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PDM – A PRESENTATION
Vol 14
ABOUT BEING A
SUCCESSFUL SMALL
BUSINESS OWNER
PRESIDENT’S CORNER
SEMINAR INFORMATION
ASQ EDUCATION
OPPORTUNITIES
May
2015
SoMN Scope
SERVING TO BRING KNOWLEDGE OF EVENTS IN THE SOUTHERN
MINNESOTA APICS CHAPTER
www.apicssomn.org
Northstar Balloons
As CEO of Northstar Balloons, Nico Kieves Wyrobek has the
odd experience of running a company that is simultaneously a
legacy, second-generation manufacturing business and a startup—inheriting all of the challenges that presents. Fortunately, she
has more than 30 years of experience in the balloon industry to
call on, having grown up in the business initially started by her
parents.
She will discuss the many issues she has had to deal with
concerning the government, the customer, the suppliers, and
others that have had an impact on the company.
Who:
Nico Kieves Wyrobek
What Northstar Balloons
Where: Torey's Restaurant & Bar
685 West Bridge Street
Owatonna, MN 55060
When: May 11, 2015
Cost: $15 per person, $10 per student,
RSVP By: Thursday May 7, 2015 at 3:00 pm.
Contact Bernie Parker at
[email protected] or 507-263-6372
Agenda: 5:30 to eat, then presentation
What’s to eat: A choice meal, with salad and dessert. Coffee, tea, and cash bar.
Company
Coordinators
The President’s Corner
As we wind down this program year, I would like to thank everyone
who has attended one of our events and thank those of you who
continue to support APICS and our chapter through your
membership.
As always, we very much appreciate your input and feedback as we
begin our summer planning sessions, so if you have not yet
responded to our Annual survey (email notice came out about a
week ago), please take a few minutes to do so.
Also, APICS 2015 is being held in Las Vegas this year, Oct 5th-7th.
This is great opportunity to learn best practices, engage in
discussions with peers, and connect with professionals who are
shaping the future of supply chain and operations management.
Registration opens in May. For more information visit www.apics.org
Lastly, I look forward to seeing you at our final PDM of the program
year on May 11th and at our annual seminar on the 12th.
Fred
Avery Weigh-Tronix
LLC
Carolynn Oskerson
507-238-8277
Benchmark
June Stoehr
507-535-4615
Bosch
John Busby
507-455-7293
Barb Ruhter
507-455-4357
Condux
Dale Bjorklund
507-387-8072
Crenlo
Frank Srp
507-287-3092
Foldcraft
Dennis McNamee
507-789-8263
Gandy
Cindy Barta
507-451-5430
IBM
Steve Koebele
507-253-5260
Itron
Irene Mlenek
507-837-4300
Johnson Outdoors
Debra Bartelt
507-835-6451
Your Presenter
Plymouth-based Northstar is making a run at becoming a
market leader in the global balloon industry, building on its
strengths in manufacturing and pushing the boundaries of what
balloons can be. Though Northstar can print standard 18-inch
balloons to match any competitor’s, it has been carving out a
name for itself with creative, intricately shaped balloons like no
others.
The company’s catalog tells this story, from the pirate octopus
with eight wiggly tentacles to a helicopter with a free-standing
rotor to Daphne Dragon, who has horns and fire coming out of
her mouth. As Wyrobek and her team call on customers or
attend trade shows, they often have people crowding around
and raving about their distinctive balloons.
“What we really wanted when we started Northstar was fresh
thinking,” says Wyrobek. “A balloon is a floating greeting card
with a message on it, and that’s what we wanted to do with our
products. Instead of being encumbered by a history that says,
‘You can’t do that,’ we go to our engineers and say, ‘We’re
going to make this, help us figure out how to make this.’ We
really push the limits.”
Northstar’s limit-pushing is paying off. Since 2007, the
company has at least doubled revenue each year, nearly
doubled its factory, and grown to about 80 employees.
Northstar takes full advantage of the Kieves family’s decades of
experience in the balloon industry, strengths in precision
manufacturing, and a singular sales and distribution structure to
become a new—and veteran—force in the balloon industry.
COMPANY
COORDINATORS
MOM Brands
McQuay Intl.
Sharon Spartz
507-334-5594
McNeilus Companies
Thomas Harris
507-374-8312
McNeilus Steel
Mark Packard
507-374-6336 ext 3084
MICO, Inc.
Deb Briar
507-386-4010
Truth Hardware
Ardis Woods
507-444-4414
Viracon
Diane Doorenbos
507-444-3426
Wenger Corp
Greg Jones
507-455-4100 ext 349
ASQ Classes – Spring 2015
February 17th, 2015 – Introduction to Lean for Administrative Processes - 8 AM to 4:30 PM – Mankato
Campus – Special Pricing $159.00
Is it time to change the way you do business?
In our competitive world, all organizations are working to stay viable. Smart organizations are using Lean to
drive out the wastes that are inherent in all our systems and processes. Ask yourself how much time is lost…
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
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searching, deciphering, correcting, or waiting for information?
clarifying incomplete and unusable information?
doing rework because errors are not caught?
entering and copying information because departments use it in different ways?
delaying work because a signature or approval is needed?
making extra copies that are never used or required?
chatting along the way to the fax or copier and missing customer calls?
working in a disorganized office space?
May 12th and 19th, 2015 – Fundamentals of Quality Assurance – 8 AM to 4:30 PM both days – Faribault $445
This course will provide a broad base of training on fundamental skills and knowledge of quality assurance for
the professional who is looking for growth in the area of quality assurance. Topics include: Introduction to
quality management, quality systems, ISO 9001, quality auditing, quality costs, problem solving, statistical
tools and concepts, calibration systems, metrology, inspection and testing, supplier management,
documentation control, record keeping, charting and analysis of data, corrective and preventive action,
decision-making skills, and continual improvement approaches.
June 2nd, 2015 – Understanding and Developing HACCP Systems – 8 AM to 4:30 PM – Mankato - $235
This 1-day workshop will cover the HACCP requirements, giving the students fundamental requirements,
techniques for addressing, and hands-on examples.
In appreciation to those that partner with us in promoting our training programs, members of the
following organizations receive a 10% discount on any of the workshops/courses listed on this page.
APICS Southern MN Chapter
ASQ Minnesota Section 1203
Mankato Area Council for Quality
Rochester Area Quality Council
ASQ La Crosse – Winona Section 1216
Greater Mankato Growth
Minnesota Council for Quality
SME SE Minnesota Chapter 162
For complete course information and online registration, go to
cbi.southcentral.edu/enroll
Additional needs? Contact the Center for Business & Industry at South Central College:
Tom Kammer 507/389-7336
[email protected]
Laura Hardy 507/332-5802
[email protected]
Your Board of Directors
President
Secretary
VP Education
VP Programs
VP Marketing
VP Public Relations
VP Student Chapter
VP Finance
VP CBar
Fred Gruber – Benchmark
Teresa Dotta – Benchmark
Kim Stanton – RCTC
June Stoehr – Benchmark
Becky Wolfe – SPX
Dale Fairbanks - TRW
Kuldeep Agarwal – MSU
Barb Sorochak – Retired
Larissa Buckley – Crown Cork &Seal
507-535-4319 [email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
507-535-4615 [email protected]
507-455-4371 [email protected]
507-444-3990 [email protected]
[email protected]
507-253-5693
[email protected]
BOD
Meetings
PDM Schedule
May 12th – ½ day seminar with Gavin Jerome
The general
membership is invited
to attend all BOD
meetings.
Directions to Torey’s Restaurant
Torey's Restaurant & Bar
685 West Bridge Street
Owatonna, MN 55060
507 455-9260
Directions
From 35W North
• Take Exit 41 (Bridge Street) into Owatonna
• Turn east and cross over the freeway
• Proceed past Burger King and the Holiday Station on your right
• Turn right into entrance to strip mall --road is between Holiday Station and Taco
Bell
• Torey's will be in the corner of the strip mall--large Yellow Letters on Building
From 35WSouth
• Take Exit 41 (Bridge Street) into Owatonna
• Turn East and proceed past Burger King and the Holiday Station on your right
• Turn right into entrance to strip mall --road is between Holiday Station and Taco
Bell
• Torey's will be in the corner of the strip mall--large Yellow Letters on Building
The Association for Operations Management
Southern Minnesota Chapter
Box 843
Owatonna, MN 55060