Jennifer Ayers, Author at NWHPEC

01Dec 2025 by Jennifer Ayers

Benchmarking: Gemba Walks – Jan 15th

January Benchmarking Discussion: Gemba Walks Join us online at The Bench for engaging roundtable discussions where members can connect, collaborate, learn, and share best practices. We’ll dive into specific topics each time we gather. January's online benchmarking session will be an open-ended discussion around Gemba Walks. Whether you're curious about how to initiate, implement, standardize, sustain, or want to share your expertise... bring your questions to tap into the collective wisdom of the group. This is an open “SIG-like” roundtable discussion. 📅 Date: Thursday, Jan 15, 2026 ⏰ Time: 2pm (PST) 📌 Venue: Online via Zoom - reach out to Jennifer for the registration link Open to all NWHPEC members Registration link

23Nov 2025 by Jennifer Ayers

Benchmarking Tour @Smith Gardens – Nov 14th

Events, Learning Tours

Theme: Lean Management System Framework in Action Host company: Smith Gardens grows annuals and perennials at five locations in the PNW and Southern California for retailers in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Alaska and Western Canada. Their local nursery in Aurora, Oregon opened in 1997. The site has 38 acres of greenhouse and 12.5 acres of field space. The Aurora facility produces and ships year-round. This tour occurs at peak Poinsettia season, which will provide a beautiful backdrop to our tour. Tour Summary At Smith Gardens, an important foundation for creating a culture of continuous improvement included building out their Continuous Improvement Management System (CIMS), modeled after the Lean Management System framework. Leadership at the Aurora site have fully embraced this framework and have been steadily rolling out new components over the…

22Nov 2025 by Jennifer Ayers

Lean Happy Hour – Nov 18th

Events

It’s time to connect, socialize, and network while enjoying some tasty apps and beverages! Please join us. This is a great opportunity to get to know others in the consortium better and to continue geeking out on lean topics. Drop in any time after 4pm, we’ll be there until 6 or 6:30…depending on how social everyone is. NWHPEC will provide appetizers, you’ll cover the cost of drinks and any additional food. Date: Tuesday, Nov 18, 2025 Time: Happy Hour starts at 4pm (Cooper Mountain Ale Works in Tigard – drop in any time after 4pm) Location: Cooper Mountain Ale Works - 12562 SW Main St, Tigard, OR 97223 (map link) RSVP for a calendar invite RSVP

22Nov 2025 by Jennifer Ayers

Benchmarking: Implementing Kanban Systems – Dec 3rd

Benchmark Request, Member Sharing

December Benchmarking Discussion: Implementing Kanban Join us online at The Bench for engaging roundtable discussions where members can connect, collaborate, learn, and share best practices. We’ll dive into specific topics each time we gather. December's online benchmarking session will be an open-ended discussion around implementing Kanban. Whether you're curious about Kanban systems, implementation, or buy in, or want to share your expertise... bring your questions to tap into the collective wisdom of the group. This is an open “SIG-like” roundtable discussion. 📅 Date: Wednesday, Dec 3, 2025 ⏰ Time: 1pm (PT) 📌 Venue: Online via Zoom - reach out to Jennifer for the registration link Open to all NWHPEC members Registration link

06Jul 2025 by Jennifer Ayers

Lean Leadership Skills to Engage the Heart, Head, and Hands (3H) – Starts Sept 24th (FULL)

Application~, Classes, Developing People~, Leadership~

A day in the life of a Leader can be challenging. Leaders are faced with pressures from the business (quality, delivery, productivity) along with the often highly emotional demands of managing people. Your people are the foundation and critical link to the success of your business. To be an effective leader, one must first develop an understanding of and a system for building and maintaining relationships (engaging the heart 💜). Culture begins with us. If we are not primed to emulate the core values and culture of our organization, we can’t expect our team members to consistently perform and respond to situations and problems in ways we expect by engaging their critical thinking skills (using their head 😊). Unleashed potential is a hidden gem within your team/organization. The leading indicator for morale and engagement is the willingness of our employees to step…

05Jul 2025 by Jennifer Ayers

Change that Sustains – Unlocking the Key to Successful Lean Transformations – Oct 14th

Application~, Classes, Developing People~, Leadership~

Learn how to effectively lead through change and transition. Ready to take your lean initiatives to the next level? Join this interactive workshop, grounded in the Lean Transformation Framework and shaped by Lynn Kelley’s executive experience at two Fortune 200 companies. Discover how to create lasting change by exploring the essential Change Questions—adaptable to any lean initiative or organization. Through real-world examples, stories and actionable tools, you'll gain the skills to tackle challenges and deliver meaningful, sustainable results. Participants will receive the Change Questions Digital Workbook, which can be used with their teams after the workshop, as well as a print copy of The Change Questions book by Lynn Kelley with John Shook. Topics Customized Change Strategies: Learn to develop robust plans tailored to your organization's unique needs. Insights from an Industry…

03Jul 2025 by Jennifer Ayers

Webinar: Joy in the Workplace – Aug 13th

Events, Leadership~, Webinar

Overview In today’s fast-paced work environment, achieving a state where work feels as engaging and fulfilling as a hobby is a lofty yet attainable goal. This presentation explores the underlying factors that transform work from a mundane obligation into a source of joy and satisfaction. Central to this transformation is the concept of “flow.” We’ll discuss how the absence of joy is often a signal of underlying waste within processes and systems. Furthermore, we’ll delve into the importance of clear system ownership and thoughtful system design. Effective system design not only supports the elimination of waste but also enhances overall workplace efficiency and employee satisfaction. We will hear about five habits and tools within the Kaas Operating System that help them achieve joy on a daily basis: Kaizen: Literally translated…

Author: Jennifer Ayers