Lean Enterprise Institute Inc. (LEI) was founded in 1997 by management expert James P. Womack, Ph.D., as a nonprofit research, education, publishing, and conference company with a mission to advance lean thinking around the world. The LEI associates teach courses, hold management seminars, write and publish books and workbooks, and organize public and private conferences. They use the surplus revenues from these activities to conduct research projects and to support other lean initiatives such as the Lean Education Academic Network, the Lean Global Network, and the Healthcare Value Leaders Network. Any company, organization, executive, or manager wishing to join the transformation to a lean way of creating value is welcome in LEI’s Lean Community.