Webster Industries, Inc., an industry leader in conveyor chain, sprockets and vibrating equipment, is pleased to announce the hire of Dennis Doren to Vice President Operational Excellence. Doren’s proven ability to develop benchmarks and best practice processes in industry will allow Webster to hit their targeted growth objectives. In this role, he will be accountable for building Webster’s chain and sprocket capacity, work to improve lead-times, increase shipment dollars and more.

President and CEO, Andy Felter stated, “The expertise Dennis brings in developing teams and implementing lean systems, make him an ideal candidate to lead Webster’s strategic plan for long-term growth and operational excellence.”

Doren started his career working in the automotive industry serving the following roles: cost estimating, industrial engineering, human resources, lean manufacturing and auditing. During this time, he developed the original Lean program for Cooper Tire and Cooper

Standard. In 2001, he served as the Director of Lean Systems at Bowling Green State University where he designed and taught coursework in business, leadership and continuous improvement. The curriculum allowed him to share his knowledge and proven success in lean manufacturing and continuous improvement with students. Dennis founded Lean Systems, Inc. in 2004, where he developed an implementation system founded on the principles of the Toyota Production System. This program has been taught to over 9000 people and been implemented at over 70 different companies. Doren has received various awards for his achievements and was the first in the nation to develop the black belt certification program. Most recently, he has held various roles including Executive Director of Operations, Plant Manager and Global Director of Operational Excellence at a Tier One Automotive Supplier. 

Doren holds a Bachelor of Human Sciences and Communication with a specialization in marketing and business sciences. His expertise in business development and track record for leading structured short-term improvements and long-term growth, transformation and strategic planning make him an ideal candidate for this position.