Iowa Lean Consortium/CIRAS

Tax Day doesn't have to be dreadful. Come learn and have some fun with me! I'm thrilled to be delivering a Value Stream-focused webinar, hosted by Iowa Lean Consortium/CIRAS on April 15. I'll cover: 🔸 What value streams are (i.e., how they're different from processes) 🔸 Why they matter 🔸 How to design them 🔸 How to improve them 🔸 And how to manage them The webinar is free for all ILC members and $150 for non-members. The good news is that anyone can join ILC—you don't have to live in Iowa. 😉 ILC is SUCH a wonderful organization! For 15 years, they've been helping businesses deepen their capabilities and boost organizational competitiveness. Many thanks to Tracy Schuster, whose just taken a new role at CIRAS, and to her very capable successor, Emily Betz. Cheers to the next 15 years! Registration is required. See the 1st comment for the link. I hope to see you! #webinar #valuestream #VSM

Break free from siloed thinking and unlock your organization’s full potential! Join expert Karen Martin in this webinar to discover how value stream thinking can drive efficiency, improve workflow, and create healthier work environments. #IowaLean https://ow.ly/VOkI50Vwsj4

A New Chapter for the Iowa Lean Consortium Members, After an incredible 13 years of serving the Iowa Lean Consortium (ILC), first as Coordinator and most recently as Director, I am writing to share that I will be stepping down from my position on April 4th. Working alongside such a dedicated and passionate group of continuous improvement professionals has been my honor and a privilege. I am excited to embark on a new chapter as a CRM Business Systems Analyst at CIRAS. I will leverage my skills to enhance business processes and continue contributing to our mission of supporting Iowa industry. As I pass the torch, I am pleased to announce that Emily Betz has been named the ILC Director. Emily has been an integral part of our team, and I am confident that under her leadership, the ILC will continue to thrive and achieve even greater success. I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for the opportunity to serve all of you. The experiences and relationships I have built during my tenure have been invaluable. I am deeply proud of what we have accomplished together and grateful for the opportunities I’ve had to learn from each of you. Thank you for your unwavering support and commitment to the ILC. I am excited to see the continued growth and success of the Consortium in the capable hands of Emily and the rest of the team. Tracy Schuster 

Break free from siloed thinking and unlock your organization’s full potential! Join Karen Martin in this webinar to discover how value stream thinking can drive efficiency, improve workflow, and create healthier work environments. #IowaLean https://ow.ly/OJTl50Vo4lS

Final hours to register for the 2025 Ivy Sales Innovation Summit happening next week in Ames! This year’s summit will explore strategies to improve sales effectiveness, emphasizing sales compensation. You’ll gain insights from top researchers, expert sales compensation consultants, and seasoned practitioners. Plus, there’s dedicated time to network with fellow sales professionals. This is a great event for company leaders, sales and marketing teams, human resource professionals, and executives looking to optimize their sales approach. Bring your team and take advantage of special group pricing for teams of three or more! https://lnkd.in/g7gM4x8z

We are pleased to welcome Cedar Falls Utilities as a GOLD member of the ILC! Welcome, we look forward to collaborating with you! #IowaLean

This week, we proudly hosted our 2nd LEANing Together Event, a unique initiative created in response to our members' desire to give back. This year, teams came together to tackle a process problem faced by LifeServe Blood Center. While the team from Sammons Financal Group and Mercy Medical Center emerged as the "winners," there were indeed no losers! Every team "pitched" unique and valuable solutions for the LifeServe team to consider, showcasing diverse approaches to solving challenging process problems. It was a win for LifeServe and all participants! Check out the last picture to see how we practice what we teach by gathering "what went well/what we can improve for next time" feedback from our participants! CIRAS - Iowa State University

There is some fantastic problem solving happening at this year’s LEANing Together - great improvement ideas coming to the LifeServe Blood Center soon to help them solve a problem and improve processes during the pitch off!

Iowa Lean Consortium members (and not-yet-members), check out this webinar we are hosting with our own Steve Forbes! Get registered today! Note: the actual time of the webinar is 10am-11am

Make a Difference: Register for LEANing Together! Join us for a Lean rapid improvement event and contest, where ILC members positively impact their communities. This collaborative experience showcases the power of continuous improvement through friendly competition and hands-on learning. This year, we will be helping LifeServe Blood Center in Johnston save supply costs and find opportunities for improved efficiencies in its inventory process. Register by Feb 14 to secure your spot! https://ow.ly/R5cx50UGuL7 #IowaLean