“`html
If you’ve placed an urgent order for a package from Amazon — and sighed with relief when it showed up on your doorstep mere hours later — you probably owe thanks to three alumni of the MIT Leaders for Global Operations (LGO) program: John Tagawa SM ’99; Diego Méndez de la Luz MNG ’04, MBA ’11, SM ’11; or Chuck Cummings MBA ’11, SM ’11.
Each of them holds pivotal positions within the organization. Tagawa supervises Amazon’s North American functions. Méndez de la Luz directs operations in Mexico. Cummings manages customer fulfillment across Canada. They also guide LGO students and recent alumni throughout the organization and attribute LGO’s unique combination of operational and leadership prowess to their achievements as Amazon expands.
John Tagawa
Tagawa joined Amazon — currently the largest e-commerce platform globally — through an LGO alumni connection in 2008, entering the firm during a period of aggressive growth. He spearheaded fulfillment centers on the West Coast and progressed to supervise operations in India, South America, and Europe, prioritizing safety, speed, and efficiency.
Today, he serves as a resource for fellow LGO alumni at Amazon, praising the program’s distinctive multidimensional emphasis on technology, engineering, and leadership, all of which are essential foundations as the organization continues to evolve.
“Right now, we operate hundreds of fulfillment centers globally, and Amazon has enhanced its transportation and last-mile delivery framework to ensure greater resilience and speed in delivering products to customers,” he elaborates.
Tagawa asserts that LGO’s exceptional dual-degree program provided a unique roadmap for success as both an operations leader and an engineer.
“The technological and engineering training I received at MIT directly influences my daily tasks. We are consistently exploring ways to integrate technology and innovate on a large scale to enhance outcomes for our workforce and customers. This includes everything from implementing robotics in our fulfillment centers to utilizing AI for determining inventory purchases and placements, as well as introducing technology on the production floor to support our frontline leaders. Those aspects of my LGO education were invaluable,” he states.
After earning his undergraduate degree from the University of Washington, Tagawa sought roles in engineering and operations. However, it was during LGO that he realized the significance of merging business, operations, and leadership expertise.
“What attracted me to LGO was the opportunity to study business and finance alongside engineering and leadership education. I had not fully understood how powerful the convergence of all three disciplines could be,” he reflects. “Amazon’s effectiveness hinges on the quality of our leaders, and a major aspect of my role involves cultivating, coaching, and constructing a strong leadership team. The foundation of my ability to accomplish this stems from lessons learned at MIT about being a lifelong learner.”
Tagawa recalls his own experiences in classes with Donald Davis, the late chair and CEO of The Stanley Works. Davis was among LGO’s earliest lecturers, sharing real-world case studies from his frontline experience. He imparted concepts of servant-leadership and diversity that have influenced Tagawa’s perspective at Amazon.
“I feel invigorated by the leadership principles at Amazon. We aspire to be Earth’s premier employer and are obsessed with customer satisfaction. It’s fulfilling to lead expansive organizations whose primary aim is to enhance the lives of our employees and customers, with a strong emphasis on nurturing excellent leaders. Who could ask for more?” he poses.
Diego Méndez de la Luz
This fusion of leadership insight and engineering expertise also jump-started the career of Méndez de la Luz, now Amazon’s country director for Mexico operations. LGO’s emphasis on leadership was vital in equipping him for his position at Amazon, where he manages the vast majority of Amazon’s 10,000 employees in Mexico — those engaged in operations — across 40 facilities in his home nation.
At MIT, he engaged with distinguished professors, whom he credits for expanding his intellectual and professional perspectives.
“I was a commendable student throughout my educational journey, but only after joining LGO did I grasp what I consider to be fundamental concepts and skills,” says Méndez de la Luz, who similarly began his career in engineering. “I learned about inventory oversight, business law, accounting, and how to engage in crucial conversations within the workplace — vital skills I never encountered as an engineer. LGO proved to be incredibly beneficial.”
Méndez de la Luz entered Amazon shortly after LGO, progressing from frontline management positions at fulfillment centers across the United States. Today, he oversees the complete cycle of imports, fulfillment, transportation, and customer delivery.
At Amazon, he believes he’s making a genuine impact in his homeland. With Amazon’s scale comes the duty to enhance both the environment and local communities, he asserts. Amazon interacts with communities through volunteer initiatives, literacy campaigns, and collaborations with shelters.
Currently, Méndez de la Luz expresses that he’s in his “dream position — precisely what I pursued at MIT,” in a community he cherishes.
“My position at Amazon is a tremendous source of pride. As a child, I aspired to be the president of Mexico. I still yearn to effect change for individuals in our society. Here, I have the chance to return to my homeland to create lasting job opportunities. Being able to do that has been an unexpected—but wonderfully positive—development that I hold in high regard,” he observes. “I want individuals to feel enthusiastic about coming to work and witnessing their friends and peers succeed.”
Chuck Cummings
This collaborative environment propelled Cummings to seek a post-MIT career at Amazon after years as a mechanical engineer. He discovered a nurturing workplace that valued growth: He began as an operations management intern and now leads the customer fulfillment division in Canada, encompassing the nation’s fulfillment centers. It’s a large role enhanced by his LGO background, where he continually aims for co-worker and customer satisfaction.
“I sought LGO because I’ve always been passionate about the shop floor,” he expresses. “I remain excited about exploring: How do we deliver faster service to Canadian customers? How do we continue to lower our cost structure to allow for further investment and enhanced benefits for our customers? Concurrently, how do I cultivate the best possible working environment for all of my employees?”
Last year, Cummings’ team inaugurated an Amazon robotics fulfillment center in Calgary, Alberta. This was a significant enhancement for Canadian customers; now, residents in Calgary have access to more inventory much closer to home, with matched delivery speeds. Cummings also played a role in establishing Amazon’s storage and distribution network at a new facility in Vancouver, British Columbia, which will enable nearby fulfillment centers to handle a wider range of customer orders at the fastest delivery speeds possible.
These were substantial initiatives, which he felt equipped to undertake thanks to his MIT education. His experience was so significant that Cummings now acts as Amazon’s co-school captain for LGO, where he recruits the next generation of LGO alumni for internships and permanent positions. Cummings has collaborated with over 25 LGO graduates and observes that they stand out in a crowd.
“You can present them with very ambiguous, complex challenges, and they can delve into the data and produce an outstanding solution. But what makes LGO graduates even more remarkable is that, simultaneously, they possess strong communication abilities and high emotional intelligence. It’s a blend of business leadership with exceptional technical insight,” he notes.
Both Tagawa and Méndez de la Luz engage frequently with LGO students as well. They concur that, even as Amazon’s technology continually evolves, its leadership qualities remain consistent — mirroring LGO’s reputation for crafting dynamic, empathetic professionals who also value technical expertise.
“While technology has advanced significantly, leadership principles endure for decades,” Tagawa remarks. “The integration of engineering, business, and leadership elements at LGO is unparalleled.”
“`