Oregon Manufacturing Extension Partnership Hires New Eugene-based Consultant
Michelle Knepel will work with Eugene/Springfield-area manufacturers to address business challenges and implement systems for continuous improvement
EUGENE, Ore.—The Oregon Manufacturing Extension Partnership (OMEP) announced that it has hired a new Eugene-based consultant to serve manufacturing companies in Eugene/Springfield and Lane County. OMEP, which is headquartered in Portland, has hired Michelle Knepel to lead the nonprofit’s manufacturing consulting work in the southern Willamette Valley. The manufacturing industry employs more than 14,000 Lane County residents.
“I’m pleased to have Michelle join our team of consultants and to be an anchor and resource for Eugene/Springfield-area manufacturers,” said OMEP President Aaron Fox. “Lane County is a special market for manufacturing in our state that continues to provide high-paying jobs for Oregonians. I look forward to helping local businesses increase their technology acumen, grow sales and improve their strategic plans.”
“I look forward to helping local businesses increase their technology acumen, grow sales and improve their strategic plans.”
OMEP has partnered with more than 1,000 manufacturing companies throughout the state to address business challenges in the areas of business financials and strategy, workforce solutions, operational efficiency and advanced manufacturing technologies. Staff are based throughout the state to help businesses in urban and rural settings, located in Portland, Salem, Eugene, Roseburg, Medford and Bend.
Since 2002, OMEP clients have seen nearly $1.6 billion in increased or retained sales and the organization has supported 13,000 Oregon manufacturing jobs through direct, indirect and induced employment. There are more than 5,000 manufacturing companies in the state, and over 80 percent have fewer than 50 employees.
Knepel comes to Eugene from Chicago, where she worked for Ernst & Young as a performance improvement manager. Prior to that, she worked for Herman Miller in Holland, Mich., Kraft Foods Group in Madison, Wis., and General Motors in Detroit, Mich. She has nine years of experience planning, directing and coordinating the work activities and resources used in manufacturing.
She has led high performance teams in both union and non-union environments in the automotive, fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) and furniture sectors, and is well versed in value stream mapping, root cause identification and continuous improvement. She earned her Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and an MBA from the University of Notre Dame. Knepel is a certified Six Sigma Green Belt and a Certified Internal Auditor (CIA).
About OMEP
The Oregon Manufacturing Extension Partnership (OMEP) is a not-for-profit organization that works side-by-side with Oregon manufacturers to help them build successful businesses. With their roots in lean as a business operating philosophy, OMEP helps manufacturers address challenges in the areas of workforce solutions, business financials and strategy, and operational excellence. As a member of the MEP National Network, OMEP is one of 51 Manufacturing Extension Partnership Centers nationwide. They receive state, federal and private funding to assist small and mid-sized manufacturers in business transformation. Since 2002, OMEP’s work with manufacturing businesses supported 13,000 jobs through direct, indirect and induced employment, and $2.7 billion in economic impact. OMEP clients have seen nearly $1.6 billion in increased or retained sales. And in Oregon, nearly 20 percent of the gross state product comes from manufacturing, among the top 7 highest in the U.S. For more information, visit www.omep.org.
