At Waupaca Foundry, innovation and continous improvement have always been at the heart of our success. From improving manufacturing processes to adopting automation and technologies, our team members continually push the boundaries of what's possible. This spirit of innovation is exactly why Lucas Schick and his team were recognized with the prestigious 2025 Two Gary's Award one — of the highest honors bestowed at Waupaca Foundry. 

Lucas Schick, alongside his dedicated information technology (IT) team, has been instrumental in revolutionizing how an iron casting supplier collects, processes, and uses data through the implementation of Microsoft Power BI. Over the past two to three years, Lucas had led a transformation that has reshaped how information flows across the foundry organization, helping teams work smarter, make faster decisions, and ultimately strengthen our competitive advantage. 

Identifying the Opportunity for Change

Before Lucas and his team set their vision into motion, gathering and analyzing operational data was a time-consuming and manual task for many departments. Employees across Production, Sales, Customer Service, Finance, Quality, and other areas were spending significant time manually pulling information from iSeries, SAP, and other databases. Assembling monthly, weekly, daily, and even ad hoc reports required tedious data gathering and preparation — time that could have been better spent acting on insights rather than chasing them down.

Recognizing the inefficiencies and the growing need for real-time information, the iron casting supplier saw an opportunity to create a centralized, automated, and dynamic solution. In turn, Schick understood that if the right tools and processes were in place, data could become not just easier to access, but a true strategic asset for Waupaca Foundry.

Leading the Power BI Implementation 

Under Schick’s leadership, the Power BI project took shape with a clear focus: make accurate, real-time data readily accessible across the company

Lucas Schick, a Senior IT Manager, earns the Two Gary's Award for Leading Waupaca Foundry's Tranformational Power BI Implementation.

His team began developing a series of Power BI landing pages tailored to the various needs of cross-functional teams. The approach was highly collaborative—application teams would work with business users to understand reporting needs and desired data structures. From there, manual data collection steps were eliminated, replaced by automated, reliable connections to source systems.

The impact was immediate and far-reaching. Rather than waiting for days for reports to be assembled and analyzed, team members now have near-instantaneous access to live dashboards and visualizations. Decisions that once took days or weeks can now be made confidently in real-time. Production schedules are managed more efficiently, inventory levels are optimized, and customer needs are anticipated more proactively.

Beyond aggregation, the ability to visualize and interpret information quickly has significantly enhanced forecasting, strategic planning, and everyday operations. Lucas and his team didn’t just improve reporting—they helped Waupaca Foundry become a smarter, faster, and more agile company.

"Lucas has demonstrated exceptional vision and leadership in how we use data to drive decisions,” said Director of Information Technology Andrew Kelly. “His work implementing Power BI didn’t just solve a problem—it was transformational and redefined how our teams across the company interact with information. This award is a well-deserved recognition of his impact on Waupaca Foundry’s digital evolution."

Why Power BI Matters in Manufacturing

Power BI, Microsoft’s cloud-based business analytics platform, has become an essential tool for manufacturers worldwide. It allows companies, including iron foundries, to turn complex data sets into intuitive dashboards and reports, revealing patterns, trends, and opportunities that might otherwise be missed.

For Waupaca Foundry, the benefits have been clear:

• Improved decision-making through real-time analytics
• Enhanced forecasting for production planning and supply chain management
• Increased operational efficiency by reducing manual data handling
• Stronger collaboration by making information accessible across departments. 

Recognizing Leadership and Innovation: The Two Gary's Award

The Two Gary's Award recognizes outstanding contributions that embody Waupaca Foundry’s spirit of innovation, leadership, and excellence. Named after two influential leaders in Waupaca Foundry’s history, Gary Thoe and Gary Gigante, the award honors those who not only improve the company but also inspire others to do the same.

Lucas Schick’s Power BI implementation project was a clear example of these values in action. His forward-thinking leadership, technical expertise, and ability to rally teams around a shared vision have made a measurable difference cross-functionally at the foundry.

"Lucas has truly exemplified what it means to be a leader at Waupaca Foundry," said Corporate Controlling Manager Andrew Andrich, who nominated Lucas for the award. "Through his efforts, we’re not just doing things better — we’re thinking differently about what’s possible."

The Future of Data at Waupaca Foundry

As Waupaca Foundry continues to embrace digital transformation, Lucas Schick's work with Power BI has laid a strong foundation for the future. His efforts have empowered teams, strengthened our decision-making capabilities, and set a new standard for innovation within the organization.