H. Glenn Ballard is co-founder and research director of the Lean Construction Institute (LCI), a non-profit organization dedicated to applying Lean theory, principles and techniques to create a new form of project management to design and build capital facilities. Dr. Ballard brings 25 years of construction industry expertise to his role and is a recognized expert in the area of project performance improvement.
An accomplished educator, author and public speaker, Dr. Ballard is currently a member of the construction engineering and management program faculty at UC Berkeley and Stanford. His teaching focuses on improving, as opposed to controlling, project performance. His principle research interest is adapting lean production theory from manufacturing to construction management practice. Toward that end, he has developed a model for lean delivery of capital facility projects, the Lean Project Delivery System™. Dr. Ballard is also a founding member of the International Group of Lean Construction, which is dedicated to the development and application of production control concepts and techniques in the construction industry. He is frequently asked to share his research and experience with audiences at conferences and private organizations around the world.
He has worked as a manager, trainer and consultant with a myriad of organizations ranging from construction and engineering firms to public utilities to international oil and gas manufacturers. These organizations include: Ford Motor Co., Brown & Root, Bechtel Corp., Jacobs Engineering, Petroleos de Venezuela, Pacific Gas & Electric, Caltrans and the Department of Defense.
In 2016 he received the PPI Technical Achievement Award to recognize his contributions and thought leadership in the area of Project Production Management. Dr. Ballard was recognized for his invaluable contribution in the delivery of capital projects through development of theory and application of operations management concepts, including the Last Planner approach.