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Future 30: Meeting the next challenges
Manufacturing’s future is in the hands of people like the 2010 Future 30 honorees. That’s good news for manufacturing.
09/23/2010
The 2010 Future 30 honorees
Ryan Eckhart, 26
Production Manager, Siemens Industry Inc.
Years in Company: 4
Education: BS in Industrial Technology and an AS in Organizational Leadership from Purdue University
Supervisor: Shujath Ali
Ryan’s contributions: “The Panels business is very cyclical, and has a demand that fluctuates enormously,” said Shujath Ali, Eckhart’s supervisor at Siemens Industry Inc. “Planning for this type of demand fluctuations, with respect to Labor Capacity and Materials, requires one to be on top of his game completely. Ryan has demonstrated exceptional planning skills, by constantly juggling the resources available to him to meet demand, and keep up with all customer commitments.”
Why a career in manufacturing: “My excitement for manufacturing has continued to grow after academia. Upon graduation, I accepted a position in Siemens’ “Operational Leadership Development Program”. The program provided an unbelievable opportunity to see and work in various manufacturing facilities all over the world. My most important takeaway is that the possibilities for continuous improvement are endless. Somewhere, someone else is figuring out a way to make a process a little more efficient, with a little better quality, while producing a little less waste. From a manufacturing point of view, that is what continues to drive me and keeps me motivated.”
Servando Galvan, 39
Director of Mexico Operations, Littelfuse Inc.
Years in Company: 2
Servando’s contributions: “As Servando’s supervisor for the past two years,” said Dave Heinzmann, Littelfuse Inc. “I have recognized that his contributions to the company, his leadership, and his professionalism have been outstanding,” said Heinzmann. “He is not only a highly regarded team member but also a mentor to our junior team associates.”
Why a career in manufacturing? “When I was a kid, my parents were always after me for taking things apart just to see how they were put together (And yes, I still do this). I was also amazed by how things were made—whether it was tools, toys, cars or electronics—and obsessed with making things better and faster.
“Throughout this amazing journey, I have transformed not only raw materials into product, but also young engineers into managers, which has been extremely rewarding.”
Nick Guzman, 30
Maintenance Supervisor, Gallo Glass
Education: Certification in ground radio communications from the U.S. Air Force
Nick’s contributions: “Nick’s father is a lead mechanic at Gallo Glass and has been in maintance for over 25 years. Nick came to Gallo Glass after spending 8 years in the Air Force as a journeyman electrician ground radio communications. Nick has a talent not only to understand problems but to resolve them.”
Tim Hearden, 38
VP Operations, General Power Systems
Years in Company: 15
Education: Bachelor of Science – Industrial Engineering
Tim’s contributions: “Over the last 3 years as the VP of Operations, Tim has been focused on developing his team and driving Continuous Improvement in all facets of the operation,” said Roger Pascavis, Senior VP of Operations at Generac Power Systems. “During this period Cross-functional Continuous Improvement Teams have been developed, Lean training has taken place, and Kazien events have been held. Utilization of these tools and Tim’s commitment to continuous improvement has turned Generac’s Whitewater facility into a World Class manufacturing plant.”
Why a career in manufacturing? “I am generally an inquisitive and hands-on person that likes to figure out what makes things work, how they are made and what would make them better. I started by pursuing a degree in Industrial Engineering that would provide the fundamentals for process and system optimization through elimination of waste.
“Industrial Engineers can follow several career paths but I thought a career in manufacturing would be the best fit for me since it would provide a fast paced environment that would allow endless opportunities for continuous improvement. I also felt that manufacturing could provide significant professional growth opportunities.
More 2010 Future 30 honorees
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