The AME International Conference comes to St. Louis
Gateway to the Future: AI & Beyond | OCT 6-9, 2025
Join us in St. Louis, Missouri, on Tuesday, October 6 - Thursday, October 9, 2025, for the 41st annual AME International Conference.
This unique annual event is a platform for learning and sharing, led by practitioners for practitioners, bringing together continuous improvement professionals from the front office to the front lines from every industry and corner of the earth.
Hosted at America's Center, AME St. Louis 2025 will include 30+ sessions focused on AI and beyond.
See excellence in action on local tours and engage with fellow continuous improvement practitioners during presentations and interactive sessions. Hear from inspiring keynote speakers, grow your professional network and engage in educational workshops.
Learn best practices to make transformational changes in your organization.
CONNECT. EVOLVE. TRANSFORM.
Save the Date! Oct. 6-9, 2025
America's Center | St Louis, Missouri
America's Center | St Louis, Missouri
Be a part of the manufacturing renaissance in St. Louis
Embrace People-Centric Leadership & Operational Excellence
Embrace People-Centric Leadership & Operational Excellence
Is your company located in the St. Louis area and committed to continuous improvement? Are you seeking ways to accelerate your improvement journey, deliver better value to your customers, and engage your workforce?
Join the AME St. Louis Consortium today and become part of a collaborative learning network of local companies that are committed to performance excellence and collaborative learning. Consortium membership is open to companies from any industry (manufacturing, health care, financial services, software, distribution, information technology, and more) in the St. Louis area with a desire to share and learn to become part of this practitioner-to-practitioner network. Leverage collective resources and knowledge and improve your approach to improvement
AME Vision: A manufacturing renaissance driven by people-centric leadership coupled with enterprise excellence.
AME Mission: To inspire a commitment to enterprise excellence through experiential learning by bringing people together to SHARE, LEARN & GROW
AME Values: Volunteerism, Practitioner Focused, Integrity & Trust, and a Passion for Excellence
Newsletter Archive: Insights & Updates
Visit the AME St. Louis Consortia Newsletter Archive, your go-to resource for staying informed on the latest industry insights, success stories, and LEAN strategies from our community. Each month, we compile valuable content to keep you connected with the continuous improvement efforts of local companies.
Interested in joining? Get an introduction to the AME St. Louis Consortium and learn more about the benefits, offerings and more.
Contact Jonathan Jones, AME St. Louis Consortium facilitator, at jonathan@jonathanjonesconsulting.com or 314-608-0783.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Consortia Members attend all St. Louis Consortium events free of charge! Contact us at stlameconsortia@gmail.com to receive event discount code to enter at registration.
2024 Company Tours
About the Tour
BCI Packaging (Boone Center Inc.) is a for-purpose, people-centric, non-profit contract packaging company that offers purposeful work for adults with disabilities. We are excited to showcase a high volume and highly adaptable contract packaging facility that exceeds all customer expectations while providing an environment where individuals of ALL abilities can find their purpose in meaningful work.
Agenda:
7:45 AM: Check In/PPE Distribution, Meet & Greet
8:15 AM: Morning Huddle
8:30 – 10:00 AM: Tour Breakout Sessions
Group 1 – BCI, History Core Values, Mission & Vision, Employment Continuum
Group 2 – Inventory, Logistics, Warehousing
Group 3 – End to End Packaging Solutions (Adaptability, Line Change Overs, Quality)
Group 4 – Vocational Training, On-boarding, and Competitive Employment
Group 5 – Employee Safety, Employment Support, Daily Management
10:00 – 10:30 AM: Break / Reconvene (Bldg B)
About BCI
BCI’s story began over 60 years ago when two business-minded women shared a desire to create opportunities for people with disabilities. Jane Crider and Margaret Holmes believed that every person should have the right to use their abilities and skills to lead a productive life. Their operation began in 1959 when they transformed their passion into a working business model. In 1990, the company stepped boldly into the contract packaging industry with the purchase of its first automated equipment. By 1995, incredible growth prompted the consolidation of BCI’s two facilities in St. Charles and O’Fallon into one newly constructed site in St. Peters. Growth continued. In 2005, much-needed warehouse space was added at the company’s main campus in St. Peters, and Boone Center, Inc. formally changed its name to BCI. In 2011, BCI opened a second contract packaging facility in Moscow Mills, Mo., providing employment opportunities for adults with disabilities in Lincoln County and increasing the company’s abilities to do business. In January 2019, BCI opened the Skills Center, a first-of-its-kind vocational training facility for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The Skills Center is competitive employment re-imagined. At its core are vocational programs created in partnership with local business partners committed to hiring a diverse workforce. After training, students move straight into their new jobs where they earn a competitive wage.
Tour Location
BCI Packaging
200 Trade Center Drive W
St. Peters, MO 63376
(Parking onsite will be directed)
2025 Company Tours
About the Tour
The Saint Louis Zoo is excited about the opportunity to have an on-site tour to showcase our journey in Operational Excellence these past few years, focusing on our support teams - Facilities Management, Technology Services, Procurement, Distribution and Animal Nutrition.
Agenda:
8:30 AM - 9:00 AM: Networking & Breakfast (optional)
9:00 AM - 9:15 AM: Opening remarks, safety and flow for the day
9:15 AM - 9:30 AM: Groups disperse to their separate tour locations
9:30 AM - 11:30 AM: Tours throughout Zoo tour locations (20 minutes each)
Facilities Management
Technology Services and Procurement
Distribution
Animal Nutrition
11:30 AM - 11:45 AM: Groups begin to walk back to gathering space
11:45 AM - Noon: Closing remarks
*wear comfortable shoes for walking and dress appropriately for the weather
Tour Location
Saint Louis Zoo
1 Government Drive
St. Louis, MO 63110
*South Parking Lot (Inform the attendant that you are here for AME)
Initial meeting location at Exploration Outpost (located below the William R. Orthwein, Jr. & Laura Rand Animal Nutrition Center)
About the Saint Louis Zoo
To conserve animals and their habitats through animal management, research, recreation, and educational programs that encourage the support and enrich the experience of the public.
Three Keys
Animals Always: The care and protection of our animals, the conservation of their species and the preservation of the wild places where they exist are the driving forces of all organizational activities.
People Matter: We care for and about people: our staff, our volunteers, our guests and our partners.
Operational Excellence: Our success as a mission-driven organization depends on our ability to achieve and sustain business excellence.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
NEW TO THE CONSORTIA?
Empowering Excellence Together
Become part of a collaborative learning network of local companies that are committed to performance excellence and collaborative learning with a desire to become part of a practitioner-to-practitioner network.
ST. LOUIS CONSORTIUM MEMBER COMPANIES
We are excited to have you as part of the AME St. Louis Consortium and look forward to the opportunity to Share, Learn and Grow with your organization.
