into a product—you have to build it in.”  

Doug encourages his team to think beyond simply building to a drawing. While many panel shops operate strictly as build-to-print manufacturers, the Georgia team focuses on building systems that function effectively in the real world. 

That means thinking about the technicians who will maintain the equipment years later. 

“When I build something, I always try to think about the person who has to work on it,” he says.  

That mindset drives a culture of continuous improvement on the production floor. Even when the team has built the same design many times before, Doug reviews each project carefully, looking for ways to improve layouts, simplify troubleshooting, or make systems easier to maintain in the field. 

He also works closely with customers to suggest design improvements that could enhance reliability, reduce cost, or simplify maintenance. Sometimes those suggestions lead to changes. Other times customers choose to keep the original design. Either way, the conversation reflects a shared goal of delivering the best possible result. 

“It shows we’re not just looking at a box to build,” he says.  

That same approach carries into how Doug develops his team. New technicians typically work alongside experienced builders, learning through hands-on production work while gaining the technical fundamentals of panel construction. 

After more than three decades working in production environments, Doug has seen firsthand what separates good builders from great ones. The lessons he has learned along the way continue to shape how he leads his team today. 

Advice for the Next Generation

After more than three decades in the industry, Doug has simple advice for those entering the field: ask questions. 

“If you don’t understand something, ask,” he says.  

For Doug, success in manufacturing and engineering comes down to attention to detail, ownership of the work, and a commitment to doing things the right way the first time. 

That mindset continues to shape the work coming out of Premier’s Georgia facility every day, ensuring the systems built there perform reliably for the customers who depend on them.