On Time in Full

As newer workers enter the workforce, more focus and value is put on company culture. A positive company culture directly relates to higher job satisfaction, which can have all sorts of positive effects. How has one man’s journey in the product design industry led him to truly value company culture?

On the newest episode of On Time in Full, a podcast by Designed Conveyor Systems, host Gabrielle Bejarano speaks with Brian Stewart, an Engineering Supervisor of Product Design with DCS, about Stewart’s own journey and how DCS stands out from the industry. The two discuss…

• How the expansion of the e-commerce industry comes with challenges that require innovative solutions
• What a day in the life of an Engineering Supervisor of Product Design looks like at DCS
• How DCS company culture positively impacts career growth and progression

“At DCS, it is, I feel like it is more of an employee-centered…company and…knowing that and going through it, realizing that you have the support from management, you have the support from other people in the company, that the ultimate goal is to make the employee experience the best…,” said Stewart.

Stewart leads the Product Design team at DCS with over twenty years of experience in the technology design industry. Prior to his role with DCS, Stewart worked as an Equipment Designer for Turnkey Processing Solutions and as a 3D CAD Designer for Tate Ornamental.

Tyler Kern sits down with Program Manager, Michael Horvath, on this episode of On Time In Full, brought to you by Designed Conveyor Systems.

• Successful project managers at DCS are willing to jump in and face challenges head on.
• As the role has shifted to remote and hybrid project managers have to fill the gap and ensure everyone has essential information.
• Communication has always been a key part of the project manager role and knowing what information is pertinent to what groups is a huge part of that.

“Sometimes projects take a turn or we encounter unexpected roadblocks the willingness to just jump in and get gritty, get dirty, and lead your team,” said Horvath. Project managers who approach the job with this mindset are the ones who are most successful and have the best trajectories at Designed Conveyor Systems.

Michael Horvath is a Program Manager at DCS. He started as an intern between his junior and senior year of college at the University of Illinois, college of engineering. Returned full time after graduation, started in a project lifecycle, with spare parts orders and sending clients updated manuals. He collaborated with other PMs in the office and worked his way up the project management ladder. His twelve year career with Designed Conveyor System gives him robust insight on the role and recent changes.

The modern project manager has changed in recent years as new variables have been introduced, and the world has been in flux. Like many roles, day-to-day schedules have become more hybrid and a project manager has to fill the gap because “You can’t rely on everyone hearing through the grapevine at the office anymore,” said Michael Hovrath, Program Manger at Designed Conveyor Systems. Time calls it “unprecedented opportunity right now to reinvent, to create workplace culture almost from scratch.” We’re examining how one specific role, project management and Designed Conveyor Systems has shifted and new expectations of the role.

Tyler Kern sits down with Program Manager, Michael Horvath, on this episode of On Time In Full, brought to you by Designed Conveyor Systems.

• Successful project managers at DCS are willing to jump in and face challenges head on.
• As the role has shifted to remote and hybrid project managers have to fill the gap and ensure everyone has essential information.
• Communication has always been a key part of the project manager role and knowing what information is pertinent to what groups is a huge part of that.

“Sometimes projects take a turn or we encounter unexpected roadblocks the willingness to just jump in and get gritty, get dirty, and lead your team,” said Horvath. Project managers who approach the job with this mindset are the ones who are most successful and have the best trajectories at Designed Conveyor Systems.

Michael Horvath is a Program Manager at DCS. He started as an intern between his junior and senior year of college at the University of Illinois, college of engineering. Returned full time after graduation, started in a project lifecycle, with spare parts orders and sending clients updated manuals. He collaborated with other PMs in the office and worked his way up the project management ladder. His twelve year career with Designed Conveyor System gives him robust insight on the role and recent changes.

The modern project manager has changed in recent years as new variables have been introduced, and the world has been in flux. Like many roles, day-to-day schedules have become more hybrid and a project manager has to fill the gap because “You can’t rely on everyone hearing through the grapevine at the office anymore,” said Michael Hovrath, Program Manger at Designed Conveyor Systems. Time calls it “unprecedented opportunity right now to reinvent, to create workplace culture almost from scratch.” We’re examining how one specific role, project management and Designed Conveyor Systems has shifted and new expectations of the role.

Tyler Kern sits down with Program Manager, Michael Horvath, on this episode of On Time In Full, brought to you by Designed Conveyor Systems.

• Successful project managers at DCS are willing to jump in and face challenges head on.
• As the role has shifted to remote and hybrid project managers have to fill the gap and ensure everyone has essential information.
• Communication has always been a key part of the project manager role and knowing what information is pertinent to what groups is a huge part of that.

“Sometimes projects take a turn or we encounter unexpected roadblocks the willingness to just jump in and get gritty, get dirty, and lead your team,” said Horvath. Project managers who approach the job with this mindset are the ones who are most successful and have the best trajectories at Designed Conveyor Systems.

Michael Horvath is a Program Manager at DCS. He started as an intern between his junior and senior year of college at the University of Illinois, college of engineering. Returned full time after graduation, started in a project lifecycle, with spare parts orders and sending clients updated manuals. He collaborated with other PMs in the office and worked his way up the project management ladder. His twelve year career with Designed Conveyor System gives him robust insight on the role and recent changes.

DJ Hughes, a current armed forces reserve officer with twenty years of active-duty service, transitioned into project management fifteen years ago. In a recent interview with host Tyler Kern, Hughes discussed how his military experience prepared him for a career in project management.

Having worked in operations management and project management roles in various companies, Hughes joined the Design Conveyor Systems team about a year ago. While the skills acquired in the military laid the foundation for his transition, he had to adjust to a different pace in civilian project management. In the military, a sense of urgency is emphasized, but in project management, a steady and sequential approach is crucial to achieve project goals.

Hughes highlighted the importance of leadership and mission accomplishment in both the military and project management. The mission mentality, with its focus on requirements, training, and adherence to budgets, translates well into the project-based mindset. Veterans are accustomed to shifting between tactical and strategic levels, which aligns with the planning aspect of project management.

Clear communication is a critical aspect of military operations, and Hughes emphasized its importance in project management as well. Early planning stages should outline communication expectations, ensuring that everyone understands the goal and the execution required to achieve it.

Overall, veterans bring valuable skills and mindsets to project management, making them well-equipped to handle the challenges and requirements of project-based work.

Modular is having a moment and the motivations are clear. Modular is easy to assemble, adaptable and avoids supply chain disruptions. Now, Designed Conveyer Systems offers a modular conveyor system option. Host Tyler Kern spoke with Designed Conveyor System’s Todd Jones, VP of Project Delivery, and Meg Culler Smith, CP of Engineering on the topic of modular conveyor system pieces.

“A modular conveyor system is a complete conveyor system designed to transport a variety of products. But the trick is that it’s put together from a very few basic building blocks of conveyers,” said Meg Culler Smith, Vice President of Engineering. The modular building blocks include straight sections, curves, merges, diverts, lift gates, herringbone sections, and more. The units arrive assembled and pre-wired. Once the sections are put together and plugged in, the system is ready to be used. “These are fairly simple systems. There’s not a lot of sophisticated electronics, which is the primary driver of supply chain issues today,” said Todd Jones, Vice President of Project Delivery. The modular conveyor system comes in standard sizes. They are not made to order but readily available.

One particular DCS client opted for the modular conveyor system while waiting for its permanent solution. The modular system will be built outside of the permanent system's footprint, so the site can be up and running before the permanent elements are ready. Once the permanent system is tested and running, the company can take down the modular design, store it as a backup, move it to a new site, or resell it.

“These systems let you do more, with less,” said Jones. With fewer technical elements, the modular conveyor system doesn’t need highly skilled laborers to put the systems together. They’re easy to assemble and disassemble. The systems are cost-effective, flexible, and quick to implement. “Some people like to call them legos, any of those kinds of modular toys that you had as a child. Because these pieces are all designed to connect to each other in various configurations, so, you know, if you can dream it, you can build it,” said Smith.

Modular is having a moment and the motivations are clear. Modular is easy to assemble, adaptable and avoids supply chain disruptions. Now, Designed Conveyer Systems offers a modular conveyor system option. Host Tyler Kern spoke with Designed Conveyor System’s Todd Jones, VP of Project Delivery, and Meg Culler Smith, CP of Engineering on the topic of modular conveyor system pieces. 

“A modular conveyor system is a complete conveyor system designed to transport a variety of products. But the trick is that it’s put together from a very few basic building blocks of conveyers,” said Meg Culler Smith, Vice President of Engineering. The modular building blocks include straight sections, curves, merges, diverts, lift gates, herringbone sections, and more. The units arrive assembled and pre-wired. Once the sections are put together and plugged in, the system is ready to be used. “These are fairly simple systems. There’s not a lot of sophisticated electronics, which is the primary driver of supply chain issues today,” said Todd Jones, Vice President of Project Delivery. The modular conveyor system comes in standard sizes. They are not made to order but readily available. 

One particular DCS client opted for the modular conveyor system while waiting for its permanent solution. The modular system will be built outside of the permanent system's footprint, so the site can be up and running before the permanent elements are ready. Once the permanent system is tested and running, the company can take down the modular design, store it as a backup, move it to a new site, or resell it.  

“These systems let you do more, with less,” said Jones. With fewer technical elements, the modular conveyor system doesn’t need highly skilled laborers to put the systems together. They’re easy to assemble and disassemble. The systems are cost-effective, flexible, and quick to implement. “Some people like to call them legos, any of those kinds of modular toys that you had as a child. Because these pieces are all designed to connect to each other in various  configurations, so, you know, if you can dream it, you can build it,” said Smith.  

Veterans retire with a variety of skills under their belt. These skills form a natural path from the military into the civilian workforce, particularly translating to project management. To talk about this overlap, DJ Hughes, a current armed forces reserve officer with twenty years of active-duty service under his belt, talks to host Tyler Kern about his transition into project management fifteen years ago.

“In my civilian career, I have done work in operations management and project management roles in a variety of companies. I have served in the Military Reserve,” said Hughes. He joined the Design Conveyor Systems team about a year ago.

The overlap lays the foundation, but Hughes has had some adjustments to make around pace. “It’s drilled into you to move with a sense of urgency in military training,” said Hughes. There’s good reason for it in the military, “but shifting can be difficult.” Project management requires a steady pace that consistently considers the overarching project goals and completes steps sequentially.

In project management and frontline work, “Leadership is critical, but we must accomplish our mission, the tasks in front of us,” said Hughes, “This mission mentality translates well into a project-based mindset because you have requirements, training that needs to happen, budgets that you must adhere to.”

Veterans are used to training and shifting from tactical to strategic levels. In project management, it’s all about planning. You have the proper plans in place. You understand what needs to be accomplished.

Communication is critical in the Army, Navy, and Air Force. “Always giving your intent, your mission. It’s clear from the person at the top to the soldier that they understand the ‘why,’’” said Hughes. Critical parts of project management outline communication expectations in the early planning stages. Through a project, communication must be clear. “We all have to understand the goal and how we’re going to execute to get there,” said Hughes.

Veterans retire with a variety of skills under their belt. These skills form a natural path from the military into the civilian workforce, particularly translating to project management. To talk about this overlap, DJ Hughes, a current armed forces reserve officer with twenty years of active-duty service under his belt, talks to host Tyler Kern about his transition into project management fifteen years ago.

“In my civilian career, I have done work in operations management and project management roles in a variety of companies. I have served in the Military Reserve,” said Hughes. He joined the Design Conveyor Systems team about a year ago.

The overlap lays the foundation, but Hughes has had some adjustments to make around pace. “It’s drilled into you to move with a sense of urgency in military training,” said Hughes. There’s good reason for it in the military, “but shifting can be difficult.” Project management requires a steady pace that consistently considers the overarching project goals and completes steps sequentially.

In project management and frontline work, “Leadership is critical, but we must accomplish our mission, the tasks in front of us,” said Hughes, “This mission mentality translates well into a project-based mindset because you have requirements, training that needs to happen, budgets that you must adhere to.”

Veterans are used to training and shifting from tactical to strategic levels. In project management, it’s all about planning. You have the proper plans in place. You understand what needs to be accomplished.

Communication is critical in the Army, Navy, and Air Force. “Always giving your intent, your mission. It’s clear from the person at the top to the soldier that they understand the ‘why,’’” said Hughes. Critical parts of project management outline communication expectations in the early planning stages. Through a project, communication must be clear. “We all have to understand the goal and how we’re going to execute to get there,” said Hughes.

Veterans retire with a variety of skills under their belt. These skills form a natural path from the military into the civilian workforce, particularly translating to project management. To talk about this overlap, DJ Hughes, a current armed forces reserve officer with twenty years of active-duty service under his belt, talks to host Tyler Kern about his transition into project management fifteen years ago.

“In my civilian career, I have done work in operations management and project management roles in a variety of companies. I have served in the Military Reserve,” said Hughes. He joined the Design Conveyor Systems team about a year ago.

The overlap lays the foundation, but Hughes has had some adjustments to make around pace. “It’s drilled into you to move with a sense of urgency in military training,” said Hughes. There’s good reason for it in the military, “but shifting can be difficult.” Project management requires a steady pace that consistently considers the overarching project goals and completes steps sequentially.

In project management and frontline work, “Leadership is critical, but we must accomplish our mission, the tasks in front of us,” said Hughes, “This mission mentality translates well into a project-based mindset because you have requirements, training that needs to happen, budgets that you must adhere to.”

Veterans are used to training and shifting from tactical to strategic levels. In project management, it’s all about planning. You have the proper plans in place. You understand what needs to be accomplished.

Communication is critical in the Army, Navy, and Air Force. “Always giving your intent, your mission. It’s clear from the person at the top to the soldier that they understand the ‘why,’’” said Hughes. Critical parts of project management outline communication expectations in the early planning stages. Through a project, communication must be clear. “We all have to understand the goal and how we’re going to execute to get there,” said Hughes.