Chris Rufer is founder of The Morning Star Company & Self-Management Institute. He began his professional career as a one-man owner/operator trucking company hauling tomatoes from field to factory during his summer breaks while attending UCLA. His entrepreneurial spirit and tireless drive drove him to grow his trucking operation and forge a partnership with a group of tomato growers to build a tomato factory of their own using concepts that he developed during his years driving in and out of tomato factories. Chris’ drive for maximized efficiencies, and his willingness to challenge assumptions & norms, led the group to build a factory that achieved efficiencies never before seen in the industry. He formed the Self-Management Institute as a research and educational group focused on the development of organizational tools, systems and ideas. He plays an active role in the development of systems & educational programs and in applied behavioral research.