Rafael Hernandez, MBA
About Rafael Hernandez, MBA
Rafael Hernandez, MBA, is a Senior Lean Process Manager at Navistar Inc, with extensive experience in lean manufacturing and productivity management, particularly within Toyota Motor Corporation. He holds an MBA from The University of Texas at San Antonio and has a proven track record of implementing successful process improvements and cost management strategies.
Work at Navistar
Rafael Hernandez currently serves as the Senior Lean Process Manager at Navistar Inc, a position he has held since 2023. In this role, he focuses on implementing lean processes to enhance operational efficiency. Prior to this role, he worked as a Senior Manufacturing Training and Development Consultant at Navistar from 2021 to 2023, where he contributed to workforce development and training initiatives.
Experience at Toyota Motor Corporation
Rafael Hernandez has extensive experience at Toyota Motor Corporation, where he held multiple roles from 2007 to 2018. He began as a Group Leader, overseeing production processes and team management in San Antonio, Texas, for six years. He later served as a Productivity Senior Analyst and then as Manager of Productivity & Cost Management, achieving significant productivity and cost management goals during his tenure.
Previous Roles at Amazon and Schlemmer Group
Hernandez worked as Manager II at Amazon from 2020 to 2021, where he managed operational processes in Schertz, Texas. Additionally, he served as General Manager at Schlemmer Group for 11 months in 2019 to 2020, overseeing operations and contributing to the company's management strategies.
Education and Expertise
Rafael Hernandez holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from The University of Texas at San Antonio, completed between 1996 and 1999. He also earned a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) in International Business from St. Mary's University from 1989 to 1993. Furthermore, he studied European Integration and Economics at Universität Innsbruck, achieving a BBA in 1992. He specializes in the Toyota Production System (TPS) and is recognized as a subject matter expert in this area.
Achievements in Process Improvement
Throughout his career, Rafael Hernandez has implemented various process improvement initiatives. Notably, at Toyota Motor Manufacturing, he established a scrap waste program that resulted in a 25% reduction in scrap. He also oversaw production productivity and cost management for a workforce of 1,800, producing 264,000 vehicles annually, and successfully maintained production outputs while reducing the workforce at Columbia Industries by 40%.