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American Express executives head up the speaker roster at the third annual Six Sigma in Financial Services Conference. The conference will be held May 10–12 at the New York Marriott Eastside. Karim Houry and Rick Irving, American Express vice presidents of global reengineering, will…
Organizers of the Global Six Sigma Summit have received almost 70 entries for the Global Six Sigma Awards. Organizations from India, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, Europe and the United States have submitted a total of 65 entries for all 10 award categories and for the Six Sigma…
Management Systems International LLC recently introduced a new lean and Six Sigma consulting service. ImprovePlus is designed to help companies streamline their operations, reduce cost and enhance customer retention. The benefits of implementing the system include better bottom-line…
The U.S. Army has chosen software from PowerSteering Software Inc. to track its lean Six Sigma projects.The Army uses lean Six Sigma to identify functions that are no longer relevant, to eliminate nonvalue-added operations and positions, and to focus resources on required capabilities.…
Last year I had the good fortune of doing some consulting with B&C Specialty Products in Hopeulikit, Georgia. B&C does light manufacturing, primarily plastic molding and assembly, and they also distribute imported products produced by companies in the Far East. They have about 150 employees…
The federal Office of Personnel Management now requires preferred provider organizations (PPOs) and other fee-for-service plans to collect and report quality performance measures. Beginning in 2007, 8 million federal employees, dependents and retirees will have better comparative…
The Chief Executives’ Confidence Measure, which had improved to 56 points in the final quarter of 2005, edged up to 57 points in the first quarter of 2006, The Conference Board reports in its latest CEO survey. CEOs’ assessment of current business conditions improved, with 49 percent…
Nonprofit organizations have until May 25 to submit applications to be part of a pilot Baldrige Award program. The National Institute for Standards and Technology, which administers the Baldrige Award, will accept applications from nonprofit organizations that have received a top-level…
StatPoint Inc. and Manugistics Group Inc. recently announced the end of their longtime licensing partnership. Since 1984, Manugistics had managed the sales, marketing and support of StatPoint’s STATGRAPHICS product line. StatPoint has taken back responsibility for all aspects of the…
An upcoming symposium will offer attendees a unique environment to learn about the production of hazardous-substance-free (HSF) products. HSPM2006 International Leadership Symposium for Hazardous Substance Process Management will include a thorough overview of QC 080000 IECQ HSPM, a…
Machine tool and manufacturing system builders have been producing increasingly intelligent equipment for more than 50 years, and today’s computer numeric controlled (CNC) machines and systems are marvels of technology. However, they still need intensive human supervision and…
Davis Inotek Calibration Laboratory recently acquired Precision Metrology Inc. The acquisition of PMI, which is based in San Diego, will allow Davis Inotek to expand its ability to provide instrument calibration for manufacturers in Southern California and Mexico. This is the Davis Inotek’s…
Endevco Corp. recently formed a partnership with Global Noise and Vibration Co., a Korean company. “The partnership will allow Endevco to expand its Korean business opportunities by having Global Noise and Vibration Co. as an authorized reseller of Endevco products and services. “Global…
Metrology experts from around the globe will gather at the 22nd-annual Coordinate Metrology Systems Conference from July 17–21, 2006, at the Doubletree Hotel in Orlando, Florida. CMSC is the only North American conference dedicated solely to those responsible for on-the-factory-floor…
Equipment Reliability Institute will host a training program for vibration and shock test fixture design on Nov. 14–16 in Las Vegas. The course is for test engineers in laboratories that perform vibration and shock tests in a variety of sectors. Steve Brenner, who has many years of experience…
Cascade Microtech Inc. recently received Electronic Products’ Product of the Year award for its L-Series Microfluidics Metrology System. The editors of the periodical evaluated thousands of products launched in 2005 on their innovation of design, the significance of their advancement in…
Equipment Reliability Institute will host a training program for vibration and shock test fixture design on Nov. 14–16 in Las Vegas. The course is for test engineers in laboratories that perform vibration and shock tests in a variety of sectors. Steve Brenner, who has many years of experience…
As an auditor, I have a hard time maintaining my composure when individuals tell me they’re unhappy with their registrar and yet have taken no action to address the matter. If clients are dissatisfied with the conduct of an auditor or service they’re getting from their certification…
The National Institute of Standards and Technology recently issued the first set of standard reference materials (SRM) in a planned series for the assessment of botanical dietary supplements. The dietary supplement industry has exploded in the past decade to about 29,000 products, with about…
The American National Standards Institute recently launched a tracking system to record the implementation of the United States Standards Strategy. Published in December, the USSS establishes a framework that can be used to advance trade issues in the global marketplace, enhance consumer…
The National Institute of Standards and Technology is soliciting public comment on proposed changes to a standard to protect and verify the integrity of electronic data. “Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) 186-3-Digital Signature Standard” (DSS) would be used by federal…
The International Organization for Standardization recently published a new standard for tire-pressure early warning devices. ISO 21750:2006, “Road vehicles—Safety enhancements in conjunction with the tyre inflation pressure monitoring,” establishes overall performance guidelines for…
I developed and validated quality management diagnostic profiles through research conducted on 77 companies. These profiles are just one in a suite of strategic and dynamic tools that recognize that quality management is dynamic, complex in nature and can’t be easily represented in a sequential or…
Dozens of the United States’ largest consumer groups and employers recently endorsed new standards released by the National Committee for Quality Assurance. The standards address how health plans assess the quality and efficiency of the care provided by their contracting physicians and…
March 17 marked the first anniversary of the formation of the Quality Managers Club, a growing group of Uzbek quality professionals. The group was formed by TUV Academy and several consulting companies in Uzbekistan, which realized Uzbekistan’s potential to make headway in international…
