Paul Harbath

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Paul Harbath

Director of Quality and Continuous Improvement

BSME Colorado State University, 1982

Certified Quality Engineer, CQE ASQ Certification

Certified Quality Manager, CQM ASQ Certification

Lean Bronze Certification, SME, Shingo, ASQ Certification

Lean Product Development Certification, Technology Perspectives

Visual Workplace Trainer Certification, Visual-Lean Institute

2010 USU Operational Excellence speaker rated in top 10 including nationally recognized speakers

E-mail Paul:

Ask him about the infamous “red bead” experiment.

> Reid Leland

> Suzanna Leland

> Jason Kunz

A lot of companies talk Lean, but typically you’d only find someone totally dedicated to the role of process improvement and quality at the biggest firms. At LeanWerks, our commitment to Lean manufacturing process improvement and quality is embodied in Paul Harbath.

Paul has logged over 27 years in manufacturing quality, and more than 14 years of that in Lean manufacturing. He has four years consulting experience in Lean manufacturing – as part of Utah MEP (Manufacturing Extension Partnership) – and has helped over 40 companies incorporate Lean thinking into their manufacturing process.

Paul permanently mounted a white board on a wall in his living room to use while teaching his kids about normal variation. Mrs. Harbath was likely thrilled.

He is a Senior Member of the American Society of Quality, the Webinar Chair of the Lean Enterprise Division, and the Program Chair of the Golden Spike Section.

Ask Paul about the theory behind process improvement, and he’s likely to tell you how he introduced production workers to cause and effect diagrams using loaded dice. Or about the time he taught his kids about normal variation, using the whiteboard he permanently screwed to the wall in his living room. Or about the red bead experiment…

Paul was the operational maestro who helped LeanWerks certify for AS 9100 registration — the aerospace quality standard for safety, airworthiness, product conformity and reliability. He is now leading the charge the company’s submission for the Shingo Prize for Operational Excellence.