 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. 

State Of Readiness

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.

 I welcome Pavle Sabic to my first-ever audio and video production of State of Readiness.  We talk about the human side of business; how to get more joy out of work, how to make it more joyous for others.  And we talk about a company’s workforce and how organizations are constructed needs to change.  Pavle invokes Peter Drucker with “culture eats strategy for breakfast” and agrees that culture is more important than strategy.  To achieve this, companies need to put people front and center – especially as the workforce becomes distributed.  And by that, Pavle means companies have to look to fairness, that the benefits of working together are shared together, empowerment and autonomy, empathy, and flexibility of work, autonomy. In the best organizations, success is fueled by openness, acceptance, compassion and above all cohesion across business units. Understanding the company brand and culture promotes a clear company vision, mission and ambition.  However some organizations are their own worst enemies. Their teams focus on complaining, waste valuable  resources, expel energy on negativity and stretch the already limited resources. Every single one of us has the potential to change the world and be the best version of ourselves. Pavle believes that change in a person's life is possible no matter the age. Through the acceptance of our individuality, pursuit of self-expression and social cohesion, we give ourselves the opportunity to grow and thrive. Understanding the development needs of the individual within their unique situation, Pavle provides a confidential and supportive feedback-rich environment where clients can gain valuable insights and develop positive new behaviors. Not implementing quality thought leadership is a major mistake that organization make in failing to maximize value throughout the sales process and commercial funnel. Moreover they are not able to create effective and emotive research to engage their existing clients to prevent attrition and churn. Presentations skills are an absolute necessity in today's noisy, data rich business world. Pavle has helped organizations create, produce and execute industry leading webinars, research report, videos, thought pieces and presentations to capture the market's attention and help their clients lead with conviction. Host: Joseph Paris, Founder of the;  XONITEK Group of Companies,  Operational Excellence Society & Readiness Institute Video version https://vimeo.com/411818337 Guest: Pavle Sabic Pavle Sabic Pavle Sabic is a thought leader and a growth expert, working with individuals and corporations to build cohesion across their organizations. Founder of TM2 Ventures and a former business head at S&P Global based in New York, he is an expert in delivering strategic expansion objectives for Fortune 500 companies. He has lived and worked in UK, Europe, Africa and Asia, helping to grow businesses in developed and emerging markets. Previously, Pavle was a consultant at State Street, and an analyst at AEGON Asset Management.  Pavle has been published in the media (WSJ, Forbes, FT etc.), and is a broadcast contributor to CNBC and NYSE. He is also an official Associate Partner of University of Edinburgh Business School. He is also an, investor, actor/producer staring in Ari Taub’s 2019 film 79 parts, a professional ski coach and keen surfer.   Pavle graduated ‘summa cum laude’ BSc in Mathematics and Economics and holds an MSc in Finance and Investment from the University of Edinburgh. Studied Entrepreneurship at Harvard Business School. He holds the Financial Risk Manager designation by GARP and was the winner of the ‘40 Under 40’ for Research from The M&A Advisor Association based in New York.   Pavle was recently recognized as a "Top 100 in 100 Years" by the University of Edinburgh Business School where, in celebrating its 100 years since being founded, Pavle was selected among over 17,000 graduates as being recognized as being one of the standout global changemakers committed to making a difference in their industry. You can discover others who were recognized by clicking here. Company details: Company Name: Tell Me More Ventures Website: www.tm2ventures.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pavlesabic/ Headquarters: New York                       Year founded: 2018 Company type: Professional Services Company size: 5 people Specialties: Thought Leadership and Human Capital Consulting / Couching   

Pavle Sabic; Founder of Tell Me More Ventures

 Daniel has spent his entire professional and personal career in the field of Industrial Engineers.  In this episode, we explore the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, a “Black Swan” event, on the way businesses might operate post-pandemic.   We start by discussing how telephony in education and the corporate world will be embraced more readily to its becoming ubiquitous.  While both Dan and myself have been working virtually long before it was cool, institutions for learning, from grade-school through university, and a great many companies that are not tech-companies, are getting a crash-course.  Dan shares that the technology is not new – companies like Google, Facebook, and others have been using “vc” for “visual chat” a long time.  And the benefits for time, efficiency, and effectiveness which, while known by some, will be more readily embraced by all – mostly because they discover how it can be an accelerant for achieving objectives. One of the biggest transformations will come in the field of education.  For decades, traditional institutes of higher learning have looked down upon those that delivered education telephonically – only to embrace it enthusiastically when faced with a crisis.  The challenge is to maintain quality, as if the quality of education delivered telephonically is inherently inferior.  But what if the quality of delivering education telephonically is actually superior – once its learned how to make it superior.    This leads us to a discussion on the value of face-to-face.  Humans are social beings and we need that close interaction.  This is not only necessary to make the learning experience more enjoyable and “sticky”, but also the primary driver for why people go to conferences.  The sessions are (usually) very good, but it’s the interaction with peers in a casual setting where the real value of attending is gained. The conversation continues with deep dives into the various ways companies are discovering there is a “silver lining” during this pandemic cloud; the various ways they are realizing how they can improve the performance in their operations, increase health and safety, accelerate the achievement of strategic initiatives, reduce operating costs (such as the overhead of real estate and travel) and so on. Come take a listen, open your mind, and start using your imagination as to what can be, what good can come from all this bad. Host: Joseph Paris, Founder of the;  XONITEK Group of Companies,  Operational Excellence Society & Readiness Institute Guest: Daniel P. Bumblauskas, Ph.D. Daniel P. Bumblauskas, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Management and the Hamilton / ESP International Fellow of Supply Chain and Logistics Management at the University of Northern Iowa; a visiting professor at the University of Washington; and holds a courtesy appointment at the University of Missouri where he previously held a faculty appointment.  Dan conducts research, teaches, and consults on various areas related to operational excellence and business development.  He has published over 45 peer reviewed journal articles and conference proceedings, including publications in journals such; as Expert Systems with Applications, IEEE Transactions on Industry Applications and Business Process Management.  He earned a B.S. in Industrial Engineering and Economics from Iowa State University, a master of liberal arts in general management from Harvard University, and received both his M.S. and Ph.D in Industrial Engineering from Iowa State University.  Prior to his faculty appointments, he was employed in industry by ABB Incorporated and Sears Holding Corporation.  He currently serves as a Vice President of PFC Services, Inc., a consulting firm based in Marietta, Georgia. Family: wife, Kendra, and four children (Addilyn, Taryn, Grayson and Weston; ages 11, 10, 7, and 5 respectively) Hobbies: golfing, ice hockey (Waterloo Youth Hockey Association – WYHA, USA Hockey 6U/8U Level 1 coach) LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-bumblauskas/ Company details: University of Northern Iowa https://uni.edu/   Headquarters; Cedar Falls, Iowa Founded in 1876 Company type; Higher Education Company size; ~ 639 academic staff PFC Services https://pfcservicesinc.com/ Headquarters; Marietta, Georgia Founded in 2000 Company type; Management Consulting Specialties; Industrial Engineering, Operations & Supply Chain Management, General Management 

Daniel Bumblauskas, Ph.D.; ESP International Fellow of Supply Chain and Logistics Management at the University of Northern Iowa

For 20+ years Joe has been empowering organizations, teams, and individuals to continuously improve processes and outcomes toward their goals and ultimately achieve Excellence in their chosen business, function, or discipline.  What makes Joe unique is that he has led successful transformation programs across several Fortune 100 companies – and he has experienced the deployment and sustainment phases both as a senior leader of large organizations, as well as an Operational Excellence practitioner. We explore Joe’s dual Bachelor’ Degrees in Economics and Psychology from St. Lawrence University and how those two disciplines interplayed during his career; where they intersected and where they diverged.  Joe found that hard facts drive decisions, but those decisions are made by people who are greatly influenced by the emotions they feel.  Joe shares many of his experiences throughout his career.  One subject in which we take a deep dive is comparing and contrasting collegiate engagement that is face-to-face versus that which is largely remote.  Joe relates how he was involved in a lean transformation and the daily huddles were invaluable for level-setting the team, sharing experiences, and creating alignment for what had to be done – but the actual work was performed semi-autonomously.  The huddles helped to build a level of trust so that when people did work remotely, they had confidence in their teammates because they knew them.  His take-away from the experience was that remote working will work, but it will work better if the team increases their understanding of one another and the trust that comes with it. Joe shares many more experiences and insights and I am sure you will enjoy the opportunity to learn from him. Host: Joseph Paris, Founder of the;  XONITEK Group of Companies,  Operational Excellence Society & Readiness Institute Guest: Joe Vacca Joe Vacca About Joe Vacca Joe has 25 years of leadership experience in Operations and Finance with an emphasis on Continuous Improvement and Enterprise efficiency.  He has worked across Insurance, Financial Services, and Health Care industries at companies including General Electric, MassMutual, Aetna and CIGNA.  He has also invested considerable time assisting community-based organizations with achieving their goals. Joe has been a practicing Six Sigma Black Belt since 2004, with ASQ certifications for Black Belt (CSSBB) and Lean (LSC).  He has a bachelor’s degree in Economics & Psychology from St. Lawrence University (summa cum laude) and an MBA from Rensselaer’s Lally School of Management.  He is also a graduate of GE’s renowned Financial Management Program and CIGNA’s Financial Development Program, which he then directed upon graduation. Joe lives in Connecticut with his wife and two daughters and enjoys outdoor sports and wellness activities such as hiking, running and biking in his free time. About Cigna Website: https://www.cigna.com/ Headquarters: Bloomfield, CT Year founded: INA was founded in 1792; CG was founded in 1912; merged to CIGNA in 1982 Company type: Publicly traded (Symbol CI NYSE) Company size: ~$150 Billion in annual revenue; 74,000 employees Specialties: Cigna's mission is to improve the health, well-being, and peace of mind of those we serve by making health care simple, affordable, and predictable. 

Joe Vacca; Vice President of Operational Excellence at Cigna

Cindy is as self-made a person as anyone I have ever met.  After graduating high school and not having any particular skills that were as yet discovered nor the grades or money to get into University, she joined the United States Navy as an enlisted person.  Perhaps she knew, and it’s just as likely she did not, that this single decision to join the Navy set her on a professional trajectory that is nothing short of amazing. Once in the Navy, her MOS was that of a cryptologic technician maintenance servicing communication equipment.  As her initial planned time in the Navy was nearing the end, instead of leaving, she decided to remain and earn her Bachelor’s Degree (soon-after becoming an officer) and then her Master’s Degrees – eventually retiring from the Navy.  She earned her Doctorate degree after leaving the Navy when she was 46.  Her doctoral study, Knowledge Management and Innovation on Firm Performance of United States Ship Repair, provided her the opportunity to gain additional professional and academic expertise to facilitate improvements in organizational knowledge management. She had a daughter while stationed in Georgia which added yet another level of complexity; working hard to balance her professional career in the Navy with her studies and the new responsibilities of being a mother.  Her driving force – wanting to never fail at any of it and making sure her daughter was provided for and brought-up in a stable environment.  If all this was not enough, Cindy has found time to become a certified Project Management Professional, a Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt, and as an ASQ-Certified Manager of Quality/Organizational Excellence – and has been a contributing author to several books including; Chapter 3: Using Leadership to Improve Firm Performance Through Knowledge Management from The Refractive Thinker: Volume XI: Women in Leadership and Chapter 4: Ensuring Prosperous Knowledge Flow from the Silent Generation Through Generation Z in a Global Workforce from The Refractive Thinker: Volume XVII: Managing a Cultural Workforce: The Impact of Global Employees. I am sure you will find Cindy’s life journey as fascinating and inspirational as I did. Host: Joseph Paris, Founder of the;  XONITEK Group of Companies,  Operational Excellence Society & Readiness Institute Guest: Dr. Cynthia Young Dr. Cynthia Young About Dr. Cynthia J. Young Cindy resides in Chesapeake, Virginia.   She holds several accredited degrees; a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in English Language and Literature from the University of Maryland, College Park; two Masters of Business Administration (MBA), one in e-commerce and one in advanced management studies, from Trident University International; and a Doctorate of Business Administration (DBA) from Walden University. She is a retired Surface Warfare Officer with 23 years in the U.S. Navy having entered the Navy directly out of high school.  At Leidos, Cindy is a Theater Mission Planning Center Curriculum Developer and Instructor, a defense contracting company.   She is a past-Chair of American Society for Quality, Tidewater, Section 1128, and a member of the Project Management Institute, Golden Key International Honor Society, and Delta Mu Delta International Business Honor Society.  Outside of her professional career, she raises money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society with Team in Training (TNT).  She has run (to date) two marathons (Marine Corps Marathon and the Chicago Marathon) and two half-marathons (Norfolk Harbor Half Marathon and the Las Vegas Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon). About Leidos Website: https://www.leidos.com/ Headquarters: Reston, VA Year founded: Leidos (from Kaleidoscope) was originally part of SAIC, which was founded in 1969, but split from SAIC in Sept 2013. Company type: Global science and technology leader Company size: 34,000 and growing; over $10B; #311 in the Fortune 500 Specialties: Defense, Civil, Health, and Intelligence markets with core competencies of: cyber, digital modernization, integrated systems, mission software systems, mission support, operations and logistics, and sensors, collection, and phenomenology. 

Dr. Cynthia J. Young; Theater Mission Planning Center Curriculum Developer and Instructor at Leidos

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