Mr. Ptacek is a Partner in Global Lean Institute, and President and CEO of Competitive Edge Training and Consulting, a firm specializing in leader and organizational development, and Lean Enterprise transformations. He is an Approved Scanlon Leadership Network Consultant and a Senior Advisor to the National Association for Job Shops and Small Manufactures (NAJS). Mr. Ptacek holds a BS in Metallurgical Engineering from Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI (USA), and Masters of Management from Aquinas College, Grand Rapids, MI (USA).

Mr. Ptacek is an adjunct instructor of Management Principles, Manufacturing Strategy, and Total Quality Management, and has instructed at Grand Valley State University, Aquinas College, Davenport University, and currently instructs in the Lean Champion Certification program at Grand Rapids Community College. Mr. Ptacek has an extensive client list and has provided Lean and Leadership training and consulting in North America, Asia, and Europe.

Mr. Ptacek has authored several articles on principled Leadership and continuous improvement topics. He is the author and illustrator of Shop Suey comics for industry, a comic book formatted training publication, the Supervisor Pocket Guide, and the Lean Sim Machine™ Advanced Lean Training Manual, and is on the advisory board for the Lean Pocket Guide and related materials offered by MCS Media.

Mr. Ptacek has held leadership positions in Quality, Sales, and Operations Management, and has over 25 years of practical experience implementing continuous improvements in a variety of industries. He speaks on leadership and continuous improvement topics for several industry associations including, Precision Metal Forming Association (PMA), Society of Manufacturing Engineering (SME), American Society for Quality (ASQ), American Mold Builders Association (AMBA), National Association for Job Shops and Small Manufactures (NAJS), and the Scanlon Leadership Network (SLN).