Manufacturing operations · Creston, Iowa
Ryan
Woody
I lead complex manufacturing operations and build practical systems that help people see problems sooner, make better decisions, and keep work moving.
OPS / 01
41.05° N
Measured impact
Selected operating results
Measured impact
2,000 hrs
Backlog absorbed while restoring operating flexibility.
Supporting detail
At its peak, the unfinished work added up to about six production days. We tightened the schedule, reduced unnecessarily large batches, improved parts replenishment, checked equipment limits, and adjusted how people were assigned. That cleared the backlog and gave the plant about four days of room to handle changing priorities—without reducing labor efficiency.
100+ → 0
Daily missed orders eliminated through better scheduling and material flow.
Supporting detail
We developed tools that gave us earlier visibility into customer needs and helped move production planning from reactive to proactive. Consistent adherence to the schedule, earlier notice of changing requirements, and routine checks of material availability reduced daily missed orders from more than 100 to zero.
120+
Employees supported across diverse, specialized production areas.
Supporting detail
The team works in six production areas on one shift, with four supervisors providing day-to-day support. Their work includes wire harnesses, plumbing assemblies, welding, circuit-board programming, and touchscreen assembly.
01
Operations at scale
Make the work visible.
Then make it better.
Since 2020, I’ve led production at BUNN across wire harnesses, plumbing and solenoid assemblies, stainless steel welding and assembly, circuit-board programming, and touchscreen assembly.
The work is a constant balance: labor efficiency, inventory risk, customer demand, quality, and the need to stay flexible when priorities move. My approach is to create enough clarity that teams can respond deliberately instead of chasing the loudest problem.
SafetyQualityDeliveryCostPeople
02
Practical digital transformation
Tools built around the work.
Not technology for its own sake. Systems that close the gap between what is happening and what people can act on.
SYS—01
Predictive replenishment
Connected live production demand to material movement, creating an objective delivery sequence and clearer visibility into risk.
How it works
When a unit is finished, the system updates which parts will be needed next and when. It gives warehouse staff a clear delivery order, allows a manager to adjust priorities when needed, and keeps a record of those decisions.
OutcomeBetter on-time delivery
SYS—02
Digital quality records
Replaced paper inspection logs with standardized, traceable records and automated specification checks at the point of work.
How it works
Employees record inspection results in a simple digital form. The system checks each entry against the correct limits and saves who completed the work, for which order, and when. This makes problems easier to catch and trace.
OutcomeEarlier issue detection
SYS—03
Operational visibility
Built Power BI dashboards and plant-wide ordering tools that moved response time from hours to minutes.
How it works
One shared set of tools replaced separate spreadsheets and outdated ordering methods. Supervisors and managers can quickly see staffing capacity, skill coverage, output, and parts requests, so issues can be addressed in minutes instead of hours.
OutcomeFaster decisions
Power AppsPower AutomatePower BISharePointExcelSAPAI
03
How I lead
“The people doing the work usually know where the friction is. Improvement starts by listening closely enough to find it.”
01 / Listen
Start at the work
The strongest gains come from involving operators in the change, not directing every answer from above.
In practice
The people doing the job help define the problem and try the solution. Their input often reveals unnecessary steps, misunderstood requirements, or practical obstacles that summary reports miss.
02 / Clarify
Make expectations objective
Clear measures and assumption-free coaching give supervisors and employees a fair basis for decisions.
In practice
Coaching is based on clear expectations and documented facts, not assumptions. Supervisors receive support so their decisions are fair, consistent, and in line with company policy and employment law.
03 / Include
Build capacity through people
Supporting a multilingual workplace widened the hiring pool and helped maintain operational strength.
In practice
Work instructions and communication aids were made available in Spanish and Haitian Creole. That helped employees contribute more quickly and gave the plant access to a wider hiring pool.