Kent Ensing is the President of Global Concepts Enterprise in Holland since 2021. Prior to that he spent 20 years with Herman Miller and left as the Vice President of Global Supply Management. He provides leadership in the development and implementation of long-term strategies that provide Global Concepts with the best possible manufacturing and global value streams to meet customers’ needs while mitigating risk. He previously worked in the field of aerospace with Howmet Corporation and in the contract furniture arena with Nucraft Furniture. His roles included product engineering, engineering management, materials management, logistic leadership, and supply chain management.
Kent has a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Michigan Technological University and an MBA from Western Michigan University.
Kent is a former board member of a community agency responsible for business development and a multi-national board focused on sustainable business practices. He is active in his community through volunteer activities with various groups and boards focused on improving the life of social and economically – disadvantaged individuals.
What led you down your professional path?
I have always had a keen interest in understanding how things work and are put together. I chose a career in engineering and focused on product development early in my career. I was always looking for better ways to solve problems, either with simplification or innovation.
What were some key turning points for you in your career?
During one of my earlier jobs, I was given the opportunity to lead a large capital improvement project. Most of the project was familiar to me with plant design, process flow, and equipment layout. However, the new part was the equipment procurement which included specification design, negotiation and contract management. I completely enjoyed that aspect of the project which pivoted my career to supply chain management. Shortly thereafter, I was offered a New Product Development Supply Management role at Herman Miller. It was the perfect opportunity for me to blend my technical and business skills in a role focused on new products. I spent 20 years with Herman Miller and left as their VP of Global Supply Management. I joined Global Concepts almost 3 years ago.
Why is it a priority for Global Concepts to invest in our regional economy?
I have lived in West Michigan my whole life. It is a great place to live and raise a family. I have done business extensively around the US and the world and I strongly believe that West Michigan is a great place for businesses. One of the most appealing aspects of the area is the diversity of industries, processes, and talent. The biggest concern will be the demand for talent over the next couple of years and having enough appropriate cost housing for the influx of people to fill all of the projected openings.
What projects or initiatives have you most excited right now?
With the supply chain crisis the last couple of years, we have seen an increased priority by our customers to de-risk their supply chains and look at either multi-streams of supply or a strategy to have their products produced regionally. Global Concepts has nine manufacturing and distribution locations around the world with three of them in West Michigan which allow us to support our customer’s global sourcing strategies.
We are also excited about diversifying our customer and industry concentration. We were founded by individuals from the furniture industry. While our fastest growing segment is medical components, we are still very focused on furniture. We also partner with customers in the construction and automotive industries.
Talk to us about workplace culture. What are some values that you and your team live by?
Global Concepts thrives because of our great group of team members. We are certified minority owned which helps drive diversity and inclusion in our strategies from all team members. We focus on the “whole” team member and not just the part that we see at work every day. We try to develop team members and promote from within whenever possible. This approach has led to many long tenured team members.
What is a book that you’ve read or an influencer that you’ve listened to recently that has made you a better leader?
I listen to the podcast “How I Built This” with Guy Raz when I exercise. Hearing the stories from company founders allows me to have a better understanding of the multiple paths and the various struggles that they needed to overcome on their way to success. In most of the stories the theme of perseverance and agility is resounding.