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.

The ASQ World Conference on Quality and Improvement (WCQI) is coming to St. Louis in May 2010. ASQ St. Louis Section 1304 will host this international quality event. Thousands of quality professionals from all over the world will be in St. Louis to learn about the latest developments in quality.

The WCQI provides an opportunity for local members to participate in presentations, certification exams, leadership training, award ceremonies, and team competitions; visit exhibitors, and attend ASQ national society meetings and events. We are excited to host this world class event and to have this opportunity to showcase the city and the faces of quality in St. Louis.

Details to follow…

The Sixth Annual ASQ Spring Conference at SIUC will be held Thursday, April 24, 2008 on the second floor of the SIUC campus Student Center, 1225 Lincoln Drive, Carbondale, IL. Check-in begins at 8:00 a.m., sessions start at 8:30 a.m. Continental breakfast and lunch will be provided. Participants may attend 100- or 200-minute sessions.

Chris Anderson, Brenda Bishop and Steve Mundwiller of the ASQ St. Louis Secion are conducting sessions in Lean Thinking Experience, Experimental Design and Careers in Quality, respectively.

For more details, please download the SIUC Flyer and Registration Form.

ASQ St. Louis has achieved the Total Quality Level of the 2006-07 Section Management Process. This is the highest level of the SMP and is awarded to ASQ St. Louis for proving “its dedication and commitment to serving its members.”

ASQ St. Louis achieved the Total Quality Level last year as well. The section will be honored at ASQ’s World Conference in May.

We also received recognition for section planning and section basics for the year 2007-2008.

Here are the slides from Dixie Gillaspie’s presentation at the ASQ St. Louis Membership Meeting on January 15, 2007.

1. Dixie’s presentation slides (PDF - 735KB)
2. The 12 Strengths (PDF - 225KB)

Dixie would also like to direct you to http://www.askkathykolbe.com where you can listen to or download a great interview with Kathy Kolbe, the creator of the Kolbe Concept.

Dennis Arter, an ASQ Fellow and one of our Spring Conference Keynote Speakers this year, will be delivering two of the public courses being offered by ASQ National in St. Louis in November.

Quality Audits for Improved Performance

This is a basic course for both internal and external auditing. Move from compliance (policing) to management (performance improvement) auditing. It covers preparation, performance, reporting and closure. The curriculum follows the ASQ Certified Quality Auditor Body of Knowledge and assumes participants have no auditing experience. Learn how to present audit findings such that managers want to change current practices.

November 12-13, St. Louis – Click here to register.

Process-Based Auditing

Designed for managers and professional staff already familiar with fundamental quality auditing concepts, this one-day course focuses on business processes and how to audit them. The course is especially useful for those faced with assessing the process approach to quality management called for in ISO 9001:2000. This workshop will show you how to move your current audit program from boring to brilliant. All aspects of the audit (planning, performing, reporting and closure) are covered.

November 14, St. Louis – Click here to register.

For a complete listing of ASQ public courses being offered in St. Louis, please visit the ASQ National Website at: http://www.asq.org/training/locations/st-louis.html.

In addition to our standard location at the Engineers’ Club, ASQ St. Louis is offering December certification exams at SIUC (Southern Illinois University Carbondale). Please note that the registration deadline for the December exams is October 12, 2007.

Will Meyer, our Certification Chair, has coordinated with SIUC Student Sub-Section’s Chair, Aspen D’Costa, and ASQ’s Linda Gruetter to make this additional testing location possible. We have setup a testing site and proctor at SIU.

Our official exam site will still be the Engineers Club (each section has only one registered site); however, if anyone requests it (or they are identified by their mailing address), we can route the exam to SIU. Those identified for SIU will get an appropriate seating letter in advance specifying their test site - this advance notice will allow the applicant to correct or move their seating location if required.

Please contact Will Meyer with any questions.