About

A Unique Background

“Dr. Emiliani is an unusual academic in the following way. He worked for 15 years in management and technical areas in industry before leaving industry for the academic world AND he has excellent scholarly skills. Most people are successful at one or the other but not both. Bob was successful in industry and had the opportunity to be at the center of a serious effort to implement the Toyota Production System in a unique environment – that of defense contracting and large customized products namely aircraft engines. Among other things he was taught the state of the art in Lean directly by Shingijutsu, the premier consulting firm of former Toyota managers.”

– Prof. Jeffrey Liker, author of The Toyota Way.

“Bob is the embodiment of the consummate professional who displays quiet confidence and demonstrates integrity at all times. He is secure in his own abilities and always looking to improve, himself, situations, and helping others who are interested in doing the same. I had the privilege of working with Bob when we were both first learning from the Shingijutsu Company. If you have the opportunity to talk with or work with Bob, take advantage of the opportunity to collaborate with him, as opportunities like that do not present themselves very often in life.”

– Joe Muraca, Senior Corporate Manager, Global Supply Chain, Canberra Industries

Highlights

• Originator of Lean leadership
• Nearly 25 years of research in Lean leadership
• 30 years of industry and academic work experience
• Experienced engineering, operations, and supply chain leader
• Hands-on Lean leadership practice in manufacturing and service organizations

• Author of 18 books and 48 research papers
• Numerous unique contributions to the body of Lean knowledge
• 17-plus years of executive training and corporate speaking experience
• Innovative Lean thinker and practitioner
• Creator of the Lean Teaching pedagogy in higher education

Biosketch

M.L. “Bob” Emiliani is a professor, researcher, author, historian of progressive management, and executive trainer. He has over 30 years of experience in manufacturing (aerospace, consumer products) and service industries (higher education, training), and has had front-line responsibility for implementing Lean principles and practices in the manufacturing shop floor, supply networks, and in higher education. Bob is a long-time Lean practitioner and the first to focus on Lean leadership as an area of scholarly study.

Born in Miami, Florida, Bob graduated from the University of Miami where he received a B.S. in mechanical engineering. He then earned an M.S. degree in chemical engineering from the University of Rhode Island followed by a Ph.D. in Engineering from Brown University. Bob is married to Lucinda and they have two adult children.