consulting
Excellence is our expectation. We can show you how.
HOW WE SOLVE PROBLEMS AND ENABLE GROWTH
OUR CONSULTING PROCESS
Virtual Consulting Services
We understand the world is changing and not all solutions can be, or need to be, delivered in person.
That’s why we’ve developed Optima Virtual Services to complement traditional on-site coaching and training.
Connect over Microsoft Teams or Zoom
Review, Coach, and Mentor Activities in Gemba
Progress Reviews and Coaching for Sustainability
Specialized Virtual Mentoring
A convenient way for both seasoned continuous improvement professionals and CI newcomers to receive hands-on coaching in a condensed, schedule-friendly block.
Available for specialized small group mentoring and coaching sessions of up to three participants.
Mentoring sessions are booked in 90-minutes blocks with each participant receiving 30 minutes.
Learn from each other in a peer-to-peer environment.
Individualized Virtual Mentoring
Optima senior consultants are available for individualized learning by organization.
Organizations book eight one–hour sessions to be used over a year. Topics may include:
Fundamentals of Lean
Identifying Waste and Value
What is Kaizen?
Problem Solving Tactics
Value Stream Mapping Overview
Managing for Daily Improvement
Leader Standard Work Overview
Our team
Richard Cole
Richard’s focus is the relentless maximization of value for shareholders, customers and employees through integrated operations and supplier performance. His background and experience in operations and manufacturing ranges from the shop floor to the executive level. Past positions included: production supervisor, unit manager, plant manager, director of operations, vice president of operations support, vice president of operations, and president and chief operating officer. He has worked with small privately held companies, medium-sized companies, and large global corporations.
Tom Groth
Tom has more than 30 years of experience in continuous improvement, project management, new product development, and training. He is leading Optima’s continuous improvement alliance in Southern Wisconsin facilitating member tours, best practice sharing, and education. Tom is a master facilitator striving to solve problems through balanced participation of cross-functional teams. He has led successful continuous improvement programs in multiple industries including life sciences, drug development, insurance, personal care research & development, and public utility.
Michael W. Loomer
Michael has been an active Lean/CI practitioner since the early 1990s. Most of his career has been in the manufacturing space, with some time spent in sales and marketing. Starting as a night shift drill press operator to Manger of Lean Production Systems of a global Fortune 500 company, Michael draws from a wide breadth of roles and experiences in his work and personal life to make sense of leadership and improvement philosophies.
Michael looks forward to working with company leaders who are serious about leading people in developing a culture focused on Safety, Quality, and effective problem solving. Michael strives to make a difference every day in the lives of those around him in business, community, education, and most importantly, at the individual level. Michael follows the philosophy of the late Norman Bodek,” Godfather of Lean”, of connecting people to knowledge and others on the same journey. At the end of the day, humble servant leadership is the key to true success.
Lead heroically. Think flow. Do good.
Laurie Stoveken
Laurie assists clients with the implementation of Lean business improvement strategies throughout their organization. With a strong background in project management and systems implementation, she has extensive experience leading company-wide initiatives in a variety of industries, especially government, manufacturing and distribution. She collaborates with clients to help them uncover the keys to successfully creating a culture of ongoing process improvement. Under her guidance, clients’ Lean Enterprise implementations are successful and rewarding.
Jon Moreau
Jon’s consulting career was born out of a passion to utilize his 27 years of Senior Financial experience and focus on helping businesses to identify and realize the value they have created. Jon has a proven ability to work with all departments within a company and takes a team approach to problem-solving and creating a financial strategic direction. Jon has been CFO for both privately held and private equity-owned businesses in the heavy manufacturing, light manufacturing, foundry, construction, assembly, food manufacturing, and service industries.
Dave Lange
Dave has consulted with a wide variety of manufacturers throughout the country to improve productivity and bottom-line results. Dave’s primary responsibility is to teach lean principles and to apply lean tools with employees at all levels and in all functions of the organization through a variety of methods. Dave’s role in the implementation of lean manufacturing techniques is that of coach and mentor, and emphasizes the importance of connecting strategy to actionable operations improvements. He creates lasting change with his clients.
Roger Wolfe
Roger is a 40 year plus manufacturing veteran. He has extensive experience in rubber, wood, paper/film converting and metal manufacturing with 5 years spent in the design and manufacture of custom machinery that supports lean manufacturing. Roger has also participated in over 500 Kaizen events and led numerous 3P and Design for Manufacture events.
Email us or call 920.425.1005 for pricing and scheduling options for a customized consulting services plan.
