Christian Gallardo is a great example of how perseverance can help one overcome obstacles. Over the past nine years, he has gone from a floor assembler on a specialty program for the Japanese Air Self-Defense (JASD) to running several of the largest and most complex processes at Thermal-Vac Technology. Overseeing more than 20 percent of the total staff, he leads, manages, and holds accountable a team that generates high quality outputs for very discerning customers.

His operational accomplishments are extensive. First, he implemented an electronic real-time visual job board tracking system to improve visibility into processes and to quickly remove roadblocks to productivity. Additionally, he designed an accountability metric system to drive higher-quality, shorter-lead times, and increase employee engagement. He has also unified several disjointed processes into a cohesive unit with cross-trained team members that can easily flex with work volume and priority.

Beyond these contributions, Christian is a leader, having become the first mid-level manager to lead a Level 10 meeting of his peers, the hallmark of extreme ownership coming out of the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS). He is a graduate of MTI’s renown YES Program, graduated in the inaugural “How to be a Great Boss” program, and has completed many of the specialized MTI training certification programs throughout his time at Thermal-Vac.

Nominated by: Thermal-Vac Technology, Inc.