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About Andy Carlino

Andy Carlino

I have never seen so much change so quickly. Business conditions are rapidly changing, customer expectations are growing at an unprecedented rate, and competition is more sophisticated and tougher than ever. Digital combined with a focus on Resource Power™ is changing the game and the next level of lean. It might be an overstatement to say we are in the midst of an industrial revolution but we are certainly in the midst of a significant industrial evolution. If all companies have or can acquire the same resources (technology, equipment, suppliers, etc.) then what will be the competitive advantage? It will be using the transformation to reduce the non value-added burden to employees (every connection must add value) and creating the knowledge-worker for quick and effective decision making and problem solving.

Nearly 25 years ago, after a 20 year career in industry, Andy started his consulting practice and was immediately invited to assist a multinational Fortune 500 company with their continuous journey and he has never looked back.  For over 8 years during the 90’s, Andy assisted Chrysler Corporation with the implementation of the successful Chrysler Operating System working in their production operations but also working with their healthcare supply chain.

It was during this assignment (and others) that Andy found that even after many years, many companies (Chrysler included) could not successfully sustain or advance their lean initiative.  He discovered two primary contributing factors.  First, almost of all of the lean initiatives were substantially based on the tools of lean with little recognition of their true purpose or the appreciation of the principles (thinking) of lean.  Second, there was often a void in the leadership team. They were not assuming leading lean as their role and responsibility and were not actively and visibly engaged in providing the lean experiences.

It was these discoveries and Andy’s desire to make a difference in lean that led to co-founding the Lean Learning Center with Jamie Flinchbaugh and Dennis Pawley in 2001.  Subsequently, the Lean Learning Center has become the leading resource for companies and individuals across the globe.

Organizations are rapidly moving toward digital transformation and many are making the same mistake as the lean transformation–a focus on tools. Only this time it’s digital tools.  Andy Carlino has researched and interviewed senior executives of Fortune 500 and discovered there is a void.  Many are not preapred. Carlino Partners is working with clients on digital prepardness “Ecosystem Lean”. Carlino Partners has been established as a group of trusted advisors and technical/global alliances to help industry meet the “industrial evolution”. Denis Pawley, retired EVP of Chrysler, Mike Miller, retired VP of Harley Davidson and Chris McKellen, retired VP of Dana Corp are just part of this new advisory/consultant team. Carlino Partners has also established alliances with MAEX Partners in Germany and France, and Harmona in the UK and Ireland.

Andy is a trusted advisor to private and public companies highly respected from the C-suite to the shop floor in practically every industry and across the globe, including many companies you might recognize: Harley Davidson, Deer and Co, Detroit Edison, Land O Lakes, BlueCross BlueShield, Agco, Mars, Network Rail (national rail in UK), Northrup Grumman, and too many more to mention.  Additionally, Andy is a frequent keynote speaker, the subject and author of numerous articles, and co-author with Jamie Flinchbaugh of the highly popular book The Hitchhikers Guide to Lean: Lessons from the Road.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to Lean cover
Andy is not an academic or theorist; he is a practitioner.  Lean is not an academic exercise and also not just some bucket of tools. It’s about changing behaviors through the practical and pragmatic application of the principles and practices of lean.  “Change the behaviors and you will change the results.”