Madisonville Community College (MCC) is in Madisonville, Kentucky, a small town with a strong coal industry presence. Mine closings and layoffs in the 1980s prompted the region to reorient itself toward light industry and manufacturing, but the recession of the early 1990s and globalization led to closings of several of the largest employers. In 1995, MCC developed a Lean Manufacturing Simulation and Implementation Program. Lean manufacturing refers to a philosophy of efficiency used by Toyota that shortens the time between customer order and factory shipment by eliminating waste. The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) awarded a grant of $12,000 to MCC to help get the program started. The MCC program is based on a program at the Center for Robotics and Manufacturing Systems (CRMS) at the University of Kentucky (UK). Toyota Manufacturing, Inc. was the catalyst and gave UK the seed money. The Lean Manufacturing program at MCC consists of a simulation of lean manufacturing practices and training courses in lean manufacturing principles and concepts. The expansion of the region's manufacturing base highlights the success of the MCC program. The article suggests that if MCC can develop an introductory program for non-manufacturers, MCC can help more local firms to be more profitable and serve a greater portion of the business community in the service area. (NB)