Conférence spéciale entreprise LEAN

1. June 15, 2009
Champion’s Meeting Notice
“Culture-Culture”
Montréal, QC
Aug. 5-7, 2009
Dear AME Champion:
The agenda is set and the presentation information is noted below. We will be treated to some very though
provoking presentations. I expect that the café discussions will provide some great take-aways.
If you haven’t quite made up your mind about attending read the presents bio’s and abstracts that should
convince you that this is shaping up to be a great event.
Canlyte
Our host is Canlyte is Canada’s leading manufacturer and supplier of quality lighting fixtures and services.
They are committed to empowering the success of their customers through local trusted lighting specialists,
resources and solutions. Canlyte produces some great innovative products. They are in the middle of their
lean journey and want to share some success and some learning opportunities. They are anxious to hear
your feedback as they continue down the lean path.
Presenters:
Gregg Miner
President & COO
SCORE Business Systems
Gregg has over 24 years in manufacturing in positions ranging from R&D Engineer to division
President with stops in quality, marketing, production, operations and engineering on the way. His
in-depth background in the manufacturing arena helped shape his philosophy and inspire his drive
to establish his own lean consulting practice. Gregg’s clients quickly recognize his passion for people and his
innate ability to move seamlessly between the corner office and the shop floor, tapping the wisdom of
employees at all levels. It is not uncommon to hear them to say “Gregg’s ability to engage and communicate
at all levels is incredible. His facilitation skills bring out the best in everyone.” His philosophy is an
empowered accountable workforce is the best competitive weapon. In his lean consulting practice there is
significant focus on the leadership side and soft skills required for successful lean transformation. He has
developed HELP™ (Human Engagement Lean Process) to define and drive the human side of lean. This
process, combined with implementation of lean tools, leads to the culture and behavioral changes needed for
lasting success. Gregg has executed three lean transformations and one greenfield lean start up. He has
also taken two failing companies and executed turnarounds by focusing on people, product and strategy. In
1999 Gregg was part of a leadership team pursuing the Oklahoma Quality Award (equivalent to the Malcolm
Baldrige National Quality Award). With Gregg as the General Manager, the goal was achieved in 2002 when
Gov. Frank Keating presented him with the trophy for the Oklahoma Quality Award for Excellence. Gregg
received his BS in Chemical Engineering from Clarkson University. He is on the board of directors for the
southeast region of the Association for Manufacturing Excellence (AME) and is a former member of the AME
Lean Champions Club. His community service efforts include support for various United Way Foundation
organizations and serving on the board of the Gateway Foundation in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Developing a Culture for Lean
In recent years lean has made a significant breakthrough in dissociating itself from manufacturing. The term
lean manufacturing is slowly fading off into the sunset being replaced by lean enterprise. This change is no
more evident than in the healthcare industry where lean transformation tool are enjoying their largest growth

2. in application. Even with the expansion of lean out of manufacturing into the service sector, the success rate
of implementations is not improving. One would have hoped the term “enterprise” would have helped
practitioners and would be practitioners understand that true lean is more than just removing waste in the
obvious processes where “product” or “service” is delivered to customers, but unfortunately the “enterprise”
in lean enterprise only helped to get lean out of the manufacturing sector not deployed to the “enterprise”.
The next breakthrough in lean MUST take the form of the literal meaning of enterprise (Webster’s enterprise:
a unit of economic organization or activity ; especially : a business organization). Serious lean practitioners
must look beyond the tools of 5S, TPM, value stream mapping and kaizen to the behaviors that are needed
to develop and sustain the culture needed for lean to succeed. As renowned lean author Jeffery Liker put it.
“A true culture of continuous improvement” is what is required. Jeffery Liker has identified the primary
problem most organizations face in implementing large scale change, weather it is Lean, Six Sigma or
some other company wide initiative. What is called for is a new culture, a culture of continuous
improvement, a culture that embraces change. The primary reason most companies fail in their Lean
implementation is because they fail to successfully change the culture.
Practitioners must begin to go beyond the processes that deliver lean and review the processes that manage
and support lean. How many lean implementations consider compensation as part of the effort, how about
communication, leadership, customer contact and goal setting? These processes, although somewhat
removed from the value adding processes either support or get in the way of the culture and requisite
behaviors needed for lean to be sustained. The figure below shows the cultural aspects that need to be
addressed.
Joseph C. Barto, III
President & Chief Executive Officer
Training Modernization Group
Since the inception of the Training Modernization Group in July 2002, company president and CEO, Joe
Barto, has led a core team of learning and performance experts in the creation of successful People Based
solutions for companies requiring a positive first year return on investment.
Prior to joining TMG, Mr. Barto was the Senior Program Manager of the Training Modernization Program at
Northrop Grumman Newport News and Director of Government Programs for Global Learning Systems. A
retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel, Mr. Barto served in peace and war both in the United States and
abroad. Mr. Barto served as an original member of the Joint War fighting Center and was one of the key
developers of the Joint Training System and the primary author of the June, 1996 Joint Training Manual. He
earned a Bachelor of Science (Systems Engineering) degree from the United States Military Academy at
West Point, NY in 1978 where he was an Army Basketball Player and a Masters Degree in Public
Administration (Organizational Theory and Leadership) degree from James Madison University. He is a

3. Charter member of the United States Advanced Distributed Learning Initiative and the author of Task Force
2-4 CAV: First In -- Last Out. A study of leadership in the most challenging, stressful, and demanding
leadership environment—combat
Ready to Change? Building a Culture of Continuous Improvement. (Killing Alligators or Draining the
Swamp!)
As the President and CEO of a company whose business depends on a culture of continuous improvement
and who lives the challenges of continuous improvement with our partners we have discovered one of the
root causes and greatest cultural challenges associated with the Lean Journey is failure to create Team
Stability prior to investing in a Continuous Improvement System. In essence when you seek Operational
Stability prior to Team Stability as the pre-condition for a Lean Program you have doomed your program to
fail. My experience is manufacturers today (if they ever did) will never reach Operational Stability defined as
stable customer (Customers will continuously be improving/changing their needs), suppliers (if your
requirements are changing that has a exponential affect on your suppliers), and shareholder (they want to
see a ever increasing return on their investment). Customers, Suppliers, and Shareholders have demands
and the successful organization recognizes this reality and create an organization able to deal with these
uncertainties so as not to create chaos among their own team. The one aspect of Stability that is totally in
the control of the leader is Team Stability. The more stable the team the better they are able to deal with the
day to day uncertainties of running any business. A common refrain is we are too busy to create Team
stability. I believe the U.S. Army has a valid claim to be the busiest organization in the world yet has gained
and maintained a reputation for consistent, near perfect performance. There is a lot to be learned from them
in how to create Team Stability in a world where not only is the enemy inducing change but trying to do them
positive harm. As a TMG benchmarking project we researched and how the Army addresses "too busy" to
better understand how (from a policy perspective) they take on the issue of Mission First--People Always, in
an all-volunteer Army. When you think you are really busy-- just think about those who are really busy and
getting shot at simultaneously...and if they don't change and respond to their environment the cost is
unacceptable.
Giles LeBlanc
Vice President Operations
Canlyte
Jane C. Bernier-Tran
Senior Director
Planning and Operational Excellence
Continental Airlines
Chelsea Food Services Division
Jane Bernier-Tran has 28 years of experience working in the airline industry in many areas of the business.
She is the Senior Director of Planning and Operational Excellence for Continental Airlines Food Services
Division. Her areas of responsibility are in Supply Chain Optimization, quality and compliance of 145
catering stations system-wide and including the Pacific Food Services group in Guam, Planning and
Financial Controls, Scheduling, Product Support and Customer Advocate areas for her division.
Jane has a degree in Business with executive training at Jesse Jones Graduate School of Management at
Rice University in Lean Manufacturing and at Eaton Corporation's Lean Executive Training in Wales. She
has spoke about Lean to the University of Houston and the AME-CME conference in 2007 and 2008. Jane
is also on the Board for Continental Airlines Management Association.
About the Company
Continental Airlines is the world’s fifth largest airline. Continental, together with Continental Express and
Continental Connection carries approximately 67 million passengers per year. With 265 destinations
worldwide, Continental serves more international destinations than any other United States carrier.
Continental has a flexible fleet plan of all Boeing aircraft that provides the ability to adjust the fleet to meet
market demands. Continental has 2,750 daily departures throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia and
owns 368 jets and 274 regional jets. Chelsea Food Services, is the catering division of Continental and is
the third largest catering organization in the U.S. Continental is the only major U.S. airline that operates its
own in-house catering facilities, resulting in significant financial and operational benefits to the company.

4. th
Celebrating its 75 anniversary this year, Continental consistently earns awards and critical acclaim for both
its operation and its corporate culture. For the sixth consecutive year, FORTUNE magazine named
Continental the No 1 World’s Most Admired Airline on its 2009 list of World’s Most Admired Companies.
“From producer to passenger — people are our link”
All airlines were significantly effected by the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the United States. In a matter of
minutes, the world had become a different place in which to run an airline. All airlines had to adapt if they
were to stay in business. Continental Airlines was no different. For the Chelsea Food Services Division of
Continental Airlines, it meant setting out on a Lean Journey.
Chelsea Food Services had considered many options, including using outside consultants. In the end, they
decided their best asset was their people and they began a Lean journey, using six super-stars from their
current team and encouraging full company involvement from the top to the bottom of the division’s
organization.
The implementation of Lean Manufacturing and Supply Chain Optimization in the Food Services Division has
meant a savings of $56 million for Continental Airlines. Find out how Chelsea Food Services has been able
to achieve a 99.8% on-time record — among the highest in the industry. And learn how Chelsea Food
Services has been able to sustain these changes and continued growth through developing a clear vision
and the expectations of senior management at Continental Airlines. Chelsea Food Services has a lot to show
those who are at the intermediate level of their journey in implementing Lean principals. Hear how
Continental Airlines developed an on-line Training Library for all management and hourly employees. Learn
how Continental’s Best Practice website is used to ensure on-time on-line accessibility to the right
information for all new managers in the Chelsea kitchens and headquarters. Learn how Lean leadership was
rewarded and the Lean team was promoted to work in other key areas of the division to help apply Lean
knowledge. And hear how Lean has helped Continental Airlines win awards for service and product quality
Ron Harper
President
Cogent Power
Ron Harper is a professional engineer and business leader who has worked in manufacturing for his entire
work life and has been the senior leader at Cogent for the past 14 years. Ron’s passion for lean thinking,
specifically the need for senior leadership engagement and active participation, and the importance of
changing the traditional manufacturing culture will clearly shine through. The link to shareholder value, and
financial results needed to capture the interest of business leaders will also be discussed.
Cogent Power Inc., a Tata Steel business, is the largest and most diversified supplier of steel magnetic core
components for power and distribution transformers in North America. Cogent has been on it’s lean journey
since 2004, and over the past few years has focused a significant amount of resource and time on the
process of converting the organizational culture to what is being called a “self propelling” lean organization.
“Self propelling” identifying the point in time where continuous improvement is a way of life of all people
within Cogent, and that everyone in the organization is an active and creative contributor to continuous
improvement process.
Engaged Leadership
An organization on a lean journey cannot fulfill its “lean profit potential” unless it has highly engaged leaders
capturing the hearts, minds and creative potential of the team following them.
A passionate, engaged lean team can only be created and sustained if leaders own the team’s level of
engagement, and do the hard work of maintaining it. One of the critical aspects of creating a lean thinking
continuous improvement culture is to maximize the active engagement of all people in continuous
improvement work; and to do this leaders in all parts of the organization must be “Engaged Leaders” to
achieve this. This presentation will share the process that Cogent is going through to create engaged
leaders and increasing the active engagement of everyone with continuous improvement work.

5. Mark A. Volcheff
President, HomeLand Security Solutions, LLC
Executive Director, Colorado Homeland Defense Alliance
After completing over 32 years service in the US Air Force and retiring as a Major General, Mark has entered
the civilian business community focusing his business on helping companies with product development and
market strategies with a national security focus. Twenty-two different leadership positions in the military gave
him lots of experience walking into often unfamiliar environments and organizational cultures with the
direction to complete the mission and excel. Not unlike business executives who are given short term
positions to test their breadth and depth of talent for potential higher positions in the future, Mark directed
organizations as small as four and as large as 40,000 encountering different “business” climates with each
opportunity. Changing the culture of an organization is often required when turning around an organization
looking for success and Mark successfully achieved that three times being brought into organizations literally
identified as last among their peers to being first in less than two years.
Mark has the opportunity now in the commercial sector as Executive Director of a non-profit to not only bring
many “cylinders” of excellence together to collaborate and solve national security problems, but to also
“incubate” emerging technology companies to develop strong business plans, successful marketing
strategies and sound business practices to develop a symbiotic business culture for success.
Leadership: Driving Your Company’s Culture
The tone a leader sets for the organization on the very first day is sometimes enough to shake up the status
quo and head it down a path for success. What must be reshaped is the organization’s culture that has it
operating in a less than supportive environment. Sharing the vision of success, identifying problem areas,
knowing what motivates employees, holding people accountable will provide a stimulus for a culture change
to put your organization on track and producing. This presentation will offer mini case studies to offer insight
to know when organizational cultures are out of sync with leadership and preventing organizational success
and provide recommendations to assess non-productive situations and the steps needed to create a
business environment for excellence.
AGENDA
Wed., Aug. 5
7:00 PM Cocktails and Dinner: SpringHill Suites Marriott
Le Saint Gabriel Room
Thurs., Aug. 6 King Edward & Iberville Room
6:00 - 7:00 AM Breakfast in the Hotel Main Lounge
7:30 Introductions Pat Carguello
8:00 “Developing a Culture for Lean” Gregg Miner
9:15 Break
9:30 “Ready to Change” Joe Barto
10:45 Café discussion
11:30 Lunch in the Le Saint Gabriel Room
12:15 PM Board Bus to Canlyte
12:45 Overview of Canlyte Giles LeBlanc
1:30 Tour of Facility
2:30 Q/A
3:00 Bus to Hotel
3:30 “From Producer to Passenger--People are our Link” Jane Bernier-Tran
4:45 Café discussion
5:15 End
7:00 Cocktails & Dinner: TBD

6. Fri., Aug. 7 King Edward & Iberville Room
6:00 - 7:00 AM Breakfast in the Hotel Main Lounge
7:30 “Engaged Leadership” Ron Harper
8:45 Break
9:00 “Leadership: Driving Your Company’s Culture” Mark Volcheff
10:15 Café Discussion Pat
11:30 Revisit Hot Topics List Pat
12:00 PM Lunch in the Le Saint Gabriel Room
1:00 End
Montréal
There are many events happening during out meeting dates. Just a few are Les Franco follies De
Montréal and Italian Week. You will be able to experience:
Thousands of artists, musicians, renowned singers, rising stars and promising talent from a dozen
countries meet up each summer to celebrate the diversity and rhythms of French music from around the
world. Traffic comes to a halt for the occasion, and hundreds of thousands of festival goers invade
Montréal's downtown streets to take in around 175 free shows over 10 days on seven specially-designed
outdoor stages, with programming that delivers sensational creations and surprise collaborations.
Visit: www.tourisme-montreal.org
Note:
- Business Causal for meeting
- Spouses welcome at all meal functions.
Hotel
Marriott Spring Hill Suites Vieux Montreal
445 Saint-Jean-Baptiste
Montreal, Qc (H2Y 2Z7)
*Discounted room rate of $185.00 (plus tax)
Reservations can be made by contacting the Marriott SpringHill Suites-Old Montreal Reservation Department
directly at (514) 875-4333 or by our toll-free number from Canada and the US at 1-877-875-4333. Callers
must mention Association for Manufacturing Excellence AME, to ensure they receive the appropriate rate
and are included in the guest room block.
Airport:
Pierre Elliot Trudeau Airport
Our hotel is located only minutes from the airport.
Patrick Carguello
Director, AME Champion’s Club

7. REGISTRATION FORM
AME Champion’s Club
“Culture-Culture”
Montréal, QC
Aug. 5-7, 2009
TO: Del Crawford
AME
3115G N. Wilke Road
Arlington Heights, IL 60004-1451
Phone: 224/232-5980 x226 Fax: 224/232-5981
Email: dcrawford@ame.org
____ I plan to attend the August 5-7, 2009 meeting on Servant Leadership
th
____ I will attend the Wednesday Dinner on August 5
th
____ I will attend the Thursday Dinner on August 6
____ I am unable to attend.
I have the following special menu requirements: ______________________________
My spouse, ____________________________________, will accompany me at no charge.
I am bringing __________________________________________ as my guest
Check Enclosed _____ AMEX _____ MC _____ VISA _____ DISCOVER _______
Account Number _____________________________ EXP Date _____________
Signature _______________________________________
First Name: _____________ Middle Initial: ___ Last Name: _____________________
Job Position: _________________________________________________________
Company: ____________________________________________________________
Address: _____________________________________________________________
Phone: _________________________ Fax: _________________________________
E-mail address: ________________________________________
Guest Information (if company name and address are different from Champion attending)
Name: _______________________________________________________________
Job Position:__________________________________________________________
Company: ____________________________________________________________
Address: _____________________________________________________________
Phone: _________________________ Fax: _________________________________
E-mail address: _______________________________________