Role of the Champion for Improvement:
Comparing Methods in Industry and Education
Sam Wagner

Implementing best practices requires more than a “Get ‘er Done” attitude. To sustain the gains, organizations need a Champion to lead the way. During this session, we will compare and contrast successful roll-outs of best practices in a manufacturing company and a public school, and describe the role of the Champion in implementation.

This session will describe how Donnelly Custom Manufacturing uses TWI to continue to set the standards for How Short Run Is Done in plastic injection molding and related services. During the session we will compare this TWI implementation to how School District 206 in Alexandria, MN, continues to achieve excellence in public education literacy using a teacher-coaching model.

Upon completion of this session, participants will learn…

• The role of the Champion in successful change implementation

• How the TWI Champion role compares and contrasts with the role of the teacher-coach in successful implementation of best practices in public education

• Lessons learned in implementation of positive change

• What to consider as you select a Champion for your organization’s initiative

• What the Champion should consider before willingly accepting the role

• The role of leadership in transforming a business.

About the Presenter(s)

Sam Wagner is the Director of Advanced Manufacturing at Donnelly Custom Manufacturing Company in Alexandria, MN. In this role, he leads the production, quality, process engineering, training and continuous improvement functions. Under his direction, Donnelly continues to adapt and advance its short-run expertise by identifying, assessing and implementing advanced technologies and process improvements. At Donnelly, Sam has been closely involved with implementations of information technologies, Lean manufacturing techniques, quality systems and automation. Sam frequently writes articles and delivers presentations on TWI, mistake-proofing, workforce idea systems, and other Lean manufacturing topics, including a webcast on The Role of the TWI Champion. He holds an MBA from San Diego State University and BS in Engineering Management from the University of North Dakota, and is a Certified Trainer in TWI’s Job Methods. Throughout his career Sam has held executive, management and engineering positions in manufacturing industries including defense and aerospace, agriculture, construction and transportation.

Sam’s wife, Cindy, is a 4th grade teacher and intermediate literacy coach in Alexandria’s Woodland elementary school. Cindy has a MA in Reading Instruction from San Diego State University and a BA in Elementary Education from Concordia College in Moorhead, MN. She is a winner of the Constance McCullough award for excellence in educational research in California, and has provided literacy coaching and training for teachers throughout Alexandria’s public schools.