Hory B. Chikez
Process Engineering: Industry Engineering
515-357-7693horych@iastate.edu Economic Development Core Facility1805 Collaboration Place, Suite 2300Ames, IA 50010
Expertise
Industry 4.0Innovation
Product/Process Design
Supply Chain
Education
Ph.D., Industrial and Agricultural Technology, Iowa State UniversityM.E., Industrial Engineering, Stellenbosch University, South Africa
B.Tech., Industrial and Systems Engineering, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, South Africa
Experience
Hory brings years of experience in process improvement, applied research, and engineering education. His early work in South Africa's automotive and textile industries provided a strong foundation for working in complex production environments. He later expanded that foundation through research in Iowa State University's Industrial and Agricultural Technology (IAT) program, where his work focused on integrating engineering, technology, and data analytics to strengthen food systems in both the U.S. and international settings. As instructor of record for a lean manufacturing course for fourth-year students in the IAT program, he used real-world case studies and hands-on projects to help students understand and apply continuous improvement principles.As Supply Chain Project Manager at CIRAS, Hory led national supplier scouting and optimization efforts under NIST's SCOIN program. He also led the development of the Iowa Supplier Portal to connect Iowa companies with local suppliers and strengthen domestic sourcing.
Serving CIRAS from 2023.