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Eden Prairie, Minnesota (April 4, 2022) – Starkey is proud to announce that it has been named a 2022 Manufacturing Leadership Award winner in two different categories for outstanding achievements in supply chain management. The first accolade was given to Starkey’s manufacturing lean management team for operational excellence, and the second was awarded to Nathanael Aguilar Quintero, Starkey’s Regional Director of American Operations, for next-generation leadership. The awards, presented by the Manufacturing Leadership Council, honor companies and individual manufacturing leaders that are shaping the future of global manufacturing. Winning projects and individual leaders have demonstrated achievements that delivered clear and compelling value, return on investment, and tangible results.

“Starkey continues to be at the forefront of hearing technology, and our manufacturing and supply chain strategy is a major component of that,” said Chris Hillman, Chief Operations Officer at Starkey. “I am so proud of the entire Starkey team for its dedication to continuous improvement. Together, we are serving our customers and their patients, better than anyone else.”

As part of Starkey’s ongoing commitment to being a leader in technology and operations, the manufacturing team, led by Aguilar, implemented a new lean management strategy with the goals of decreasing lead time and improving product quality. In just two years, the lean efforts within the custom manufacturing environment have exceeded expectations. Successful lean implementation relies on manager support, such as has been shown by Aguilar over the past two years. With his leadership, the manufacturing team has made major strides in lean thinking and problem solving, which have led to incredible improvements to the way they work. 

“I am so honored to receive such a remarkable recognition for next-generation leadership,” said Nathanael Aguilar Quintero, Regional Director of American Operations at Starkey. “I lead my team with the philosophy that we should always put people before profit, because when you take care of the people, the people will take care of you. I believe this award shows how true that statement is. Thank you to my Starkey community for all of the hard work and dedication that made this award possible!” 

To learn more about Starkey, please click here.


About Starkey 

Starkey is a privately held, global hearing technology company headquartered in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. Founded by Bill Austin in 1967, Starkey is known for its innovative design, development and distribution of comprehensive digital hearing systems. Led today by President and CEO Brandon Sawalich, Starkey is the only American-owned provider of hearing technologies. The company has more than 5,000 employees, operates 29 facilities and does business in more than 100 markets worldwide. Learn more at starkey.com.