Session ID:
VS4-03
Audience Rating: u Advanced
Company: Steelcase Inc.
Speaker: Laura Wekenman, Lean Consulting Team
Title: Applying Lean Enterprise-Wide
Lessons Learned at Steelcase
Presentation
Abstract : 		Steelcase has been applying lean principles in its manufacturing operations since 1996. In 2003, it began bringing these same principles to bear on its enterprise business processes. For the past two and a half years, a dedicated team of six internal consultants have engaged in over 50 lean value stream improvement projects. The lessons learned have been many. They include the importance of an organizational infrastrucrure to support lean projects in broad-spectrum business process crossing many internal – and external – boundaries, the importance of adhering to defined processes while supporting these projects, and the ins and outs of working in business processes that don’t appear on the functional org chart, budgets, or measures. The presentation will cover the governance process and accountability structure within which project work occurs, and illustrate the lessons learned, including the stubbed toes, through beginning to end case examples. Participants will come away with an appreciation of the many similarities linking lean applications in factory and office, and the strikingly distinctive features of pursing lean value stream improvements in the context of a functional organizational environment.
About the
Company: 		Steelcase is the global market leader in providing integrated architecture, furniture, and technology solutions for office workspaces. The company has 30+ manufacturing locations located in North America, Asia, and Europe, 900 sales offices worldwide, and 14,000 employees worldwide. Annual sales are approximately $3 billion US.

Speaker
Biography:

Laura Wekenman, Lean Consulting Team

Laura Wekenman is a Human Resources project leader for Steelcase Inc., the global leader in the office furniture industry. Steelcase delivers a better work experience to its customers by providing products, services and insights into the ways people work. Its portfolio includes architecture, furniture and technology products.

Appointed to this role in March 2007, Laura is responsible for applying lean principles to all global processes.

Previously, Laura was a senior lean consultant with the Corporate Lean Team (appointed January 2005), responsible for consulting with company leaders to apply lean principles to all major processes.

From 2002-2005, Laura served as manager of Integrated Health, Safety and Disability, overseeing the Corporate Health & Safety department and management of Workers’ Compensation, disability and the Family Medical Leave Act at Steelcase.

In addition, Laura has worked in the Environment, Health & Safety department, where she was responsible for Steelcase’s industrial hygiene, safety and indoor air quality environment.

Laura joined Steelcase in 1988. Prior to that, she worked as a safety engineer in Industrial Hygiene for Wolverine World Wide, where she monitored the plant for chemical and safety hazards.

Born in Reed City, Mich., Laura earned a bachelor’s degree in Industrial and Environmental Management from Ferris State University in 1987 and a master’s degree in management from Aquinas College in 2003. She has also taken a number of lean enterprise courses from the University of Michigan.

She is a member and past president of the West Michigan Industrial Hygiene Society, a member and former board member of The American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) and a member of the American Industrial Hygiene Association.

Laura and her husband, Todd, reside in Allendale, Mich., and have two children, Adam and Brian.