Lean Performance Development, Inc.
Lean Performance Development, Inc.
High impact business results with little investment or lead time
Below, are some testimonials,provided by accomplished leaders whose companies we have served.
Below, are some testimonials,provided by accomplished leaders whose companies we have served.
If you are wondering if our approach can address an issue that is keeping you up at night, contact us to explore how we can help you...
If you are wondering if our approach can address an issue that is keeping you up at night, contact us to explore how we can help you...
Proven, trusted resource...
David initially joined our firm to spearhead our Lean efforts. In short order, he demonstrated his Lean knowledge, guiding a cross-functional team missioned to turn around delivery performance and profitability of one of our key, high investment product lines.
As a business owner, there are often many concerns that can keep me tossing and turning in my sleep at night. Sometimes it is about controlling risk as much as it is about driving positive change. David’s ability to discern the critical factors to success and then effectively lead teams to productive outcomes has provided me peace of mind.
He has creatively and progressively expanded his Lean influence to business processes beyond the manufacturing floor, organizationally extending a continuous improvement culture with each success. He is a proven, trusted resource you can depend on to deliver strategic projects too important to fail.
Jim Brush - CEO
Lean through high performance teams...
David and I have worked together for over 15 years across two very different companies. I value his business acumen and uncommon ability to quickly isolate and influence factors contributing to stronger organizational performance. We share a long history building high performance mindset teams, empowered and accountable for and actively engaged in delivering value to the customer.
David is one of the strongest Lean practitioners I know, high praise given I have worked with companies the likes of Toyota and Honda. I believe what sets him apart is his practice of developing high performance teams as an enabler to surgically implement Lean principles to obtain impressive, sustainable results with little investment or lead-time. I have witnessed that this inclusive approach leads to faster buy-in and a culture committed to continuous improvement, where savings grow after implementation and are not lost when focus is shifted to the next big issue.
His methods have proven effective in traditional manufacturing settings, and adaptable for other business processes encompassing new product development, project management, customer service and many back-office functions.
Steve Barry - VP Operations
Elevated business acumen, systems knowledge, project management and teaching skills...
I have had the pleasure of working with David for nearly 12 years. He played an integral role in the development of our most critical systems and processes, with limited capital investment while garnering millions in savings and developing countless lean disciples along the way. Some of the systems/ process improvements include:
- Lead broad based SAP ERP system implementation that was delivered on time and on budget.
- Managed and significantly enhanced New Product Development tracking, capacity, performance, delivery timing/ speed and product cost accuracy…
- Managed Cost Improvement Process that consistently delivered multi million $ savings each year.
Dave’s possesses elevated business acumen, comprehensive systems/ process knowledge, along with innate project management and teaching skills. These capabilities enable him to quickly assess opportunities and engage cross functional team(s) with limited investment or lead-time.
Mark Lockerby – VP Finance
I learned so much...
Dave, I want to thank you for all the work you did on last week's kaizen. I learned so much from watching you - your interactions with the team and the methods and tools that we used. I loved the way you laid it all out and said "Who wants to start from the beginning" - beautiful ! It was a pleasure - and I hope we can do this again sometime.
Judy Juhas - Lean Manager
Successful project management through empowered, accountable teams...
It has been my pleasure to have worked with David Levesque several years. David’s vast experience in project management, Lean Six-Sigma, and overall management skills were a critical element to our new product success. David, charged with overall management of the new product process, put in place a very detailed project plan that insured superb execution, on-time delivery, resulting in accretive sales and profit to the organization.
Additionally, David was tasked to lead the development and execution of the project to install the company's new ERP system. His professional skill set was a primary reason this project delivery was world class.
David’s professionalism, solid acumen in operational process development and execution, and extensive successful experience would be a winning addition to any organization in need of rising to the next level.
Joseph Oelgoetz - Director, Product Management and Marketing
Deep understanding of Lean principles balanced with a pragmatic approach...
Having worked with Dave for many years I was always impressed with his ability to help you quantify your business and understand the key areas you need to attack to be able make substantial improvements. His deep understanding of lean principles balanced with a pragmatic approach towards implementation helped our business develop substantial cost savings that allowed us to compete and develop exciting new products.
Bill Buchko - Manufacturing Engineering Manager
A proactive and genuinely engaged leader...
Dave is a creative and strategic business leader. He clearly sees the complex big picture and is able to quickly integrate relevant information, assess it using his experience and develop an actionable strategy. He is naturally articulate with an impressive ability to utilize analogies and humor to effectively convey his message. He will coach you as needed and will be honest in times that are tough, challenging you to think outside-the-box. He is a true mentor and takes action to help you achieve both your personal and professional goals. Dave is a proactive and genuinely engaged leader with whom I had the pleasure of learning from and working with. I highly recommend Dave.
Lisa Sillato – Global Consumer Affairs Manager
An excellent teacher with a strong command of Lean tools...
I have worked with Dave for over 20 years, with my first encounter occurring back when I was a new production supervisor. Our first kaizen workshop motivated our department and increased operator trust that applying Lean concepts were a positive change. We were challenged to increase production while also improving quality and safety. Cooperating with union employees, the results of our one week workshop exceeded expectations. We continued to build on this success area by area with increasing momentum and operator acceptance.
Dave is an excellent teacher. He has a strong command of Lean tools and is very detail oriented, contributing to successful implementations. I am very pleased with the results of the work we have accomplished over the years. When there is a lot riding on accomplishing your goals and you must be sure the outcomes will be positive, I can't think of a better person to assist your efforts than Dave when you need to cross the finish line.
Aletamarie Martin - Value Stream Manager
Helps your organization identify the right Lean tools to achieve your timing and cost goals...
I have worked with Dave for several years in two very different industrial companies. His thorough attention to detail, organization, team building skills and perseverance lead to success.
From improving material flow in a manufacturing cell, to implementing a complete plant layout change, to introducing a product improvement or totally new product, Dave helps your organization identify and apply the right Lean tools to achieve your timing and cost goals.
Just as important, these achievements will be sustainable because Dave builds a team environment where your organization feels empowered to take ownership of the change - fostering a culture of continuous improvement and a high performance mindset.
Nathan Harvey - Manufacturing Engineering Consultant
Maximize the management of your projects to drive results...
As a Lean and Project Management expert, Dave brought many robust tools to our employees. The Project Management tool set was particularly valuable and broadly used throughout our organization. Dave provided training, a “tool box”, and his substantial expertise with project management to help the company simplify and standardize how we manage projects. I, personally, use the planning tools regularly with both large and small projects as the program is very scalable depending on your needs. If you are looking to manage all types of projects (complex, simple, small, large, etc.) across and within your organization Dave can certainly provide practical tools and advice to help maximize the management of your projects to drive results.
Sarah Miller - Director of Human Resources
Significantly streamline our new product development process...
Dave's Lean expertise and business knowledge allowed us to significantly streamline our new product development process. His work resulted in us being able to handle five times the number of new products in development with no added manpower. We now evaluate more new product concepts, improve their odds of success, enhance our relevance with our customers and outperform our competitors.
Greg Bonsib - Director of Sales and Marketing
The best example of lean implementation...
For seven years now, I have been taking MBA students, enrolled in the Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management - Cornell University, to visit a variety of businesses in order to highlight the importance of lean philosophy in achieving and maintaining a cost leadership position.
Each year, David Levesque has served as a host for these visits, giving the students an in-depth exposure to the benefits and impact derived from lean operations. Dave highlights the principal tools and techniques that were implemented, also demonstrating over successive years a culture of continuous improvement.
Among the nearly thirty operations that we visit each semester, Dave’s tour is certainly the best example of lean implementation. Our students always leave impressed with the results achieved by combining people and lean tools to progressively streamline the use of materials, labor, money, and physical space in order to maintain competitive advantage.
In addition to the site visits, Dave has been a guest lecturer in my class for the past seven years, focusing on supply chain considerations related to sourcing decisions, including offshoring. Specifically, his presentation detailed a decision framework, considering infrastructure, technologies, markets to be served, cost trends and other factors, when selecting between potential site options for establishing global manufacturing operations.
Srinagesh Gavirneni - Emerson Professor of Manufacturing Management
Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management, Cornell University
Surgically applied Lean tools to achieve significant improvements...
Our company saw significant benefits through the use of cross-functional teams which included our manufacturing operators. The teams surgically applied lean tools based on business impact and were able to achieve significant improvements in the following areas: Product costs, labor, work cell footprint as well as safety and ergonomic improvements.
Gary Stein - Director of Manufacturing