Lean Enterprise Institute Names New Chief Operations Officer, Announces Other Management Changes to Increase Collaboration with Customers
Cambridge, MA (PRWEB) August 06, 2014 -- The nonprofit Lean Enterprise Institute (LEI), a global leader in lean management thinking and practice, today announced that Mark Reich, director of strategy and operations, is its new chief operations officer (COO).
Reich will oversee day-to-day operations, including marketing and finance, plus business units responsible for training, conferences, book publishing, and research partnerships with companies and organizations engaged in lean transformations.
Before joining LEI in 2012, Reich was general manager of the Toyota Production System Support Center where he directly implemented the Toyota Production System (TPS) or managed its implementation in a variety of industries, including automotive, food, furniture, and healthcare, among others.
“I look forward to strengthening our understanding of the lean community in order to better collaborate with them and learn with them during their lean transformations,” said Reich.
“Our customers and co-learning partners will benefit from Mark’s deep expertise in lean management behaviors and practices, said John Shook, LEI chairman and CEO. “He’s supported by a newly organized team that will help him deepen our understanding of existing and new customers, so we can better meet the needs of our expanding community.”
Shook said the team consists of several new appointments:
•Danielle Blais, who had been manager of the onsite education program, assumes the new position of Co-Learning Partners development manager. LEI’s Co-Learning Partners are a select group of companies that have demonstrated executive commitment to lean transformations, an enthusiasm for collaborative learning where the work is done, and a willingness to share the results with the global lean community.
•Deborah McGee has been hired as the new learning activities manager. McGee is responsible for all aspects of LEI’s onsite education programs including standard and customized training programs and other activities to support onsite capability development.
•John O’Donnell, former interim COO, is now executive director with oversight over the Lean Global Network (LGN), the Lean Education Academic Network (LEAN), and the newly organized Public Service Value Network (PSVN). The purpose of PSVN is to create greater awareness of how lean thinking and practice can improve the effectiveness, quality and delivery of public services (government, social and community-based) and help organizations accelerate the lean transformation process. LEI will launch the PSVN in partnership with lean pioneers in the public and nonprofit sectors in the second half of 2014.
•Josh Rapoza, former director of web strategy and operations, takes on the new post of customer strategy officer, with responsibility for integrating the voice of the customer into all aspects of LEI services, products, and thinking, while ensuring consistency of messaging and strategy across all activity streams.
Lean Enterprise Institute
Lean Enterprise Institute Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, makes things better through lean research, education, publishing, and conferences. Guided by a mission to advance lean thinking and practice around the world, LEI also supports other lean initiatives such as the Lean Global Network, the Lean Education Academic Network, and the Healthcare Value Network. Visit LEI at http://www.lean.org for more information.
Chet Marchwinski, Lean Enterprise Institute, http://www.lean.org, +1 (203) 778-0670, [email protected]
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