Logan, Utah, March 7, 2025 — The Shingo Academy is a distinguished group of individuals who have dedicated their careers to advancing organizational excellence. Recognized for their leadership and contributions to industry best practices, Academy members serve as ambassadors for the Shingo Institute, promoting the principles of the Shingo Model™ and fostering a culture of continuous improvement. Through speaking engagements, research, mentorship, and resource development, they actively support organizations in their pursuit of excellence.
“The Academy is the Shingo Institute’s version of a Hall of Fame. We are very excited to welcome these new members into the Academy during this year’s Annual Shingo Conference,” said Ken Snyder, executive director of the Institute. “These individuals are exceptional members of the Shingo community and are devoted to teaching and practicing the principles of organizational excellence.”
In addition to celebrating new Academy members, the Shingo Institute is proud to recognize the next generation of excellence advocates through the Shingo Rising Star Award. “The Shingo Rising Star Award is a recognition that highlights individuals who, though early in their careers as organizational excellence professionals, have already made significant contributions to the Lean community,” said Snyder. “The recipients have shown their dedication to Lean principles as they significantly impact their organizations in a variety of ways by advocating the Shingo Model and the mission of the Shingo Institute. We look forward to recognizing the Shingo Institute’s Rising Star recipients at the 37th Annual Shingo Conference.”
The Shingo Institute, a program in the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business at Utah State University, is proud to announce the recipients of the 2025 Shingo Rising Star Award and the latest inductees into the Shingo Academy. These distinguished individuals will be honored at the 37th Annual Shingo Conference Awards Gala, scheduled for April 29, 2025, in Provo, Utah, USA.
Shingo Rising Star Award Recipients
The Shingo Rising Star Award recognizes emerging leaders who have demonstrated a commitment to organizational excellence and the principles of the Shingo Model. This year's honorees are:
Alisha Garrett, Chief Enterprise Strategy Officer, Utah Transit Authority (UTA)
Alisha Garrett leads organizational excellence at UTA by aligning people, processes, technology, leadership, and strategic priorities. With a background spanning retail, finance, hospitality, logistics, and transportation, she focuses on fostering employee and customer-centric strategies. Recognized by Mass Transit's Top 40 under 40 in 2020, Alisha has driven significant process improvements and cultural transformations during her 13-year tenure at UTA.
Guillem Sivecas, Operations Expert, McKinsey & Company
Guillem Sivecas began his career in civil engineering before transitioning to operational consulting. Based in Santiago de Chile, he has over a decade of experience leading Lean transformations across various industries, including mining, retail, airlines, and oil and gas. His efforts have contributed to several organizations achieving Shingo recognition.
Jason Barnes, U.S. Head of CEx Transformation and Technology Enablement, Sysco
With over 15 years of experience in transformation and operational excellence, Jason Barnes has driven success across banking, insurance, technology, and food service industries. At Sysco, he develops optimization programs to enhance customer and colleague experiences while delivering financial results. Jason holds a BS and MBA from Illinois State University and various professional certifications.
Michael Simons, Vice President of Operations, Bullfrog Spas
Michael Simons oversees manufacturing, product development, process engineering, quality, and supply chain teams at Bullfrog Spas. With over 25 years of leadership experience across diverse industries, including oil and gas, food and beverage, and semiconductors, he is passionate about continuous improvement and developing teams that drive meaningful change.
Omar Paredes Baltazar, Operational Excellence Facilitator, Lensys Training Center
Omar Paredes is an industrial engineer and business developer with nearly a decade of experience in operational excellence across the automotive and food industries. As a consultant, he has played a key role in developing and implementing operational excellence programs at Lensys Training Center. Omar is also an industrial engineering professor and Shingo Alumni, working toward becoming a fully certified Shingo facilitator.
Phil Meekins, General Manager, ASSA ABLOY Curries
Phil Meekins leads the Curries Division at ASSA ABLOY Opening Solutions. With a proven track record across various aspects of manufacturing and business leadership, he focuses on strategic planning and tactical execution. Phil holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Occupational Safety from Iowa State University.
Steven Taylor, Vice President of Manufacturing, TIDI Products
Steven Taylor has 20 years of leadership experience across multiple industries. At TIDI Products, he is committed to servant leadership, fostering team growth, and developing talent to achieve their full potential. Steven's leadership philosophy emphasizes mentorship, support, and empowerment, ensuring teams feel valued and equipped to drive sustainable improvements.
Shingo Academy Inductees
The Shingo Academy honors individuals who have dedicated their careers to achieving organizational excellence and promoting the principles of the Shingo Model. This year's inductees are:
Helen Zak
With 40 years of Lean leadership experience across industries, including automotive, capital equipment, nonprofit, and healthcare, Helen Zak has been a longtime advocate of the Shingo Institute. She has served as a Shingo Examiner since 2004, a member of its Executive Advisory Board from 2009 to 2019, and its Research Director since 2022. Helen has held leadership roles at Value Capture, Catalysis, and the Lean Enterprise Institute, contributing significantly to the global spread of Lean principles.
Morgan Jones
Morgan Jones has over 30 years of experience implementing Lean and Six Sigma across diverse industries. A Chartered Engineer, Certified Master Black Belt, Master Lean Practitioner, Executive Coach, and Shingo Prize Examiner, Dr. Jones has delivered over $2.21 billion in hard savings while enhancing customer and employee experiences. He has authored multiple award-winning books and is recognized as a thought leader in behavioral transformation.
Sheila Montney
Sheila Montney founded Win Together® LLC in 2020 to help communities build sustainable cultures of excellence. With a 35-year career in the private sector, she led transformational work as an executive in operations, technology, and enabling functions for State Farm’s financial services product lines. Sheila also holds a nonpartisan City Council seat in Bloomington, Illinois, and is passionate about delivering results aligned with constituent values.
The Shingo Institute congratulates these outstanding individuals for their contributions to organizational excellence and looks forward to celebrating their achievements at the 37th Annual Shingo Conference.
About the Shingo Institute
The Shingo Institute administers the Shingo Prize, an award recognizing organizations demonstrating an exceptional culture of fostering continuous improvement. A program of the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business at Utah State University, the Shingo Institute is named after Japanese industrial engineer and Toyota adviser Shigeo Shingo. Dr. Shingo distinguished himself as one of the world’s thought leaders in the concepts, systems, and improvement techniques known as the Toyota Production System (TPS).
Drawing from Dr. Shingo’s teachings and years of experience working with organizations worldwide, the Shingo Institute developed the Shingo Model™, the basis for its educational offerings, including workshops, study tours, and conferences. Workshops are available in multiple languages through the Institute’s Licensed Affiliates. For more information on workshops and affiliates or to register to attend the Annual Shingo Conference, please visit https://shingo.org.
Media Contact:
Mary Price, Events and Marketing Director
Shingo Institute
Phone: +1.435.760.0711
Email: mary.price@usu.edu
Optional footer text. If none, Advanced > Layout > Display: None
