Better. Faster. Cheaper. When you talk to Tony Kramer, it won’t take long for you to hear those three words. In Kramer’s world – as the global director of Caterpillar’s Lean Center of Excellence – this is the language he and the team of Lean professionals rely on as they carry out their mission across the enterprise. While Kramer is fairly new to Caterpillar, Lean is not. So how does Michigan guy who could’ve easily spent his career in the auto-manufacturing business, bring a fresh and urgent approach to the Lean way of working? In this new year’s first edition of our corporate podcast, Beyond the Numbers, host Rusty Dunn hangs out with Kramer for his take on starting small, listening big, and never underestimating our ability to solve problems.

Jay Walton is not a military veteran. But he has about 300 years of military experience at his disposal as the leader of Caterpillar Defense. This team operates with a unique mission and purpose statement, our solutions help our customers defend a better world. Caterpillar Defense is the world's foremost supplier of earthmoving equipment, engines and power generators for government agencies and military forces. From the battlefield to disaster recovery, Caterpillar Defense take on challenging tasks in some of the most adverse and diverse environments around the world.

Growing up the youngest of eleven kids on an Indiana dairy farm, Karl Weiss was interested in finding adventure beyond the family business. Currently Caterpillar's Chief Technology Officer and vice president of the Innovation & Technology Division, Weiss talks about his 30+ year journey at the only company he would work for in his career. Weiss extols the power of servant leadership and why he is a disciplined practitioner of what Weiss calls the 90-day rule. And for Weiss, it's customer first and customer last.

Nobumi Toyoura is not a musician. He has never led an orchestra. But you could say he is a conductor. As the general manager of operations at the Caterpillar Excavation Division’s Akashi manufacturing plant, Toyoura does plenty of directing on a daily basis. An engineer by training, you might be surprised to learn that Caterpillar is the first and only company Toyoura has worked for – with 30 years to his credit! Yet his professional path has been a unique one as Toyoura talks about treating everyday as a learning experience. In this latest edition of the Caterpillar Podcast, Toyoura sits down with host Rusty Dunn to share his career journey and what it’s like to be in charge of running what is considered to be the company’s flagship manufacturing facility for hydraulic excavators.

Experienced supply chain management professional Wendy Gentry-Stuenkel talks about her transition from 25+ years in the automotive industry to being the new director of integrated logistics at Caterpillar's Product Support & Logistics Division (PSLD). Sitting in front of the Experienced Professionals Employee Resource Group, Wendi talks with Podcast host Rusty Dunn about the importance of collaboration, curiosity, being a good listener, and always willing to learn.

From cars to construction equipment, Ogi Redzic has an extensive background in all-things digital. In this Caterpillar Podcast, Ogi talks with host Rusty Dunn about what drew him to Caterpillar and how the digital team will bring a builder mentality to working on things that are foundational to the company's future.

Caterpillar Chief Human Resources Officer Cheryl Johnson talks about her life and career leading up to her taking on the CHRO role at Caterpillar in 2017.

Caterpillar Inc. Vice President Raymond Chan, who has responsibility for the Asia Pacific, CIS, Africa & Middle East Distribution Services Division (ACAM) talks about his life and career including learning the importance of listening instead of talking, and encouraging his employees to be better tomorrow than they were yesterday.

Luis Hernandez, Caterpillar’s Mexico country manager and Nuevo Laredo remanufacturing operations manager, joins the Caterpillar Podcast to talk about remanufacturing and Caterpillar in Mexico.

Program Guide:

1:35 - "Never be ashamed of your accent" – Luis shares upbringing in Nuevo Laredo, and the connections between the U.S. and Mexico

6:12 - Luis shares about a piece of paper that helped lead him to where he is now, influencing his career as an engineer and leader

9:04 - How Luis joined Caterpillar; hear how someone took a chance on Luis for a career changing role

12:30 - What does a country manager do at Caterpillar? Hear Luis describe his role as Caterpillar's Mexico country manager

15:00 - Luis's passion for employee experience led to award-winning efforts. Learn why Luis is passionate about all employees having equal opportunities

17:20 - Luis leads the Nuevo Laredo remanufacturing facility. Learn what remanufacturing is and how it drives value for our customers

22:10 - Caterpillar has had a presence in Mexico for a long time; hear how Luis and other leaders in Mexico ensure collaboration across organizations within Caterpillar in Mexico.

Dave Walton, vice president of Caterpillar Inc. and president of Caterpillar Financial Services Corporation, joins the Caterpillar Podcast to share how Cat Financial serves customers when they need it most. Also hear Dave's soul-searching moment in the This or That segment.

Program Guide:

1:50 – Hear why Caterpillar has a finance arm in Nashville, and a separate quarterly release

6:45 – From collections to president – hear what Dave has learned on his Cat Financial journey

9:50 - Family undeniably influences what we become; learn how Dave's parents played a role in his story of coming to Caterpillar

11:34 - THIS OR THAT SEGMENT: Hear Dave's soul-searching moment as he chooses between John Wayne and Clint Eastwood, and hockey or soccer and more

14:05 – Hear how Cat Financial lends to customers large and small, when they need it most

17:40 - Dave shares a story about how Cat Financial helped a customer starting with a single used dozer and grew to hundreds of machines and almost 1000 people

19:00 - Cat Financial to dealers: "We want them to have confidence that their customer is in better hands with us than anyone else."

20:50 - In times like natural disasters, Cat Financial focuses on ensuring the welfare and safety of their customers

25:25 – Hear how Cat Financial is a leader in creating an empowered environment for employees