Factory Talk Series

by Jamie Flinchbaugh on 09-18-25

This 9-video series was done in partnership with IndustryWeek and highlights leaders in factories. Through interviews, we cover their practices and ideas for effective leadership within operations. Some participants are CEOs of smaller one-site companies, and others are plant managers within larger companies. There are nuggets and lessons for everyone within each interview.

Watch the Factory Talk Series on YouTube here

Building a Culture of People Development: Leadership Insights from an AO Smith Plant

In this Factory Talk episode, Dan Royston, Director of Operations at AO Smith’s McBee, South Carolina facility, shares his leadership approach to manufacturing excellence. With 27 years of company experience, Dan details his structured daily routines, including morning stand-up meetings, room processes, and Gemba walks that keep operations aligned. He emphasizes people development through intentional coaching of team leads and supervisors, problem-solving methodologies, and creating defined career paths that transform jobs into careers. His focus on team member engagement and comprehensive apprenticeship programs has created a self-reliant workforce.

Leading with Dignity: How Mark Whitten Shapes Manufacturing Culture

Mark Whitten, President & CEO of Spartanburg Steel Products, shares his leadership philosophy shaped by his unique path from shop floor worker to executive. He discusses his approach to assessing organizational health by walking the floor, checking employee bathrooms, and observing management behavior. He emphasizes consistency, dignity, and respect as cornerstones of culture, explaining how he’s implementing “Spartanburg 2.0” while honoring the company’s 40-year history. He reveals his focus on the critical role of frontline leaders, goal-setting through “wildly important goals,” and maintaining organizational calm despite manufacturing’s inherent challenges.

Factory Talk: Ashleigh Walters on Building Trust Through Bottom-Up Leadership

In this episode, Ashleigh Walters, President of Onex Inc., shares how she replaced command-and-control with trust-based leadership. She discusses implementing problem-solving methodologies, her “work hard, be kind, stay humble” philosophy, and her innovative “wildly important goals” approach. Through practical examples from her aerospace and industrial furnace business, she demonstrates how empowering frontline workers drives continuous improvement and cultural transformation.

From Shop Floor to General Manager: Leadership Lessons from Robinson Fans

Don Bair shares his 14-year journey from temp hire to General Manager at Robinson Fans in this episode of Factory Talk Starting in the Air Force and working his way through various roles in the company, Don discusses how his diverse experience shaped his leadership approach. He emphasizes starting each day on a positive note, investing in cross-training despite short-term inefficiencies, using metrics to drive decisions, and applying lean principles like process mapping. Don’s military background taught him crucial lessons about teamwork and maintaining composure under pressure – skills that serve him well in manufacturing’s daily challenges.

From Bomb Disposal to Manufacturing Excellence: Sean Holly’s Leadership Journey

In this Factory Talk episode, Sean Holly shares his unique career path from Navy Special Operations to manufacturing leadership at companies like Dell, Bell Helicopter, and JD Precision. He discusses his morning shop floor walks to develop operational intuition, building relationships with informal leaders, implementing patient cultural change, and identifying frontline talent based on intrinsic motivation and coachability. Sean emphasizes balancing daily performance with long-term development and explains how selective neglect helps leaders prioritize between fighting fires and addressing systemic issues.

Semiconductor Leadership: Culture, Metrics & Problem-Solving Excellence

Mike Fresina, factory manager at Qorvo semiconductor, shares insights on leading a complex wafer fabrication facility. He discusses leveraging data systems for daily monitoring, driving culture through personal example, cascading meaningful metrics, and building a continuous improvement culture from both top-down vision and bottom-up participation. Mike emphasizes team-based problem-solving using A3 and 8-step methodologies, with special focus on preventative actions to avoid recurring issues. When asked about his essential lean tool, he identifies waste removal as fundamental to organizational excellence.

Leading from the Floor Up: Authentic Leadership Insights with Hallmark’s Carrie Thomas

In this Factory Talk episode, Carrie Thomas shares insights from her 21-year journey at Hallmark Cards as production manager. She discusses how her frontline experience shaped her leadership approach, emphasizing authenticity and connection. She reveals her method of evaluating leaders through both emotional intelligence and analytical capability, and explains her practice of asking direct questions like “Are you happy?” to understand her team. She highlights safety as a cultural cornerstone, the importance of transparent communication, and why systematic problem solving remains her most valued lean methodology—providing both professional and personal benefits.

Leadership From the Shop Floor: Building High-Performance Factory Teams

In this episode of Factory Talk, CEO Gregory Kelly shares his operational leadership approach at Heartland Steel Products. With 350 employees manufacturing material handling equipment, he emphasizes people-first leadership, structured management systems, and lean methodologies. Drawing from his experience starting on the factory floor, Gregory discusses his daily metrics review process, 30/50/20 time allocation strategy, and how essential tools like the “five whys” help solve perennial problems. His focus on treating employees well as an indicator of overall business success provides practical insights for manufacturing leaders seeking to improve operations and drive meaningful results.

Frontline Leadership Excellence: Alice Quesenberry on Factory Management

In this enlightening Factory Talk interview, Alice Quesenberry, Production Director and Site Leader at Cabot Microelectronics, shares her leadership philosophy shaped by military service and frontline supervisor experience. Alice discusses how her approach of “mission first, people always” guides her factory leadership, emphasizing time management, daily production walks, and effective one-on-ones. She reveals surprising insights from virtual meetings during COVID, the importance of consistent feedback for team development, and her strategies for discovering team members’ hidden strengths. Alice candidly addresses challenges in cross-site collaboration and explains her practical methods for balancing operational excellence with people development in a 24/7 manufacturing environment.

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