Results--Mane, Inc.

Client Results: Mane, Inc.

8300 Bridle Road
Cincinnati, OH 45244
513.324.6279
FAX 513.474.3935
info@think-fink.com

Flavor company builds an effective organization with guidance from Fink, Inc.

Ken Hunter is on a mission.

In 2001—when he joined Mane, Inc., in Milford, Ohio, as president—Hunter quickly realized that the company needed to place stronger emphasis on organizational development.

A leading multinational flavor and fragrance provider, Mane purchased the business approximately four years ago to strengthen its presence in the American market. The Milford site was expanded and now functions as the headquarters for parent company V. Mane Fils’ US flavor operations. The plant produces both flavor and seasoning blends for the food, beverage and pharmaceutical industries.

With the purchase and operational changes, the company needed help establishing new focus and direction.

“From the beginning, I promised to deliver effective training and development opportunities for the entire company,” says Hunter. “What had to be conveyed was the importance of teamwork, communication, continuous improvement, professionalism, and the value Mane places on the growth and development of our people.”

Of paramount importance to Hunter was finding an outside consultant who didn’t rely upon a “canned” training approach. Upon the recommendation of Mane’s Human Resources Director, Marlene Cook, Hunter called Chuck Fink, owner of Fink, Inc., a Cincinnati-based corporate training firm. Fink was charged with creating a customized set of training activities to bring Hunter’s vision into focus.

“Prior to Ken Hunter, the plant lacked formal organizational structures, systems and sound business practices,” explains Fink. “Ken, Marlene, and I worked together as change agents to tie training and organizational effectiveness to the new direction set forth for the company.”

Fink developed a company-wide customer service training initiative that emphasized communication across departments, and teamwork to improve customer satisfaction. The situation was particularly challenging, as the company simultaneously turned over half its workforce to improve its talent base. All 70 employees at the Milford facility have participated in the sessions.

“Chuck has really taken the time to understand our vision, values, and business challenges, and then truly customized his delivery and programs against these objectives,” says Hunter. “I’ve never felt like Chuck gave us a plain vanilla program, and that’s key.”

Hunter was so pleased with the improvements saw in employee morale, teamwork, communication, and attitude, he invited Fink back to conduct training in effective performance appraisals and process, setting goals, and interviewing techniques. The company also flew Fink to their Oakland, California plant (acquired at the same time as the Milford facility) to conduct the same customer service training program with the 30 employees located there.

“Chuck has done a great job of learning our business, understanding what it takes to be successful, and using that as his foundation to deliver programs that truly target the needs and requirements of Mane, Inc.,” continues Hunter. “You can see Chuck really taking the onus to teach, to communicate, and to engage. It’s critically important to our company’s success as we operate against a very tough set of industry and customer challenges.”

Fink has further developed programs to train senior managers inside the company so they can continue staff development initiatives.

“We tie our work into a master plan that is cost effective and hits the exact targets defined by the management team,” concludes Fink. “By working closely with senior management, we have become the outside insider!”

For more information about Chuck Fink and Fink, Inc., please call (513) 324-6279, or fill out the contact form.