 Video Version https://vimeo.com/606702402 About the Podcast My guest today is Steven Leuschel, Director of Operational Excellence at Guardian Elder Care, with a network of elderly care facilities located across Western Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Eastern Ohio. He has published several books including; • "Lean Culture Change: Using a Daily Management System" • "The Executive Guide to Lean Culture Change", a companion workbook • "Why Lean Transformation Fails: Common Challenges to Adopting New Leadership and Management" • and his latest book; "Sensei Secrets: Mentoring at Toyota Georgetown" which is based on his thesis for his Doctorate Degree and is a study with former members of Toyota Georgetown's start-up years and their relationships with their Senseis. He was previously an adjunct professor at his alma mater, Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, Pennsylvania and a member of the Operational Excellence team at Indiana Regional Medical Center located in Indiana, Pennsylvania. Steven earned his Bachelors in Liberal Arts and his Masters in Business Management, Operational Excellence at Saint Vincent College (one of the few institutes of higher learning that offer a degree in Operational Excellence). And he earned his PhD in Business Administration and Leadership Studies at the Indiana University of Pennsylvania. He is married and the father of four. And his goal is to climb the highest point in all 50 States. About Steven Leuschel Company; Website; Headquarters;  Year Founded; Company Type; Company Size;  Specialties;   

State Of Readiness

Steven Leuschel; Director of Operational Excellence, Guardian Elder Care

 Video Version https://vimeo.com/567169449 About the Podcast I invite David Mackey is a senior manager at AbbVie presently responsible for the implementation of the SAP "procure to pay" processes at AbbVie. Previously, he was the Director of Operational Excellence at Pharmacyclics (a subsidiary of AbbVie). In addition to AbbVie, he has had senior leadership roles at Genentech and Roche. We start the conversation with David's early days when he was "bitten" by the travel bug, specifically the international travel bug. He was an exchange student to Sweden in high school and to Mexico when at community college. His first degree was in Geography with an emphasis on international trade from Humboldt State University and he earned his MBA in International Business Trade and Operations from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey. His love of travel has guided his professional journey; always seeking and chasing opportunities which would take him near (across the US) and far (everywhere else). Most of this work was found in the pharma/biotech industries. David shares the various companies he has worked for and the assignments he had there; each building on the other and each adding to his ever-increasing variety and scope of his accumulated life's experiences. We also spend some time discussing how he and the people who he leads, which are located around the world, have coped during the COVID pandemic. Interestingly, he shares that already being a disbursed workforce, the workings of his team were already purposely designed and configured for working virtually. The conversation then gravitates to post-pandemic business operations, what that may look like, what challenges might be faced, and what may be needed to keep a edge of the team's knife sharp. Give a listen. I am sure you will enjoy hearing David's story as much as I did. About David Mackey David is a global operational excellence leader that focuses on competitive advantage by optimizing employees, teams, technology, organization structure/culture, physical infrastructure, processes and the ability to measure and manage performance and results. His extensive experience managing operations and leading/participating in strategic global initiatives include; the design and launch of a new and ecommerce capable corporate websites, to restructuring multiple regional global supply chains and global service centers, to mapping the customers' experience to launch several improved and/or new operational processes and organizations.  After high school graduation, David departed as an exchange student for a second senior year to Sweden where he lived with an exchange family, attended school, and got a job on a dairy farm in the village where he lived. During his time there, he auditioned successfully to play keyboards in a rock band called Sista Utvagen (The Last Way Out); an opening act for more famous Swedish bands (such as Cal P Dahl) whose US hit "Can't Get That Feeling", with the crazy "Uga chaga uga chaga" as the memorable chorus. This gave him the opportunity to travel around Europe. He returned to California and attended Delta Community College, during which he was a summer exchange student to Mexico to improve his Spanish. Given his worldly experiences, he thrives in and across different cultures leading diverse, multi-site teams. And he has leveraged these experiences in his professional career with opportunities to work extensively in countries such as France, Mexico, Singapore, Sweden and across the US for extensive periods of time; as well as many other countries for shorter time periods. He considers his Core Competencies to be: Customer Focus • Coaching to Potential • Global Process Development • GxP • Data and Process Management, Analysis and Communication • Global/Trade Challenges • Continuous Improvement • Program Development and Execution Company; AbbVie Website; https://www.abbvie.com/ Headquarters;  North Chicago, Illinois Year Founded; 2013 Company Type; Pharmaceuticals Company Size;  ~48,000 employees worldwide Specialties;  Immunology, Oncology, Neuroscience research, manufacturing and sales/distribution. AbbVie may have been founded in 2013, but its roots run deep. In 2013, AbbVie became a separate company from Abbott, though the company shares a common legacy and strong prospects for future success. When formed, AbbVie became a new kind of enterprise—a biopharmaceutical company. AbbVie, sees a future full of possibility; where health is in reach and patient lives are improved. They blend the stability, global scale, resources and commercial capabilities of a pharmaceutical company with the focus and culture of a biotech. Today, their employees around the world focus on delivering transformational medicines and therapies that offer significant patient benefits. AbbVie's ~48,000 employees are scientists, researchers, communicators, manufacturing specialists and regulatory experts located around the globe. They come up with new approaches to addressing today’s health issues—from life-threatening illness to chronic conditions. We target specific difficult-to-cure diseases where we can leverage our core R&D expertise to advance science. We’re constantly working to create solutions that go beyond treating the illness to have a positive impact on patients’ lives, on societies—and on science itself. 

David Mackey; Senior Manager, AbbVie

 Video version https://vimeo.com/566698929 About the Podcast Today I invite back to "State of Readiness", Brent Gleeson, a Navy SEAL combat veteran and serial entrepreneur. In addition to being a best-selling author of "Taking Point" and his new release, "Embrace the Suck", Brent has leveraged the principles of leadership, discipline, accountability and resiliency learned in training and applied down range for building high-performance teams in the business world. Brent was the very first guest on "State of Readiness" back when it was audio only and the conversation was riveting. In this episode, we talk about how he came to be a SEAL (hint: it wasn't a life-long ambition), what was involved, and the experiences and wisdom he has gained from his experiences; which he uses to help individuals and companies become the best versions of themselves they can be. And, of course, we talk about the lessons he shares in his books. I am sure you will enjoy the conversation as much as I did. Upon leaving SEAL Team 5, Brent turned his discipline and battlefield lessons to the world of business and has become an accomplished entrepreneur, author, and acclaimed speaker on topics ranging from leadership and building high-performance teams to culture and organizational transformation. I am sure you will enjoy the conversation as much as I did. About Brent Gleeson Brent Gleeson is a Navy SEAL combat veteran with multiple tours to Iraq and Africa. Upon leaving SEAL Team 5, Brent turned his discipline and battlefield lessons to the world of business and has become an accomplished entrepreneur, author, and acclaimed speaker on topics ranging from leadership and building high performance teams to culture and organizational transformation. You can learn more about his leadership philosophies in his weekly columns on Inc.com and Forbes.com. Brent is the Founder and CEO of TakingPoint Leadership, a progressive leadership and management consulting firm with a focus on business transformation and building high-performance cultures. With degrees in finance and economics from Southern Methodist University, certificates in English and History from Oxford University in England and a graduate business degree from University of San Diego, Gleeson’s extensive experience is both academic and real-world in nature. Gleeson has won awards for business leadership and was named one of the “Top 10 CEOs” in Entrepreneur Magazine’s October 2013 issue for his exemplary approach to building high-performance teams in business. Between his experiences in the SEAL Teams and building award winning organizations that have topped the Inc. 500 list of fastest growing companies, Brent has become a business transformation expert. TakingPoint highlights his ten-principle program all leaders and managers will need to lead change and achieve winning results in the twenty-first century business landscape. Company; Taking Point Leadership Website; https://takingpointleadership.com/ Headquarters; Rancho Santa Fe, California Year Founded; 2014 Company Type; Consultancy Company Size;  10 Specialties;  Leadership and Organizational Development, Culture Transformation, Team Building, Workshops, and Keynotes. 

Brent Gleeson; Navy SEAL and Author of “Taking Point” and “Embrace the Suck”

 Video version https://vimeo.com/526594685 About the Podcast My guest today is Carey Lohrenz and was the first female F-14 fighter pilots in the United States Navy; call-sign Vixen. Given her experiences, she knows well that inconsistent execution in fast-moving, dynamic environments can generate catastrophic results. Carey has translated her training, leadership, and strategy experience in the Navy to helping business leaders supercharge their performance in today’s competitive business environments; adapting strategies under pressure, reducing errors, and overcoming obstacles along the way. Her first book, “Fearless Leadership”, was a Wall Street Journal Best Seller – and explored the characteristics of true leaders—courage, tenacity, and integrity. And her latest book, “Span of Control”, picks up where Fearless Leadership left off – encouraging and guiding readers to develop resilience for facing hard times – offering a clear path out of the chaos when we are seemingly overwhelmed. Carey is a selfless individual, the very definition of a servant leader, and I am very pleased to consider her a personal friend of mine. About Carey Lohrenz Carey Lohrenz is a dynamic communicator with an incredible story. As the first female F-14 Tomcat pilot, she was a pioneer in military aviation. Having flown missions worldwide as a combat, mission-ready United States Navy pilot, Carey Lohrenz is used to working in fast moving, dynamic environments where inconsistent execution can generate catastrophic results. Carey is uniquely qualified in the fundamentals of winning under pressure, reducing errors and overcoming obstacles. Her mastery of these fundamentals can help your team triumph in this high-risk, time crunched world. Her experience in the all-male environment of fighter aviation and her ability to pass on the lessons learned in her career allow her to deliver insight and guidance from a credible platform. As a high content Keynote Speaker, who is both motivational and inspirational, Carey Lohrenz inspires Fearless Leadership and increased team performance. Carey has been requested by name from some of the top Fortune 100 businesses. Her ability to connect with both an audience and on a one-on-one level, coupled with her knowledge and experience in leading high-performing, diverse teams, has made her highly sought after as a business consultant and leadership speaker. Carey Lohrenz is the author of “Fearless Leadership" and "Span of Control." She resides in Excelsior, MN and is currently working on her Masters in Business Administration in Strategic Leadership. Company; Carey Lohrenz Website; https://careylohrenz.com/ Headquarters; Minnetonka, MN Year Founded; 2012 Company Type; Consultancy Company Size;  1 Specialties;  Keynote Speaker, Workshops, Team Building, Strategic Partnerships, Creating High Performance Teams, Achieving Life Balance 

Carey "Vixen" Lohrenz; US Navy F-14 Fighter Pilot, Entrepreneur, Speaker, and Author

 Video version https://vimeo.com/511549585 About the Podcast I invite Aaron Roe, presently the Process Owner of Customer Experience at Roche Diabetes Care, as my guest on this episode of "State of Readiness". This is a really great conversation full of enthusiasm and passion. Aaron started his professional career out of tech school at a small start-up weighing drops of water as part of the testing process for medical devices. His process included queuing 10 devices at a time. One day, a colleague suggested there was a better way; and that better way was queuing three at a time. This proved to be more efficient and Aaron has been infatuated with process improvement ever since. But the real "ah-ha" moment came as Aaron saw the start-up grow and move from Lean principles to value-based manufacturing. This resulted in employees working to the KPI (as naturally occurs), but not in what was in the best interests of the company. The results looked good on paper for a time, but the company was building inventory; with much of the inventory expiring before it was sold and brought the company to near failure. A true tail of woe. But an experience which would shape Aaron's thinking since. Give a listen. I am sure you will enjoy hearing Aaron's story as much as I did. About Aaron Roe Aaron Roe has spent the last 15 years at Roche, holding positions and roles including; Commercial Excellence Director, Business Process Owner for Global Marketing and Customer Experience and various roles in Continuous Improvement, Quality, and Compliance. For the past seven years, he has also been an Instructor and Course Designer in Lean Principles at Purdue’s College of Engineering. His career began in food service before moving on to automotive service and then to Medical-Devices.  From the factory, to the warehouse, to the customer’s lab, he has specialized in leading professionals to take what is and make it better. But his passion and specialization are tackling the “Big Hairy Performance Problems” that loom large and prevent business from moving forward and is especially adept at facilitating collaboration and progress in complex scenarios. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Phoenix and his MBA at Indiana Wesleyan University. Company; Roche Website; https://www.roche.com/ Headquarters;  Basel, Switzerland Year Founded; 1896 Company Type; Pharmaceuticals Company Size;  80,000 employees worldwide Specialties;  F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG (aka "Roche") is a Swiss multinational healthcare company that operates worldwide under two divisions: Pharmaceuticals and Diagnostics. Its holding company, Roche Holding AG, has bearer shares listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange. Roche Diabetes Care is a leading provider of blood sugar monitoring systems and insulin pumps. With more than 40 years experience, our number one goal is to help people living with diabetes track and manage their blood sugar so they may have better control of their health. 

Aaron Roe; Global Process Owner at Roche

 Video version https://vimeo.com/492486581 About the Podcast Today I invite Brian Strobel, VP of Corporate Quality at Sierra Nevada Corporation (the aerospace company, not the beer guys) and author of the upcoming book, “Pursuing Excellence: A Values-Based, Systems Approach to Help Companies Become More Resilient” (2021), in addition to his previous book, “Leading Change from Within: A Road Map to Help Middle Managers Affect Lasting Change” (2015). We start off the conversation with the notion of “truth”, what is it and who holds it.  In this regard, Brian and I agree that neither he or I are the holders of the truth when it comes to people, leadership, and followership – and that we both are skeptical of people who claim to be the holders of the truth when it comes to topics which are nuanced and contextual. After obtaining an AAS in Metrology and then a BA in Physics, and having considered signing up for the nuclear Navy, he was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps where he served for fifteen years as an Aircraft Maintenance Officer, primarily with F/A-18 Aircraft.  Highlights of his career include three carrier deployments, a two-year exchange tour with the Royal Australian Air Force, Quality Assurance Officer for the US Atlantic Fleet, and Aircraft Maintenance Officer for the largest squadron in the Marine Corps. The conversation continues to his transition out of the Marine Corps, to civilian life and the various companies he worked at the roles he held; and with each incarnation having increased responsibility and authority and his leadership skills matured and where honed.  The experiences, stories, and insights gained that Brian shares through his civilian career hold a lot of wisdom and is a particularly good listen. And he shares details of his books; why he wrote them, who he wrote them for, what he hopes people gain from their reading them, and experiences of the writing process itself.  So if anyone is thinking about becoming an author, there is some good guidance here. About Brian Strobel Brian has been leading people in operational environments for nearly thirty years.  His initial academic pursuits trained him to be a physicist, but life had other plans.  He’s served in roles from leading large-scale military operations to leading change across large companies and is certified as a trainer for Situational Leadership, a Professional Coach, a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt, and a Manager of Quality/Organizational Excellence. Brian’s professional career started as a 2nd Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps where he served for 15 years as an Aircraft Maintenance Officer, primarily with F/A-18 Aircraft.  Following the Marines, he worked at various companies serving the Department of Defense including; Harris Corporation, Northrup Grumman, and L3 Technologies before landing his current role at Sierra Nevada Corporation.  Within each company, and in changing companies, the roles Brian held increasingly had more responsibility. He is the author of “Leading Change from Within: A Road Map to Help Middle Managers Affect Lasting Change” (available on Amazon) published in 2015.  And his latest book is “Pursuing Excellence: A Values-Based, Systems Approach to Help Companies Become More Resilient” whose website is here and is due to be released in February of 2021 and available on Amazon. Brian earned his Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in Physics from Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania, his Master of Arts (MA) degree in Management from Webster University, and his Master of Science (MSc) degree in Executive Leadership at the University of San Diego School of Business where he studied under Ken Blanchard. Although Brian’s path has been different than most, he has always focused on pursuing excellence.  This path ultimately revealed how his life’s plan was coming together where he is now fully dedicated to its pursuit, living in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada with his wife and his new dog.  When not serving as the Vice President of Quality helping a special company pursue excellence, you can probably find him with his wife and that dog enjoying the mountains. Company; Sierra Nevada Corporation Website; https://www.sncorp.com/ Headquarters;  Sparks, Nevada Year Founded; 1963 Company Type; Privately held Company Size;  4,000+ Employees in over 40 locations Specialties;  Sierra Nevada Corporation provides electronic aerospace and defense system The Company offers communication, navigation, and air traffic management systems, as well as provides intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, command, and control products. 

Brian Strobel - VP of Corporate Quality @ Sierra Nevada Corporation

 Video version https://vimeo.com/473115660 About the Podcast In this episode I invite Ofra Kalechstain, CEO of Matics, to join me to share her story and the story of Matics; a publisher of suite of Manufacturing Executions Systems (MES) applications that help manufacturers monitor and manage their production operation activities.  As CEO, Ofra’s responsibilities are to lead and steward the company’s ambitions to become the leading provider of MES applications around the world. We start the conversation discussing Industry 4.0 and the transformative effects it has on manufacturing businesses around the world, but in particular how it is been supported by governments as a means of keeping the manufacturers within their countries competitive so that they are able to remain where they are and not relocate their production elsewhere. We talk about some of the tell-tails, the signs, of a company that might be in need of embracing industry 4.0 and digitalization; the most obvious of which is creating and maintaining paper records for reporting activities.  These paper records will result in delays in making decisions necessary to optimize the production and react in an agile manner to sub-optimal or changes in circumstances. Ofra offers a brief tour of the Matics Manager Application which highlights some of the abilities of the system and its benefits.  Being able to monitor the health of plants and production remotely, I joke that a plant manager could manage their operations from a beach in Mauritius; well, you can. Ofra offers an interesting story, and a fascinating solution.  Give a listen. About Ofra Kalechstain Ofra Kalechstain has been the CEO of Matics since 2019, previously serving as the company’s CTO. Prior to Matics, Kalechstain was the Vice President of Product Development at Paradigm, a globally distributed organization where for over 26 years she led the product development business unit, overseeing an annual budget of $45M. Kalechstain has been instrumental in growing Matics and instilling a culture of competitive excellence throughout the organization. She has helped build a durable organization which has and can continue to withstand change. Kalechstain holds a B.Sc. in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from the Israel Institute of Technology (Technion). Since 2015 she’s also been an active investor in tech startups, leading several companies to financial growth and successful product delivery. Company; Matics Trusted by hundreds of factories around the world, Matics is a new generation of manufacturing execution systems (MES) leveraging emerging smart technology.  It delivers a holistic view, centralizing control of your production floor and infusing the whole enterprise – from the factory floor to the executive table – with real-time data analytics.  Our solutions rapidly deploys in a secure, cloud-based, non-disruptive, modular and scalable way. Website; https://matics.live Headquarters; Haifa, Israel Company Type; Software Publisher specializing in apps that manage production 

Ofra Kalechstain, CEO of Matics

 Video version https://vimeo.com/460252023 About the Podcast In this edition of “State of Readiness”, I invite Dr. Morphis Tsalikidis. Morphis is an experienced professional in the field of Operational Excellence who I have known for a great many years and with whom I have shared the stage at several conferences. Our conversation is on the impact of COVID on businesses and their operations. Even though we know we have not made it through to the other side of this event, and in fact we are still in the midst of it, we share our observations of what companies have done, what they are doing, and what they might still need to consider. We start off with a discussion on "disruptors"; specifically what are non-credible disruptors and what are credible disruptors. The difference between the two is that a credible disruptor has truly destructive powers and where true transformation will occur; necessity being the mother of invention. One of the most obvious results of the COVID transformation is how quickly businesses made the transition from working at an office to working at home; something which was anathema prior to COVID. But what was especially remarkable was that the business leaders with whom each of us have spoken almost universally share that their productivity and the productivity of their staff has actually increased markedly; although the activity on the production floor has not fared as well for a variety of reasons. Since we are both OpEx/CI professionals, we delve into into the role, organization, and delivery of OpEx/CI programs and the observations we have had with respect to their effectiveness during this transformative period. In this regard, the OpEx/CI programs have had mixed results and we do a deep dive in sharing our observations and opinions with regards to why. Give a listen... About Dr. Morphis Tsalikidis Dr. Morphis Tsalikidis has a passion is for helping organizations develop their in-house capabilities in Continuous Improvement tools, techniques and mindset. Morphis earned a PhD at Lancaster University studying the effects of Lean Six Sigma deployment on Organizational Learning and Knowledge Creation and his Masters in Management Science and Operational Research from the Warwick Business School at the University of Warwick. Morphis is an internationally experienced operational excellence and business transformation executive who has had experiences around the world. His areas of expertise involve Lean Six Sigma, change management and developing and deploying business models and his experience has been with manufacturing and insurance. His professional training and qualifications include: Professional Agile Leadership (PAL-I); PROSCI – Change Management; EFQM – Organizational Excellence; PRINCE 2 – Project Management; Master Black Belt exam- Lean Six Sigma; IASSC – Accredited Training Associate. Presently, he is the founder of Morphis Consulting, a consultancy that helps organizations improve their operational performance. Prior to starting his own firm, he was the Regional Operational Excellence and Business Transformation Director at AXA He has worked with companies of various sizes; ranging from 150 to over 3000 employees and with revenues from 80 million to over 2.5 billion euros and has experience in Latin America, Europe, Middle East and Africa. 

Dr. Morphis Tsalikidis (PhD); Founder | Consultant | Trainer | Speaker at Morphis Consulting

 Video version https://vimeo.com/456217249 About the podcast In this edition of “State of Readiness”, I welcome Manuel “Manny” Ugarte, Director and Strategic Accounts Manager of the United States Army’s Combat Capabilities Development Command (CCDC).  The US Army’s CCDC mission is to provide the research, engineering, and analytical expertise to deliver capabilities that enable the Army to deter and, when necessary, decisively defeat any adversary now and in the future.  And the CCDC’s vision is to be the scientific and technological foundation of the Army Modernization Enterprise through world-leading research, development, engineering and analysis. Manny and I start by talking about his current role at the CCDC and the confluence of research, data, data analytics, and converting that research and data into a basis for making decisions about the future operations and capabilities of the US Army.  Of particular interest is that the nature of what the CCDC and he are doing goes contraire to a lot of his past experience and training.  After all, research begets innovation, and innovation requires the ability to think and act outside the box – to question everything even down to the core of how the US Army operates. But the real great story is about Manny’s life journey; Manny was born in Puerto Rico, the son of Cuban exiles escaping from the Castro regime.  After escaping Cuba, his father earned his BSc in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Mayaquez afterwards “earning his salt” and providing for his family.  From this experience his father instilled in Manny his life’s values and the notion of serving their adopted country as a way of giving back.  There was no tradition of military service in the family (except for his great grandfather serving in the Spanish Navy way back when).  After University, he found himself assigned in Panama.  And this is where the story really gets interesting; it includes all the elements of a great story.  There is a warehouse full of surplus vending machines and Manny decides to moonlight as an entrepreneur while serving as an officer in the Army (or is it the other way around?).  There is his finding the love of his life (with whom he took forever to actually court) and who happens to be a lawyer who helps him with his business dealings (which is the excuse he found for keeping her close).  And there is the vicious competition of the old ladies selling empanada’s and coke on the corner – culture kills strategy. This is a really great story.  In a very real way, it is the story of America, the American Dream, and everything that is great, and can be great, about the American experience.  Give a listen.  I am sure you will find it as funny, enjoyable, and inspirational as I did.  And I am certain you will end-up with a smile on your face and a bounce in your step. Guest: Manuel "Manny" Ugarte Manuel "Manny" Ugarte Manuel “Manny” Ugarte is the Director & Strategic Accounts Manager to oversee the Science and Technology strategic planning, program, budget & execution of experimental and state-of-the-art capabilities of the US Army’s Combat Capabilities Development Command – the subordinate organization of the nascent Army’s Futures Command.  His leadership and military experiences have focused on strategic planning, process improvement, operations, and complex problem solving. As an executive leader, he embraces operational excellence methods, directing high performance teams on problem-solving techniques informed by business intelligence. Manny has served the United States in its operations around the world as a US Army Officer and Executive for over 25 years.  Throughout his career, Manny has held many positions, including stints as Director of Analytics at the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Chief Operating Officer at the US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), and Senior Operations Research Analyst at the Army Futures Command.  He earned his BASc of Applied Science in Mechanical Engineering as an ROTC Cadet from Norwich University, his MBA from Tarleton State University, his MSc in Operations Research from the Naval Postgraduate School, and his MEng in Engineering and Industrial Management from Penn State University.  He is a certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt practitioner and Master Black Belt candidate from the US Army.  Manuel recently completed an Executive Program certification in Management and Leadership from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Organization:  US Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Website; https://www.army.mil/ccdc   Headquarters; Aberdeen Proving Ground, Aberdeen, Maryland Year founded; February 2019 Company type; Defense / Military Industry Company size; ~ 26,200 civilian employees, military, and contractor workforce with a combined annual direct and reimbursable budget in excess of $6B Specialties; Engineering, Research & Development for US Army science & technology HireMilitary utilizes the Department of Defense (DoD) Skillbridge program to promote civilian job training for transitioning service members. Any eligible service member within 180 days of leaving the military can seek a full-time (40-hours per week), unpaid internship with an employer up to 6 month period anywhere in the country—even remote. The requirements are that the internship must include an interview and offer a high-probability of https://hiremilitary.us 

Manuel Ugarte; Director and Strategic Accounts Manager of the United States Army’s Combat Capabilities Development Command (CCDC)

 Video version https://vimeo.com/456217249 About the podcast In this edition of “State of Readiness”, I welcome Manuel “Manny” Ugarte, Director and Strategic Accounts Manager of the United States Army’s Combat Capabilities Development Command (CCDC).  The US Army’s CCDC mission is to provide the research, engineering, and analytical expertise to deliver capabilities that enable the Army to deter and, when necessary, decisively defeat any adversary now and in the future.  And the CCDC’s vision is to be the scientific and technological foundation of the Army Modernization Enterprise through world-leading research, development, engineering and analysis. Manny and I start by talking about his current role at the CCDC and the confluence of research, data, data analytics, and converting that research and data into a basis for making decisions about the future operations and capabilities of the US Army.  Of particular interest is that the nature of what the CCDC and he are doing goes contraire to a lot of his past experience and training.  After all, research begets innovation, and innovation requires the ability to think and act outside the box – to question everything even down to the core of how the US Army operates. But the real great story is about Manny’s life journey; Manny was born in Puerto Rico, the son of Cuban exiles escaping from the Castro regime.  After escaping Cuba, his father earned his BSc in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Mayaquez afterwards “earning his salt” and providing for his family.  From this experience his father instilled in Manny his life’s values and the notion of serving their adopted country as a way of giving back.  There was no tradition of military service in the family (except for his great grandfather serving in the Spanish Navy way back when).  After University, he found himself assigned in Panama.  And this is where the story really gets interesting; it includes all the elements of a great story.  There is a warehouse full of surplus vending machines and Manny decides to moonlight as an entrepreneur while serving as an officer in the Army (or is it the other way around?).  There is his finding the love of his life (with whom he took forever to actually court) and who happens to be a lawyer who helps him with his business dealings (which is the excuse he found for keeping her close).  And there is the vicious competition of the old ladies selling empanada’s and coke on the corner – culture kills strategy. This is a really great story.  In a very real way, it is the story of America, the American Dream, and everything that is great, and can be great, about the American experience.  Give a listen.  I am sure you will find it as funny, enjoyable, and inspirational as I did.  And I am certain you will end-up with a smile on your face and a bounce in your step. Guest: Manuel "Manny" Ugarte Manuel "Manny" Ugarte Manuel “Manny” Ugarte is the Director & Strategic Accounts Manager to oversee the Science and Technology strategic planning, program, budget & execution of experimental and state-of-the-art capabilities of the US Army’s Combat Capabilities Development Command – the subordinate organization of the nascent Army’s Futures Command.  His leadership and military experiences have focused on strategic planning, process improvement, operations, and complex problem solving. As an executive leader, he embraces operational excellence methods, directing high performance teams on problem-solving techniques informed by business intelligence. Manny has served the United States in its operations around the world as a US Army Officer and Executive for over 25 years.  Throughout his career, Manny has held many positions, including stints as Director of Analytics at the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Chief Operating Officer at the US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), and Senior Operations Research Analyst at the Army Futures Command.  He earned his BASc of Applied Science in Mechanical Engineering as an ROTC Cadet from Norwich University, his MBA from Tarleton State University, his MSc in Operations Research from the Naval Postgraduate School, and his MEng in Engineering and Industrial Management from Penn State University.  He is a certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt practitioner and Master Black Belt candidate from the US Army.  Manuel recently completed an Executive Program certification in Management and Leadership from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Organization:  US Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Website; https://www.army.mil/ccdc   Headquarters; Aberdeen Proving Ground, Aberdeen, Maryland Year founded; February 2019 Company type; Defense / Military Industry Company size; ~ 26,200 civilian employees, military, and contractor workforce with a combined annual direct and reimbursable budget in excess of $6B Specialties; Engineering, Research & Development for US Army science & technology HireMilitary utilizes the Department of Defense (DoD) Skillbridge program to promote civilian job training for transitioning service members. Any eligible service member within 180 days of leaving the military can seek a full-time (40-hours per week), unpaid internship with an employer up to 6 month period anywhere in the country—even remote. The requirements are that the internship must include an interview and offer a high-probability of https://hiremilitary.com 

 Video version https://vimeo.com/452339095 About the podcast In this edition of “State of Readiness”, I welcome Manuel “Manny” Ugarte, Director and Strategic Accounts Manager of the United States Army’s Combat Capabilities Development Command (CCDC).  The US Army’s CCDC mission is to provide the research, engineering, and analytical expertise to deliver capabilities that enable the Army to deter and, when necessary, decisively defeat any adversary now and in the future.  And the CCDC’s vision is to be the scientific and technological foundation of the Army Modernization Enterprise through world-leading research, development, engineering and analysis. Manny and I start by talking about his current role at the CCDC and the confluence of research, data, data analytics, and converting that research and data into a basis for making decisions about the future operations and capabilities of the US Army.  Of particular interest is that the nature of what the CCDC and he are doing goes contraire to a lot of his past experience and training.  After all, research begets innovation, and innovation requires the ability to think and act outside the box – to question everything even down to the core of how the US Army operates. But the real great story is about Manny’s life journey; Manny was born in Puerto Rico, the son of Cuban exiles escaping from the Castro regime.  After escaping Cuba, his father earned his BSc in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Mayaquez afterwards “earning his salt” and providing for his family.  From this experience his father instilled in Manny his life’s values and the notion of serving their adopted country as a way of giving back.  There was no tradition of military service in the family (except for his great grandfather serving in the Spanish Navy way back when).  After University, he found himself assigned in Panama.  And this is where the story really gets interesting; it includes all the elements of a great story.  There is a warehouse full of surplus vending machines and Manny decides to moonlight as an entrepreneur while serving as an officer in the Army (or is it the other way around?).  There is his finding the love of his life (with whom he took forever to actually court) and who happens to be a lawyer who helps him with his business dealings (which is the excuse he found for keeping her close).  And there is the vicious competition of the old ladies selling empanada’s and coke on the corner – culture kills strategy. This is a really great story.  In a very real way, it is the story of America, the American Dream, and everything that is great, and can be great, about the American experience.  Give a listen.  I am sure you will find it as funny, enjoyable, and inspirational as I did.  And I am certain you will end-up with a smile on your face and a bounce in your step. Guest: Manuel "Manny" Ugarte Manuel "Manny" Ugarte Manuel “Manny” Ugarte is the Director & Strategic Accounts Manager to oversee the Science and Technology strategic planning, program, budget & execution of experimental and state-of-the-art capabilities of the US Army’s Combat Capabilities Development Command – the subordinate organization of the nascent Army’s Futures Command.  His leadership and military experiences have focused on strategic planning, process improvement, operations, and complex problem solving. As an executive leader, he embraces operational excellence methods, directing high performance teams on problem-solving techniques informed by business intelligence. Manny has served the United States in its operations around the world as a US Army Officer and Executive for over 25 years.  Throughout his career, Manny has held many positions, including stints as Director of Analytics at the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Chief Operating Officer at the US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), and Senior Operations Research Analyst at the Army Futures Command.  He earned his BASc of Applied Science in Mechanical Engineering as an ROTC Cadet from Norwich University, his MBA from Tarleton State University, his MSc in Operations Research from the Naval Postgraduate School, and his MEng in Engineering and Industrial Management from Penn State University.  He is a certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt practitioner and Master Black Belt candidate from the US Army.  Manuel recently completed an Executive Program certification in Management and Leadership from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Organization:  US Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Website; https://www.army.mil/ccdc   Headquarters; Aberdeen Proving Ground, Aberdeen, Maryland Year founded; February 2019 Company type; Defense / Military Industry Company size; ~ 26,200 civilian employees, military, and contractor workforce with a combined annual direct and reimbursable budget in excess of $6B Specialties; Engineering, Research & Development for US Army science & technology 

 Video version https://vimeo.com/448938677 About the podcast In this edition of “State of Readiness”, I welcome Manuel “Manny” Ugarte, Director and Strategic Accounts Manager of the United States Army’s Combat Capabilities Development Command (CCDC).  The US Army’s CCDC mission is to provide the research, engineering, and analytical expertise to deliver capabilities that enable the Army to deter and, when necessary, decisively defeat any adversary now and in the future.  And the CCDC’s vision is to be the scientific and technological foundation of the Army Modernization Enterprise through world-leading research, development, engineering and analysis. Manny and I start by talking about his current role at the CCDC and the confluence of research, data, data analytics, and converting that research and data into a basis for making decisions about the future operations and capabilities of the US Army.  Of particular interest is that the nature of what the CCDC and he are doing goes contraire to a lot of his past experience and training.  After all, research begets innovation, and innovation requires the ability to think and act outside the box – to question everything even down to the core of how the US Army operates. But the real great story is about Manny’s life journey; Manny was born in Puerto Rico, the son of Cuban exiles escaping from the Castro regime.  After escaping Cuba, his father earned his BSc in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Mayaquez afterwards “earning his salt” and providing for his family.  From this experience his father instilled in Manny his life’s values and the notion of serving their adopted country as a way of giving back.  There was no tradition of military service in the family (except for his great grandfather serving in the Spanish Navy way back when).  After University, he found himself assigned in Panama.  And this is where the story really gets interesting; it includes all the elements of a great story.  There is a warehouse full of surplus vending machines and Manny decides to moonlight as an entrepreneur while serving as an officer in the Army (or is it the other way around?).  There is his finding the love of his life (with whom he took forever to actually court) and who happens to be a lawyer who helps him with his business dealings (which is the excuse he found for keeping her close).  And there is the vicious competition of the old ladies selling empanada’s and coke on the corner – culture kills strategy. This is a really great story.  In a very real way, it is the story of America, the American Dream, and everything that is great, and can be great, about the American experience.  Give a listen.  I am sure you will find it as funny, enjoyable, and inspirational as I did.  And I am certain you will end-up with a smile on your face and a bounce in your step. Guest: Manuel "Manny" Ugarte Manuel "Manny" Ugarte Manuel “Manny” Ugarte is the Director & Strategic Accounts Manager to oversee the Science and Technology strategic planning, program, budget & execution of experimental and state-of-the-art capabilities of the US Army’s Combat Capabilities Development Command – the subordinate organization of the nascent Army’s Futures Command.  His leadership and military experiences have focused on strategic planning, process improvement, operations, and complex problem solving. As an executive leader, he embraces operational excellence methods, directing high performance teams on problem-solving techniques informed by business intelligence. Manny has served the United States in its operations around the world as a US Army Officer and Executive for over 25 years.  Throughout his career, Manny has held many positions, including stints as Director of Analytics at the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Chief Operating Officer at the US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), and Senior Operations Research Analyst at the Army Futures Command.  He earned his BASc of Applied Science in Mechanical Engineering as an ROTC Cadet from Norwich University, his MBA from Tarleton State University, his MSc in Operations Research from the Naval Postgraduate School, and his MEng in Engineering and Industrial Management from Penn State University.  He is a certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt practitioner and Master Black Belt candidate from the US Army.  Manuel recently completed an Executive Program certification in Management and Leadership from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Organization:  US Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Website; https://www.army.mil/ccdc   Headquarters; Aberdeen Proving Ground, Aberdeen, Maryland Year founded; February 2019 Company type; Defense / Military Industry Company size; ~ 26,200 civilian employees, military, and contractor workforce with a combined annual direct and reimbursable budget in excess of $6B Specialties; Engineering, Research & Development for US Army science & technology 

 About the podcast I invite Jason Prochilo, Vice President of Operations at Edel Golf, LLC to join me in a conversation.  Edel Golf is a manufacturer of custom golf equipment specializing in personally-fit putters, wedges, and irons.   Jason primary responsibility is as leader of the putter department and the manufacturing efforts in the company.  They manufacture all of their equipment in-house, using a machine shop they own and operate and with all of the materials used in their equipment being sourced from within the United States.  Their customized fitting process yields a potential of over 1-million different combinations to dial-in the fit of the equipment to the golfer. I ask about the seemingly contrarian approach to continuous improvement – where most manufacturers would want to minimize variants, Edel seems to purposefully go in the opposite direction.  Accordingly, you won’t normally find Edel equipment at a sporting goods store.  Rather, you will find their trained field engineers fitting buyers at country clubs where experiential opportunities might exist.  For instance, the putter fitting is focused on aim and speed to eliminate the biases and tendencies that might exist within the golfer.  Having the background of the value-proposition, Jason then takes us on a conversational tour of how a golfer is fitted, and then through the order processing, manufacturing, and fulfillment.  Having a basic understanding of Edel Golf, how it operates, it’s “super power”, and what Jason does there, we then move the conversation to Jason’s journey.  What experiences did Jason have that eventually found him at Edel Golf.  It is not a usual path with a combination of skill, luck, and a bit of being impetuous – making bold decisions from incomplete and imperfect date (my kind of guy). Come take a listen.  I am sure you will enjoy it as much as I did… https://youtu.be/-J8fWb9WFZ4 Guest: Jason Prochilo Jason Prochilo Jason Prochilo is the Vice President of Operations at Edel Golf LLC, reporting directly to the CEO/Owner.  Viewed as a forward-thinking leader and catalyst for continuous improvement procedures, Jason is best known for his passion, energy, and ability to move the company forward through turnaround solutions, utilizing technology and Kaizen principles.  Jason inspires his teams to think differently, believe and deliver beyond what others think is possible.  A decisive executive, Jason’s success in optimizing business value and improving efficiencies has led to historic gains in building a world-class manufacturing entity and global order fulfillment business.  With numerous industry accolades and collaborating on 11 company patents focused on innovative solutions, Jason’s ability to visualize future success has set him apart from those merely satisfied with yesterday’s accomplishments. Prior to Edel Golf LLC, Jason honorably served 9 years in the United States Marine Corps as a Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Defense Sergeant. As a decorated and distinguished military leader with a Top Secret (SSBI) security clearance, Jason presented sensitive situation briefs and subject matter expertise to executive staff.  Jason resides in Austin, Texas with his wife Stephanie, their two children, and Plott hound rescue dog.  Away from the office, Jason is an avid golfer, outdoor enthusiast, youth sports coach, and community volunteer.  Currently, Jason is collaborating on an open forum youth technology program teaching tomorrow’s workforce about technology and tools. Company: Edel Golf LLC Website: www.edelgolf.com Headquarters: Liberty Hill, TX (about 45 minutes NW of Austin) Year Founded: 1996 Company Type: Golf + Manufacturing Company Size: 300+ accounts worldwide Specialities: Custom-Fit golf equipment, bespoke putters, single length irons, hand crafted wedges, global fulfillment, collaborating with Hall of Fame instructors, and world class manufacturing of tour proven products Host: Joseph Paris, Founder of the;  XONITEK Group of Companies,  Operational Excellence Society & Readiness Institute 

Jason Prochilo; Vice President of Operations at Edel Golf LLC

 About the podcast I invite Andrew Chrostowski, Chairman of the Board and Acting CEO of RealWear to “State of Readiness”.  We start with discussing what RealWear is all about – and it is one of the coolest systems I have seen for employee-enablement.  RealWear had designed and developed ruggedized head-mounted wearable Android-class tablet computer that frees a worker’s hands for dangerous jobs.  Being hands-free, it is purpose-built for Connected Worker programs in the industrial enterprise and is safely controlled with just your voice, even in extremely noisy environments.  With a growing number of hands-free partner solutions, our customers are taking full advantage of the unlimited power of our systems for remote mentor, document navigation, industrial IoT visualization and digital workflow solutions.  Global leaders in energy, manufacturing and automotive industries trust RealWear to empower and connect their global workforce Being a young company, we talk about the entrepreneurial spirit that is pervasive throughout the company.  Andrew shares how opportunities are recognized and how exciting it is to work in an environment of a young company; the energy, nimbleness, innovation, and joy in solving problems nimbleness is pervasive.  And we talk about how COVID-19 has illuminated the power of telephony and how telephony in general will be leveraged much more in a post-COVID world. And Andrew shares  with us his journey.  Being originally trained as a physicist, when he is faced with a technical issue, he goes back to the fundamentals.  His graduate studies in Systems Management prepared him to manage and optimize complex interrelationships and has found these learnings to have instilled in him a great toolkit for managing quality, safety, operations, innovation, digital transformation and business systems in general. Come take a listen.  Fascinating person, fascinating company… https://youtu.be/P1XQotex_ac Guest: Andrew E. Chrostowski Andrew E. Chrostowski Andrew Chrostowski is a senior executive with deep experience in developing teams and strategies that enable innovation, growth, and profitability improvements.  As an NACD Certified Director, Qualified Technology Executive and a founding executive member of the Digital Directors Network, he strives to improve board performance and digital governance excellence to shape and secure the digital future for everyone.  He currently serves as a board member on the Finance Committee for the Rogers Group, and as the Chairman of the Board and Acting CEO for RealWear. Before beginning his civilian career, Andrew served nine years as a physicist and program manager working on satellite and Command, Control, Communication, and Intelligence Systems (C3I) systems.  He has held positions of increasing responsibility with Hitachi, Warner-Lambert, Pfizer, Energizer, Goodrich Aerospace, UTC, Tyco and JCI.  He holds two undergraduate degrees in Engineering Physics from Oregon State University’s Honor Program where he was a distinguished graduate of Air Force ROTC. He has a Master’s Degree in Systems Management from the University of Southern California’s Institute for Safety and Systems Management and later completed a certificate of professional development at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Company: RealWear Website: www.realwear.com Headquarters: Vancouver, WA Year founded: 2016 Company type: Private Company size: ~ 90 employees Specialties: Hands-free Wearable Industrial Computers – Including the only Inherently Safe ATEX Z1 Div1 Class 1 Wearable in the world. Host: Joseph Paris, Founder of the;  XONITEK Group of Companies,  Operational Excellence Society & Readiness Institute 

Andrew E. Chrostowski; Chairman of the Board and Acting CEO, RealWear

 We welcome Philip Holt, Vice President of Operational Excellence at GKN Aerospace, for a conversation.  We start off the program discussing Philip’s two books, “Leading with Lean” and “The Simplicity of Lean”; the latter having won the Bronze Medal in the Axiom Book Awards.  We take a walk in Philip’s shoes for a spell and follow his journey.  It starts with Philip gaining his Undergraduate Degree in Polymer Engineering and afterwards working at a tier-1 automotive supplier.  He then moved on to Gillette where he helped to manufacture plastic componentry before moving on to Supply Chain and Procurement.  After almost five-years in Gillette, he landed a position at Philips where he started in Continuous Improvement before becoming Head of Operational Excellence.  After twelve years at Philips, being based in the Netherlands, he took his present position at GKN Aerospace as Senior Vice President of Operational Excellence. Come take a stroll along Philip’s journey… Host: Joseph Paris, Founder of the;  XONITEK Group of Companies,  Operational Excellence Society & Readiness Institute Guest: Philip Holt Philip Holt is Senior Vice President, Operational Excellence, at GKN Aerospace and a Board Member of the Operational Excellence Society. He studied Engineering at Manchester Metropolitan University and Management at the Wharton School of Pennsylvania and the University of Warwick, was an engineer at Gillette and led the Lean Deployment worldwide at Philips for over twelve years. He achieved Lean Master status and has summarized his 30+ years of experience and insights into Lean Leadership in his previous book Leading with Lean and his most recent book, The Simplicity of Lean. Books: Leading With Lean Leading with Lean; https://www.amazon.com/Leading-Lean-experience-based-leading-transformation/dp/9462761442/ The Simplicity Of Lean The Simplicity of Lean; https://www.amazon.com/Simplicity-Lean-Complexity-Delivering-Excellence-ebook/dp/B087GD4BT6/   

Philip Holt; Senior Vice President, Operational Excellence, GKN Aerospace.

A podcast devoted to sharing knowledge of how companies can become high-performance organizations. Hosted by Joseph Paris.

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State Of Readiness

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