Leadership Team

Parthi Damodaraswamy
Director, Operational Excellence


parthi.damo@theleanway.com
502-322-6567


Parthi has extensive experience transforming startup companies and health care providers. In these unique environments, his innovative thinking has made delivering customer value the main focus while delivering exceptional financial results. Parthi leads our shop floor programs in value stream transformation.

Dr. Joachim Knuf
Director, Enterprise Strategy


joachim.knuf@theleanway.com
502-322-6582


Joachim was formerly an Associate Professor of Organizational Communication at the University of Kentucky where he conducted specialized research into the cultural and managerial aspects of lean systems for 15 years. He was a founding member of the university's lean group in 1994 and was responsible for developing its humanistic and strategic content.

Ray Littlefield
Director, Operations Transformation


ray.littlefield@theleanway.com
502-322-6579


Ray organizes and leads lean transformation programs for our clients. He has extensive experience engaging team members in applying lean thinking to improve their processes in several, vastly different industries from job shops to transactional systems. Ray has lived the Toyota Way and shares his understanding in a unique way that resonates with people throughout the organization.

David Veech
Executive Director


david.veech@theleanway.com
502-517-1845


David assists our clients in defining ILS programs that meet their needs. His specialty is leading and developing people in the lean organization. David was the manager of the lean certification program at the University of Kentucky and has been developing and teaching courses on the lean way since 1998, starting in the defense industry. He is currently a doctoral candidate in organizational and educational psychology.

Dr. Jon Yingling
Director, Lean System Design


jon.yingling@theleanway.com
502-322-6591


Jon helps organizations to design and restructure their operations as lean value streams. He was formerly a Professor in the Manufacturing Systems Engineering program at the University of Kentucky where he developed programs, exercises, and courses in lean production that SME called “the model for manufacturing systems engineering education in the United States.”