Merging Methodologies for Process Excellence at Chumash Enterprises

When Chumash Enterprises set out on a journey toward process excellence, they knew they had their work cut out for them. The organization, governed by the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians, operates 10 different business models ranging from casinos to a tribal health clinic, gas stations, restaurants, a museum, defense and aerospace contracts, and more. As part of its process journey, the organization needed to bring these diverse business models together into a single framework to manage and continually improve its processes. 

At APQC’s 2024 Conference, Director of Process Excellence and Experience Tommy Rhoads and Process Excellence Manager Ben Schaub shared insights about how the organization successfully combined multiple methods and frameworks into a single, repeatable approach for process excellence. At each step along the way, Chumash Enterprises worked to tailor its process approach to the organization’s unique culture and provide stakeholders with critical resources to carry out their own process work.