2007 Applied Engineering Science/Engineering Arts Award Winner

2007 Applied Engineering Science/Engineering Arts Award Winner

Steven J. Trecha
AES 2007 Distinguished Alumni Award

Steve Trecha grew up in Swartz Creek, Michigan, and received his Bachelor of Science from Michigan State University's Engineering Arts/Applied Engineering Science Program in 1982. He continued his studies at MSU, receiving a Masters of Business Administration in Supply Base Management/Materials and Logistics Management in 1984. Steve earned his way through school by working summers as an assembler at General Motor's Truck Assembly then as a field Quality Inspector/Consultant for Inspections Services Inc.

In 1990 Steve co-founded Integrated Strategies Inc. Integrated Strategies is viewed as a leading strategic sourcing, supply chain and logistics consultancy Under Steve's leadership the firm obtained the State of Michigan's Quality Leadership Award at the Navigator Level. This award is the State's equivalent to the International Malcolm Baldridge Quality Leadership recognition. His firm is the only operations consultancy which holds this award in the State. Currently, Steve serves as the President and CEO of the firm.

Over the past 25 years, Steve has led consultancy engagements with over 75 companies including multi-divisional, domestic and international firms in the Americas, Europe, Middle East and Asian Pacific Basin. He has worked in over two dozen industries ranging from aerospace, appliance and automotive, to quick service restaurants, steel, transportation and utility industrials. In addition, Steve is routinely called up on to serve as the Global Executive in Charge of client firm's supply chain operations helping firms identify and capture supply chain improvements while transforming their companies so that the improvements are sustainable over time with out external assistant. Currently Steve is holds the positions of Executive in Charge of Global Shared Services Operations for Idea Sphere Inc, an international health supplements producer.

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His firm's work has been independently assessed by Dunn Brad Street's supplier evaluation service, based on 20 past client evaluations, as a 1.32 (Outstanding) on a 1.0 Highest - 5.0 lowest scale. Recently Integrated Strategies was featured in Exploration and Processing Magazine as a significant contributor in the mining industry. This spring Integrated Strategies has been tapped by the Michigan Small Business Association as a featured organization in Michigan.

Past Clients are a who's who of industrial supply chain performance, many of which have been benchmarked as best practice by third party firms. Selected past clients include Georgia Pacific Corporation, Owens Corning Corporation, Pillsbury, Burger King, Diageo Corporation, Alticor (formerly Amway), Mead Corporation, Chubu Electric, Cyprus Minerals, John Deere, Foundation Coal, the State of Michigan, and Shell Oil Company. Steve's clients are typically Fortune 500 firms who are recognized as having significantly advanced in their supply chain performance.

In 2000 Steve was selected by Purchasing Magazine as a leading visionary in Supply Chain Management in the United States. He is frequently referenced as an intellectual thought leader and futurist. He is a personal coach and advisor to dozens of client executives, and he has invited by Japanese industrials to consol on business process improvements He is a highly rated seminar leader/ educator and professional speaker, having presented over 200 times on the topics of supply chain, strategic sourcing, cross functional teaming, and change management.

He has authored over two dozen articles appearing in referred, industrial and trade journals on sourcing and supply chain management. He held past certifications as a Certified Purchasing Manager (CPM) with the Institute of Supply Management and a Certified Production Inventory Control Manager (CPIM) with the American Production and Inventory Control Society.

Steve is the author of SET® Sourcing Effectiveness Teaming Process. First introduced in 1990 this cross functional way of developing business strategy has been evaluated as best industry practice. SET is used by firms to establish lowest total cost sourcing and supply chain strategies leading to overall company cost and performance competitiveness. Steve and his team's work have helped his client firms achieve hundreds of millions of dollars in combined cost reduction and profitability enhancements. Their forte is the ability to transform organizations from normal operations/contribution to best practice in their industries.

Prior to founding Integrated Strategies, he served in a various corporate and divisional materials management positions at Harris Corporation in Melbourne Florida. He later joined Dialog Systems, an East Lansing, Michigan based developer of decision support and expert systems software.

In addition to his supply chain career, Steve is the founder and as the Executive Sponsor for Warblers Cove Family Campground and RV resort. A 700 acre, four lake resort campground which was in demise, then subsequently turned around, and now has become renowned as one of northern Michigan's most beautiful and natural campgrounds.

Steve and his wife Ellen have been married 24 years. They are the proud parents of sons Matthew and Erik, and daughter Alexandra. They reside in East Lansing. The family greatly enjoys international travels and actively participating and contributing in their community. The Trecha's are members of St. John's Student Parish in East Lansing and are involved in a number of community and charitable causes including St Vincent's DePaul, Mother Theresa House, the Red Cross, East Lansing Schools and foundation programs. In addition, they enjoy family time, reading, sports and infrequent trips to the exercise room.

Steve greatly enjoys community service with a special focus on youth development. He has received the Chief Okemos Council Boy Scouts of America District Award of Merit in addition to multiple leadership recognitions. He currently serves on the Executive Board of the Council and is a Troop Committee Chair for East Lansing's Troop 180. He leads the fund raising for the Michigan International Camporee, the largest international Boy Scout Camporee held in Northern Michigan. He is actively involved in youth sports and has served as a co-coach for his daughter's championship basketball teams over the course of the last five years.

Steve is one of the original members of the Applied Engineering Sciences Alumni Advisory Board where he currently serves as the Board Chair.