SSW Holding Company, a producer of engineered products for the food preservation, cooking, and home comfort industries, recognizes the fact that S&OP is much more than just a technology and/or data-driven practice. The team at SSW knows that success with S&OP requires a behavior change that results in a collegial, cross-functional, collaborative, consensus-building experience. This presentation will showcase the experiences of Mark Gritton, SSW Holding Company president, who will share the story of his S&OP journey. His discussion will cover areas that include "authentic" S&OP; the ideal implementation path; design team requirements, including a plan; avoiding conflict; merging S&OP with other organizational projects; moving beyond the pilot demonstration; the best ways to educate and demonstrate benefits to the executive team; leading the ongoing process; and the importance of a communications plan. Presented at the 2019 ASCM Conference--Las Vegas, Nevada.