Ray Ziganto

About Ray Ziganto

Most small manufacturing companies aren’t struggling because they lack effort.They’re struggling because growth feels unpredictable. Orders come in waves.Margins vary more than expected.Too many decisions still sit with the owner. I’ve seen this firsthand. I spent over 40 years in manufacturing—leading operations, building teams, and working through the same challenges many small and mid-sized manufacturers face every day. Today, I work with manufacturing leaders through the Valley Industrial Association (VIA), helping them bring clarity and structure to growth. Not theory. Not consulting decks. Just practical ways to improve how the business runs: Getting clear on the right customers Building a simple, visible pipeline Reducing the decision load on the owner Aligning operations with profitable growth Across the companies I work with, a pattern shows up: Most don’t struggle to find work. They struggle to grow predictably and profitably. That’s where the work begins. If you\'re leading a small manufacturing company and growth feels harder than it should—you\'re not alone.

Experience

1. Director of Innovation and Resources

   Valley Industrial Association of Illinois

   May 2025 — Present · Chicago, IL, US

   I work directly with small and mid-sized manufacturing companies to help improve growth, operational clarity, and decision-making.This includes:* Leading the Growth Accelerator (structured, practical approach to building a repeatable growth engine)* Developing the Growth Readiness Assessment to help owners identify what’s actually holding growth back* Facilitating peer groups where manufacturing leaders share real challenges and solutions* Leading SPARK Benchmarking for Excellence, helping companies understand where they are—and what to improve nextMost of the work is focused on companies under 100 employees, where:* The owner is still heavily involved in daily decisions* Growth creates as many problems as it solves* There’s limited time to step back and build systemsThe goal is simple: Help manufacturers move from reactive growth to intentional, manageable growth.

Education

• North Central College

  MBA, Leadership & Change Management

• College of DuPage

  Associate of Science - AS, Plastics Technology

• Western Illinois University

  BS/BA, Management

Skills

• Marketing
• Product Management
• Sales
• Supply Management
• Strategic Planning
• Manufacturing
• Operations Management
• Quality Management
• Management
• Team Building
• Lean Manufacturing
• Mergers & Acquisitions
• Plastics
• Supply Chain
• Value Stream Mapping
• Process Improvement
• Business Development
• Process Engineering
• Cross-Functional Team Leadership
• P&L Management
• Negotiation
• Business Strategy
• Telecommunications
• Product Development
• Continuous Improvement
• Change Management
• Electronics
• Six Sigma
• Strategy
• Start-Ups
• Manufacturing Operations Management
• Program Management
• Supply Chain Management
• Automotive
• Injection Molding