At L&P, we’re inspired by our colleagues who go above and beyond to enhance our businesses. This month, we’re sharing stories of women at L&P who have improved our products and processes with their creativity and leadership.

Meet Amy Simmons! Amy is the Director of Product Lifecycle Management for Home Furniture and has been with Leggett for nearly 21 years in total.

After working here for just over a decade, she left the company briefly before returning. She’ll celebrate her second ten‑year anniversary with Leggett in May.

What is a day at work like for you?

My day revolves around serving my internal customers in the Home Furniture BU – functional leaders, engineers, project managers, and sales partners – and supporting my amazing team. On any given day, I might review costs on new products moving through our Idea to Launch (I2L) process, complete financial reviews to determine whether projects should move forward, or prepare pricing for products manufactured in our Asian locations.

My team and I also analyze sales performance for newly launched products, identify trends in our existing product lines, and help shape product strategies. Behind the scenes, we’re cleaning and tagging our data and implementing a new database to build stronger analytics for the future.

How have you improved L&P processes and products?

My biggest accomplishment has been developing our Home Furniture Product Data Management System in partnership with Meggan Witte and the Management Information Systems (MIS) team. I give tremendous credit to Meggan and her team for listening to my ambitious idea for a system that could capture data tags and lifecycle information to power better analytics. They worked tirelessly to build it to HF’s specifications, and as we collaborated, the project expanded to automate our item code request and review processes as well. It has launched and is still a work in progress, but I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve created together.

I’m also proud to be involved in continuous improvement projects for our I2L product development and sales monitoring processes. Since I2L launched a few years ago, we’ve been in a constant cycle of improvement as we’ve implemented processes and learned what does – and doesn’t – work.

What challenges have you faced while working to improve our business, and how did you overcome them?

In Home Furniture, one of our biggest challenges is the complexity and sheer volume of our Stock Keeping Units (SKUs). Our Product Data Management system – and the ongoing data clean‑up work – will help us manage that complexity much more efficiently.

Creating buy‑in during a culture shift or process change is always challenging. I try to connect with people on a personal level, listen to their concerns, and adjust the process where it makes sense. Over time, I’ve learned that building genuine trust and mutual respect goes a long way toward overcoming those challenges.

How do you approach problem-solving?

I like to use iterative problem‑solving by brainstorming with my team and other stakeholders, developing processes, testing those processes, and then evaluating and revising them.

I’m very process‑oriented. I’m also a strong proponent of using data to provide insights for improved problem‑solving. There’s nothing wrong with using experience or a “gut feel” to generate an idea, but it’s important to back it up with data and research.

What do you like to do outside of work?

I’m an avid reader and recently joined a couple of book clubs. When I’m not reading, I love getting outside for walks and hikes with my husband, Gregory. I’m a proud fan of the Kansas Jayhawks (Rock Chalk!) and the Kansas City Chiefs. I relocated in May 2025 and am still exploring my new home of Lawrence, Kansas.

At L&P, we’re inspired by our colleagues who go above and beyond to enhance our businesses. This month, we’re sharing stories of women at L&P who have improved our products and processes with their creativity and leadership.

Meet Xiaomin Yang! Xiaomin started with Leggett three years ago as Director of Continuous Improvement (CI) – Asia Pacific. In her role, Xiaomin focused on improving operational efficiency, tracking purchasing savings, and increasing Value Analysis/Value Engineering (VAVE)‑driven material cost reductions. She was just promoted to Global Automation Director & Asia Pacific CI.

What is a day at work like for you?

My typical day starts with cross-functional team alignment on VAVE implementation or an Operations CI-saving idea feasibility check. I could be on the plant floor, exploring with the frontline team how to improve efficiency or eliminate waste.

How have you improved L&P processes and products?

For me, continuous improvement is a journey and the DNA for a successful company. It’s about taking systematic action across two core dimensions: first, improving products (quality, cost, sustainability) and second, making processes smarter (speed, agility, employee engagement). At the product level, we make the “good” even “better.” Through VAVE projects, we promote material and process optimization, providing customers with more competitive product solutions while achieving quantifiable cost savings. In terms of processes, we make the “smart” even “smarter” by standardizing operational procedures, improving production line delivery time by 40%, and reducing scrap by 44%.

What challenges have you faced while working to improve our business, and how did you overcome them?

One challenge has been shifting the mindset of “we’ve always done it this way.” We addressed this by running small pilot projects that made early wins visible and encouraged team members to share those successes. Another challenge we face is balancing long‑term improvement efforts with short‑term business pressures. We overcome this by tying each initiative directly to financial and strategic goals and using data to guide decisions and build a long‑term improvement roadmap.

How do you approach problem-solving?

My approach can be simply summarized in four steps with a PDCA mindset. First, precisely defining the problem; second, exploring it in depth; third, collaboratively building solutions; and fourth, solidifying the outcomes.

My measure of success isn’t just whether the problem is solved – it’s whether our team is better equipped to tackle the next challenge that comes our way.

What do you like to do outside of work?

I enjoy gardening. Taking care of plants and observing their gradual growth brings me peace and a sense of accomplishment amidst a busy schedule. It also helps me cultivate patience and attention to detail. The process from planting to blooming similarly inspires me to approach changes and challenges at work with a longer-term and more inclusive mindset.

At L&P, we’re inspired by our colleagues who go above and beyond to enhance our businesses. This month, we’re sharing stories of women at L&P who have improved our products and processes with their creativity and leadership.

Meet Tami Wittock! Tami has been with us since 2017 and now serves as the Manufacturing Manager for Carthage Spring in Carthage, MO – home to our pocketed coil processes, nano, and combination‑pocket production.

Tami began her L&P career in June 2017 with the Leggett Business Systems office as a Quality Systems Auditor before joining the Carthage Spring team in July 2018. Over the years, she has contributed in several key roles, including seven years as Quality Systems Manager and a year as Interim Environmental Health and Safety Manager. In April 2025, she was promoted to her current role as Manufacturing Manager.

What is a day at work like for you?

No two days are ever the same, but most start with reviewing priorities, checking production status, catching up on emails, and addressing any issues happening on the production floor. From there, I spend a good portion of my day coordinating with teams, checking in with employee partners on the floor, and making sure our operations stay on track.

How have you improved L&P processes and products?

I’ve helped improve Leggett’s products and processes by identifying opportunities – like scrap issues and production-floor inefficiencies – and partnering with cross‑functional teams to standardize our practices and drive meaningful improvements. Our focus is on reducing waste, setting clear expectations and following through, strengthening quality consistency, and most importantly, maintaining a safe work environment.

What challenges have you faced while working to improve our business, and how did you overcome them?

One of the main challenges has been improving processes while still meeting day-to-day production needs. Change can be disruptive and not always well-received. I overcome it by always involving people early and getting them engaged in the new process. I explain the why of the necessary change and communicate how important they are to its success.

How do you approach problem-solving?

I approach problem‑solving by first fully understanding the issue and its impact, then identifying the root cause. I work with subject matter experts to dig into the problem, evaluate potential solutions, and implement practical fixes – always following up to make sure the issue is resolved and doesn’t happen again.

What do you like to do outside of work?

I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, staying active, and reading to help me recharge.