Many years ago, I was assigned to deliver Mr. E Toyoda to the Augusta National Golf Course, via his corporate plane. During this journey, this icon of industry gave me some words of instruction: It is incumbent on you to teach the next generation of logistics professionals, the lessons you have learned at Toyota. To this day, those words still ring in my ears and are the main reason I became a teacher at Portland State University: We receive and we should give away—pass it on.
So, it’s with this thought, that I decided to write this book as a way for me to say thank you to all those that took the time to teach and support me as a supply chain leader.
First and foremost, I’d like to thank my family for supporting me through all of these years, moves, angst, and triumphs.
Next, many academics influenced and taught me along the way. To you all, I am eternally grateful:
Mark Moon—University of Tennessee
Paul Dittmann—University of Tennessee
Ray Mundy—University of Missouri, St. Louis
Manus Rungtusanatham—The Ohio State University
Kate Vitasek—University of Tennessee/Vested
Daniel Wong—PSU
Through my 40 years in industry, most of the time, I was blessed with some incredibly smart bosses that took the time to coach me. Furthermore, I learned early on that I had the ability to recruit great teams. So, I’d like to acknowledge all of the folks I worked with along the way:
Bob Bennett
Hiroshi Imai
Joe Williamson
Fred Arnow
Mickey Sakai
E. Toyoda
All of my senseis in Japan
Deere
Earl Brinkley
Mark Ward
Ken Carlson
Dave Nelson
Hans Becherer
Bob Lane
Honeywell
David Graham
Anne Bruggink
Hendrikje Genung
John Hellriegel
Martin Oettinger
Jens Schuemann
Bryce Wu
Karl Laskas
Joe DeSarla
Jeff Muradian
Jeff Soholt
Dave Cote