View the July, 2009 Measure

Save $925 Registration Fee by Volunteering
for the ASQ 2010 World Conference on Quality and Improvement
at the America’s Center, St. Louis, MO May 24-26, 2010

Last year registration was $925 but, by participating as a volunteer for the 2010 ASQ WCQI you attend the conference sessions at no charge.  You will be needed for eight hours of service during the five day conference either as a room monitor, guide, or event assistant.  You will save $925, help your section support the conference, and have an opportunity to host ASQ members from around the world.

Focus Areas for the 2010 ASQ WCQI include:

• Social Responsibility
• New Applications of Proven Quality Tools
• Quality in a Global Economy
• Making the Case for Quality
• Quality Basics

Sign up now by emailing the St. Louis section conference chair Chris Anderson: chris@bizmanualz.com with your contact information.

February 6, 2009

Out of Darkness Into Light - A Quality for Life Story
There are an estimated 15 million people in India who are visually impaired - which equates to roughly one out of every three blind  people in the world. To help combat blindness for children and adults in India, Dr. Manu Vora, an ASQ Fellow, along with five colleagues from AT&T Bell Laboratories, formed the Blind Foundation for India (BFI). Read more of this Quality for Life story.

New Lean Six Sigma Healthcare Case Study
Kaiser Permanente Colorado used Lean Six Sigma to evaluate and improve Medicaid enrollment processes. A three-month project resulted in a 45-percent gain in Medicaid membership while increasing Medicaid revenue by more than $1 million annually. Read the case study.

To have your success story considered for publication by ASQ, contact Noel Wilson at nwilson@asq.org or 414-298-8789 x7304.

QIHC Explores Building Better Performance Delivery Systems
I mproving healthcare delivery performance is the theme of the 2009 Quality Institute for Healthcare (QIHC), May 18-20, 2009, at the Minneapolis Convention Center, Minneapolis, Minn. The conference will focus on developing adoptable and sustainable improvement models for application in care delivery business units as well as at the organizational and community levels. Healthcare quality leaders and experts from around the country will direct daily hands-on workshops on the latest healthcare quality improvement methods. Read the press release.

Expanded Benefit Allows More Participation in Sections and Divisions
Now, Site and K-12, along with Enterprise member employees can purchase Section, Division and Forum memberships and receive the added benefits of belonging to these communities. This is perfect for employees new to quality who want to be more involved but don’t want a full ASQ membership. Employees may join a section for $20 and/or a division or forum for $10 each.

For more information, or registration instructions employees should contact their organization’s primary membership contact, or contact ASQ Customer Care, 800-248-1946.

Pharmaceutical Industry Experts Needed
ASQ headquarters is seeking experts to write practice questions for the Certified Pharmaceutical Good Manufacturing Practices Professional (CPGP) Body of Knowledge. These questions will be used to develop an online product to give ASQ members and customers the opportunity to take practice tests similar to the certification exam. Subject matter experts should have experience in compliance with good manufacturing practices (GMPs) for the pharmaceutical industry and have not written for an actual ASQ exam within the past two years to maintain the integrity of our certification exams. Knowledge of finished human and veterinary drugs and biologics, ectoparasitacides, and dietary supplements where regulated as drug products, as well as their component raw materials and packaging and labeling operations is needed. If you are interested in participating, please contact Andy Hubbartt for details.

Monthly Membership Tips
ASQ appreciates your commitment and dedication to recruiting new members every month. Here are some helpful hints to keep your recruitment efforts going:

1. Show your colleagues and friends the benefits of ASQ membership with your Value of Membership card.
2. Invite prospective members to attend your meetings and give them the opportunity to meet other quality professionals in the area.

Look for more recruitment tips in the months to come. And don’t forget about the Each One Reach One referral program and get rewarded for each member you recruit.

Call for Presentations and Tutorials: Service Quality Conference
The ASQ Service Quality Division is seeking proposals for concurrent session presentations and tutorials, for the 18th Annual Service Quality Conference, October 5-6, 2009, Long Beach, Calif. If you have a success story, case study, or new technique in the field of service quality, we want to hear from you! Submit a proposal for a concurrent session or tutorial by February 28.

Now Available: Best of NQEC 2008 Webinar Package
Many member units work with educators. Or, they have been trying to initiate a relationship with local schools. Whichever scenario is the case, a new webinar package will make a great addition to any district. This package includes the top 10 sessions of the National Quality Education Conference (NQEC) for one low price! Let local schools know about this special opportunity that will directly impact their performance improvement goals. This special offer is good through March 15, 2009, and is only $995 for the whole school. Check out all the sessions you will receive.

Submit Your Presentation for NQEC 2009!
Deadline: February 20, 2009-The conference will be held October 25-27, 2009, in Jacksonville, Fla. Get more information today by visiting the NQEC Call for Presentations Web page.

For the 2009/2010 ASQ season the section 1304 Leadership Committee recommends the following candidates:

• Chair - Stephen Mundwiller (second term)
• Chair Elect - Open
• Treasurer - Resa Manson (second term)
• Secretary - Kim Rochetti
• Vice Chair - John O’Reilly

ASQ only requires the section to have a Chair, Treasurer, Secretary, and Auditor (not an elected position). We are obviously looking for a Chair Elect, but it is not critical that we have someone elected in March. We can appoint someone to fill the vacancy or elect at a later date.

The requirements/recommended attributes for the Chair/Chair Elect are:

• Good organization skills
• Good/very good computer skills
• Excellent communication skills
• Budget/ P&L experience
• Good decision-making ability
• Ability to function in a team environment
• A strong desire to serve the section and ASQ

In St. Louis, the Chair Elect is responsible for developing and facilitating the Spring Conference. While this is a big job, the key to success is to form a team of volunteers accomplish the work in a timely manner. The Chair Elect is the successor to the Chair if the Chair has to vacate the office, and will then move into the Chair position when the current Chair’s term is complete. Having a person serve in the Chair Elect position helps he/she learn the job requirements.

The Vice Chair is the immediate back-up and assistant to the Chair. This position will only succeed the Chair on a temporary basis, such as if the Chair is ill or has other commitments and cannot attend a meeting. This person does not move into the Chair position upon completion of the Chair’s term or if the Chair vacates the office.

The Section Secretary is responsible for publishing the Leadership Committee minutes and is a point of contact for some ASQ business.

The Section Treasurer manages the section’s checking account and investment accounts. The Treasurer develops and maintains the section budget. This includes monitoring the various budgeted accounts, as well as managing the revenue and expenses. The Treasurer has the authority to issue checks and use the section debit card.

All section officers are expected to attend the monthly Leadership Committee meetings and the nine membership meetings. All section officers participate in ensuring the section performs in a quality manner while serving the section members and community. More detailed position descriptions can be found at www.asq.org.

Other candidates may apply for these positions. To be considered, one must be a section member in good standing for 12 months and hold a full ASQ membership. Submit your name and ASQ membership number, along with the name, membership number and signature of ten section 1304 members who support your candidacy, by March 6 2009,  to:

John O’Reilly
Secretary, ASQ Section 1304
C/O Engineer’s Club of St. Louis
4359 Lindell Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63108

ASQ Press Release

Press Contact: Leta Thrasher
800-248-1946 ext: 7423

St. Louis, MO, January 30, 2009

The St. Louis Section 1304 of the American Society for Quality (ASQ) has earned the 2007-08 Quality Management Process Gold Excellence Award, one of the highest honors a Section can earn in the Society. Only 40 of 255 ASQ Sections earned this award for the 2007-08 year!

The St. Louis Section 1304 will be honored at ASQ’s 62nd annual conference; the World Conference on Quality and Improvement, on May 16, 2008 in Minneapolis, MN. Members of the ASQ Board of Directors will present the award to the Section.

The Quality Management Process (QMP) Gold Excellence Award is awarded to Sections that have proven their commitment and ability to serving local ASQ members and the community. QMP is a management model and planning tool that assists Sections in their planning and implementation of programs and services that will meet the needs of current and future ASQ members. The model is based on the Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle of continuous improvement and is proven to aid the Sections in delivering superior value to their members.

In order to earn the Gold Excellence Award, Sections must meet certain criteria which include creating a business plan and budget, then meeting 75% of the goals set forth in their business plan. The Section must then achieve ASQ’s objectives in member retention, loyalty and satisfaction.

The ASQ Section 1304 Leadership Committee has approved TWO $1,000 Herbert V. McMahon Education Grants. Applications for the Education Grants are available only at the section membership meetings. To be eligible for the Education Grant the individual must have graduated from High School and be enrolled full-time in a post-high school degree program. The individual must also be related to a section1304 member as a child (stepchild), grandchild, sister, brother, or guardian. The Education Grant will be awarded at the section Spring Awards meeting in March. Applications must be received by the Scholarship Chair, Tony Indihar, by no later Monday, March 9, 2009.

ASQ Press Release

Press Contact: Leta Thrasher
800-248-1946 ext: 7423

St. Louis, MO, January 30, 2009

The St. Louis Section 1304 of the American Society for Quality (ASQ) has earned the 2007-08 Quality Management Process Total Quality Award, one of the highest honors a section can earn in the Society. Only 94 of 255 ASQ sections earned this award for the 2007-08 year!

The St. Louis Section 1304 will be honored at ASQ’s 62nd annual conference; the World Conference on Quality and Improvement, on May 16, 2008 in Minneapolis, MN. Members of the ASQ Board of Directors will present the award to the section.

The Quality Management Process (QMP) Total Quality Award is awarded to sections that have proven their commitment and ability to serving local ASQ members and the community. QMP is a management model and planning tool that assists sections in their planning and implementation of programs and services that will meet the needs of current and future ASQ members. The model is based on the plan-do-check-act cycle of continuous improvement and is proven to aid the sections in delivering superior value to their members.

In order to earn the Total Quality Award, sections must meet certain criteria. First, they must determine a section volunteer roster and set long-term targets. Second, the section must develop an annual business plan with objectives and goals. Finally, a section must meet 75% of the goals set forth in their business plan.

Bruce D. DeRuntz, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL received Fellow membership status for significant contributions to the quality assurance profession through quality management positions, consulting, and developing and teaching quality methods courses for universities, industry clients, and international societies; and for extensive publications and presentation on the principles of Six Sigma.

Bruce is an Associate Professor in the College of engineering at Southern Illinois University Carbondale where he teaches classes in Quality, Industrial Metrology, and Project Management. Through his research in six sigma human resources, he has published and presented on the topic as well as provided consulting to Fortune 500 companies on their Six Sigma Black Belt development process. He is the editor of Quality Management Forum and the Associate Editor of the Journal of Industrial Technology. He holds ASQ certifications for Six Sigma Black Belt and Quality Engineer.