Eric Lail

About Eric Lail

I’m a transformational operations and supply chain executive with 30+ years of experience leading high-impact change across global manufacturing organizations—from $40M to $10B in revenue. My career has been defined by a passion for Lean systems, servant leadership, and delivering sustainable results that improve the bottom line and the customer experience.I’ve led enterprise-wide initiatives in continuous improvement, digital transformation, and supply chain optimization—building high-performing teams, driving strategic execution, and embedding a culture of operational excellence. Trained by Shingijutsu, Toyota TSSC, and TBM Consulting, I bring a deep foundation in TPS and the Shingo Model and have served as a Shingo Prize Examiner since 2003.Whether consolidating multi-site operations, reducing lead times from 38 to 4 weeks, or delivering 25%+ productivity gains, I thrive on solving complex problems and helping organizations evolve through collaboration, coaching, and execution. I believe in leadership that puts people first, fosters accountability, and aligns culture with strategy.I’m driven by purpose and energized by the opportunities to lead at scale, mentor future leaders, and deliver meaningful, measurable value.Let’s connect.

Experience

1. Chief Business Officer

   Design Foundry - Hickory

   Sep 2025 — Present

   Spearheading business partnership development with merchandising, product development, supply chain, and manufacturing teams. • Supporting continuous improvement initiatives to enhance operational efficiency and collaboration. • Fostering strong relationships with key stakeholders to drive strategic goals and objectives.

Education

• North Carolina State University

  BS - FMM, Engineering

  1989 — 1994

Skills

• Total Productive Maintenance (Tpm)
• Lean Initiatives
• Organizational Development
• Root Cause Analysis
• Strategic Consulting
• Lean Logistics
• Management
• Lean Warehousing
• Business Process Improvement
• Lean Supply Chain
• Executive Support
• Executive Development
• Continuous Improvement
• Third-Party Logistics (3pl)
• Product Development
• Lean Manufacturing
• Supply Chain Management
• Toyota Production System
• 5s
• Tpm
• Six Sigma
• Manufacturing
• Organizational Behavior
• Strategic Planning
• Kanban
• Value Stream Mapping
• Process Improvement
• Executive Coaching
• Logistics Management
• Kaizen
• Smed
• Lean Management
• Industrial Engineering
• Manufacturing Operations Management
• Supply Chain
• Strategy
• Logistics
• Executive Management
• Hoshin Kanri
• Operational Excellence