Russ Aikman
Program Manager, Master Black Belt
Russ Aikman is the Program Manager for TMAC Lean Six Sigma Program. Russ has more than 26 years of experience in Continuous Improvement of manufacturing and service / transactional processes.
Areas of Expertise
Russ is the Program Manager for Lean Six Sigma (LSS) at The University of Texas at Arlington. He is the lead instructor in various classes, provides coaching for newly trained individuals, and works closely with customers in implementing their formal LSS Program.
Scope of Experience
Russ has worked with dozens of companies to perform Lean and Six Sigma improvements. His experience includes work in a variety of industries, including food and beverage, health care, aerospace, metals, logistics, city government, insurance, banking, construction, oil and gas, connectors, packaging and paint.
Prior to his focus on Lean Six Sigma, Russ worked with over a dozen different companies in the development of their ISO 9000 Quality Management System. He also worked with a variety of firms on Lean Enterprise projects including Value Stream Mapping, Setup Reduction, Cellular Manufacturing, Kaizen Events and Pull Systems.
Relevant Assignments
Russ has taught over 60 LSS Master Black Belt, Black Belt, Green Belt, and Executive training courses. He has also provided coaching support for dozens of individuals on their projects prior to their certification as LSS Black Belts or Green Belts.
He worked closely with Dr Pepper in the development of their Rapid Continuous Improvement Program. He also provided training and coaching for Transplace, a third party logistics firm. Russ worked with City of Irving in reducing waste in various city processes.
Education and Training
Russ received his Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering and his Master of Science in Industrial Engineering degree from The University of Arkansas. He previously served as an Examiner through the Texas Award for Performance Excellence and is a Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt.
Honors and Awards
Russ is a Senior Member of the Institute of Industrial Engineers, and was President of the Dallas Chapter in 2001. He was awarded the Outstanding Industrial Engineer of the Year in 2002, from the Dallas Chapter of IIE, and he was inducted into the Arkansas Academy of Industrial Engineers in 2010.
Previous Employers
Russ worked as a Senior Consultant at George Group, where he implemented Lean Improvements at a variety of firms. Prior to that, he worked as a Consultant at Anderson Consulting. He also worked as a Quality Engineer at Baxter Healthcare and as a Process Engineer at AT&T Technologies.
