The Institute, a joint effort of the U-M College of Engineering and School of Business, provides students from both engineering and business with a unique educational and industry experience that prepares them for leadership positions in industry.
Saif Benjaafar, Seth Bonder collegiate professor and professor of industrial and operations engineering at the University of Michigan (U-M) has been appointed the Goff Smith co-director of the Joel D. Tauber Institute for Global Operations. He succeeds Lawrence (Larry) Seiford, professor of industrial and operations engineering and director of the Engineering Global Leadership (EGL) program, who has served in that role since 2010.
“I am deeply honored and humbled to follow in Larry’s footsteps,” says Benjaafar. “Larry leaves big shoes to fill, and I look forward to building on his legacy of nurturing the next generation of leaders for global operations.”
Concurrently, Hyun-Soo Ahn, professor at the U-M Stephen M. Ross School of Business will step down as the Ford Motor Company co-director, with Joline Uichanco, an associate professor of technology and operations, set to succeed him.
The Joel D. Tauber Institute for Global Operations, supported with an endowment by Joel D. Tauber, a U-M alumnus, and a manufacturing industry leader, is the nation’s premier institute focusing on global operations and supply chains. The Institute, a joint effort of the U-M College of Engineering and School of Business, provides students from both engineering and business with a unique educational and industry experience that prepares them for leadership positions in industry. The Institute aims to be a center of thought leadership and a venue for collaboration between the University and industry.
“Opportunities to expand the footprint of activities of the Institute are many,” says Benjaafar. “I am particularly excited about exploring new ways the Institute can strengthen its industry connections and broaden collaborations between the two schools, engineering and business, and other parts of the University.”
Under Seiford and Ahn’s leadership, the Institute has expanded its activities to include new educational modules and new student experiences. They recruited and mentored hundreds of students and helped elevate the Institute’s national and international profile. As recognition of that effort, the Institute was recognized with the inaugural INFORMS UPS George D. Smith Prize for excellence in operations leadership education.
“It has been a real pleasure to interact with our engaged industry sponsors and bright motivated students,” said Seiford. “Each year I am impressed by the outstanding ability of our student teams to address challenging problems that deliver impactful solutions for our industry partners. This student experience leads to successful alumni who generously give back to Tauber by mentoring current students and helping to steer the future direction of the Institute.”
Saif Benjaafar, a leader in the field of operations management and supply chains, brings extensive experience to the role. Before joining the University of Michigan, he served as Head of the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering (ISyE) at the University of Minnesota where he led the transformation of ISyE from a small graduate program into a leading department. Additionally, he was a founding faculty member of Singapore University of Technology and Design where he served as Pillar Head of Engineering Systems and Design. His research, at the intersection of innovative business models and technology, is aligned with the ambitions of the Tauber Institute to be at the forefront of business innovation and technology.