A Little Bragging

The evolving–and worsening–workforce shortages have forced many small manufacturers to sharpen their recruiting efforts, to be sure. But that same scarcity of workers has also inspired manufacturers to appreciate the contributions of the people they have. And they are looking for ways to offset the dry spigot of potential recruits by increasing the productivity of their current workers.

Enterprise Minnesota is no different. We’ve taken the time to (figuratively) look around the room and appreciate the quality of our colleagues. In this spirit, we have decided to devote some space in Enterprise Minnesota® magazine to profile the people on our staff, beginning with the issue that is just now appearing in your mailboxes. We’re doing this to showcase the evolution of our diverse portfolio of highly advanced manufacturing practices that can help manufacturers maximize their output using the resources they have on hand.

We deliver a comprehensive and interrelated series of workshops that help manufacturers develop a strategic roadmap for growth and lead their employees to where they want to be in two, three or five-plus years. Our professionals are also ready to help companies sharpen their cultures of continuous improvement by constantly seeing and eliminating waste at all levels. And it goes without saying that one of our most in-demand consulting practices involves Enterprise Minnesota’s talent and leadership experts who help you develop strategies to attract, engage, invest in and retain your workforce.

But we’re also doing it to describe the kind of quality consultants who help us deliver those services. OK, we’re bragging. A consulting organization like ours is only as good as its people. Each of our staff understands that a fruitful consulting relationship is not only built upon what the consultants know but measured by how well they adapt that knowledge to the individual needs of their clients. Our culture is built on that concept.

Our first profilee is Keith Gadacz, a business growth consultant based in Brainerd who applies his extensive career-long experience of building and implementing ISO business management systems to help his clients achieve business success.

As most people know (or should know) ISO has become a go-to process that provides a technical framework through which manufacturers can align their business strategy with day-to-day operations. It helps them keep up with increasing volume while avoiding risk and achieving their goals. As Bob Kill pointed out in his column in the current issue of the magazine, most of Keith’s clients recognize the depths of his intellect and expertise within probably the first five minutes of listening to him. But what differentiates Keith, they say, in the marketplace is his willingness to put in countless hours to transform his knowledge into advice that maximizes outcomes for his clients. We have a lot of “Keiths” here at Enterprise Minnesota. Future issues of the magazine will tell their stories as well.

Read about Keith Gadacz in our magazine, click here.

Events Calendar

July 15 – A Model for Manufacturing Excellence Using ISO 9001
ISO certification expert Keith Gadacz will be discussing ways to take your operation from average to excellent using the ISO 9001 business management system. Online via Zoom  Learn more and register

July 29 – Driving Continuous Improvement in Uncertain Times
Expert David Ahlquist will show you how managers can use CI to better communicate with shop floor employees and accomplish improvements each day. Online via Zoom  Learn more and register

See more upcoming events

Industry News

SciTech internship program connects STEM graduates with small companies
Launched in 2012, the SciTech program helps place college grads at companies and manufacturers with 250 or fewer employees around the state. June 4, Brainerd Dispatch  Read more

In visit to SkyWater chip plant, Klobuchar, Phillips tout MN as tech center
Minnesota lawmakers say the nation’s chip industry needs government investment to compete. June 1, Star Tribune  Read more

Advanced greenhouse lettuce grower Revol Greens expands to Temple, TX 
Minnesota-based Revol Greens is planning to construct a new 40-acre high-tech greenhouse in Texas to expand their market reach to the south. June 1, PR Newswire  Read more

Since May, manufacturing has recovered fewer jobs than other industries
A new report shows that 67% of manufacturing jobs have been recovered since May 2020 and suggests that a gap between job demand and capacity of training and skills programs is likely a contributer to the shortage.  May 26, Finance & Commerce  Read more

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