Brian Harvey – MassMEP Employee Highlights

Brian Harvey is a MassMEP Project Manager. “I work with our clients, primarily to train and coach on lean methodologies. The fun part is for those trained to go out and execute on those methodologies. They really have something they can take back to their job and that will have an immediate effect on their business.”

Brian shares his career back story and how he came to be with MassMEP. “Funny story. At one of the companies I previously worked with, I was dubbed by a VP as an engineer stuck in a finance person’s body. I have a manufacturing finance background and did that work for a number of years. Then in 2007 the VP showed up in my office door and he said those exact words. He said he wanted to take me out of finance and put me in operations. So I started to lead the company’s global productivity, cost reduction, continuous improvement organization. I led everyone in that tools division, and subsequently through number of acquisitions led those people too. My background includes my beginning work at a steel rolling mill in finance, to working at aircraft manufacturing, and also includes 18 years in consumer durable goods and power tools.”

Brian continues, “A colleague of mine works at MassMEP, and I think I helped him get his position here. Then I heard about another position here from a prior MassMEP employee and put my name in. The work we do here is something that I like to do and it’s a continuation of that passion that I have.”

“I love continuous improvement and improving processes. I really enjoy trying to take problems and make them not problems. Trying to come up with creative solutions and things people don’t think they can do or haven’t ever thought of doing is all part of that. That also includes trying to challenge other people to do the same. I had the situation a couple of times as plant manager when I put out a bold statement and asked the engineer to go figure it out. Part of my job was to push them and prod them, help them with ideas, and have them throw things at the wall and see what sticks. And the best part is then to watch them succeed. When he/they win, I win, so it’s fun. This is rewarding because lots of times they don’t know what’s possible or that someone will them do those kinds of things. They would ask, ‘Well can I do that?’  And I would say, ‘Why not!’ Then they feel empowered and they love it. It spurs on more power and passion in them to solve other things.”

Outside of work, Brian claims not to have a favorite thing because he involves himself in so much. “I’m a self-proclaimed project guy. I can fix anything around the house, the car, the boat. You name it, I can do it. I take things apart. I do construction, and I’ve built houses. I do electrical, plumbing, wiring, painting, you name it, I do it. I am definitely a tinkerer. I drive people crazy, my wife especially, because I fix more things when she’d prefer to go buy a new one.”

How well do you know Brian? Two of these statements are true and one is not. Can you guess which one?

1. I’m sitting here right now in front of my 100-year-old antique roll top desk.
2. I recently inherited a 1972 Piper Cub that I’m starting to restore.
3. I’ve been to 32 countries and 36 states.