Charlie Gifford, a Lean Operations Management Consultant, has developed advanced manufacturing systems in a wide variety of industries, aerospace, electronics, food and beverage, CPG, telecom, energy and life sciences for the past 28 years. He is an internationally recognized expert in combining Lean Manufacturing practices with Manufacturing Operations Systems. His background includes hands-on design, design supervision and team leadership. As an industry leader working in professional organizations such as ISA, Supply Chain Council and MESA International, he has contributed and taught many MES/MOM Standards, such as ISA-88, ISA-95 and SCOR models. He has published over 40 papers on the subject of optimization best practices as well as the books The Hitchhikers Guide to Manufacturing Operations Management: ISA-95 Best Practices Book 1.0 and When Worlds Collide in Manufacturing Operations: ISA-95 Best Practices Book 2.0. He was awarded the 2007 MESA International Outstanding Contributor Award.