Wayne Peterson
Engineering & Operations Leader | Enterprise Strategy | Capital Stewardship | Lean Transformation
- Role
- Product Development Manager at The Toro Company
- Location
- Minneapolis, MN, US
- LinkedIn followers
- 500 followers
About Wayne Peterson
Strategic engineering and operations leader with 30+ years of progressive responsibility driving enterprise performance across product development, manufacturing, capital investment, and supply chain operations. Proven ability to align cross-functional execution with long-term business strategy while developing strong teams and sustainable systems. Recognized for disciplined capital stewardship, operational excellence, and values-based leadership that builds trust across the organization.Leadership Philosophy• Develop people first — performance follows• Invest capital with discipline and long-term vision• Build systems that are safe, efficient, and sustainable• Lead with integrity and consistency• Align daily execution with enterprise strategy
Experience
Product Development Manager
Nov 2018 — Present · Bloomington, MN, US
Lead Product Development Lab (PDL) and Industrial Design (ID) functions supporting enterprise-wide product innovation initiatives.• Provide strategic leadership for Product Development Lab serving as rapid prototyping and advanced build capability for TTC product lines• Lead team of 30+ technical professionals producing prototype components and assemblies supporting new product development• Ensure prototype execution aligns with engineering timelines, cost targets, safety standards, and manufacturability requirements• Drive continuous improvement in lab processes, equipment utilization, and capability expansion• Lead Industrial Design organization supporting product development across multiple categories• Partner with product management and engineering to elevate customer experience through styling, branding, ergonomics, and usability• Integrate design strategy with enterprise brand standards and product portfolio vision• Strengthen cross-functional collaboration between engineering, marketing, and design to accelerate product readiness
Education
University of Minnesota
BSME, Mechanical Engineering
1989 — 1994
Skills
- Gd&T
- Manufacturing Engineering
- Pro Engineer
- Design of Experiments
- Manufacturing
- Engineering
- Automation
- Operations Management
- Six Sigma
- Lean Manufacturing
- Continuous Improvement
- Value Stream Mapping
- Process Improvement
- Cross-Functional Team Leadership
- Machining
- Product Development
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