I have a strong passion for treating team members with respect and helping people change their environment so they can win! With over $1B in savings so far, I have proven that a people focused approach is both respectful and very profitable.
My passion was fueled by a workplace injury during a summer job at a beef processing plant to pay for college. I worked 60 hours a week in near freezing temperatures, wearing a suit of chainmail, and using a hook and knife to process meat. Though the job was hard, I did not mind the work, and I became the best cutter on my line. One day I reported a problem with a workstation and was told the issue would be fixed. After weeks of inaction from the company, I lost the function of my left hand.
I was devastated! It seemed like nobody in the company cared. What was I to them? Just a pair of hands? From my experience, I believed that companies don't care about employees. I mean employees are just another expense, right?
The following semester at Utah State University, I was introduced to Lean, The Shingo Model, and Toyota Production System through Dr. Randy Cook.
Once I saw and felt the deep level of respect for people and culture of continuous improvement at Shingo Prize recipient companies, such as Autoliv and O.C. Tanner, I changed my career path from becoming a stock broker to a Lean champion.
I devoured every book on Lean and leadership I could get my hands on. I studied best practices at top Lean companies. I learned about the Shingo Model. I researched the history behind the Toyota Production System. I connected with industry leaders and award winning authors. I applied what I learned. I learned from my failures. And I helped teams improve processes and work environments in significant ways that produce significant bottom line results!
I would love to help calm your world and enable success!
