Jim Friedl

James E. Friedl Jr. (Jim) is the Founder and Managing Partner of SolutionTech, a consulting firm he established in 2003 to help organizations improve operations, strengthen cultures, and achieve sustainable business growth through Continuous Improvement methodologies. SolutionTech specializes in creating and implementing operational and back-office process improvements by removing barriers, increasing productivity, reducing waste, and fostering cultures of accountability and excellence.

Jim and the SolutionTech team work closely with senior leaders, managers, and engaged employees to ensure that Continuous Improvement principles are successfully adopted throughout an organization. Their approach includes Lean Systems Implementation, Kaizen Events, strategic process improvement initiatives, and detailed engineering analysis focused on waste reduction, process control, and regulatory compliance. These tools become integrated into the client’s culture, enabling long-term operational success.

With 39 years of manufacturing, engineering, and operations experience, Jim brings a unique combination of technical expertise, leadership, and hands-on business knowledge. His career includes senior management roles in Manufacturing Operations, Engineering, Materials Control, Quality, and Process Improvement. He is a Certified Lean Manufacturing Practitioner through Toyota and a Six Sigma Black Belt, recognized for his ability to drive measurable performance improvements across a wide range of industries.

Throughout his career, Jim has led more than 720 Kaizen Events, delivering transformational results in manufacturing, service, and business process environments. Today, he focuses on new client engagement, Lean assessments, strategy development, training, and implementation while leading the SolutionTech team in selecting and executing high-impact improvement projects.

Jim is also known as a highly engaging and dynamic speaker, capable of energizing workforces at all levels. His practical, results-oriented training methods equip teams with tools and techniques they continue to use long after implementation, creating lasting organizational change.

His industry experience spans a diverse range of sectors, including Automotive, Aerospace, Defense, Banking, Coatings, Converters, Electronics, Food 

Products, Gaskets, Home Building, Medical Devices, Mining, Oil & Gas, Packaging, Plastics, Power Transmission, Recycling, Recreational Vehicles, and Modular Building Systems.

Jim earned a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from the University of Detroit and a Master’s Degree in Manufacturing and Electrical Systems Engineering from the Milwaukee School of Engineering. He currently manages SolutionTech and resides in Cleveland, Ohio.