Phil Ranck

A Pennsylvania native, Phil decided after graduation from high school to join the United States Army. Serving 24 years on active duty status provided him the opportunity to live and work in a number of different states and counties, which set the foundation for working with process improvement. Perseverance, drive, and focus became part of his intrinsic mindset and character.

During Phil’s service as a Warrant Officer, his ambitious nature enabled him to earn his Bachelors degree in Military Management and program acquisition, with a concentration in contracting from American Military University (‘10) and his Master degree in Transportation and Logistics Management from American Military University (‘14). With the combined knowledge of military experience and formal education, it was clear that implementing change in the logistics field of the US Army is best accomplished using a clear process; leading to becoming a Certified Department of the Army Master Black Belt as well as IASSC, ASQ, and CSSC Certified Black Belt.

Phil’s Lean Six Sigma certification has enabled him to successfully train hundreds of students in Green and Black Belt Certifications, along with completes projects. Using Lean Six Sigma to reduce waste and variation in a process further progressed into developing innovation teams using Design Thinking methods. This passion for process improvement has lead to certifications in Design Thinking, Business Process Re-Engineering, and Change Management from organizations like IBM, IDEO, and Virginia State University. 

In the early Spring of 2019, it became clear the desire and need of others to also obtain Lean Six Sigma training, paving the way for the creation of Lean Alaska. Lining up perfectly to correspond with Phil’s retirement of the US Army.