Vice Chancellor Tom Feldbush will give remarks to the network members on behalf of East Carolina University followed by a presentation by Carlton Hackney, CEO of TCT Solutions and Executive Director for the Computer Training Center at ECU.

The SBTDC at East Carolina University has provided one-on-one counseling and group training services for business executives in Eastern North Carolina since 1985. This session will focus on strategic planning, and development of the strategic skills that high-performing companies use to maximize the planning process and outperform their competitors. Through its Management Education Services division, the SBTDC has carefully researched and designed educational products to help companies successfully meet challenges, manage change and plan for the future.

March 27, 2003

Abbott, Rocky Mount is committed to providing high quality, cost effective products which satisfy our customers’ requirements. The Rocky Mount, NC manufacturing facility is the largest production site in the Abbott Hospital Products Division. This facility employs 2100 people and specializes in perioperative and intensive care, vascular medicine, renal care, oncology, and acute care injectable drugs. There will be a plant tour along with a presentation to be announced.

NC State's Industrial Extension Service Lean Enterprise Advancement Program (LEAP) was created to help North Carolina manufacturing firms improve their competitiveness through understanding and implementing lean enterprise business systems. LEAP emphasizes implementation of lean enterprise principles and practices based on the Toyota Production System (TPS). The LEAP mission is implemented through in-plant applications, manufacturing networks, and public training. Benefits of Lean Implementation include: Reduce overall inventory, Reduce Work in Process (WIP), Reduce order turnaround time, Increase customer satisfaction, Improve cash flow.

The Saturn Corporation has been an exciting new American Company that puts the customer and their workers first. This meeting will consist of a corporate tour consisting of a 1 1/2 hour tram ride through the manufacturing complex. Following the tour, there will be a half day workshops that will include a Saturn overview and a workshop topic of our choice. The choice will be from the following topic areas: Manufacturing, Partnership, People Systems, Sales, Service and Marketing, or Teams.