Satisfied Client Testimonials

I can't tell you how much I've enjoyed my LEAN experience, lead and guided with your expert hands. I was continuously amazed at your in-depth knowledge of our numerous programs and nuances, and your ability to bring us back to the basics was nothing short of miraculous. I'm not kidding when I tell you that I have been through countless attempts to streamline and modernize things at this Agency over the years. Just like Charlie Brown, I always bought into the promises and gave it my best, but most times the plans fell short of the goal. You've managed to garner the continued support of management (an unlikely task) and to elicit continued support and enthusiasm for the program. You are the perfect person in the perfect position!

           ~Senior Account Executive, Office of Healthcare Programs
 

Thanks again!  I so appreciate all that you're sowing into my life and the company I'm privileged to work for.

~ Engineering Manager, Siemens Diagnostics
 

“Maria Elena has unfailingly provided support whenever needed, often working long hours to ensure we were fully prepared for all lean events and follow up sessions and provided value to all in participants.  The quality of her work and support has been superior and I just wanted to commend her for efforts over the past year.”

~ Director, Operations; US HUD
 

“The purpose of this note is to express my appreciation and admiration for the excellent work being performed by Maria Elena Stopher our Lean Consultant. She has galvanized the staff here, including myself, to create a robust and well targeted Business Process Re-Engineering of the FHA Origination, Underwriting and Endorsement process. It is still difficult to believe that we have moved so quickly in the two months since she and you first came here. This could not have occurred without her tireless, inclusive and intrepid leadership. She exerts herself not only in the generous day time hours that she allots to our project in the midst of several other projects (to which she seems to devote equally strong efforts) but also seems to be thinking of us and planning in the late hours of the evening. Her engineering background, business savvy, interpersonal skills and strong sense of purpose all help to keep us moving in the right direction. I am pleased to be in a position to learn from her. Between this and her other projects, her contribution to HUD’s future is profound and incalculable.” 

~ Director, Single Family Housing; US Housing and Urban Development
 

"My fundamental feeling about your performance is that it far exceeds my expectations. I did not know how GREAT a facilitator you are. I think you've done a wonderful job of keeping each team focused, on task, and substantive while building their enthusiasm. I used to work in a field office, I used to facilitate a bit less than two days and that felt like a long, demanding time. You've routinely done it and done it very well for three days. That, speaking from my own experience, is really saying something!"

~ Director Quality and Productivity, HUD
 

"It seems funny without you here this week!  Just wanted to thank you again for an outstanding 3 days.  What a turning point for our team! We appreciated your expertise, delivery and humor!  Thank you for accepting the long distance assignment and I hope that we can do further work ahead."

~ Director Human Resources, American Medial Systems 
  

"Thanks for the wonderful training and facilitation the other day. Brilliant! We've got a group dedicated to developing the A3 for the process now. 
Wonderful job though and another step in the right direction. Many, many thanks."

~ Engineering Manager, Siemens Diagnostics
 

"The excitement generated from the session is still going strong.  We are looking forward to each step of the process. Your company was outstanding in the presentation and facilitating of the meeting. It was truly a wonderful experience for me."

~ Project Manager / Mortgage Credit, US Department of Housing and Urban Development
 

“Ms. Stopher’s expertise and guidance was essential as the Seattle Multifamily Hub undertook the task of learning about the Toyota model of LEAN Engineering to ultimately redesign the Section 232 FHA Health Care Mortgage Insurance Program for HUD.”

“Through it all, Maria was and remains our technical expert and resource for all things “LEAN”.”

“ULTIMATE LEAN, INC. has been the driver  behind whatever LEAN achievements we have managed to achieve through the  232 LEAN Initiative and we are more than grateful to have had this wonderful opportunity to work with ULTIMATE LEAN, INC.”

“I am pleased to attest to the successful performance of Ultimate Lean, Inc. in providing management consulting. Ultimate Lean, Inc. has provided management consulting assistance to the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development over the course of the last several years. The quality of the services delivered has been consistently outstanding. The knowledge, expertise and social skills of Ultimate Lean’s president, Maria Elena Stopher, have proven exceptional. We currently are using Ultimate Lean’s services and will continue to do so over at least the next two years as part of a major national FHA Quality Initiative.”