LAI Program Manager

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Thomas Shields joined LAI in July 1994 and was named program manager in April 1995. In his current position, Tom plans and coordinates LAI activities and contributes to the strategic direction of the LAI consortium. He administers the consortium and coordinates the research staff, operations staff, and research assistants.

Tom has been the co-lead of the Factory Operations Research Team, later the Manufacturing Systems Research Team, and led research on factory operations within the defense aerospace industry. His research interests included factory flow management, variability reduction and process improvement, and manufacturing system design. Tom has been the codeveloper of a number of LAI products including the Lean Enterprise Model (LEM), Lean Enterprise Self Assessment Tool (LESAT), and the Government LESAT. Tom and LAI are currently focusing on lean transformation at the enterprise level.

Prior to joining LAI, Tom served for 24 years in the U.S. Navy. His career constituted a relatively even split between operational flying in the A-6E Intruder carrier attack aircraft and acquisition management positions. His final tour in the Navy was at the Defense Systems Management College as a professor of engineering management specializing in manufacturing management.

Tom is a co-author of Lean Enterprise Value and has contributed articles to the International Council of Aeronautical Sciences and the Acquisition Review Quarterly. He holds a B.S. from the U.S. Naval Academy in aerospace engineering and an M.S. in aeronautical engineering from the California Institute of Technology. He also holds a master’s of engineering management from George Washington University.