faces of the frontline: manufacturing’s all stars

Not long ago, Leslie Mack had a job at a different company that offered few opportunities for advancement or growth. However, when she joined R.S. Hanline & Company, a leading supplier of top-quality produce in Shelby, Ohio, she quickly rose to the top as a superstar employee. Taking on the role of a Redzone lead, Leslie helped relaunch the software and boost throughput by 20%. 

Her impact goes beyond improvements in productivity. Leslie’s dedication to her team has created a corporate culture where all employees are valued and celebrated. Here’s how she’s managed to achieve that. 

From Limited Opportunities to Operational Leader

Leslie came to R.S. Hanline & Company just after the other Redzone leads had left. The company was relaunching Redzone for a third time and needed someone to take the helm of it. Her managers turned to her, and even though she was new to the company and unfamiliar with the technology, she rose to the occasion. 

First, she set out to learn the system. She identified much-needed configuration changes and offered company-wide Redzone training to other employees. Realizing that the existing rosters in the system contained outdated information, she coordinated with 140 associates across six departments to clean and update them so they better served the company’s goals. This firmly established her as the company’s resident Redzone expert. “If anything comes up, she’s the first one everyone goes to,” says Josh Roley, Plant Manager at R.S. Hanline & Company.

Leslie collaborated with multiple departments, maintenance teams, and line leads to make changes and implement the software. In working with others, she empowered supervisors and team members to see what the technology could do and to use Redzone to improve their own efficiency. Her actions, including setting up regular mentor meetings for the Redzone leads in each department, encouraged plant-wide collaboration and continuous improvement. These weekly Redzone meetings provide ongoing support and help departments integrate Redzone into their daily routines. 

Additionally, Leslie worked directly with trainers from QAD Redzone to make sure R.S. Hanline & Company used the system effectively. Her leadership and dedication ensured the success of the company’s third launch of Redzone.

“Redzone would not have taken off without Leslie,” says Roley. “Just having her support, all other supervisors and line leads could push the initiative and make the project a success.”

Leslie’s efforts in cleaning up the rosters and establishing rates in Redzone paid off. Since she took over Redzone in the last year and a half, the company has seen a 20% increase in throughput across all departments. Throughput has continued to accelerate company-wide, with the company reaching a further 30% improvement in recent months.

Her Unique Approach to Workplace Motivation

When Leslie took charge of Redzone, she recognized it was more than a technical tool. Redzone also provided a way for employees to showcase their skills and their value to upper management. This has, in turn, resulted in a great boost in performance and morale. 

Leslie works hard to create opportunities for her team, recognize their contributions, and make them feel valued. Many of her team members have diverse backgrounds and come from other countries where they worked as doctors, engineers, and other professionals. Considering they perform an extremely important job — nourishing our country by producing quality food — she believes they deserve recognition. 

In this regard, Leslie has shaken up how the company does that. Recently, when the team met their training and production goals, she threw a big party and invited everyone from the entire facility. This was quite different from the typical presentations or pizzas they were all used to. Getting everyone together, she brought in a taco truck and cupcakes to celebrate the company’s hard work.

“It wasn’t just the presentation to the supervisors, which we’ve done in the past,” says Roley. “It was, ‘Hey, everyone, we’re doing great. Here are the awesome things that we’re doing.'”

By celebrating wins company-wide instead of limiting recognition to smaller groups, Leslie made sure that every employee felt valued and motivated to continue pushing for success.

An Emphasis on Personal and Professional Development

After her stint at a less promising job, Leslie has embraced every opportunity at R.S. Hanline & Company to learn, grow, and make a meaningful impact. The company has recognized her ambition and drive and provided her with the resources and support to further her development.

This partnership has been mutually beneficial. R.S. Hanline & Company has sent Leslie to training seminars and conferences to further hone her skills, and she’s been eager to bring back fresh insights and innovative solutions in return. For instance, she’s attended a community event in Cincinnati to learn more about Redzone, and even connected with Redzone users in the United Kingdom to exchange knowledge.

“R.S. Hanline has given me the opportunity and said, ‘If you want to learn more, we will support you,” says Leslie. “Let us know and we’ll work something out … It’s been really beneficial.”

Her eagerness to absorb knowledge and apply it for the betterment of R.S. Hanline & Company has allowed Leslie to flourish in her role, transforming her career into a path filled with opportunity and growth. 

Since joining R.S. Hanline, Leslie has quickly proved herself by taking on more challenging tasks. Her willingness to learn and adapt, combined with her passion for helping others, turned the daunting challenge of implementing Redzone for the third time into an opportunity for professional growth and success. 

Leslie’s drive is proof that commitment to lifelong learning and care for others can lead to significant long-term success, both for the organization and employees alike.

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