As a hands-on general manager of the Toyota Production System Support Center (TSSC), Mark Reich directly implemented the Toyota Production System (TPS) or managed its implementation in a variety of industries, including automotive, food, furniture, and healthcare, among others.
Reich spent a total of nine years at TSSC, established by Toyota to share TPS know-how with North American companies. During a two-year tenure as GM, Reich doubled the number of companies supported from 20 to 40. He transitioned TSSC from for-profit to nonprofit status so it could better support its original mission to strengthen North American manufacturing and help any organization interested in implementing TPS. He also expanded the client base beyond manufacturing to hospitals, schools, low-income food distribution, and other nationally prominent nonprofits.