Dr. Gene Fliedner is a Professor within the Decision and Information Sciences Department in the School of Business Administration at Oakland University where he has taught extensively within the MBA and Executive MBA Programs designing, developing and teaching courses in Lean Management, Project Management, Operations Planning and Control, and Supply Chain Management. Dr. Fliedner has published in numerous premier business journals including the Journal of Operations Management, Decision Sciences, the International Journal of Production Management, Computers and Operations Research, the Journal of Production and Inventory Management, the European Journal of Operational Research, Industrial Management and Data Systems, and others. Dr. Fliedner was awarded Fellows level certification by APICS in 1995. As a member of the Decision Sciences Institute, he has served in various capacities, including Vice President of this international professional society. As a member of the Midwest Decision Sciences Institute, he has served in various capacities, including President, Secretary, Program Chair and others. In 2010, he received the distinguished Fellows lifetime service award from the Midwest Decision Sciences Institute. In 2011, 2014, and again in 2018, Dr. Fliedner received a three-year Research Fellowship from the Pawley Lean Institute. In 2013, his book Leading and Managing the Lean Management Process was awarded the Shingo Research and Publication Award.