Jim Steele
About Jim Steele
Jim Steele is a Lead Project Manager at CenterPoint Energy, specializing in Continuous Improvement within Electric Operations and Corporate Support. He has extensive experience in project management and process improvement across various industries, including manufacturing and energy.
Work at CenterPoint Energy
Jim Steele currently serves as the Lead Project Manager for Continuous Improvement in Electric Operations and Corporate Support at CenterPoint Energy. He has been in this role since 2024, working on-site for six months. Prior to this position, he worked as a Senior Continuous Improvement Consultant at the same company, starting in 2023, where he operated in a hybrid capacity for one year. His responsibilities include overseeing project management and implementing continuous improvement strategies within the organization.
Education and Expertise
Jim Steele studied at the Calhoun Area Technology Center in Battle Creek, Michigan, where he earned a certification in Electrician from 1989 to 1991. He graduated from Harper Creek High School in Battle Creek, Michigan, in 1990. Additionally, he is pursuing a degree in Management and Operations with a focus on Business Administration at Western Governors University, a program he has been engaged in since 2019.
Background
Jim Steele has a diverse professional background with extensive experience in continuous improvement and project management. He worked at DoorPro as a Factory Continuous Improvement/Sales Assistant Project Manager from 2017 to 2019 in the Houston, Texas area. His career also includes roles at Halliburton, where he served as a Production Group Leader and Continuous Improvement Lead, and at Parker Hannifin as Supervisor III for eight years.
Achievements
Throughout his career, Jim Steele has received several accolades for his contributions to continuous improvement initiatives. He was part of the team that earned the Denso Manufacturing Vice President’s Team of the Year Award in 2000. He also achieved the Production III BEAM Award for nine out of twelve months in the same year. His efforts in implementing a Safety Awareness Program led to significant improvements in OSHA recordable accident rates, and he successfully reduced in-process inventory from 13 days to one hour.
Professional Contributions
Jim Steele has led various projects that have resulted in measurable improvements in operational efficiency. He led a LEAN manufacturing project that increased productivity by 13%. Additionally, he maintained a scrap tracking system that resulted in a 71% reduction in scrap costs over a year. His initiatives have consistently focused on enhancing processes and safety within the organizations he has worked for.