Lean Facilitator Biographies

Larry Rubrich, PE

Larry has over 25 years of experience in engineering and manufacturing in the automotive, industrial, and consumer products areas. He has held the positions of product engineering, chief product engineer, product manager, customer service manager, area manufacturing manager, continuous improvement manager, and plant manager with fortune 100 corporations.

Larry has been dedicated to the study, development, training, and implementation of advanced world class manufacturing techniques in U.S. manufacturing. Larry spent time in Japan studying Japanese management and manufacturing techniques working directly with top-level Japanese consulting group hired by a U.S. company to implement the Toyota Production System (TPS) in its plants.

Larry co-authored the widely acclaimed book, Implementing World Class Manufacturing-Business Manual. Larry's second book, How to Prevent Lean Implementation Failures...10 Reasons Why Failures Occur, was published in September 2004.

Conference attendees voted Larry's presentation on his "10 Reasons" book as the best presentation (of 24) at the 2005 AME-Canada conference held in Edmonton.

Larry is a registered Professional Engineer, and Adjunct Professor at the Milwaukee School of Engineering, and founder of WCM Associates.

Madelyn (Mattie) A. Watson

Mattie has 30 years experience in quality and manufacturing management in aerospace, automotive, and consumer product industries. She has held positions a supervisor, general supervisor, quality engineering manager, product reliability manager, and focus factory plant manager in fortune 500 companies. In these positions, she implemented world class manufacturing techniques and participated in lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, and team development seminars with Tennessee Associates, Toyota, and United Technologies.

Paul Lemond

Paul has over 28 years of manufacturing experience with numerous fortune 100 companies and private industries. Product experience in automotive, off-highway equipment, hydraulics, and the oil well services industries. Positions held include: Plant Manager, Quality Manager, Area Manager, Materials Manager, Corporate Trainer, and Certified "Excellence in Manufacturing" facilitator. As team director, successfully installed a parallel manufacturing cell from Kayaba Industries, Tokyo, Japan to north central Texas, in support of a Caterpillar - Mitsubishi joint venture. Has lead 100's of improvement initiatives in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and abroad for firms such as Dana, Caterpillar, and United Technologies Corporation. Completed study mission in Japan, learning the Toyota Production System.

Terry Deuel

Terry has 29 years of manufacturing experience with numerous organizations. He has worked with companies throughout the United States in identifying lean manufacturing opportunities and establishing direction for implementation. He has implemented basic Kanban Inventory control systems in several manufacturing facilities and has held several tooling quick change sessions, with an average reduction in setup time of 40%.

Vince Fayad

Vince started his manufacturing career in Detroit as a Journeyman Tool & Die maker and now has over forty years of manufacturing experience. He has worked extensively in the automotive, aerospace, and fluid technology industries. At one point, Vince had P&L responsibility for two foundries (steel and iron), three machine shops, and two assembly operations. He started his continuous improvement journey in 1986 when he attended the Crosby Quality College. More recently, Vince had total responsibility for the implementation of Lean Six Sigma throughout ITT Industries, a $6.5 billion dollar company with over 45,000 people world-wide. During this time, ITT’s stock went from $24 a share to over $100 a share. Vince has been given credit for putting ITT’s President, CEO, and Chairman of the Board (Lou Giuliano) on the front cover of Industry Week. Vince earned the Ring of Quality for his efforts (the Ring of Quality is one of oldest and most prestigious Quality Award in industry today).

Dave Hall

Dave has over 21 years of Operational experience with a number of fortune 100 companies within multiple industries and spanning several continents. Positions held include: Corporate Director of Lean Manufacturing, Corporate Director of Process Improvement, Plant Manager, Strategic Purchasing Manager, and Production Control Manager. Dave has led numerous Lean Transformations and improvement initiatives in the US, Canada, Mexico, Europe and abroad.

Julie Knox

Julie has over 15 years of experience in engineering and manufacturing management in the automotive, major appliances, lighting, locomotives, sheet metal fabrication, and hydraulics industries throughout the US and Mexico. She has held the positions of Supervisor, Manufacturing Engineer, Quality Engineer, Engineering Manager, HR Manager, Continuous Improvement Manager, always with the focus to engage associates in continuous improvement efforts. She has worked with both Fortune 100 companies and smaller, privately-held companies.

Albert Lettman

Albert has over 18 years of operational experience with a number of Fortune 500 companies in the printing and automotive industries in North America and Europe. Positions held include: Director of Continuous Improvement, Director of Quality and Process Improvement, Corporate Manager of Continuous Improvement, Divisional Quality Manager and Research Fellow. In addition, Albert consults and teaches Lean Enterprise courses nationally as well as ISO 9000/Malcolm Baldridge assessment and Six Sigma. Albert has consulted with clients in the automotive industry, printing, paper manufacturing, window and door manufacturing and pump industry. Albert has also published referred articles on Advance Manufacturing Technology and the impact it has on making a company competitive. He earned a MSc. in Technology Management from Sterling University, Scotland and an MBA in Organizational Change Management from the University of Glasgow.

http://bec.msoe.edu/lean/biographies.php