TrueNorth™ Consulting specializes in high-impact homebuilding workshops that apply Lean methods for product and process improvement to every part of the organization.
We employ a systematic process to gather insights from all stakeholders, including suppliers and trades. Our approach integrates survey feedback, prepares participants with advance materials, and facilitates team-building, ensuring participants enjoy the experience while achieving lasting personal and organizational growth while securing significant operational improvements.
ALL LEAN PROCESS WORKSHOPS INCLUDE
Detailed set-up process ensures all participants are 100% ready for your workshop, covering all materials, logistics, room requirements, invitation letters, tracking worksheets, and more.
Surveys provide essential feedback from suppliers, trades, and internal constituents, while equipping the facilitators to customize the learning experience as required.
Advanced materials, including reading and brief assignments, ensure participants are prepared for serious discussions during the workshop, utilizing a mix of printed and digital materials.
Built-in follow-
up supports the implementation of improvement ideas generated during the Lean Process workshop and after.
Of all the initiatives we have launched in our 45-year company history, we are most excited about TrueNorth’s Lean. Our TrueNorth coaches were phenomenal, the process is well-honed and effective, and the trade partners and Lean team loved every aspect of it. I give TrueNorth my HIGHEST recommendation and urge every builder to implement it. We calculated that every day we waited to launch the LeanBuilding Blitz was costing us over $8,000 per day. We are aiming to save over a million dollars over the next 12 months using the strategies we learned from our TrueNorth Coaches and our Trade Partners
David Grounds
President & CEO Dorn HomesCONSULTANTS
Our highly skilled consultants with years of experience in Homebuilding and Lean Process implementation, make all the difference. They guide the conversation, helping you and your partners think creatively and, most importantly, talk openly. Even though we work for the builder directly, our consultants are a third-party neutral participant, essential for keeping everyone comfortable during the always productive, but sometimes difficult discussions, while protecting your partner relationships.
SCOTT M. SEDAM
Principal
Scott Sedam founded TrueNorth Development in1997 to focus on product and process improvement in the homebuilding industry. Scott is formerly VP of Quality for Pulte Corporation, examiner for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, and the longest serving examiner for the National Housing Quality Award. Scott is a frequent speaker at NAHB, PCBC, local, state, and provincial HBAs, and other industry meetings. He has also been a Contributing Editor for ProBuilder Magazine for 27 years.
ERIC TIMMIS
Senior Associate & Director of Construction Training
Eric Timmis holds a degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Birmingham in England. He has extensive hands-on experience in value analysis, workshop design and delivery, and project management. He has worked in the United Kingdom, the Middle East, the Bahamas, Canada, and the US. He co-authored the 3-workshop Construction Management Series for homebuilders and the Certified Quality Advisor program, a precursor to the LeanBuilding Blitz™.
HAL PELLER
Senior Associate
Hal founded Pro-Peller Construction, which is recognized for excellence in restoring historic and landmark properties such as the Ellis Island Museum, the Smithsonian Institute Cooper-Hewitt Museum, Central Park Conservancy's Swedish Cottage, and others. His work has appeared in publications like Old House Journal, The New York Landmark Conservancy Restoration Directory, Traditional Building, Architectural Digest, and Victoria Magazine. He has worked with Fortune 500 companies and developed a team-building workshop based on Patrick Lencioni's The Five Dysfunctions of a Team.
OLIN WILSON
Senior Associate
Olin began his homebuilding career at Pulte Homes where he held a variety of local and regional Strategic Marketing positions in the Carolinas, followed by a regional Mid-Atlantic role at Centex Homes. He then was VP Homebuilding for HHHunt Homes, where he assumed executive leadership for existing Virginia homebuilding operations as well as leading startups for the Raleigh/Durham and Charleston markets. From there, he has been an independent consultant for homebuilding, banking and multi-family clients in strategic and operational issues in a wide variety of geographies and market segments, with specific expertise in turnkey product development grounded in consumer and competitive research.
CHRIS SCHIMUNEK
Senior Associate
Chris began his home building career from the ground-up learning on-the-job all facets of the Customer Service, Construction, Purchasing, Land Acquisition and Operations for a large-scale production homebuilder (Pulte Homes in Northern California), including experience as a Division President. He was an early adopter of TrueNorth’s Total Quality Management, Continuous Process Improvement, Customer Driven Quality, Trade/Supplier Alliance and Lean principals, which resulted in his Division achieving top national operational excellence recognition. In addition to his public-builder roles, he’s been a custom home builder, served as VP of Construction Operations for Blue Mountain Realty, one of CA’s largest (over 600 annual closings) home rehab-and sell companies and more recently as Chief Operations Officer for Koart Residential, a real estate development and private equity group.