Issue link: http://www.insightdigital.biz/i/355934
w w w . i n s i g h t o n b u s i n e s s . c o m A u g u s t 2 0 14 • I nsIgh t | 27 they are not technology companies. Instead, they are trying to deliver better products and services to their clients so they can hit their revenue targets and remain in business. It's Omni's task to give them the technology tools to do that. "technology is changing fast for many of them," Ondresky says. "We want it to be an asset that keeps up with what their business needs." Another role Omni has grown into is that of innovation evangelist, particularly when it comes to the career pathways that relate to innovation and that those jobs can be found right here in the local economy. It's a particular passion for Lang, who says the challenge is that students and teachers just don't know the opportunities that are out there. "ere are all kinds of careers that relate to innovation," he says. "We want them to know they don't have to go to new York or Chicago." at passion for reaching out to interested students led to Omni's involvement with the Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce's Connect a Career web portal. Launched in 2013, the web-based tools allow students, educators and working professionals to connect for job shadows, speaking opportunities or participation in career fairs. Omni donated $40,000 in development services for the online portal, which now has seven high schools and more than 140 businesses participating. e chamber is currently looking to expand the scope of the service. "Omni came in and made it happen," says Patty Milka, director of the Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce Competitive Workforce Development program. "ey are a living and breathing example of why Connect a Career is so necessary." Previously, the opportunities provided by Connect a Career were handled by individual businesses, teachers and students, resulting in a lack of information and frustration on all sides. For Omni, Connect a Career represents the mantra of finding a better way. "We are always asking ourselves 'how can we do it better?'" Lang says. "We tell our clients we will give them a better solution and I've got to back that up." Miller had an existing It staffing arrangement in which Omni provided additional help as needed. What Miller needed in this case was a creative solution to make data accessible in a timely fashion for its clients. e end result, launched in late 2013 under the name Insight Core, is a solution that transmits that data – such as time on, material used or amps – in real time to the cloud, where it can be accessed as needed by multiple devices. Prior to the introduction of Insight Core, the data had to be downloaded manually from each machine. "Our customers wanted a better understanding of what was happening in the welding cell," nate Lamers, director of information technology for Illinois tool Works, Miller's parent company, says of the challenge Miller was facing. "For some of our customers, this was really eye-opening data." e data, especially in real time, gives manufacturers better control of the welding process for productivity, quality and efficiency. It can also provide vital information on compliance with exacting specifications. Again, it started with the whiteboard. Omni staff also visited welding cells for detailed information on the processes and how the machines were collecting data. "We had some great whiteboard sessions," Lamers says. "It was about getting all the ideas out there so we could start to leverage the expertise and develop the solution that was best for our customers." Miller will celebrate Insight Core's first year on the market in november. While it doesn't have a long track record, Lamers says the customers who have integrated the system are having great results. "In many cases, this is new information. It's a powerful tool," he says. Path forward P roviding the tools to run a business better is a critical component of Omni's business vision. As Ondresky points out, while their clients need innovative technology to run their businesses, '' We are always asking ourselves 'How can we do it better?' We tell our clients we will give them a better solution and I've got to back that up.'' Jeff Lang, Omni Resources Solutions Group managing director