Selden
Swain

Selden Swain

(PhD 1996)
Outstanding Industrial Engineer (2023)
Selden O. Swain is a global operations executive and a certified Six Sigma Black Belt with over 30 years of experience in spearheading strategic changes in manufacturing, engineering, product development, and supply chain across aerospace, defense, automotive, and textile industries. He has worked in the USA, UK, India, and Hong Kong and has held leadership roles during pivotal times for corporations. Selden is a passionate, persuasive, and integrity-driven transformational global leader who has developed and validated a proprietary transformational sustainability model to operate efficiently and deliver results. Selden is a lean change leader who excels at delivering operational imperatives and returns on investment. Selden earned his Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering with summa cum laude honors from Louisiana Tech University in 1987. He went on to pursue his Master of Science in Industrial Engineering at Purdue University in 1992, where he specialized in Manufacturing Engineering/Management. In 1996, Selden earned his Doctor of Philosophy in Industrial Engineering from Purdue University, where his dissertation was on the Finish Machining of Hardened Steels with Cubic Boron Nitride (CBN) Cutting Tools. He also completed the Oxford High-Performance Leadership Program at Said Business School, Executive Education, Oxford University in the U.K. in 2018. Selden's career highlights include re-engineering the production blueprint and network strategically transforming the supply chain of Triumph International, where he saved the company 39 M CHF over a 3.5-year period. He also engineered an 18-month unprecedented rescue of Triumph International India startup, spearheaded a historic launch of the 6-Speed Transmission product line at Ford Motor Company, and lead the GPS replenishment satellite manufacturing source selection as a US Air Force Officer. Selden has led major global operations overhauls, winning awards for devising best practices that are now recognized and adapted globally as benchmarks. He is distinguished in implementing lean tactics and digital transformations to produce cost savings with win-win data-driven decision-making generating sustainable EBIT gains. Ford Motor Company, and lead the GPS replenishment satellite manufacturing source selection as a US Air Force Officer. Selden has led major global operations overhauls, winning awards for devising best practices that are now recognized and adapted globally as benchmarks. He is distinguished in implementing lean tactics and digital transformations to produce cost savings with win-win data-driven decision-making generating sustainable EBIT gains.