Past Events

From one-day seminars and breakfast networking events to our virtual webinar series, COE maintains a busy slate of opportunities for members to hear from key business leaders on the latest in lean, supply chain management, women in leadership, OpEx in technology, and more. Our recent events have included:

 Virtual Event: Unlocking Your Brain's Hidden Superpowers

11/6/24: In this session, Lieutenant Colonel Tom Gaines spoke on problem solving during novel situations in volatile and uncertain environments. He shared groundbreaking neuroscience research and collected wisdom from U.S. Army Special Operations to help leaders understand how to use research-based techniques in their own organizations to compete and win no matter what life throws their way.

In-Person Event: Fundamentals of Lean Workshop

10/8/24: This interactive workshop leveraged a case study and simulation to highlight foundational principles, practices, tools, and techniques of lean that work in any industry. The simulation focused on how to create flow in any process through manageable change cycles. Participants emerged better equipped to apply and teach the basics of lean, including creating value, eliminating waste, workplace organization, redesigning processes for flow, and visual management. 

 Virtual Event: Crafting a Successful Onboarding Experience

10/2/24: In this webinar, HR leaders at Cardinal Health provided an overview of the organization’s approach to orientation and onboarding for various populations. Adam Zaller, VP, HR Services and Learning, and Jonathan Adams, Manager, HR Business Partner, shared about Cardinal Health’s “Orientation 2.0,” what’s changed since the pandemic, and where they’re heading next. 

 Virtual Event: Leveraging Your Middle Management 

9/11/24: In this webinar, Al Deutschendorf discussed the factors that put pressure on middle management and explored the compounding effect that can come from implementing operational excellence. He shared learnings from his 25 years of CI experience to encourage attendees to develop greater awareness and think differently. Finally, Al described how his current organization, Safelite, is leveraging learnings from experienced improvement professionals and modifying their approach for long-term success.

In-Person Event: Grange Insurance Headquarters Tour

8/20/24: On this tour, participants learned about the Grange Insurance leadership’s hybrid office vision, the timing of the transition back to the office, and how the space was reconfigured to support a hybrid office model. This tour featured leaders from across the organization to tell the story of how their teams adopted a continuous improvement approach in facilities, talent, training, and technology to enhance the associate experience.

Virtual Event: How to Implement Change That Sustains 

8/7/24: In this webinar, Dr. Lynn Kelley described her proven Change Questions approach. The Change Questions approach is customizable for every change and every organization and has delivered measurable results of 90% sustainment rate over hundreds of change initiatives. Lynn explored real-world examples and lessons learned from her experience leading organizational change at two Fortune 150 companies. 

In-Person Event: The Lean Office Workshop

7/24/24: InBox® Lean office simulation is a participant-driven simulation that teaches how to apply Lean concepts to transactional processes. With InBox, associates of all levels can practice the tools of Lean and Six Sigma in a risk-free setting. This kind of practice builds individual capability and, ultimately, organizational capability.

 Partnered Event: Future of People at Work Symposium

7/18/24: COE joined six other leading lean-focused organizations and friends across the lean community for a groundbreaking two days focused on the critical topics of workplace evolution, technology integration, and production transformation.

 Virtual Event: Fostering Lean Leadership

7/10/24: Tom Paider, VP of Technology Infrastructure and Computing at Nationwide, unveiled the essential components of a purpose-built management system. Participants discovered how this system facilitates and sustains the gains of a lean transformation, ensuring that lean remains more than just a fleeting buzzword within our organizations.

 Virtual Event: JPMorgan Chase's Change Management Journey

6/18/24: In this session, Jacquie Feimster and James Ray explored Chase’s 10-year journey learning how to better manage change. They offered insights into the steps and critical components needed to improve change competency and maturity within organizations, including establishing a strong foundation, aligning strategic partnerships, and demonstrating value. 

 In-Person Event: Nationwide Children's Hospital Operations Tour

6/12/24: On this tour, visitors were introduced to two vital departments at Nationwide Children's Hospital: The Simulation Center and Pharmacy. The Simulation Center showcases cutting-edge technology and expert training, ensuring healthcare professionals are prepared for any scenario. Meanwhile, the Pharmacy Department provides tailored medications for young patients, employing the latest advancements for optimal outcomes. Together, these departments exemplify the hospital's commitment to providing exceptional care and support to children and families, fostering hope and healing.

Virtual Event: DEI Fireside Chat

5/29/24: This session featured a dynamic dialogue between Dr. Cynthia Turner, Assistant Dean and Chief Diversity Officer at the Fisher College of Business, and Donnell White, Senior Vice President and Chief DEI Officer at Huntington. Industry and academia converged for a compelling conversation on the critical topics of diversity, inclusion, and allyship. 

 Virtual Event: Leadership vs. Management

5/16/24: Sam McPherson, leadership and lean management system expert, shared his insights on what it takes to lead and develop a leadership pipeline capable of Leading Excellence in organizations during this webinar. Sam drew extensively from his expert knowledge of the Toyota Production System.

 Virtual Event: The Electric Vehicle Revolution

5/1/24: The leading car manufacturing firms have all essentially pledged to transition from traditional carbon dioxide-emitting vehicles to battery-powered electric vehicles. In this session, Professor Ken Boyer examined the promise, perils, and personalities of the world’s automobile makers as they re-engineer a post-carbon present and future. Attendees gained a greater understanding of how the Gears of Change are influencing Tesla, Honda, and beyond. 

 Virtual Event: The Integral Leadership Model 

3/20/24: In this webinar, David Veech organized a set of key leader behaviors into an Integral Leadership Model and offered strategies and tools to help leaders become the leaders we need them to be. This session wove together elements of servant leadership, level-5 leadership, short-interval leadership, and charismatic leadership and discuss a 6-step approach to help us craft more effective leader development programs.

Virtual Event: Knowing Where Your Dollars Really Go - Activity-Based Costing

3/13/24: Grange Insurance's Kevin Yania and Anna Sturgeon drew from their experience with Activity-Based Costing to describe what a tool traditionally used in the manufacturing industry can offer in an office setting. They walked through a call center use case for Activity-Based Costing and shared how to apply these learnings to your organizational design with a Lean Six Sigma mindset. 

 Virtual Event: Streamlining Success with Lean Product & Process Development

2/21/24: Lean product and process development (LPPD) is a management philosophy and set of principles that emphasize creating value for the customer while minimizing waste in the product development process. In this webinar, Frank Paluch and Lara Harrington explored how LPPD provides an essential framework for achieving OpEx, driving innovation, and fostering seamless collaboration across the product development lifecycle.

 In-Person Event: John Glenn Columbus International Airport Operations Tour

2/7/24: On this special tour, participants had the opportunity to learn more about the Columbus Regional Airport Authority, tour TSA’s in-line baggage handling system, and visit the airfield maintenance facility. 

 Virtual Event: How to 5X Your Success at Transformation

1/24/24: In this webinar, experienced executive coach Adam Ward covered five key areas that organizations often miss when undergoing transformations. These areas provided rich insights for any organization’s transformation, whether it’s focused on OpEx, digital, DEI, or beyond.

 In-Person Event: Value Stream Mapping and Simulation Workshop

1/18/24: Value Stream Mapping and Simulation are vital tools to detect inefficiencies and plan optimal workflows. This workshop was designed to empower leaders with the expertise and practical tools to leverage these methodologies to their fullest potential. Through practical exercises and a 'learning by doing' approach, participants gained hands-on experience, ensuring they can readily apply their new knowledge in real-world settings.

 Hybrid Event: Women's Leadership Forum

1/10/24: This Women’s Leadership Forum focused on how women can increase their salary and rise through the workforce. As Chief HR Officer for Designer Brands, Karen Cho shared realistic methods to get promoted, make more money, and have a life! She also discussed how to recognize when it makes sense to look elsewhere in order to move up the ladder and the best ways to get connected.

 Hybrid Event: Artificial Intelligence

12/8/23: This event featured diverse perspectives to bridge the gap between academia and industry. First, Ohio State faculty presented research and case studies on the possibilities and ethical risks of AI. Then, a panel of industry leaders from Nationwide, JP Morgan Chase, and Narwal shared how they’re operationalizing emerging AI technologies in real time at their organizations.

 Virtual Event: Building Corporate Support for Supplier Diversity

11/15/23: In this session, Vincent Wiggins described the recent launch of La-Z-Boy’s first supplier diversity program with a focus on inclusion and integration. Attendees learned about the necessary steps for sustaining a strong supplier diversity program, including effectively communicating the business case and collaborating with departmental leaders.  

Virtual Event: Growing with Columbus

11/8/23: Hosted in collaboration with Fisher Impact Day, this webinar explored the dynamic intersection of economic development and corporate community engagement. Columbus City Councilmember Nick Bankston provided a behind-the-scenes perspective into recent economic and community development investments in the Columbus region.

 Virtual Event: Global Supply Chain Forum

10/18/23: This event provided government and academic perspectives on global supply chain collaboration opportunities and challenges with East Asian countries and was presented in collaboration by The Ohio State University Center for International Business Education and Research, Center for Operational Excellence, and East Asian Studies Center.