Unlocking Production Excellence: An Inside Look at Team Solutions’ 4 Member Production Management Team

In most manufacturing companies, the role of the Production Manager is a critical role required for the success of the organization.  The Production Manager oversees the production process as well as all production equipment, activities, and resources.  They also ensure workflow meets all quality and time requirements.

Recently, Team Solutions Dental announced the creation of a Production Management Team - a group of experienced subject matter experts to lead and oversee the various areas of production for TSD.  

The Production Management Team is responsible for upholding billing and financial goals, maintaining a consistent flow of cases throughout the lab, and ensuring quality and customer satisfaction. 

Before we explore why Team Solutions decided to form a production management team instead of having one individual fill the role of Production Manager, let's review the history behind the role of Production Manager here at Team Solutions over the past few years.  

Melissa Parziale, Director of Human Resources, joined Team Solutions Dental in July of 2020 - smack in the middle of the  COVID Pandemic and directly following the state shutdown.  Having been a career recruiter for much of her career, she was briefed by the President and Co-Founder of the company, Jason DeFranco, that he wanted her to fill three important Production roles with strong candidates  from outside of the industry. These roles were: Quality Control Manager, Customer Service Manager, and Production Manager. He wanted to gain an outside perspective from seasoned professionals who were successful in these roles within other industries. 

After conducting a job analysis of the roles to understand what they would need the candidates in each role to do, Melissa went straight to work on creating job descriptions and searching for  these candidates. She knew there were lines of people who had lost their jobs during the pandemic who would love an opportunity like this.  She even enlisted the assistance of an outside recruiter who was unaffiliated with the dental lab industry for access to their database of professionals. 

One by one, candidates with highly decorated resumes who had achieved incredible success as Production Managers in other industries were introduced to us.  Jason DeFranco and Melissa Parziale interviewed them all - hopeful that an outside perspective was exactly what they needed.

The Production Manager role was filled twice by two candidates - one with a background in the industry, having served as a Production Manager at smaller labs around the country, and one from outside the industry. Both were confident in their production management skillset and believed their experience would make them successful as Team Solutions’ first Production Manager, and help move the company forward

Melissa explained that during this time, she was still relatively new to the dental lab industry and had not yet fully grasped how unique the industry was, “I would learn quickly that we are so unique that it would be close to impossible to find someone who was not only qualified to fill these three major roles but who also came with a certain capacity to learn quickly, create boldly, and execute effectively.”

The dental lab industry is a different world than most manufacturing companies, and the way Team Solutions Dental operated made the hunt for the perfect candidate even more challenging. Armed with an unwavering commitment to customer service, an ability to deliver a quality product faster than any other dental lab without the use of specs, blueprints, or other formulated methods of measuring quality, finding someone who could step into these roles - particularly a Production Manager role - would be no easy feat.

The individuals we brought in, despite their impressive resumes and manufacturing careers, were unable to comprehend the complexities of our operations. Without a clear instruction manual and the ability to build from the ground up, they became overwhelmed and, eventually, unsuccessful. The candidate from outside the industry was unfamiliar with the dental lab industry and was  unable to learn the language and meet expectations quickly enough. Likewise, the candidate from inside the industry found it difficult to unlearn her prior habits and adjust to the unique way TSD operates. Neither was able to understand the intricacies of our organization and use that knowledge to positively contribute to the organizational objectives.

The unique culture at Team Solutions is not one that is always easy for others to thrive in.  It’s a special place that requires special people who share a particular mindset and work ethic. Expectations are high - and so are the rewards for exceeding them.  Melissa shared that she witnessed this time and time again with applicants who seemed to have the right qualifications on paper. “The whole experience of attempting to fill these roles highlighted how truly special we are. Whoever took on these responsibilities also had to be special; they had to think differently. They couldn’t be passive or wait for someone to tell them what to do. They had to be able to absorb new information while also performing to the TSD standards.  They had to be able to think quickly, and critically. They needed to be problem-solvers and drive results for the organization.” 

That's a tough recipe to find in one person, and as time went on, the Executive Leadership team had to rethink the entire position in order to achieve the best results.

Jason DeFranco, took a hard look at what he wanted in a Production Manager, and then, as he had done so many times before, he looked to his team of superstars. 

He knew he had a variety of employees with specific skill sets and abilities - people who brought certain abilities, expertise, and perspectives to the table.  Jason DeFranco identified those who perfectly embodied the production management goals of TSD.  These people had experience in the industry, experience in the workflow, and experience with the customers. They already understood the TSD culture, values, and our unique sense of urgency that drives us towards excellence every day.  They also understood what quality was by Team Solutions standards. 

Melissa praises Jason for his way of looking at business challenges from a unique position, “He understands the work on a granular level, understands the components that make up the whole, and after spending a lifetime as a dental technician, dental lab manager, dental lab executive, and now a successful dental lab owner has mastered the art of an efficient dental lab workflow.”

TEAM is in our company name, and after careful evaluation, Jason was confident that he already had the right people for the job.

In January 2023, the Production Management Team was established, and soon after, Team Solutions experienced its most successful month yet in terms of productivity and profitability.

Jason explained his method and strategy in selecting this team, stating that each of the individuals chosen for the Production Management Team represented a specific area of workflow and production expertise within the lab.  

As a result of building this team, there was no required training outside of leadership and guidance from Jason DeFranco as he stepped in to help them grow more deeply into their individual roles and together as a cohesive team. 

So who are these individuals chosen to step into this Production Management Team? 

Meet Keith Moody, Sara Devney, Julie Magnus, and Justin Brewer.

In order to better understand how this group of highly-skilled professionals works together to accomplish the company’s production goals, we sat down with them to discuss their new roles and experience as the newly formed Production Management Team.

We asked them why they believed the Executive Leadership team chose a Production Management Team rather than a singular Production Manager. 

By having a Production Management Team instead of a single Production Manager, Keith Moody, Finishing Supervisor, explains that they can leverage their collective strengths to get tasks accomplished more quickly. Having the four of them allows them to have support to rely on each other and the ability to cover the entire lab’s workflow.

Sara Devney, who has been a part of the company since the day it opened, shares how assembling a team with complementary skills and a better overall working dynamic is critical to successful production management. Sara states that “By working together, we can identify and meet the needs of each department. We each bring something unique to the table, and this job is best done as a collective effort.”

Julie Magnus can attest that Team Solutions' collaborative approach for this role is essential for ensuring all necessary tasks are completed efficiently, “It takes a team of people who know different areas of the production floor to come together and make it work; to be able to keep the production flow going and keep the work moving.”

Jason has a knack for identifying individuals with specialized talents and placing them in roles that maximize their potential. Finding the right people to create this team and fill the open position was a challenge, yet each person's unique attributes have proved invaluable.

Throughout her time at TSD, Sara has established a strong working relationship with the team and lab, serving as a diligent enforcer to ensure the team achieves its desired invoicing, case, and revenue goals. Justin brings a wealth of knowledge on digital technology and is well-versed in the fabrication process, while Keith's 8 years at Team Solutions make him an expert on the company's ins and outs and its objectives. Mags has extensive front-office experience and is well-versed in addressing both our clients' and our technicians' questions and respective challenges. 

The entire Production Management Team is devoted to providing quality results, and feel both professionally and personally invested in the company and the Production Management Team.

Seeing firsthand the lack of success from the previous Production Managers, they each explained why they believed it was difficult to hire for this role.

Sara shared the unique way in which TSD operates: "We are truly a family here, and everyone works in unison to achieve our shared goals. Introducing outsiders who don't understand our culture or our production flow simply doesn't work.” 

“We aren't machines! We're real people doing the work every day.” Sara proudly stated.

Justin and Keith discussed the daunting task of entering the company as a Production Manager. Justin remarked that a newcomer would be met with a whirlwind of adjustment, given the high-paced and technical environment. He added that it is difficult to understand the role until it is seen in action. Keith reinforced Justin's point, noting that it can be a shock for someone to try to comprehend everything and adapt to the company’s unique culture.

The calling to join the Production Management Team elicited a range of emotions from the team members, who had witnessed the past unsuccessful attempts to fill the position. 

Now, they were the ones being asked to put their collective efforts into making it a success...

Mags felt a rush of emotions when she was entrusted with this new responsibility: nervousness, honor, and gratitude for the opportunity to be a part of a team that keeps the lab going. Justin, too, was filled with enthusiasm and apprehension at the prospect of joining the team. He values and is thankful for Chad and Jason's guidance, and is determined to make them proud.

Sarah expressed her excitement for the opportunity but also admitted to feeling fearful, "I watched it not work in the past, so in the back of my mind, there’s the thought of what could happen if we don't succeed?" Still learning as they embark on this journey together, there is always the fear of what can happen if they don’t succeed. However, the team uses this as motivation to always put their best foot forward and lean on each other for support.

Keith fulfills his role on the Production Management Team armed with the assurance that despite the challenges that might present themselves, Jason DeFranco and Chad Holman's leadership would provide the necessary resources and support they needed to ensure the team’s success.
The team is determined to work together to achieve great success for the company. Their enthusiasm is evident, and they look forward to continuing to collaborate and build upon the strong dynamic they have established. 

Justin and Sara both shared they want to ensure the company works as a well-oiled machine, where production runs smoothly, and they know they will hit the billing goal daily without fail.

So what’s the secret to this team’s strong and diverse working dynamic? A commitment to constant communication. They each make sure they are consistently communicating the needs of their respective areas, and the tasks that must be completed to ensure they are always on the same page. While they each have their own set of skills they excel at, they collaborate on everything - working together towards a common goal - and are always willing to lend a hand wherever needed. 

Jason DeFranco knows he made the right choice and is confident in his team. Since forming the 4 member Production Management Team, he states there is more accountability and traceability, “When there is a problem, we know immediately where to go to solve it.”
Seeing the results and remarkable progress they have already accomplished in such a small amount of time raises the TSD bar even higher for what is yet to come and what is expected of the team. 

Our future is only looking brighter as our Production Management Team continues working together - in alignment with the organizational Mission and Vision and in lockstep with our Executive Leadership team to continue providing quality and excellence to the customers we serve.

From Left to Right the Production Management Team: Keith Moody, Sara Devney, Julie Magnus, and Justin Brewer.