Mark Reich - Author

Senior Coach and Chief Engineer, Strategy
Lean Enterprise Institute

Mark Reich worked at Toyota for 23 years, beginning in 1988 with six years in Japan in the Overseas Planning Department, where he was responsible for product planning and worked with chief engineers to determine vehicle specifications for overseas markets. This was a crucial period when Toyota introduced the Lexus worldwide.

In 1994, Mark returned to the United States and transferred to the Toyota Supplier Support Center (TSSC), a non-profit organization founded by Toyota in North America dedicated to the practical application of the Toyota Production System (TPS) in manufacturing. While at TSSC in 2008, he also helped apply TPS outside the manufacturing environment, including in healthcare and nonprofit organizations - an important part of TSSC's mission to this day.

In 2001, Mark transferred to Toyota's Corporate Strategy Department in North America. As Assistant General Manager, he was given the responsibility of managing Toyota's hoshin kanri process in North America. This occurred at a time when Toyota was experiencing significant growth, with sales and production nearly doubling over the next decade. Hoshin kanri played a vital role in connecting the organization.

In 2011, Mark made the move to LEI, where he held various positions including Chief Operating Officer and, since 2018, Senior Coach and Chief Engineer, Strategy. Mark has led lean transformations and coached executives in hoshin kanri within various companies and industries. His clients include Freeman, GE Appliances, Legal Sea Foods, Michigan Medicine, Nucleus Software and Turner Construction.

Mark earned a bachelor's degree from Ohio Wesleyan University and specialized in Japan studies at Nanzan University. He is fluent in written and spoken Japanese.

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