Kim Hayward

Brittany Hayward Artist Etsy Shop Activities

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Hayward) — Sat, 16 Feb 2013 02:59:00 +0000

Really life events and Facebook had killed my urge to blog. Everything boils down to a status update or tweet. I'm looking to use some of my SEO abilities and drive some rank and traffic to Brittany's Etsy shop. So if your interested in looking or even if this is just a link for the spiders to follow that works too. Brittany Hayward has opened an Etsy Shop

Congratulations on your graduation from SAIC, Brittany. Very proud of you darlin'. Good luck with your art and Etsy shop. This might just be my favorite item ever. Fused glass bowl

Plexus Online Wins Network Products Guide Reader Trust Award

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Hayward) — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 20:32:00 +0000

Network Products Guide, a Silicon Valley Communications publication and a world leading publication on technologies and solutions, has named Plexus Online a winner of the 2008 Best Products and Services Award in the Online Services category.

read more | digg story

A Storm is Coming...SaaS

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Hayward) — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 13:34:00 +0000

Watch the financial results and growth numbers of SaaS companies vs. those with only traditional, on-premise solutions.By Mark Symonds, CEO, Plexus Systems, Inc.

Aug. 6, 2008 -- Wang, Data General, Digital Equipment Corp., Prime, Burroughs, Perkin Elmer.
Think about it. When was the last time you heard any of those names? The late 90's -- maybe?

The point is, today they're GONE. "Gone, like Frank Sinatra. Gone, like Elvis and his Mom," to quote the band Switchfoot.

And they're gone because they didn't change with the times. They all had winning formulas in the eighties. They didn't adapt their technologies or their business models or, most importantly, their vision of computing's future. They didn't see the writing on the wall, and now they're gone.

A Storm is Coming...

As I look at the software industry today, particularly in the ERP market space, I am convinced we are in the same position that the entire computer industry was during the 1980s. We are headed for that same kind of a shakeout again.

I am seeing many companies who have not invested in their technologies beyond first or second generation. They were the big names of the '80s and '90s. They have been coasting along just by putting a new .Net front end on a very old data structure and outdated, cumbersome business logic.

That's just lipstick on a pig. They have not moved ahead, and now the ground is shifting under their feet. The landscape is changing dramatically. Totally new names are appearing -- like Plexus, Salesforce.com, Netsuite, RightNow, Ultimate and a host of others.

The industry is beginning another massive metamorphosis and the Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) model is the catalyst.

The SaaS Landscape Today

The stuttering launch of SAP's Business By Design is a great indicator of the magnitude of change coming and the role that SaaS plays.

When CEO Henning Kagermann announced Business By Design, SAP's on-demand ERP product for small and medium businesses, he said it was the most important announcement in the history of their company. That was no exaggeration.

SAP has seen the writing on the wall. The fact that they have pushed Business By Design's delivery out another 18 months shows their commitment to the SaaS model and the importance they attribute to getting it right. They have taken a big gamble by validating the model and the market and then giving their competitors a big window of opportunity, but they are clearly committed to developing a sound product.

SAP's current transformation and the upheaval of the '80s serve as a cautionary tale for all of the other technology companies out there who are resting on their laurels and not aggressively investing in their own SaaS applications right now.

Oracle is saying SaaS is not the future. Yet I'd say their chief executive, Larry Ellison is hedging his bets because he is a majority owner in NetSuite, one of the larger SaaS companies around today.

I don't see any true SaaS strategy at QAD, Consona, Infor, Lawson or Epicor. I would be very interested to know how they plan to move ahead. They should take a cue from SAP. How much time has SAP spent on developing Business By Design? How much money? The train has left the station and these guys are still back at the platform with their baggage (literally) at their feet.
Some of the established players are scrambling. First they were denying it, thinking SaaS was a fad or for small companies or point solutions only. Now they're hustling to catch up. But I think they're facing such a daunting challenge by starting this late that some of them aren't going to make it.

That's why I predict this big-time shakeout. It's going to be bloody and ugly. SaaS just makes sense. A fully-integrated suite - rather than solutions from several partners - just makes sense. I am confident that Plexus and some of the other players who are investing the time, money and energy required to build true comprehensive SaaS solutions are going to come out on top.

True SaaS Delivers Real Value

Not surprisingly, I'm still seeing the SaaS pretenders out there. And unfortunately many analysts and media types are still fooled by software vendors who say they have a SaaS solution. With that said, it's worth repeating what true SaaS is.

A true, robust Software as a Service application:

Is a multi-tenant system with many companies accessing one copy of the software on a shared infrastructure
Can be accessed over the Internet from anywhere at any time with just a browser
Is hosted at a proven, reliable, audited data center that can guarantee availability and response time
Allows software changes and system software and hardware upgrades to be completed and available rapidly -- avoiding the new version release treadmill and customer downtime for upgrades and staff retraining
Has software that is more bandwidth-friendly than older applications since it was written directly to the web
Ensures 100% of the screens are accessible via the browser, not just 'portals' for suppliers or customers.

A true SaaS solution brings real value to your business because, by its very design, costs for infrastructure and development are shared by all tenants enabling each to focus investment on its core business rather than building and maintaining an IT infrastructure.

The pretenders will first try to talk you out of SaaS. Failing that, they will try to sell you aging client-server applications running on dedicated (single customer) equipment in a third party data center. This just adds cost to the vendor-customer relationship. The third party needs to make money and each instance of the software still needs to be upgraded for each customer. SaaS evolved to drive out costs and complexity in the relationship between the software vendor and the customer.

Now with all that said and with a clear picture of what SaaS is, it's important to note that the tremors are just now beginning to shake the foundation of the ERP marketplace. Watch the financial results and growth numbers of SaaS companies vs. those with only traditional, on-premise solutions. That will give you a hint of what is to come.
read more digg story

New outlooks on entrepreneurism in Michigan

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Hayward) — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 22:03:00 +0000

The companies who are experiencing growth are often the ones who are able and willing to adapt to the changing economy. Plexus Systems, a company that provides business software solutions, added 30 jobs in Michigan in 2007. In 2008, the company will create more than 100 more positions.

read more | digg story

Dressed for debt: Lapeer West student Brittany Hayward

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Hayward) — Sat, 10 May 2008 15:46:00 +0000

Talk about building a wardrobe on credit? For the power shopper, Lapeer West senior Brittany Hayward's ensemble is the gown of your dreams. Fashioned completely out of credit and gift cards, it took two years just to collect all of the cards from stores such as Wal-Mart and Blockbuster, starting with what was in her wallet.

read more | digg story

Plexus Systems, Inc. Promotes Gillespie to Director of Sales

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Hayward) — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 15:29:00 +0000

Gillespie has extensive experience in instructing and installing automated solutions. In the nineties, he launched his career as an industrial electrician for FANUC Robotics in Rochester Hills, Mich. After mastering the installation of products, he became a course developer and technical instructor on a range of high tech and basic skill topics. During most of his career at FANUC Robotics, he was the District Manager maintaining new and existing accounts for complete automated solutions.

The release in it's whole can be found HERE.

Plexus Systems, Inc. Expands Sales Organization

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Hayward) — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 15:26:00 +0000

“These additions to our Sales team will make a great team even stronger as we work to pursue new successes among manufacturers in the medical device, aerospace and defense industries, while maintaining our strong presence in automotive manufacturing,” said Thomas Mackey, executive vice president for Plexus.

You can read the entire list of additions to our team HERE.

Plexus Online Improves Operational Efficiency for Microflex Inc.

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Hayward) — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 16:42:00 +0000

Microflex required a complete system to run every aspect of its business -- from Sales and Engineering through Manufacturing and Shipping, including back office functions such as Accounting and Human Resources. Plexus Systems will maintain Microflex’s data and provide the software, hardware and services to support the Ormond Beach, Florida-based company’s production of automotive fuel, exhaust, and steering components.

“The Plexus Online system will allow us to integrate our business functions and streamline our enterprise so we can maintain tighter control on our processes and our costs,” said John Atanasoski, COO, Microflex Automotive. “We chose the system for its comprehensiveness in supporting and integrating every aspect of the business, and for its flexibility. It can report our data in a variety of metrics and configurations enabling better analysis and quality control.”

Read the entire release at our website: http://www.plex.com/news/News.asp?Web_Content_Key=2163

Plexus Online in the Wall Street Journal

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Hayward) — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 02:11:00 +0000

Today Plexus Online was mentioned in the wall street journal. The story was titled: "Online Software: Buzz vs. Business" and composed By BEN WORTHEN. It features a quote from Molly Hunting, the technology manager at Shape Corp., an auto-parts manufacturer in Grand Haven, Mich. Shape Corp is one of our customers.

I can't provide you any links to the article as of yet. The Wall Street Journal is pretty locked down to their users only. If I find something I'll update this post.

Also mentioned are: MedImmune Inc., NetSuite Inc., SAP AG, Boon Inc. and Oracle Corp., just to name a few.

Plante & Moran, Plexus in partnership

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Hayward) — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 15:11:00 +0000

"Plante & Moran is pleased to form this alliance relationship with Plexus as we believe its solutions are truly impacting the supply chain and helping to improve business processes around the globe,” said Doug Wiescinski, a partner in management consulting at Plante & Moran. “Plexus’ deep industry and vertical focus will benefit our customers

read more digg story

Honda at heart: Plexus multi-industry enterprise system

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Hayward) — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 15:03:00 +0000

In automotive, an even tighter focus exists: Plexus Online is built with the goal of helping suppliers do business with Honda of America Manufacturing. “As a company, Plexus made it one of our strategic objectives to be the system of choice for Honda suppliers,” says Fetterman.

read more digg story

BAND SPOTLIGHT: Radio Pirate DJ top unsigned band

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Hayward) — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 01:03:00 +0000

Today this article came out in the Detroit Free Press about Radio Pirate DJ. Back in October I attended my first Radio Pirate DJ show they were quite impressive at the time.

Since October I’ve had one other chance to see them play live Radio Pirate DJ was doing a show with The Color Fred, Brittany wanted to attend so we made it a family affair. It was a great excuse to get to see the notorious venue the “Shelter” it’s the venue that Eminem made famous in his movie 8 mile. The Shelter did not hold any magic for me but I do see what the kids see in it. It’s a very up close and personal space, if you want to get close to a band the Shelter will give you that contact.

Below is a cut from the article written By B.J. Hammerstein, Detroit Free Press

Radio Pirate DJ, the Flint-based alternative rock outfit with an infectious punk flair and knack for catchy power pop, is riding high as 2008 kicks off. Heralded as one of the top unsigned bands in the nation by Web authority absolutepunk.net, RPDJ is celebrating the release of its first full-length, the self-produced "This is Life, This is Living"

read more digg story

On-Demand ERP Is Here

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Hayward) — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 00:48:00 +0000

This is an article from: http://www.autofieldguide.com/articles/010807.html
Look what’s gaining traction in enterprise resource planning: A new way to run it offsite. By Lawrence S. Gould, Contributing Editor

The article mentions Plexus Online in a few places. This is my favorite cut from it. Version control is easier in a SaaS setup. Plexus, for example, has only one version of its software on a single infrastructure. “We don’t have to cast about through a thousand different client-server configurations before shipping a patch with new features. Instead, we roll out new features every day."

read more digg story

Plexus Systems, Plante & Moran Form Consulting Alliance

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Hayward) — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 00:42:00 +0000

Plante & Moran announced their partnership with Plexus Systems, Inc. “Plante & Moran is pleased to form this alliance relationship with Plexus as we believe its solutions are truly impacting the supply chain and helping to improve business processes around the globe,” said Doug Wiescinski

read more digg story

Dressing on credit

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Hayward) — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 17:12:00 +0000

Today there was a story published in the Lapeer County Press about my daughter Brittany Hayward. It was written by Staff Reporter Jennifer Decker and can be found on the Lapeer County Press website. I’ve added photo’s to Jennifer’s story below.

Thank you to all of our friends, family and fellow employees at Plexus Systems, Inc. for saving all of the credit cards for her. A special thanks goes out to Blockbuster, Walmart and JW Marriott for donating those last few gift cards and room keys that were needed for Brittany to finish her dress "The Key to Credit".

Now to Jennifer Decker's article:
Dressmakers usually make their works from cotton or chiffon, but Brittany Hayward opted for something different and chose credit cards. Complete with earring, necklace and bow accessories also made with credit cards.

The 18-year-old Lapeer West High School senior spent two years alone collecting the cards. She made the dress in studio art class. Hayward said it took a few months to make because she had to drill all the holes in the credit cards.

Hayward is taught by West art teachers Nancy Barry, Jeanine Smith, and Jeff Bolzman.

"Brittany is gifted," Barry said. "A lot of her 2-dimensional crosses into the 3-dimensional area. Not only is her dress a cool idea, technologically the design is nice. Somebody else might've thought of this, but they wouldn't have designed this."

Barry gave Hayward some film strips and challenged her to make art out of it. Hayward's end piece? She used her imagination and made a purse.

Her other art pieces have included a dress made by men's dress ties.

Hayward's credit card dress will be entered into scholastic regional competition in January.

Hayward aspires for a career in art, but really likes working with glass. "I really like glass," she said. "It's challenging. Things break and it's unpredictable."

Going Beyond the Hype; Manufacturing Software Enables Companies to Improve

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Hayward) — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 15:12:00 +0000

Plexus Systems, providers of Plexus Online on-demand software for the manufacturing enterprise, today announced the availability of an informative whitepaper for manufacturers. It's entitled 'ERP Traceability Functions: Going Beyond the Hype; How Manufacturing Software Enables Companies to Improve Quality Operations and Control Warranty Costs.' The free whitepaper is available for download from Plexus Online.

read more digg story

10 Strategies for Choosing a Midmarket ERP Solution

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Hayward) — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 13:33:00 +0000

The read more link below will lead you to a white paper that is available for download at InsideCRM.com. The article covers 10 Strategies for Choosing a Midmarket ERP Solution. Number 4 mentions Plexus Online.

Think outside the (shrink-wrapped) box. Many SMBs are forgoing traditional means of buying and installing ERP solutions as IT executives discover the power of SaaS (software as a service). For example, Plexus Systems Inc. designs ERP and other systems, mostly for manufacturing and engineering customers. The company’s Plexus Online makes use of the SaaS model to provide more than 350 functional modules, including ERP. “Manufacturers pick and choose the modules needed for their unique business operations,” said company president Mark
Symonds.

read more digg story

ERP Implementation — Plexus

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Hayward) — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 03:49:00 +0000

Plante & Moran not only offers objective, experienced evaluation, selection and contract review and negotiation services for the acquisition of ERP systems, but we also offer implementation services. We are an implementation alliance partner of Plexus Systems’ Plexus Online ERP system, which provides extensive functionality for the automotive, medical device as well as aerospace and defense manufacturing verticals via an on-demand delivery model.

Plexus provides a fully integrated, total enterprise solution including modules that support Quoting, Engineering, EDI/Release Accounting, Customer Relationship Management, Lean Manufacturing, Production Planning and Scheduling, Manufacturing Execution (MES), Inventory Control, Bar Code Labeling, Quality, Tooling, Maintenance, Cost Accounting, Finance, Payroll, Human Resources, Time and Attendance and Document Management.

read more digg story

Fast Lane - Positive outlook at Plexus Systems, Inc.

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Hayward) — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 03:42:00 +0000

How Mark Symonds gets employees to celebrate change at Plexus Systems Inc. Smart Business spoke with Symonds about how to put a positive spin on change. “It has to start at the top, and then not tolerate behaviors that go counter to that — starting at the top and just reinforcing it every day, calling out good behaviors and privately talking...

read more digg story

START-IT Reveals the Top Technologies for Manufacturing

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Hayward) — Sat, 03 Nov 2007 02:35:00 +0000

Today, START-IT magazine announced the winners of the first Top 50 Technologies Awards.

The Top 50 Technologies Awards honor products that target the manufacturing space and help companies to improve their business practices. Winning products were gauged on their uniqueness and functionality in the market.

"The products selected as winners in the first Top 50 Technologies possess unique capabilities and characteristics in today's marketplace. While considering hundreds of applicants, the editors of START-IT chose products that fit the needs of the manufacturing community," said Peggy Smedley, editorial director of START-IT. "These companies are providing manufacturers with innovative and emerging technologies that enhance revenue opportunities and improve business practices."

Recently, a START-IT survey showed that 51% of manufacturers will spend $50,000 or more on technology in the coming year. As manufacturers move toward spending more on innovative technology, the advantage of providing leading-edge solutions becomes more profitable. "The winners of the Top 50 Technologies are playing a crucial role in the advancement of today's technology, and the companies listed here may well be the beneficiary of manufacturers' investment in 2008," added Smedley.

The winners of the 2008 Top 50 Technologies are:

Abas ERP from Abas Software
Throughput Analyzer from Activplant Corporations
Adobe Acrobat 3D Version 8 from Adobe Systems Inc.
Arena Solutions from Arena Solutions
InventorLT from Autodesk
Axeda ServiceLink 5 from Axeda Corp.
Create!form from Bottomline Technologies
Enterprise Returns Management from ClearOrbit
Click Commerce Network Logistics from Click Commerce
Workforce Management 3D from CyberShift, Inc.
3DLive from Dassault Systemes
E2open from E2open
Esker DeliveryWare from Esker
Frontier 2.2 from Friedman Corporation
Docu-Proof 3.0.1 from Global Vision Inc.
Managed Services from GXS
Business FLEX from Honeywell Process Solutions
OneWireless from Honeywell Process Solutions
Incuity EMI from Incuity Software Inc.
Infor SCM Warehouse Management from Infor
Infor PLM Optiva from Infor
Infor ERP LN from Infor
QuickBooks Enterprise Solutions Manufacturing Ed. 7.0 from Intuit Inc.
Point Of Sale from John Gault Solutions
Kronos for Manufacturing from Kronos Inc.
Lawson QuickStep Fashion from Lawson Software
Voyager Solutions from Logility, Inc.
Metastorm BPM from Metastorm
Direct Part Marking from Motorola
Tier Nth from National Logistics Management
NetSuite from NetSuite, Inc.
Omnify Product Lifecycle Management from Omnify Software
Plexus Online from Plexus Systems
Preactor APS from Preactor International
QAD Enterprise Applications 2007 from QAD Inc.
Ramco Business Process Delivery Suite from Ramco Systems
Enterprise Intelligence Platform from SAS
Savvion BusinessManager 7.0 from Savvion
Teamcenter 2007 from Siemens PLM Software
Enterprise RTView from SL Corporation
SmartForecasts Enterprise from Smart Software
SolidWorks Intelligent Feature Technology from SolidWorks Corp.
Sterling Selling and Fulfillment Suite from Sterling Commerce
Fluid Interface Design from SYSPRO
Demand Sensing from Terra Technology
Collaborative Information Manager from TIBCO Software
The Niagra Framework from Tridium, Inc.
Visiprise Manufacturing from Visiprise, Inc.
S2K Enterprise Edition for Manufacturing from Vormittag Associates, Inc.
RFID Real-Time Locating System from WhereNet Corp., a Zebra Technologies co.

To read more about the winners, don't miss the Fall issue of START-IT.

Plexus Online Named to Emerging 40 Vendors

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Hayward) — Sat, 03 Nov 2007 02:11:00 +0000

Industry leaders and the publication's editors chose Plexus Online due to its domain expertise, which is cited as a need in the manufacturing industry. Plexus Systems, Inc. is distinguished among software vendors by its software as a service (SaaS) distribution model and innovative use of technology.

"This recognition by Manufacturing Business Technology is an honor for our Plexus Systems team," remarked Mark Symonds, Plexus Systems Chief Executive Officer. "The award confirms the value provided to our global customers in automotive, aerospace, defense and medical device manufacturing. Plexus Online enables them to achieve superior performance, improved efficiencies, and reduced costs."

According to Manufacturing Business Technology, the technologies included in this year's roster of the 40 vendors are forging the next generation of technology and process innovation.

Plexus Online is an on-demand solution, building on the SaaS model pioneered by Salesforce.com and NetSuite. Plexus Online offers over 350 functional modules, providing companies instant access to vital information and management functions using a simple web browser. The on-demand solution features enterprise resource planning (ERP) functions such as accounting and finance modules, customer relationship management (CRM) features such as order entry and tracking, manufacturing execution systems (MES) function such as production scheduling and machine integration, and supply chain management (SCM) functions such as supplier quality and traceability.

read more digg story

Plexus Online Provides Traceability Function To Help Manufacturers Improve

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Hayward) — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 13:08:00 +0000

Improve Quality, Warranty, & Cost

The ability to trace individual components and 'lots' is becoming increasingly vital to industries that must comply with strict customer mandates and government regulation. Plexus Online helps manufacturers meet and exceed industry mandates, especially those in automotive, aerospace/defense, medical device and food production.

read more digg story

Radio Pirate DJ - "This Is Life, This Is Living."

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Hayward) — Sat, 27 Oct 2007 19:41:00 +0000

I don’t often blog about things other than Plexus but this is one blog that has nothing to do with Plexus Online.

On Friday October 19th, I was invited by Michael & Brittany to attend the Flint Generals hockey game. The Flint Generals are working hard at rebuilding the tradition of Flint hockey in 2007 and the band Michael is playing with Radio Pirate DJ was chosen as the band to help with the rebuilding effort on opening night. As one of Michigans top unsigned bands Radio Pirate DJ opened the night in front of a crowd of 2851 fans. I was very impressed with “Radio Pirate DJ” it was the first time I’ve had the chance to see Mike Reed play live.

Radio Pirate DJ is almost ready release their new CD "This Is Life, This Is Living." The songs on the soon to be released CD “this is life, this is living” are of the caliber will put them over the top and on the way to living their dream and breaking hearts. They have a few demos of the soon to be released CD on their MySpace.

The CD is getting it’s finishing touches now and on Friday October 26th the photoshoot for "This Is Life, This Is Living." with Nicole Rork was held in Detroit. She is an amazing photographer and Radio Pirate DJ’s "This Is Life, This Is Living." will have some fantastic photo shots.

Want to see them live? You can find their show schedule on MySpace.

This is a link to video from the Radio Pirate DJ show at the Royal Oak Music Theater on October 17th 2007

Josh LaFave - Vocals/Guitar, Drew Easton - Drummer, Michael Reed- Vocals/Bass, Bryan Aldrich-Keyboard/Synth, J.R. Augustine- Vocals/Guitar

Detroit Pistons visit Plexus Systems

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Hayward) — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 02:00:00 +0000

The Detroit Pistons Players Rip Hamilton, Antonio McDyess and Lindsey Hunter go the extra mile to visit Plexus Systems, Inc. There is no better way to have your season tickets delivered than by the players themselves. Thank You!

Mike Hart and Antonio McDyess

Dennis Heyza and Rip Hamilton

Deanna Gernert (Oakland University Co-Op employee) and Lindsey Hunter and happy employee faces all around.

Brittany Hayward (Lapeer West High School Co-Op employee) and the vintage 1957 Chevy the Detroit Pistons drove to visit Plexus Systems.