Episode 6: Lean Principles and Championship Success with Alan Goodman (Part 1)
Lean principles can be applied anywhere—from basketball courts to bakery kitchens. In Episode 6 of Quality Time with MoreSteam, Alan Goodman, Instructional Chair for Quality Engineering & Technology at Milwaukee Area Technical College, shares his unique journey through Lean Six Sigma, consulting, and award-winning desserts.
Alan recounts his participation in Rocky II, working at the Philadelphia Stock Exchange, and his pivotal role in the Milwaukee Bucks’ championship season. He also discusses how Lean principles helped him start and grow A Goodman’s Desserts, proving that process improvement can make life sweeter in more ways than one.
Whether you’re a sports fan, a dessert lover, or someone passionate about Lean, this episode is filled with inspiration and practical insights.
In this episode you will hear about:
1:32 - Alan's participation in Rocky II
4:55 - Alan's educational background
9:35 - Working at the Philadelphia Stock Exchange
14:09 - Thinking about process improvement
16:17 - Starting A Goodman's Desserts
21:55 - Alan's association with the Milwaukee Bucks
26:47 - The road to the championship
29:34 - Continuing to build A Goodman's Desserts
Additional Resources
Developing the Next Generation of Lean Problem Solvers
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Lean Thinking: The Most Important Leadership Skill that Your Kids Don't Know
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Host • MoreSteam
Dan Swartwout is the host of Quality Time with MoreSteam. A lifelong Central Ohio resident, Dan is a double Buckeye. He earned both a BA and a law degree from The Ohio State University. Before joining MoreSteam, Dan had a long career as a host, comedian, and master of ceremonies. For 17 years, Dan was the studio audience host for the Ohio Lottery game show Cash Explosion. Dan was also the host of CBuzz, which was a collaboration between the Columbus Chamber of Commerce, WWCD 92.9, and the Columbus Dispatch. On CBuzz, Dan interviewed some of the most prominent entrepreneurs in Central Ohio. From 2002-2020, Dan toured the country as a standup comedian. Tracks from his comedy CD have been played over 5,000 times on Sirius/XM satellite radio. Now, Dan brings his experience and enthusiasm to Quality Time with MoreSteam -- it's business and fun, together.
Instructional Chair - Quality Engineering & Technology • Milwaukee Area Technical College
Alan Goodman is the department head and full-time instructor with the Quality Engineering & Technology Department at Milwaukee Area Technical College. Alan has held various leadership positions throughout his career, with impactful results in client-facing roles, process improvement initiatives, and team management. His experience includes leading a new business to its first net profit, helping a school district resolve a complex billing issue, and implementing a process improvement program at a major corporation.
