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16 PCB007 MAGAZINE I MAY 2021 bility and capacity, which would prove to yield dividends in later years as things picked up. In 2013, with continued uncertainty about the future of the domestic electronics industry, Steve led a deep dive into better understand- ing the U.S. market, where Calumet fit in that market and where the company needed to go, and how to organize the company to tap into the talent and skills of people to meet upcom- ing challenges. At this point, I was given the opportunity to serve the company as its chief operating officer. e company also created new positions and made strategic hires, bringing on Mike Kadlec as VP of corporate development, Dr. Meredith LaBeau as director of process engineering, and Heather Store as director of human resources. We also contracted with the Upper Peninsu- la Marketing Department, which has been in- strumental in everything from market analysis to rebranding the company, from political ad- vocacy to improving the look and functionality of our hallways. e goal at this time was straight forward— Calumet had to become very good at the work that was safe from offshoring and not going to leave the country. e period from 2013 to 2018 was all about discovering and defining operational excel- lence. We learned and continue to learn about what it means to have a company that is engag- ing in the right activities to move the compa- ny forward, albeit slowly, over time. One of the most important lessons we learned is that, in addition to an excellent equipment set, a com- pany needs excellent people. We say, "e right people, in the right seats, doing the right activ- ities." Much of our focus since 2013 has been building and developing teams of people that are engaged, skilled, and passionate about suc- cess and moving the company forward. Johnson: What are some of the factors that con- tribute to operational excellence? Brassard: Do not underestimate the power of re- ducing strategic thinking to writing. It's easy to believe that having strategy in your head is the same as having strategy on paper; it's not, be- cause people cannot read minds. e process of writing a strategic plan helps to crystalize thoughts and organize ideas into executable ac- tivities. e process can be time-consuming and frustrating but also clarifying and rewarding. Most importantly, a well-written strategic plan can be disseminated within an organization and to field partners, suppliers, and even customers. Having everyone within the company on the same page is a powerful driver of forward prog- ress. Without a clearly communicated strategic plan it's difficult for the teams within a compa- ny to differentiate between important tasks and activities vs. distractions and noise that will not advance the position of the company. You must get the plan out of the mind, onto pa- per, and communicated within the organiza- tion. A well-understood corporate strategy en- ables operational excellence by aligning peo- ple, reducing overhead, speeding up activities, and eliminating feedback cycles. With every- one working to the same script, a CEO knows that everyone is mostly working on the right tasks and employees do not necessarily have to run to their bosses asking what to work on or if they are engaged in the right activities. Todd Brassard