St. Ambrose presents ‘Best Practices’ conference

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By Jennifer DeWitt | Thursday, May 15, 2008 |

St. Ambrose University is bringing together professionals from a variety of leading U.S. companies for a one-day conference focusing on how work force teams have helped their own companies achieve results and improve performance.

“Organizational Best Practices Conference: Achieving Results through Teams” will be presented June 4 at the Rogalski Center on St. Ambrose University’s Davenport campus. The conference will be 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is being organized by St. Ambrose University’s College of Business, the Master’s in Organizational Leadership program and the College for Professional Studies.

“We’re really thrilled we’re providing the opportunity for Quad-City professionals to come hear these professionals and their secrets to success,” said John Byrne, the dean of St. Ambrose’s College of Business. “We are bringing together successful organizations who have figured out how to use the team-type management to be successful.”

The event will begin with a keynote address by Martin Carver, the former chief executive officer of Bandag Inc. in Muscatine, Iowa. He will share his story of leading a small Iowa-based company among the industry giants to leave a marketplace legacy in the global truck tire retreading industry. Carver now is the principal of MG Consulting LLC.

Some of the other companies represented will include Pella Corp., U.S. Army, Monsanto, Rockwell Collins, Caterpillar, Boeing, Deere & Co. and HON Co.

Byrne said the conference includes several major manufacturers, but the sessions will go beyond how teams are used in manufacturing to discuss how the team approach is working at the executive level and in other areas of business.

“Pella will talk about how they use teams to improve the soft side of business, such as marketing and human resources,” he said.

He added that organizers have worked nearly a year to bring together such a diverse group of business leaders from around the country. The university hopes the conference will evolve into an annual event centered on various “Best Practices” in business.

“The concept of team is really what made this work,” he said of the conference itself. In addition to St. Ambrose faculty and staff, the conference was planned by Quad-City business professionals.

It was made possible by financial contributions from Northern Trust, Bandag, Deere & Co., Muscatine Foods Corp. and the USA Rock Island Arsenal Joint Manufacturing and Technology Center.

Jennifer DeWitt can be contacted at (563) 383-2318 or jdewitt@qctimes.com.

Conference

“Organizational Best Practices Conference: Achieving Results Through Teams”

When: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 4

Where: Rogalski Center, St. Ambrose University, Davenport

Organizers: St. Ambrose College of Business, the Master’s in Organizational Leadership program and the College for Professional Studies

Cost: $395 per person for groups of 1-4; $375 per person for groups of 5-9; $345 per person for groups of 10 or more

Registration: Call Kim Raap at (563) 441-9500 or visit sau.edu/obpconference.

For more information: Call Allison Ambrose at (563) 333-6155.

Breakout sessions and speakers

- “Creating Employee Involvement with Teams,” Ed Schaneil, The Boeing Co.

- “Leadership Team Coaching at Caterpillar,” Dianna Anderson and Merrill Anderson, Cylient; and Bill Mayo, Caterpillar.

- “Best Practices in Teamwork,” Randy Sergesketter, Deere & Co.

- “The Collaborative Advantage In a Competitive Environment,” Greg Irmen Sr., Rockwell Collins.

- “Teams 101 — Getting Teams Started,” Janet Sichterman, Muscatine Foods Corp.; and Joe Froehlich, Monsanto.

- “Army Teams, Army Strong,” Col. Craig Cotter, 45th Commander, Rock Island Arsenal Joint Manufacturing and Technology Center.

- “Building Successful Teams Through Emotional Intelligence,” Dr. Vanessa Druskat, University of New Hampshire.

- “Pella’s Journey to Lean: Engaging Small Teams on a Growth Journey,” Al Carlson, Pella Corp.

- “The Vision, Implementation and Continual Evolution of A Self-Directed Manufacturing Facility: The Story of the Bandag Equipment Division,” Jeff Foltz, Bandag; and Dr. Dave O’Connell, St. Ambrose University.

- “Driving Continuous Improvement Through Member Engagement,” Tim Summers, HON.

- “Team Management Through Process Based Leadership,” Seth Davies, Competitive Solutions, Inc.

- “Building a Winning Team: It’s Not A Democratic Process,” Linda Bowers, LinguiSystems.

- “Building Teams through Experiential Learning,” Ron Wastyn, St. Ambrose University.

- “Effective Team and Leader Behavior in Cross-Functional Product Development Teams,” Dr. Vanessa Druskat, University of New Hampshire.