Steve Lee is head of Technical Service at CapsCanada® and has been involved in capsule filling for over two decades. Steve gained foundational experience as a filling machine operator and as an equipment mechanic. For the last eleven years, he has worked as a technician representing empty capsule suppliers, assisting companies in resolving problems related to equipment,
formulations, capsules, and other factors. In addition to his industry experience, Steve has a Bachelor’s degree in Business from the University of Redlands (Redlands, CA) and also earned a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt through Villanova University. For six years, Steve has been a member of the Technical Advisory Board for Tablets and Capsules magazine.
- Why did you decide to do a webinar with Business Review Webinars?
Our objective with the Business Review Webinar is to provide an educational experience where participants may further their knowledge of capsule filling and understand the resources available from CapsCanada Corporation®, an industry leading supplier of two-piece hard shell capsules.
- How did you get into the industry?
As a young college guy in 1994 I went to work for Alpine Health Products in Utah as a capsule filling machine operator. Alpine Health was a contract manufacturer producing solid dose and liquid products for the dietary supplement industry. While working there as capsule filling machine operator, I went to school in the evenings, working on a Business Management degree, never imagining that the education I received as an operator and equipment mechanic would be equally as valuable as the professional degree I was earning. After working at Alpine for ten years, I was recruited to be a technical service representative for an empty capsule company, and have been doing this ever since. The twenty plus years have gone by very quickly and I feel very fortunate to have found a home in this growing industry.
- What do you most enjoy about your role?
Much of my time is spent working at customer locations providing complimentary training and support. I appreciate developing relationships with these customers and exchanging learning. As of late, I have become more involved with continuous improvement programs such as Six Sigma and Lean Manufacturing and enjoy working to employ these tools in our business.
- What has been your best holiday and where would you recommend visiting?
I am the kind of guy who thinks about the last cookie he ate as the best one ever. Last year my wife, two kids and I visited all of the New England states during the fall season. It was incredible to see the bright foliage in Vermont, the rocky coast and light houses in Maine and Rhode Island, and the great historic sites of the American Revolution in Massachusetts.
- What motivates you?
What motivates me most is the ability to effect change within an organization. There is great satisfaction in identifying an area which needs improvement, and taking the steps necessary to make it better. There are some company cultures which are not open to new ideas, or where there are too many obstacles which stand in the way of change; I am fortunate to be working with the team at CapsCanada® where improvements are welcome and where as a company we work together to make life better for our customers.
Don’t forget to join the upcoming CapsCanada webinar titled ‘Preventing Defects in Two-Piece Hard Shell Capsules‘ on February 4th. Register here.