Redirecting.work

Joe’s manufacturing career was a steady climb through roles in industrial and manufacturing engineering, design, engineering management, and eventually plant leadership. He had the hands-on skills of a craftsman and the strategic mind of an executive. But the demands became relentless: 50–60 hour weeks, unpredictable crises, and shrinking resources took a toll on his health. “Your life wasn’t your own,” he recalls. He could be summoned at any moment to solve a quality issue at a customer site.

 

Even as he navigated these pressures, Joe pursued education at night, earning credentials from an apprenticeship certificate to an MBA, while occasionally teaching as an adjunct. That teaching spark had been there all along, even as he chased an ambition to become a “hotshot CEO.” But by his mid-to-late 40s, the pull toward academia became undeniable.

 

Transition Process
Joe approached the pivot with his trademark analytical precision. Knowing a doctorate was essential for most university-level teaching, he mapped out the four to five years it would take and sought counsel from deans and faculty he respected. He chose a practitioner-focused Doctorate in Business Administration over a purely research PhD, aligning with his interest in teaching real-world application rather than theory.

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The transition was not a leap into the unknown. He had been taking courses continuously for decades. But balancing doctoral coursework, up to 18 credits of teaching as an adjunct, and the demands of plant management required discipline and stamina. He credits his wife’s unwavering support as a critical factor. Financially, the move meant a reduction in income, but one cushioned by the fact that his corporate salary had never reached the level that would make the cut painful.

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Patience proved to be another essential adjustment. Moving from a fast-paced operations environment to academia meant accepting a slower, more deliberative culture. “In the business world, we’d have figured this out over the weekend,” he says of academic committee work that sometimes dragged on for semesters. Learning to collaborate as an individual contributor without the authority of direct reports was another shift.

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Current Direction
Today, Joe is a professor at Mary Baldwin University, focused on the practical side of teaching business. His signature work, Humanist Manufacturing, is built on ten humanist commitments, including altruism, empathy, global awareness, and humility as a foundation for profitable, socially responsible operations. He works to help students across industries understand the benefits of the Four Pillars of People, Planet, Profit, and Purpose as the ideal approach to create environments that attract and retain employees who are valued not as expendable assets but as human beings with the potential to thrive. See also his Ted-talk. He is also active as an independent consultant, offering support to manufacturing organizations as a strategy trainer, facilitator, and fractional chief strategy officer.

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His approach is outward-looking, extending responsibility beyond the factory floor to the surrounding community. He advocates for hiring neurodiverse and disabled workers and increasing women’s representation in manufacturing. 

 

A natural learner, Joe is now immersing himself in artificial intelligence, exploring how it can augment human work rather than replace it. He envisions remaining a thought leader for the rest of his life.

 

Advice to Others
For those considering a pivot from corporate to academia, Joe has much to offer:

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Understand the “three-legged stool” of academia – you’ll need a doctorate, published academic work, and teaching experience to succeed at the university level.

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Choose your doctoral path intentionally – decide early whether you want a research-heavy or practitioner-focused role, and select a program that aligns with your career goals.

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Prepare for a cultural shift – moving from industry to academia requires patience, the ability to collaborate without formal authority, and acceptance of slower decision-making processes.

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Anticipate a financial adjustment – expect a pay cut and ensure you have the financial stability and family support to manage the transition.

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Follow your passion – make sure your “carrot” is strong enough to sustain you through the years of preparation and the challenges ahead.

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Know your audience when entering a new field – moving to areas like sustainability, speak the language of your stakeholders and frame your work in terms that matter to them, such as cost reduction or efficiency gains.

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Ultimately, Joe’s story is one of aligning lifelong passion with purpose. His commitment to teaching and to human-centered industry practices reflects his belief that “to whom much is given, much is expected,” a guiding principle that continues to shape his work, his students, and the organizations he influences.