Best of the West 2024

Many AME events focus on providing the right tools and techniques to the AME practitioner to improve a process. These are focused on tactical improvements and are very successful. Today’s companies need more, they need to deliver competitive advantage through process efficiency, effectiveness and flexibility. This three-hour workshop will present proven approaches to addressing Operational Excellence strategically. It will focus on how to identify and improve Strategic Core Processes at an enterprise view. We will listen to the “Best in the West” when it comes to making operational excellence a strategic differentiator, and we will get a chance to discuss after each presentation what the audience heard and their action items.

HOST COMPANY

There will be three host companies presenting at this event: Costco Wholesale Industries of San Diego, CA, Hologic of San Diego, CA, The VA Long Beach Healthcare System of Long Beach, CA.

PRESENTERS

Costco Speaker: Carlos Vallejo is the Continuous Improvement Manager at Costco Wholesale Industries. Carlos is a master black belt six sigma. He also earned his lean six sigma black belt at UC San Diego extended studies, and he continues to serve as an advisory board member to the university's process improvement programs. In his presentation, Carlos will share how Costco created a kaizen culture, and how their focus on respect for people created an environment for continuous improvement to thrive. Costco has been building a lean culture for many years.

Hologic Speaker: Tracey Minutolo is the Senior Manager of Operational Excellence at Hologic. In her presentation, Tracey will provide an overview of Hologic San Diego's operational excellence journey over the last several years.  She will share how operational excellence, particularly daily management systems, supported the site's success through the pandemic, undergoing a significant production and staffing ramp-up as a manufacturer of COVID-19 tests. She will highlight the team's reflections and lessons learned and provide a glimpse into what's next for Hologic. Hologic.com

VA Long Beach Speakers: Their presentation of the VA Long Beach Healthcare System implemented an effective way to develop lean leaders throughout the organization with the creation and implementation of Lean Leader Foundations (LLF).  LLF supports the growth and development of leaders with respect to the daily management system, leader standard work, and Gemba and coaching. VA Long Beach Healthcare System

Dr. Ahnnya Slaughter, High Reliability Organization Officer Mr. Saul Perez, Supervisory System Redesign & Improvement Coordinator

Mr. Walt Dannenberg, Medical Center Director

AME Speaker: Dr. Dan Shunk is a Professor Emeritus in Industrial Engineering at the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at ASU.  He is also the PIMSA Chair for innovation and design at CETYS University in Baja, Mexico, and an adjunct professor of management at Milan Polytechnic.  Dr. Shunk received his B.S.I.E. in 1971, his M.S.I.E. in 1972, and his Ph.D. degree in 1976 from Purdue University. He began his career as a Captain and Co-Founder of the ICAM Program for the United States Air Force. From there, he moved to the Rockwell Corporation where he served as a manager in industrial engineering and manufacturing systems. Later he moved to International Harvester where he served as a manager of planning and group technology. From 1981 until 1984, Dr. Shunk served as the vice president and general manager of the GCA Corporation. Dr. Shunk is an active member of AME and is currently on their West Region board, a senior member of the Institute of Industrial Engineers, and a senior charter member of the SME Computer Aided Systems Association. He proudly lists eleven teaching awards highlighted by the Society of Manufacturing Engineer’s highest honor, their international educator award.  In 2015 and 2018 he won the A. Alan B. Pritsker Teacher of the Year award at ASU.  He has 39 refereed journal articles, countless conference presentations, and dozens of keynote speeches.

AGENDA

Wednesday, May 15, 2024

• 9 a.m. Welcome and introductions: Speaker: Dan Shunk
• 9:20 a.m. Costco Wholesale Industries presentation: Speaker: Carlos Vallejo (Introductions by Tracy O'Rourke)
• 9:50 a.m. Interpretation, discussion, take aways and actions
• 10:10 a.m. Hologic presentation:Speaker: Tracey Minutolo (Introduction by Tracy O'Rourke)
• 10:40 a.m. Interpretation, discussion, take aways and actions
• 11 a.m.  Short break
• 11:05 a.m. VA Long Beach Healthcare System presentation: Speakers: Dr. Ahnnya Slaughter, Saul Perez, Walt Dannenberg (Introduction by Walt Dannenberg)
• 11:35 a.m.  Interpretation, discussion, take aways and actions
• 11:55 a.m. Closure, overall summary and take aways
• 12 p.m. Event adjourns

Register here.