Eric is a hands-on student and practitioner of Lean with a passion for building problem-solving cultures built on the pillars of continuous improvement and respect for people. Originally trained by a Japanese sensei as an engineering co-op student, he has over 25 years of experience implementing continuous improvement practices in all aspects of operating companies, in a variety of industries, leading to accelerated operating and financial performance. 

Before joining NEXT LEVEL Partners^®, LLC, Eric held executive and leadership roles with public and private equity-backed companies including Steel Partners, Sequa Corporation, and Allied Signal. 

Eric earned an MS in Industrial and Systems Engineering from the University of Alabama Huntsville, an MS in Industrial Engineering / Engineering Management from the University of Tennessee, and a BS in Industrial Engineering from the University of Tennessee.