Kenneth E. Kirby, Faculty Emeritus of Industrial Engineering at The University of Tennessee, specializes in the areas of manufacturing facilities and systems design, organizational systems analysis and design, and applied statistics.  He has taught in the Center for Executive Education's Institutes for Productivity Through Quality since 1985.  He is co-designer and lead faculty member of the Lean Enterprise Systems Design Institute.

He has taught internationally in England, Brazil, Ireland, Germany, and Singapore.  Dr. Kirby came to The University of Tennessee after fifteen years of industrial experience with the Aluminum Company of America (ALCOA).  At ALCOA of Tennessee, he served as the Manager of Industrial Engineering.

In the past five years, he has consulted with Georgia Pacific, Watervliet Arsenal, Johnson and Johnson, Bechtel, Eli Lilly, Rockwell International, and Allied Signal Automotive and Aerospace Divisions.

Ken received his M.S. and Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering from The University of Tennessee.