Ali Ahmad Appointed as MEPOL Operations Director

BATON ROUGE – Ali Ahmad, a professional with over 16 years’ experience in industrial engineering, research and management fields, has been newly appointed as the Operations Director of the Manufacturing Extension Partnership of Louisiana.

Effective October 2, Ahmad will support MEPOL activities to help Louisiana manufacturers grow and compete. As operations director, he will lead efforts to provide and complete project deliveries, work to understand manufacturing needs, and ensure qualified resources meet those needs.

“I am pleased to have Dr. Ahmad join the MEPOL team”, said Mike Wolff, director of the Manufacturing Extension Partnership of Louisiana. “Dr. Ahmad brings a proven track record of outstanding results and leadership with a skill set that couples well with the MEPOL mission to support manufacturers throughout Louisiana.”

MEPOL is operated by the Louisiana Community and Technical College System (LCTCS) in partnership with the National Institute of Standards and Technology and a national network of Manufacturing Extension Partnerships based in every state. MEPOL provides a full range of services to manufacturers, including growth and cost-reduction strategies, website development and branding, process and quality improvement, engineering and prototyping, facility layout, and leadership training. All activities are focused on increasing productivity, profitability, and manufacturing success. MEPOL also can connect manufacturers to workforce development services offered by all 13 LCTCS colleges.

“I am excited to work with MEPOL to support Louisiana manufacturers. My experience at Northwestern State University allowed me to understand some of the opportunities of improvement that can be realized to impact organizations’ bottom lines. As the Operations Director at MEPOL, I will work closely with manufacturers across the state to conduct continuous improvement projects and training seminars to aid their efforts in innovation and growth,” Ahmad stated.

Ahmad has worked for more than 3 years for Northwestern State University (NSU) in Natchitoches, Louisiana, as a Department Head of the Engineering Technology program managing day-to-day operations, developing feeder programs, engaging with manufacturing partners and initiating new programs in technology, project management, and quality control. During his tenure at NSU, the department enrollment increased by over 75%, articulation agreements with several LCTCS colleges were signed for Certification for Manufacturing, articulated college credit was established for project lead the way students, and the department partnered with various manufacturers on training projects.

Previously, Ahmad worked with the Advanced Manufacturing Institute in Saudi Arabia where he led teams on cutting edge research in manufacturing systems simulation and process improvement initiatives. Additionally, he started and managed a Florida small business focused on advanced research and business consulting related to user-centered design. Prior to that he was a lead scientist for Design Interactive, Inc., a small business in Florida, where he managed projects for NASA and the Office of Naval Research related to human-systems integration. He also worked with a Siemens Energy Solutions six sigma group in Florida to organize and conduct lean and six sigma classes. As a certified Six Sigma Black Belt, Ahmad has also led six sigma projects dealing with improving cost estimation processes, engineering change request processes, and service operations.

Ali has a Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering from the University of Central Florida. He lives in Natchitoches, Louisiana.