A look back at the 2010 program, below.

how lean works for sales & marketing

• Date: Wednesday, February 17
• Time: 4:30 networking, 5:30 program, 6:30 dinner
• Location: on-site @ Ariens Museum in Brillion (click here for PDF containing directions)
• Presenter: Dan Ariens, Owner/President

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Program

Ariens Company has been involved in a company wide lean transformation for the past 10 years.  This activity started in the manufacturing arena and spread to the administrative area, results have been exceptional.  Company wide productivity has increased double digits in most years, production lead time has shrunk from 4 weeks to hours, and a new culture of learning and problem solving has emerged.  More recently, Ariens has taken this lean approach to their sales and marketing efforts, including out in the field with their customers.  While sales and marketing certainly are different, the lean process is essentially the same.  Identify your core value adding processes, define value, make value flow by identifying and eliminating waste, then anchor a new culture of continuous improvement.  This all starts with focusing on the end customer, building great teams, building great processes, and a culture that encourages intellectual curiosity and promotes accountability.  As with any change process, there are challenges, but early activity is promising.

About our Speaker

Daniel T. Ariens, age 50, became President and CEO of the Ariens Company on March 15, 1998.  Dan also serves as a member of the Ariens Company Board of Directors. 

Prior to becoming President, Dan served as Vice President of the Parts and Accessories Division and President of Stens Power Equipment Parts, Inc.  He previously held the positions of Vice President of Engineering and Vice President of Manufacturing of the Ariens Company.

Under Dan’s leadership the company has received the 2005 Wisconsin Manufacturer of the Year Award, the 2006 Wisconsin 75 ‘Generation of Innovation’ Award, and the 2006 Entrepreneur of the Year in Manufacturing from Marian College.  In March, 2007, Dan received the Eli Whitney Productivity Award from the Society of Manufacturing Engineers.

In addition to his work at the Ariens Company, Dan serves on the Board of Directors of the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI), Alexandria, VA; Green Bay Packer Organization, Green Bay, WI; Weidner Center, Green Bay, WI; U.S. Oil Company, Kimberly, WI;  Nicolet National Bank, Green Bay; Viterbo University, LaCrosse, WI; Green Bay Chamber of Commerce, Green Bay, WI; Research Products Corporation, Madison, WI.  Dan also serves as a CEO representative for MSOE – Milwaukee School of Engineering, Milwaukee, WI; NEW North - Regional Economic Development and is a member of the Wisconsin Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO), International Young Presidents’ Organization and Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce (WMC). 

Dan is a graduate of the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota where he earned a BS degree in Finance and Business Administration.

Dan and his wife, Julie, and their 5 children reside in Green Bay, Wisconsin.