Raymond C. Floyd is senior vice president of Suncor Energy. Prior to joining Suncor, Ray retired from Exxon Mobil, where he spent more than 20 years and where he most recently served as global manager of manufacturing services. Previously, he was with General Motors for more than 10 years. Ray is generally recognized as one of North America's early adopters of lean manufacturing and is among the very first worldwide to adapt lean technologies for use in the chemical and process industries. Following the practices described in this book, Ray led the first chemical business to receive the Shingo Prize and has led two separate businesses that have been designated as one of America's ten best plants by IndustryWeek magazine. Ray is the only person to lead businesses in both chemical and mechanical manufacturing to receive that designation. As site manager for Exxon's massive Baytown chemical plant, Ray led the team that was designated as best maintenance organization in large industry by Maintenance Technology magazine. Ray received the Andersen Consulting award for excellence in managing the human side of change. Ray has degrees in chemical engineering, business administration, and law. He is professionally licensed as an engineer, attorney-at-law, and patent attorney. He has also received international senior executive development at the Institute for International Studies and Training in Japan and the Institute for Management Development in Switzerland. Ray was appointed by President Reagan to represent the United States at the Japan Business Study Program as a guest of Japan's Ministry of International Trade and Industry. Ray's wife, Marsha, is also an attorney-at-law. Ray and Marsha have two daughters, who are both physicians, and five grandchildren.