Production Supervisor Tom Ludewig is dedicated to upholding the Raven values in the production facilities and has been working hard to ensure that our team members comfortably navigate change.
Congratulations to Tom Ludewig, Production Supervisor, this month's Team Member Spotlight winner! Tom was nominated by leadership for his commitment to upholding the Raven values and for working alongside team members in production to ensure that everyone feels able to complete their tasks.
Connecting with team members is a priority for Tom, and he works hard to get to know each team member on a personal level so that he can help them do their best. He spends time each day walking alongside team members to check in and see how tasks are going and looking for ways to improve efficiency on the floor.
At the start of the year, leadership in manufacturing made a goal to focus on accountability across day and night shifts, as well as between team members. Plant Manager Emily Wegner said that Tom is a driver for continuously improving this accountability. He encourages team members to find ways to identify any issues and encourages them to take ownership of solving challenges.
Tom said that for him, the key is to ask the questions that help team members find solutions without his interference. He believes in helping team members achieve successful solutions without taking over the project for them.
Accountability has been an important item to manage for Tom, as the production team has been growing rapidly, and managing it requires more people and more time than ever before.
Tom has done a phenomenal job managing growth and the changes in production.
— Brian Carda, Director of Operations
The team's growth means that Tom is overseeing more supervisors than we have had in manufacturing before, and he is managing it well. He checks in with production supervisors frequently to make sure that they feel comfortable with where they're at.
Tom is committed to service for his teams, and he is driven to ensure that they are all working together as one team to deliver quality products to our customers.
Plant Manager Emily Wegner said that taking on a higher-level supervisor role was new for Tom, but he has done an exceptional job and strives to grow in his position each day.
Tom’s leadership and ownership to make things happen in production is inspiring, and he challenges me to be a better leader everyday.
— Emily Wegner, Plant Manager
Because of the different hours across shifts, team members can sometimes feel disconnected from each other. Tom works to bridge the time difference so that everyone feels united, Plant Manager Emily Wegner said. Tom actively advocates for his team on nights and tells the story of the unique culture and growing team, including their challenges and wins.
"Tom's efforts are key in maintaining productivity, making gains in efficiencies as a team, and overall making our plant a great place to work with positive energy," Plant Manager Emily Wegner said.
Tom is skilled at giving his supervisors the tools they need to leverage diversity of thought, background, values, and talents from team members so that both day and night shifts can deliver the best. He sees the team's full potential now and where it can be in the future, and he drives the team to grow.
Thank you, Tom, for being a servant leader and driving us forward. You help us focus on challenges ahead and make things happen every day, and you are an awesome example of our true potential as a team.
— Emily Wegner, Plant Manager
Tom brings a unique energy and skillset to the team that helps make everyone feel valued, and he finds ways to ensure that all team members are working together to solve challenges.