SCMEP Staff Spotlight

Today’s SCMEP Staff Spotlight is Jim Woody!

Jim’s industry experience spans 27 years in high-volume manufacturing, including Operations Management with P&L responsibilities. He has worked domestically and internationally with over 400 companies ranging from healthcare and telecommunications to all types of manufacturing environments. While working with a Fortune 500 company in the mid-80s, he began his transition from the ‘traditional’ manufacturing environment to the revolutionary Lean environment.

The new culture and methodology became ingrained in his mindset and management process and, as a result, he became the go-to manager for taking on new acquisitions for transition to Lean. Although he’s learned much about Lean Six Sigma from others, experiences, and mistakes made along the way, Jim credits two of his mentors with playing a significant role in forming his understanding of how to manage with a true continuous improvement philosophy. As one of them once said, “Lean methods and tools are the car, but the people are the gasoline”.

As a Process Improvement Coach with the South Carolina Manufacturing Extension Partnership (SCMEP), Jim continues to share his experience in continuous improvement and Lean Six Sigma with clients so that they are equipped with the tools to achieve long-term success and sustainability.