Tom Stevens
Consultant - Michigan, USA

Tom Stevens has over 20 years of professional experience working with Japanese colleagues in a variety of settings. Tom began his career with Alpine Electronics Manufacturing of America, a Japanese supplier of audio and electronic components to OEMs. Close collaboration with local Japanese management and headquarters staff was essential to meet the plant’s delivery, inventory, and quality targets.

Tom later joined SAP Americas as an implementation consultant specializing in the Production Planning and Plant Maintenance modules. In 2001, Tom transferred to SAP Japan where he worked for six years as the Director of SAP’s Asian Automotive Industry Business Unit. Based in Tokyo, he led software sales, training, and implementation activities at major Japanese automotive companies, including Toyota, Nissan, and Mitsubishi, as well as projects throughout Asia with Proton Motors in Malaysia, FAW-VW and GM Shanghai in China, and Tata Motors and Hero Honda in India. Given the international scope of the projects, Tom facilitated meetings where navigating the cultural differences of the Japanese, German and America participants was critical to the success of the project. Returning to the US in 2006, Tom continued to provide translation and cultural consulting support for the international SAP sales teams.

Tom also has extensive experience with Japanese language education, including 3 years as an adjunct faculty member of Concordia College (Moorhead, MN) where he was dean of Mori no Ike, a residential summer program providing Japanese language immersion and cultural education to students ages 7 to 18.

Tom is fluent in spoken and written Japanese, and is an experienced presenter in both English and Japanese. Tom earned his bachelors degree from Earlham College with a double major in Japanese Studies and Economics. He also holds an MBA from Indiana University with a focus on Operations Management, and has APICS CPIM and CIRM certification.

In addition to his work with Japan Intercultural Consulting, Tom consults on SAP Automotive solution implementations and operations management.

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