Member Companies
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Member since: 1992
Board members:
- Alvaro Carvalheira, Director of Logistics & Supply Chain
Founded in 1903 and restructured to focus on innovative nutrition products, the company that evolved into Abbott Nutrition built its reputation on nutritional excellence through solid scientific advances. Abbott is a worldwide leader in nutrition science, research, and development.
Member since: 2019
Board members:
- Darin Harvey, EVP, Supply Chain
- Pat Coyle, VP, Planning / Logistics
Advanced Drainage Systems (ADS) is a leading manufacturer of high performance thermoplastic corrugated pipe and ancillary products, providing a comprehensive suite of water management products and superior drainage solutions for use in the construction and infrastructure marketplace. Their innovative pipes, fittings, basins and other products are used across a broad range of end markets and applications, including non-residential, residential, agriculture and infrastructure applications. ADS has established a leading position in many domestic and international end markets by leveraging their national sales and distribution platform, our overall product breadth and scale, and manufacturing excellence. Founded in 1966, ADS operates a global network of approximately 60 manufacturing plants and over 30 distribution centers.
Member since: 2011
Board member:
- Phil Cain, Vice President, Operations
Agrana converts agricultural raw materials into high-quality foods and numerous industrial intermediate products. About 8,700 employees at more than 50 production sites worldwide generate annual group sales of around € 2.5 billion. Established in 1988, the company today is the leading sugar producer in Central and Eastern Europe and its Starch segment is a major European manufacturer of specialty products, as well as the largest producer of bioethanol in Austria. Agrana is also the world market leader in fruit preparations and Europe's largest maker of fruit juice concentrates.
Member since: 2013
Board member:
- Bob Carroll, VP Process Improvement
American Electric Power is one of the largest electric utilities in the United States, delivering electricity to nearly 5.4 million customers in 11 states. AEP ranks among the nation’s largest generators of electricity, owning nearly 32,000 megawatts of generating capacity in the U.S. AEP also owns the nation’s largest electricity transmission system, a more than 40,000-mile network that includes more 765-kilovolt extra-high voltage transmission lines than all other U.S. transmission systems combined. AEP’s transmission system directly or indirectly serves about 10 percent of the electricity demand in the Eastern Interconnection, the interconnected transmission system that covers 38 eastern and central U.S. states and eastern Canada, and approximately 11 percent of the electricity demand in ERCOT, the transmission system that covers much of Texas.
Member since: 2024
Board members:
- Ahmed Hussain, Director, Operational Excellence - Citizen Enablement
- Brenden Steffens, Vice President, Enterprise Services
Bread Financial (NYSE: BFH) is a tech-forward financial services company providing simple, personalized payment, lending and saving solutions. The company creates opportunities for its customers and partners through digitally enabled choices that offer ease, empowerment, financial flexibility and exceptional customer experiences. Driven by a digital-first approach, data insights and white-label technology, Bread Financial delivers growth for its partners through a comprehensive suite of payment solutions that includes private label and co-brand credit cards and Bread Pay™ buy now, pay later products. Bread Financial also offers direct-to-consumer products that give customers more access, choice and freedom through its branded Bread CashbackTM American Express® Credit Card and Bread SavingsTM products.
Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, Bread Financial is powered by its approximately 7,000 global associates and is committed to sustainable business practices.
Member since: 2006
Board members:
- Don White, Director, Operational Excellence
- Holly Stein, Director, Operational Excellence
Headquartered in Dublin, Ohio, Cardinal Health, Inc. (NYSE: CAH) is a $103 billion health care services company that improves the cost-effectiveness of health care. Cardinal Health helps pharmacies, hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, clinical laboratories and physician offices focus on patient care while reducing costs, enhancing efficiency and improving quality. Cardinal Health is an essential link in the health care supply chain, providing pharmaceuticals and medical products and services to more than 100,000 locations each day and is also the industry-leading direct-to-home medical supplies distributor. The company is a leading manufacturer of medical and surgical products, including gloves, surgical apparel and fluid management products. In addition, the company operates the nation's largest network of radiopharmacies that dispense products to aid in the early diagnosis and treatment of disease. Ranked #26 on the Fortune 500, Cardinal Health employs nearly 35,000 people worldwide.
Member since: 1992
Board members:
- David Conover, Vice President of Perfect Execution and Business Excellence
- Kendall Lotz, Human Resources Manager
Copeland, a global provider of sustainable climate solutions, combines category-leading brands in compression, controls, software and monitoring for heating, cooling and refrigeration. With best-in-class engineering and design and the broadest portfolio of modulated solutions, we’re not just setting the standard for compressor leadership; we’re pioneering its evolution. Combining our technology with our smart energy management solutions, we can regulate, track and optimize conditions to help protect temperature-sensitive goods over land and sea, while delivering comfort in any space. Through energy-efficient products, regulation-ready solutions and expertise, we’re revolutionizing the next generation of climate technology for the better. For more information, visit copeland.com.
Member since: 2015
Board member:
- Melissa Kaufman, Director of Operational Excellence
- Andy Liming, Global Leadership Development Program Manager
Crown is one of the world’s largest material handling companies with a reputation for award-winning product design, advanced engineering and technology, and superior after-sale service. Crown’s business philosophy utilizes vertically integrated processes to design, manufacture and distribute forward-thinking, innovative solutions that improve customers’ productivity and operating efficiency. Crown produces a broad range of forklifts as well as automation and fleet management technologies. The company’s global headquarters is located in New Bremen, Ohio, USA, with regional headquarters in Australia, China, Germany and Singapore. Its employees number more than 16,100 worldwide. Crown operates a service and distribution network that exceeds 500 retail locations in over 80 countries.
Member since: 2006
Board member:
- Elaine Darr, VP Operational Excellence
- Maria Tzagournis, VP, CCM Global Processes & CCM Americas
DHL Supply Chain is the North American leader in contract logistics, providing customer-focused solutions to a wide range of industries including automotive, consumer, retail, engineering and manufacturing, life sciences and healthcare, technology, energy and chemicals. Its innovative supply chain solutions, skilled people and regional coverage bring together all aspects of contract logistics in addition to a wide range of integrated, value-added and specialist services.
Member since: 2011
Board members:
- Amy Tomaszewski Cain, Assistant Vice President of Enterprise Change Management & Business Continuity
- Tim Wolf, Operational Excellence Manager
Grange Insurance is a regional insurance provider based in Columbus, Ohio. With $2 billion in assets, the company offers auto, home, life and business insurance protection. Grange, and its affiliate Integrity, operates through a network of independent agents in 13 states in the Midwest and South. Grange is in the business of protecting people’s lives when and how they need it. Established in 1935, Grange has grown from rural beginnings to a financially stable enterprise that offers independent agents and policyholders the highest level of service and support.
Member since: 2017
Board member:
- Phil Nolette, Executive Director, Process Excellence Group
- Allison Spicer, Sr. Analyst, Pricing Strategy & Portfolio Management
Hikma helps put better health within reach every day for millions of people in more than 50 countries around the world. For 40 years, we’ve been creating high-quality medicines and making them accessible to the people who need them. We're a global company with a local presence across the United States (US), the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and Europe, and we use our unique insight and expertise to transform cutting-edge science into innovative solutions that transform people's lives. We're committed to our customers, and the people they care for, and by thinking creatively and acting practically, we provide them with a broad range of branded and non-branded generic medicines. Together, our 8,500 colleagues are helping to shape a healthier world that enriches all our communities.
Member since: 2013
Board member:
- Chris Combs, Business Strategy Lead / Chief Engineer, Honda Development and Manufacturing of America (HALO Wind Tunnel)
- Derek Davis, Operations Lead, American Honda Motor Company (Honda-OSU Partnership Department)
Honda offers a full line of clean, safe, fun, and connected vehicles sold through more than 1,000 independent U.S. Honda dealers. Honda has been producing automobiles in America for over 40 years and currently operates 18 major manufacturing facilities in North America. In 2023, more than 99% of all Honda vehicles sold in the U.S. were made in North America, with about two-thirds made in America, using domestic and globally sourced parts. Honda associates are inspired to create innovative products, enhance human mobility and find new ways to benefit society. It is this way of thinking that inspires us to move forward.
Member since: 2011
Board members:
- John Largent, Senior Vice President and Director, Commercial Operations
Huntington is a full-service banking provider primarily operating across an eleven-state banking franchise of Ohio, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, and West Virginia. Our “Welcome” philosophy centers around deep relationship-building capabilities to best meet each customer’s specific needs. We serve our customers through a banking network of over 1,100 full-service branches, including 11 Private Client Group offices, and over 1,700 ATM locations.
Huntington Bancshares Incorporated provides full-service commercial, small business, and consumer banking services, mortgage banking services, treasury management and foreign exchange services, equipment leasing, wealth and investment management services, trust services, brokerage services, and customized insurance brokerage and service programs. Through automotive dealership relationships within our primary franchise area and select other states, Huntington also provides commercial banking services to the automotive dealers and retail automobile financing for dealer customers.
Member since: 2023
Board members:
- James D. Forrest, Managing Director of Performance Consulting
- Eric Tatum, Director of Operational Excellence
- Patty Schamma, VP of Operational Excellence
Chase is the U.S. consumer and commercial banking business of JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE: JPM), a leading financial services firm based in the United States with assets of $3.7 trillion and operations worldwide. Chase serves tens of millions of people and 5 million small businesses, with a broad range of financial services, including personal banking, credit cards, mortgages, auto financing, investment advice, small business loans and payment processing. Customers can choose how and where they want to bank: More than 4,700 branches in 48 states and the District of Columbia, 16,000 ATMs, mobile, online and by phone. For more information, go to chase.com.
Member since: 2024
Board members:
- Tom Reither, Executive Director, Operations Excellence
- Megan Clary, Senior Director, Operations Excellence
KPMG firms operate in 143 countries and territories, and in FY23, collectively employed more than 270,000 partners and people, serving the needs of business, governments, public-sector agencies, not-for-profits and through KPMG firms' audit and assurance practices, the capital markets. KPMG is committed to quality and service excellence in all that they do, bringing their best to clients and earning the public's trust through their actions and behaviors both professionally and personally.
Member since: 2016
Board member:
- Scot Burbacher, Director
The mission of LeanOhio is to make government services in Ohio simpler, faster, better, and less costly. Using the improvement methods of Lean and Six Sigma, Ohio's state agencies are cutting red tape, removing inefficiencies, improving customer service, and achieving measurable results. The LeanOhio Network includes hundreds of state employees who have been involved in Kaizen events and other improvement projects. Many have earned Green Belt or Black Belt certification. The Network includes state employee unions and members who promote Lean, improve processes, and partner with the state to teach Lean tools and strategies.
Member since: 1997
Board member:
- Curtis Hagglund, Head SBU PrePack, SPG Checkout – SBU Manager Retail Americas
Mettler Toledo is a leading global supplier of precision instruments and services. The Company has strong leadership positions in all businesses and believes it holds global number-one market positions in a majority of them. Specifically, Mettler Toledo is the largest provider of weighing instruments for use in laboratory, industrial and food retailing applications. The Company is also a leading provider in analytical instruments for use in life science, reaction engineering and real-time analytic systems used in drug and chemical compound development and process analytics instruments used for in-line measurement in production processes.
Member since: 2012
Board members:
- Arthur James, President
- Joe James, VP of Hospitality Services
Mills James is one of the nation’s largest creative media production firms. Headquartered in Columbus with offices and production facilities in Cincinnati and Cleveland, the employee-owned company has been providing creative media solutions to a wide range of advertising, broadcast and corporate clients—including many Fortune 500 corporations—since 1984.
Member since: 2021
Board member:
- Peg Pennington, President
- Ken Robinette, Vice President of Business Development
Since 2000, MoreSteam.com has been the leading global provider of online Lean Six Sigma (LSS) training and Blended Learning technology, serving over 2,000 corporate clients (over 50% US Fortune 500) and over 550,000 professionals. MoreSteam offers a full suite of LSS e-Learning courses, data analysis software, online project tracking software, and online DMAIC simulations and games. Our mission is to enable people to advance the performance of their organizations by delivering powerful tools for process improvement to the widest possible audience at the lowest price available.
Member since: 2009
Board members:
- Tom Paider, VP Digital Workplace Technology
- Lanny Rubin, AVP, Technology Staff Operations
Nationwide, a Fortune 100 company based in Columbus, Ohio, is one of the largest and strongest diversified insurance and financial services organizations in the U.S. and is rated A+ by both A.M. Best and Standard & Poor’s. The company provides a full range of insurance and financial services, including auto, commercial, homeowners, farm and life insurance; public and private sector retirement plans, annuities and mutual funds; banking and mortgages; pet, motorcycle and boat insurance.
Member since: 2024
Board members:
- Michelle Rust, Senior Director, Project Management
- Abigail Lauer, Director, Project Management
NiSource is one of the largest natural gas utility companies in the United States, serving more than 3.2 million customers in six states under the Columbia Gas and NIPSCO brands. The company also provides electric distribution, generation and transmission services to nearly 500,000 NIPSCO electric customers in northern Indiana.
Member since: 2016
Board member:
- Bethany Foy, Continuous Improvement Leader
- Marcella Smith, Chief Administrative Officer
Ohio Mutual Insurance Group, founded in 1901 and based in Bucyrus, OH, partners with nearly 400 independent agencies to distribute quality property and casualty insurance products throughout Ohio, Indiana, Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.
Member since: 2012
Board member:
- Kristine Devine, VP Operations, Deputy CFO
The Ohio State University’s main Columbus campus is one of America’s largest and most comprehensive. More than 58,000 students select from 15 colleges, 200 undergraduate majors, and 250 master’s, doctoral, and professional degree programs attend. As Ohio’s best and one of the nation’s top-20 public universities, Ohio State is further recognized by a top-rated academic medical center and a premier cancer hospital and research center. The university’s total research expenditures, 2013-2014, topped $982.5 million. The university’s innovative prowess attains world-class status, particularly in critical areas such as cancer, infectious disease, advanced materials, and ag-bio products that feed and fuel the world.
Member since: 2022
Board member:
- Micah McCathren, Continuous Improvement Manager
- Richard Denny, Continuous Improvement Manager
Founded in 1883 as Pittsburgh Plate Glass by Captain John B. Ford and John Pitcairn in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Today, PPG is a global supplier of paints, coatings, optical products, and specialty materials. Through leadership in innovation, sustainability and color, PPG helps customers in industrial, transportation, consumer products, and construction markets and aftermarkets to enhance more surfaces in more ways than does any other company.
Member since: 2023
Board member:
- Tim Bath, Director of Hauling
- Amanda Pratt, Director of Corporate Communications
Rumpke Waste & Recycling has been committed to keeping neighborhoods and businesses clean and green since 1932 by providing environmentally friendly waste disposal solutions and recycling options. Headquartered in Colerain Township, Ohio, just outside of Cincinnati, Rumpke is one of the nation’s largest privately owned residential and commercial waste and recycling firms, providing service to areas of Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana and West Virginia.
Member since: 1993
Board members:
- Ellen Ahijevych, Director, Lawns & R&D
- Paul Wilczewski, Regional Director, Northeast Operations
With approximately $4.9 billion in sales, the Company is one of the world’s largest marketers of branded consumer products for lawn and garden care. The Company’s brands are among the most recognized in the industry. The Company’s Scotts®, Miracle-Gro® and Ortho® brands are market-leading in their categories. The Company’s wholly owned subsidiary, The Hawthorne Gardening Company, is a leading provider of nutrients, lighting and other materials used in the indoor and hydroponic growing segment.
Member since: 1998
Board member:
- Lisa Rathburn, Vice President, Engineering & Technical Services
Lancaster Colony Corp. is a manufacturer and marketer of specialty food products for the retail and foodservice markets. Lancaster Colony Corporation is a diversified manufacturer. The Company produces and markets consumer products with a focus on specialty food products for the retail and foodservice markets. Lancaster also manufactures and markets candles for the food, drug and mass markets.
Member since: 2024
Board members:
- Steven Hall, VP, Strategic Excellence
United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) is the mission-driven non-profit serving as the nation’s transplant system under contract with the federal government. They lead the network of transplant hospitals, organ procurement organizations, and thousands of volunteers who are dedicated to honoring the gifts of life entrusted to us and to making lifesaving transplants possible for patients in need. Working together, they leverage data and advances in science and technology to continuously strengthen the system, increase the number of organs recovered and the number of transplants performed, and ensure patients across the nation have equitable access to transplant.
Member since: 2007
Board member:
- Dennis Delisle, Executive Director of University Hospital and Richard M. Ross Heart Hospital
The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center is one of the largest and most diverse academic medical centers in the country, and the only academic medical center in central Ohio. The only central Ohio hospital listed in “America’s Best Hospitals” ranking by U.S. News & World Report, Ohio State’s Wexner Medical Center includes: a top-30 College of Medicine; five hospitals; a unified physician practice; an extensive network of primary and specialty care practices; more than a dozen research centers and institutes; and 20 core laboratories.
Member since: 2025
Board members:
Andy Reich, Sr Director, Transformation
Mike Smith, Sr. Transformation Manager
Worthington Steel (NYSE:WS) is a metals processor that partners with customers to deliver highly technical and customized solutions. Worthington Steel’s expertise in carbon flat-roll steel processing, electrical steel laminations and tailor welded solutions are driving steel toward a more sustainable future.
As one of the most trusted metals processors in North America, Worthington Steel and its approximately 5,000 employees harness the power of steel to advance our customers’ visions through value-added processing capabilities including galvanizing, pickling, configured blanking, specialty cold reduction, lightweighting and electrical lamination. Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, Worthington Steel operates 32 facilities in seven states and six countries. Following a people-first Philosophy, commitment to sustainability and proven business system, Worthington Steel’s purpose is to generate positive returns by providing trusted and innovative solutions for customers, creating opportunities for employees and strengthening its communities.
Testimonial from a member company
Instead of having to work through consultants or intermediaries, the COE gives us direct access to other companies pursuing op ex — companies we can meaningfully learn from. These connections are ongoing, and are much deeper than what you could establish at a single conference.