Conference Pros and Cons

Today I read the ASQ's A View from the Q blog on conferences and felt compelled to share...

Several years ago I was working for an organization that talked a good talk on Quality but did not always walk that talk.  After two years with this company my immediate supervisor was replaced by an engineer who had no direct experience leading a Quality department.  He truly talked the talk but never really understood or believed in what our mission was.  In my opinion he derailed our drive toward ISO 9001 registration single-handedly.  Then he proceeded to tear the team apart.  Okay, this was intended to paint a picture for a single event...

Shortly after the new supervisor joined the organization I was scheduled to attend the ASQs World Conference on Quality and Improvement.  My attendance was approved by my prior supervisor and the VP / GM of our division had approved my ASQ activities including financial support when needed, so the new supervisor accepted my time away.  Upon my return he asked one simple question, "What did you learn that you can teach us right now?".  My answer was, "Nothing".  Then I went on to explain that at a conference you get a flavor of topics and tools to explore in more depth for implementation at a future date.  This response was unacceptable to him so he told me that the company would no longer support my ASQ activity.  I was floored!  He just does not understand, nor could I persuade him to reconsider and listen to reason.  The whole event made me question if I really belonged with that team.

My position on conferences is quite simple.  For many people they are a means to become introduced to new topics and tools which may be further explored after the conference ends.  They are also the best way to network with many like-minded professionals from around the world.  I've developed quite a network of professional connections / friends over the past 15 years of conference attendance. 

2013 Recap / 2014 Goals

First, let's recap 2013?

Personal:

1. Lose that weight - get down to 175 max

• Got down to 172, maintained it for about 5 months, then I got hungry.  Now I'm back to 179. 

2. Exercise 3 times per week (at least 1/2 hour on treadmill to start - expand from there)

• My reality is I'm lazy, other than skiing, I did manage to get on the treadmill once or twice a month...maybe in 2014

3. Increase quality time with my wife

• Sharon and I did spend more time going out to dinner, movies, socializing, etc. 

4. Poker:
Cash in at least one significant tournament WSOP; Borgata Poker Open; WPT; etc.
Increase bankroll by $20k

• This goal, I am proud to write was accomplished, not only did I increase my bankroll by more than $20k, I cashed in the WSOP Main Event.  I placed 471 out of 6329 players (top 7.4%); buy in was $10k; cashed for $24,480.

 

Professional

1. Achieve ISO registration in Blauvelt

• Blauvelt is about ready for registration; senior management has put a hold to registration at this time

2. Complete MiniTab Training

• Registered for training in Feb but it was cancelled; I was never approved to attend again

3. Improve the resin reprocessing process

• We've established a skeleton return specification and identified the source of problematic materials; now the task is to get the customer to comply with our requirements

4. Visit 6 customers

• Visits this year included: PSI, Berry Baltimore, Rexam BevCan (2), Plastek; 4 for 6 

5. Implement Supplier Management including 4 key supplier audits - this is for the flexibles division

• This was taken over by the new Director of Quality - taken away from me

On a separate note, I had major ASQ accomlishments that were not considered at the end of 2012:

• Re-elected Region 3 Director (2014-2015)
• Elected to the ASQ Board of Directors (2014-2015)
• Elected as Section Affairs Council (SAC) Chair for 2014

So let's look at 2014 - what are my goals:

Personal:

• Get back to my goal weight of 172 lbs
• Exercise 2 - 3 times per week
• Improve my communications with key people in my life
• Poker - increase bank roll by $25k

Professional

• Implement Internal Auditing at BL
• Implement Management Review in BL
• Visit 6 customers

ASQ

• SAC Reorganization
• Roll Global member units into SAC
• Drive member leader training
• Achieve re-election as SAC chair for 2015

Which comes first?

Which comes first when you are implementing Process Control (SPC) - DOE or Control Charting?

Simple question, right?!?!

Well, I am in a repeat situation (last time this happened was nearly 20 years ago) where an organizational leader expects a timeline for implementation of SPC but cannot see that the optimizing the process must come first.

What is your opinion, what what you do?

How to define Quality

Happy New Year readers!

In my first post for 2013 I will attempt to take on the challenge from Paul Borawski in ASQ's A View from the Q to define Quality.  So here we go...

Quality is...

Am I done?  I don't think so, but it is a good start.  The reason ask if I am done is that in my opinion quality cannot have one single definition.  It is the qualifying aspects of the word Quality that make one single definition impossible.

I have always favored two definitions:

• Quality is User Defined.
• Quality is meeting the needs and expectations of the customer.

However, beyond these 2 definitions are hundreds...all resulting in the same meaning.

When attempting to define Quality we must add a qualifying word like:

• Product
• Process
• Service

Furthermore, we also must consider:

• the customer
• the consumer
• the end user
• the industry
• the use
• the purpose
• the economy

Hence, as previousely stated, it is the qualifying aspects of the word Quality that make one single definition impossible.

Requesting a Raise?

In A View from the Q this month, Paul Borawski asks "What’s your case for a raise?"

I believe in the premise that the work should speak for itself.  The first step is to establish goals.  Then, if we are successful at achieving our goals we should be recognized for the achievement.  In a work environment that recognition must come as a merit increase.  Therefore, the case for a raise must be established during the goal setting stage not upon completion of the activities.  If our work takes us above and beyond the established goals, then the goals should be adjusted within the cycle and not upon completion of the cycle period.

2012 recap - 2013 goals

At the beginning of 2012 I established personal and professional goals.  I am posting the goals and results below:

Personal -

I must loose 15 pounds and maintain my new weight through the year. I start the year at 187 lbs. I will lose 5 pounds for each of the next 3 months and then maintain that loss. I expect to end 2012 weighing 172 max.
           - I managed to lose 7 lbs total

Spend more quality time with my wife.
           - While Sharon might not believe we've spent more alone time together we have managed to get out sans children more in 2012 than we have since before the kids were born.  Additionally, we are planning a long weekend just the two of us for some time in the very near future.

Increase my seasonal ski days with my children from 20 to 25.
           - In a season with zero snowfall on the east coast I managed to log 22 days last season (Alex boarded 26 days).  With zero snow this season so far we are already at 1 day!

Increase my poker bank-roll by at least $20k.
          - I fell about 6 or 7k short of this goal, WSOP main event buy-in notwithstanding.

Cash at the World Series of Poker.
          - Oops I did it again - failed to cash; failed to get past day one.  Maybe in 2013!
Professional -

Achieve ISO 9001:2008 registration for the Flexible Packaging division of Tekni-Plex.
          - Our Somerville facility achieved re-registration in Dec 2012; Blauvelt is on target for a mid to late 2013 registration; Flemington should follow...

Eliminate frivolous paper from the operations of Tri-Seal Blauvelt.
          - The delay in QMS software resulted in a delay of this goal.  It is in progress now!

Reduce customer complaints by 10%.
          - Total reduction of credits from customer complaints was about 40%; number of complaints is down by about 20%.
Guide all 10 ASQ section of Region 3 to Total Quality for 2012. (This goal cannot be realized until 2013).
          - The QMP program was put on hold by SAC; therefore this goal is unacheiveable.

Help improve the overall Safety at Tri-Seal Blauvelt.
          - While the Blauvelt faciltiy is still in the bottom 3 of all Tekni-Plex facilities for DART rate we are improving.  We are now completing our second consecutive quarter without a lost time accident.

So what is on target for 2013?

Personal:

1. Lose that weight - get down to 175 max
2. Exercise 3 times per week (at least 1/2 hour on treadmill to start - expand from there)
3. Increase quality time with my wife
4. Poker:
       Cash in at least one significant tournament WSOP; Borgata Poker Open; WPT; etc.
       Increase bankroll by $20k

Professional

1. Achieve ISO registration in Blauvelt
2. Complete MiniTab Training
3. Improve the resin reprocessing process
4. Visit 6 customers
5. Implement Supplier Management including 4 key supplier audits - this is for the flexibles division

World Quality Month - Nov 2012

In honor of World Quality Month 2012 A View from the Q asks, "Why does it take so long for what is known to be true to become common practice? Or, perhaps more importantly, what can we do to accelerate the rate of adoption of quality?"

The problem is that we have to ask these questions.  The Quality arts and sciences began developing into mainstream business practices in the mid to late 20th century driven by the teachings of Drs Juran and Deming and supported by other Quality gurus including Crosby, Feigenbaum, Taguchi, and others.  Now in the 21st century we expect Quality to be a top priority and cultural norm of all organizations.  This is not so, as indicated by the two questions asked this month by Paul Borawski.

To add a little levity to this discussion, let's jump ahead to the 23rd century...there is no Quality department on the Starship Enterprise.  Why, because by the 23rd century Quality is everyone's responsibility and all crew members know this.

So what needs to be done in the 21st century to jump-start the future...

We need to educate our workforce in a manner that will make the concepts stick, make every member of the team believe that Quality is part of their job.  We've succeeded, to a point, in doing this with safety...nobody wants to go home missing body parts or having sustained an injury on the job so safety is imbedded.  Okay, maybe we don't have the same goal in quality but if we can influency our workforce to adopt quality in a similar manner then we will succeed in waste reduction, improved performance, improved customer satisfaction and the list goes on. To do this our senior leaders must walk the talk, use performance metrics as fluidly as they use financial metrics.  We as quality practitioners are regularly told that we must speak the language of senior management (money-speak), I say that Senior Management must speak the language of Quality!

Beyond the traditional quality function

I always enjoy posting in response to Paul Borawski's post on A View from the Q and this month is no exception.  The question of the month: 'How well understood and embraced are the contributions of the quality professional beyond what is traditionally thought of as the quality function?'

Let me begin my answer by telling a story:

I've been working in my current position for about 2 1/2 years.  As Senior Quality Assurance Manager my primary site (I have responsibility at 3 sites within our division) has the QC Supervisor as my direct report.  He is an older gentleman who joined this company about 20 years ago after selling his own business and semi-retiring.  His perspective on Quality is, in my opinion Old World.  His primary concern is the inspection for acceptance / rejection of product...this is a necessary evil in this business.  My primary concerns are (1) Customer Satisfaction (both internal and external) and (2) Continual Improvement.  He continually comments to me that I don't know what I'm doing, I'm always getting into things that are not Quality's concern, I am trying to undermine him.  For instance, I volunteered to be a member of the Safety committee.  He questions this asking, what does that have to do with Quality.  No matter how many times and different ways I explain to him that without a safe work environment we cannot produce a quality product he just disagrees with me and says I'm into things that I shouldn't be involved with.

Okay, enough he said / I said.  This is not the first time I've been down a road like this and I can deal with it.

With 4 generations in the workplace old style and new style approaches to all aspects of business, including Quality, will clash.

Expanding the involvement of the Quality function beyond our traditional silos is paramount to our overarching goals of Customer Satisfaction and Continual Improvement.

Quality Culture and Feelings

Paul Borawski ASQ CEO touches upon the concepts of Quality Culture and its relation to Feeling in this months A View from the Q.

 For a long time know I've heard many organizations discuss transitions to a Safety Culture, a Quality Culture and Customer-centric Culture, etc.  Every discussion seems to be the same.  We want to change the way we act, perform, think to _______ (fill in the blank).  In my opinion, these cultural changes are only required because we've developed inherent weakness in the way we conduct business.  A company, any company is in business for one purpose - to make money for it's stakeholders / shareholder.  To do this we must provide a service or product that meets our customer's needs and expectations.  To do this we must produce that product or develop and deliver that service.  I be successful, the level of quality must satisfy the customer.  We must also operate in a safe manner to protect our personnel.

So by definition and extention, to be in business we must deliver quality products or service and do what we do safely.  So why do we need to 'develop a _____ (again, fill in the blank) culture when that should be inherent in what we do.  Okay, to answer my own question, we need a culture transition because we've strayed from the original path and we must right ourselves.

So why does the transition to the right path have to be painful (make us feel uncomfortable).  I believe it is because we reach a level of comfort that does not allow for achieving the overall goal...making money by satisfying our customers.

That said, let me now address one of Paul's questions:

              "If you’re working on a culture of quality, or sustaining one, what do you look for in the people you

               hire into the organization?"

When I am hiring into my team I look for people that meet the job criteria, with personalities that fit the personality (culture) of the organization, that I believe will stick around for an extended period of time and for people with whom I can work comfortably and succesfully.  This applies regardless of the perceived culture of the organization.  I most instances I am also considering succession planning when hiring.  Is this person capable of moving up through the organization and, if hired into the right position, eventually becoming my replacement.  I guess all of this means, does the person fit the culture of the organization now.

Business Speak

When blogging as a member of the ASQ Influential Voices team I begin by saying ASQ CEO Paul Borawski in his blog A View from the Q asked the question...so staying true to form...Paul asks: Do you speak the “language of business”? How important is it, in your experience?

Let's start with the language of business...
I've been hearing this discussion about the language of business since I started as a quality professional back in the days of enlightenment...the 1980's.  I'm sure the discussion was not new then.  So why are we still trying to encourage our quality professionals to speak this languauge...shouldn't this be motherhood and apple pie by now?  The reason we need to keep selling the business speak is that our Engineering schools are still failing us.  As an Engineering student I was required to take a course called Engineering Economics.  It was a senior year requirement and basically taught about break-even points.  No other required course in my Engineering program discussed Business, Money, Costs, Expenses, Income, Revenue, or any other language of business.  I did take Accounting as an elective so I was a bit ahead of the curve.  Still neither course mentioned touched on Business speak...Failure STEM!

How important is it in my experience?
Try to solicit funding in your organization for simple quality tools like QMS software, new test equipment, SPC software, or even new furniture without a cost justification, an ROI or details of all the expenses associated with training and installation and see how far you get.  Even preparing a simple expense report for business travel requires a simple understanding of business speak.  Again, without basic training in the language of business, we as Quality professionals will fail...yet another failure of STEM, in my opinion.

Sure, Engineering students have among the heaviest course loads in any college or university yet we fail to teach them what they really need to know for success...change the requirements for Engineering programs to include Business 101, Business Law and basic Accounting 101.  Once this is done there will be no need for this discussion of speaking the language of business.

ASQ WCQI Anaheim, CA May 2012

Hello my friends,
I am in Anaheim, CA for ASQ (#ASQ) World Conference on Quality and Improvement (#WCQI12).

Before the conferece begins there are meetings, ceremonies and gatherings for both Member Leaders and Members.

On Sat, May 19 I attended 4 activities for Member Leaders:

• Ideas to Action Gathering (#ITAG)
• Community Leadership Institute (CLI)
• Quality Management Process (QMP) Awards ceremony
• Member Leader (ML) Dinner / Reception

Overall it was a great day of learning, guidance, meeting new MLs, and catching up with friends - the ASQ family.  However, there were a few minor disappointments.

My major take-aways from the day include:

• Speakers on Panel Discussions must listen to the questions being asked and answer those question.  In other words, get off your own agenda and address the concern of the moment.
• ASQ is not broken as one ML may think...he needs a time machine to go back to the first ML Summit (grand-dad to the ITAG) and feel the pains then see the growth and improvement we've had as a result.
• There is a preception of drive to improve ML satisfaction.
• Creating an email to communicate with Members is a lot more complex then the typical section may know.
• QMP is going through a major overhaul.
• Stuff that is motherhood and applepie to me as a long time ML is virtually unknown to many both new and long time MLs due to limited communications.
• Perception of MLs is ASQ still sends too many emails.
• The ability to opt-out of different types of emails is improving through personal preference updates.

I was a bit disappointed by the participation in QMP awards this year.  The number of TQ Sections was down, especially in Region 3 (my region) and attendance at the ceremony was also down.  Maybe the aforementioned change is needed!

Stay tuned...more to come!

Does Happiness = Job Satisfaction

When blogging as a member of the ASQ Influential Voices team I begin by saying ASQ CEO Paul Borawski in his blog A View from the Q asked the question...so why should this month be any different...this month Paul talks about Happiness and Job Satisfaction.

 

I will start with a few definitions from Merriam-Webster on-line dictionary

     hap·pi·ness noun \ˈha-pē-nəs\
1: British : that is for hire for a given service or period British

          1 obsolete : good fortune : prosperity

          2 a : a state of well-being and contentment : joy
             b : a pleasurable or satisfying experience

    work noun \wərk\

          activity in which one exerts strength or faculties to do or perform something:

          a : sustained physical or mental effort to overcome obstacles and achieve an objective or result

          b : the labor, task, or duty that is one's accustomed means of livelihood 

          c : a specific task, duty, function, or assignment often being a part or phase of some larger activity

    job adj

         
         2: used in, engaged in, or done as job work individual is with his or her job. The happier people are within their job, the more satisfied they are said to be. Logic would dictate that the most satisfied (“happy”) workers should be the best performers and vice versa.

         3: of or relating to a job or to employment

    sat·is·fac·tion noun \ˌsa-təs-ˈfak-shən\
         a : fulfillment of a need or want
         b : the quality or state of being satisfied : contentment
         c : a source or means of enjoyment : gratification

 

I digress - Webster does not have a definition for Job Satisfaction but they do have a definition for another type of 'Job'...something you might do to create a glass bottle.

From Wikipedia - Job satisfaction describes how content an


Now the question is, what do I think?!?!
Let me begin by stating something that I have always said about my career as a Quality Professional, "I love what I do but I don't always like where I am doing it".  Does this make me a happy worker.  Not always.  Happiness and Job Satisfaction and closely linked and have multiple variables such as:

• Is the work itself satisfying?
• Do I enjoy the environment in which I am performing my work?
• Do I enjoy the company of the people I am working with?
• What is the culture of the organization and do I fit into that culture?
• It the organization progressive?
• Am I making a difference in the organization?

And there are some soft variables that have effected my satisfaction including:

• the commute (is it too long?)
• the external environment to the facility (can I find a decent place or places for lunch or do I have to bring it with me?)
• the benefits (enough vacation time, flexible schedules, is it financially satisfying?)
• is there room for personal and professional growth

Currently, I am happy with my job. 

• The job itself presents many challenges. 
• I enjoy the team with which I am working.
• I feel I am adding value while improving my own skills.
• There are many frustrations that I face daily, however, these frustrations are the ingredients for making the job a challenge and providing me with satisfaction.

If it were easy they'd get someone else to do it!

Selling Quality

About a 1 1/2 years ago I was invited to be a part of the ASQ Influential Voices team (see the list of bloggers running down the right side of this page). This team responds monthly to questions posed by ASQ CEO Paul Borawski in his blog A View from the Q. This month Paul discusses the topic of 'Selling Quality'.

My first questions with regard to this topic is "should we need to sell quality?". Unfortunately, my answer is yes, and I am sure most readers would agree. The reason I say unfortunately is because we do have to sell...my experience is that most purchasers of a product or service will place price before quality. I my experience you typically get what you pay for. Good costs less than Great typically but will never last as long...example: years ago I worked in an IT management function. We were purchasing new laptops for about a dozen employees including myself. One of my Technicians identified a company that produced Dell clones at an extremely discounted rate. We purchased 12. Over the next 12 months every one of them was returned to the supplier for replacement mother boards. In the long run my laptop lasted the longest of all 12. I managed to keep mine alive for nearly 3 years. within that 3 years the supplier went out of business. Needless to say, we got what we paid for. Had we purchased Dell's I believe they would have outlasted and outperformed the clones 3 fold.

Next - to whom must we, the quality professionals, sell quality? We must sell quality to everyone - the customer, the consumer, our organization's leadership and our company's producers (line operators, supervisors, etc.). We are the stewards of the practices of quality and the quality profession, therefore, it is in our organization's best interest that we walk the talk and be able to influence others to do the same. I just had a Quality sell moment that I'd like to share (you may need to read between the lines). I am sitting in Panera with my daughter. She is doing school work while I write. When we arrived we stepped up to the cashier (customer service) to place our order and I recieve a warm hug from my friend Nicole. I had no idea she worked here. Nicole is the Asst. Manager of this restaurant. She treated both Danielle and me like VIPs. This did not surprise me since we've had a good friendship for quite some time now. While sitting and writing I've observed Nicole 'doing her job'. At the table next to us she asked the newly seated patrons if everything was okay. The woman at the table said she had asked for apple slices as opposed to an apple. Nicole happily abliged the woman bringing her a big bowl full of apple splices. She also explained that the slices are not normally served as a side order but are for a particular salad. This act of Customer Service above and beyond will likely bring this patron back to this restaurant. Nicole was selling quality to a customer without necessarily knowing that was what she did.

The sale of quality can be direct or indirect. Influencing Senior Management to make sound decisions based on factual data is our best tool for selling quality. Continaully satisfying our customers with superior products and prerformance paves the road to company success.

STEM - Scientists, Technologists, Engineers, and Mathematicians

In his Feb 2012 blog, in A View From The Q, ASQ CEO Paul Borawski discusses the need for students to enter the STEM -Science Technology, Engineer and Mathematics professions. He discussed the fact that his daughter is visiting colleges in anticipation of a fall entry into an Engineering program. Paul, first of all congratulations on your daughters upcoming graduation and her acceptances to her chosen institutions of higher learning for the nobel profession of Engineering. Second, I applaud you as a parent for helping her see the future at such a young age and guiding her to realize that there is more to life than Facebook and YouTube!

Okay, that last line was kind of personal on my part. I, too, have a daughter graduating this June with eyes toward a college career. She has applied to and been accepted at numerous schools for Biology (we too are looking at the sciences). And, even though her face is glued to her Facebook page or watching YouTube videos as often as she is in her books she is achieving high honors in school and working diligently toward fulfilling our hopes for her successful future.

While I don't have a vast sampling plan I can look at the Hendrick Hudson (HenHud) High School (HHHS), Montrose, NY Class of 2012 as a benchmark of the future. At least 4 of my daughters closest friends applied for Engineering and Science related programs, 2 or 3 are looking at Film, several applied for general Business and others are undecided.

So this benchmarked sample indicates to me that approximately 30% of the graduating population is looking into STEM opportunities.

All I ask is that statisticians not attack my sampling plan nor my rash pronouncement of the future based on the limited sample size.

Yesterday my son told me his proposed class list for his Jr year at HHHS. While he chooses not to take Physics (a New York State regents track course) he is looking at several AP sciences, AP Stats and of course AP Calculus (this is an 'of course' because his girfriend's mom is the AP Calc teacher!). So there is hope for another generation of science / math type within my family.

Having so many teens around us that are looking at the sciences is encouraging to me. Maybe our kids see the future and the future is the US will once again become a mecca of manufacturing! We can only hope!

Welcome! New Influential Voices

It is my pleasure to welcome the 16 new Influential Voices bloggers to the world-wide list of voices recruited by ASQ to share their perspective on Quality with anyone who cares to read / listen!

You join a great team that can only be made better by your active participation.
I am humbles by all your achievements and look forward to sharing experiences and reading your perspective on the same topics each month.

WELCOME!

On a separate note, I am saddened to see some of our team leave this year.
I understand that life changes and some of us need to move on periodically.
To those that have stopped being a member of the Influential Voices team remember, you still have a blog and you still have a voice...do not hesitate to chime in from time to time!

With my deepest respect,
David

2012 Personal and Professional Goals / Resolutions

With the new year I must post my goals and resolutions. This year I will post my personal resolutions separate from my professional goals.

Personal -

• I must loose 15 pounds and maintain my new weight through the year. I start the year at 187 lbs. I will lose 5 pounds for each of the next 3 months and then maintain that loss. I expect to end 2012 weighing 172 max.
• Spend more quality time with my wife.
• Increase my seasonal ski days with my children from 20 to 25.
• Increase my poker bank-roll by at least $20k.
• Cash at the World Series of Poker.

Professional -

• Achieve ISO 9001:2008 registration for the Flexible Packaging division of Tekni-Plex.
• Eliminate frivolous paper from the operations of Tri-Seal Blauvelt.
• Reduce customer complaints by 10%.
• Guide all 10 ASQ section of Region 3 to Total Quality for 2012. (This goal cannot be realized until 2013).
• Help improve the overall Safety at Tri-Seal Blauvelt.

2011 Wrap-up

In January 2011 Paul Borawski asked the ASQ Influential Voices about their new years resolution. Now, in Jan 2012 it's time to check back and see where I am with regard to those resolutions. Then I will post some new goals for 2012 on another blog post. Last year's goals were:

• Develop and implement an improved QMS for my division of the organization to achieve ISO 9001:2008 registration.

The system is developed and awaiting launch. Currently we are pursuing an Intranet based QMS software package to utilize across the division with room for expansion throughout the entire enterprise. We expect to achieve registration by July 2012.

• Improve the process controls of our manufacturing operations. This can only
  happen after we transfer some of the inspection operations to our production
  personnel.

In Dec 2011 we began transferring the Inspeciton operations to Line Operators. This was done in conjunction with a reduction in force which resulted in one of our inspectors returning to operations. His new position includes 'self-inspection' due to his experience as a QC Technician for the company. Next step is train more operators to self-inspect then introduce the use of process control concepts. We have also convinced our CEO that a Quality / Process Engineer must be hired for our facility.

• Improve overall product quality to reduce customer complaints / credits by
  10% from 2010.

While complaints in 2011 were higher than 2010 this is partially due to better definition of what constitutes a complaint and several uncontrollable customer actions. The complaint system has identified many process improvements that will result in reduction in complaints in 2012.

• Attend appropriate training to improve my understanding of FDA regulations
  for our business.

I had the opportunity to attend a couple of ASQ Tappan Zee section sponsored FDA requirment training / seminar sessions.

• Pursue Lean Six Sigma Black Belt training and eventually ASQ SSBB
  certification.

This goal was not achievable in 2011, however, I did attend several webinars on Lean and Six Sigma to better familiarize myself with the basic concepts.

• Re-establish my leadership role within ASQ as Regional Director for Region
  3.

As of January 1, 2012 I am, once again, ASQ Region 3 Director for another 2 year term.

• Increase overall Quality time spent with my family (this I am currently
  doing with the kids via seasons passes to ski which we are doing every Saturday plus 6 days during the holiday week).

My kids an I skied over 20 days together in 2011. And this season we are off to a great start with 7 days since the start of the local season. We've also seen numerous movies together, went out for countless dinners and lunches, attended every performance in which my children were featured (chorus, band, plays and musicals), traveled including a drive to Florida from New York including visiting several colleges for my daughter, a trip to up-state-New York, other college visits in MA and NY, a visit to our nation's capital, played lots of games, watched lots of TV and had lots of laughs...all in all a good year with the family.

World Quality Month

November was recently designated as World Quality Month by ASQ. In his blog, in A View From The Q, ASQ CEO Paul Borawski shared his thoughts on WQM plus he asked the simple question, 'what are you doing to Raise the Voice of Quality'.

First off, let me say that Quality cannot have just one month. Every year, every month, every day in fact every second must reflect on Quality as a way of life. The way we treat others, the way we approach our vocations and advocations, the way we present ourselves to the world must be with one sole meaning...that meaning is that we exude quality in all we do.

That said, what am I doing in November 2011 to Raise my Voice. To start I am writing this blog post. Other actions I've taken include:

• I've invited at least 3 people I know to accept a 6 month free membership to ASQ. This includes the new Quality Manager at one of my company's facilities and both of my nephews. One is a recent college graduate in hospitality management and the other is a civil engineering student.


• I am still seeking out people I know that I think should consider looking at ASQ membership through the 6 month free offer...if you are interested, let me know...


• I attended an ASQ section Conference on Risk Management


• I continue to update my ASQ section's web site


• I am working diligently with the production team to improve upon our processes to achieve improved satisfaction from our customer


• Whenever I speak with people about what I do I make sure to include in the discussion ASQs commitment to and involvement with the practices of Quality


• I practice what I preach.

I live the professsion and practice of Quality Management, Quality Engineering and Quality Improvement everyday of the year both at work and in my personal life. What more can I do? Invite others to learn and become active with the practices after all, this is the 21st Century - the Century of Quality

Cathartic message of 9/11/2001

As stated in my blog entitled '9/11 Ten Years Later' I said I would post my cathartic letter...here it is in its entirety - you'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll rejoice in life!:

Recently, a friend asked how I was doing in light of the events of 9/11.

Here is what I told her:

I am working for as a Quality Assurance Engineering Consultant for Siemens Transportation
System. We are designing and installing a Fiber Optic Telecommunications Network for New York City Transit (The Subway). I was scheduled to fly to Israel on August 15, 2001 on a business trip for one week to audit 2 of our suppliers. For several weeks prior to the trip my wife, my mom, my sister and brother-in-law, my in-laws and a multitude of friends compelled me not to go. They felt that the political / social climate in the Holy Land was not safe. My rebuttal to all of their compelling argument was "I think I will be safer in Israel than in my own
office!". Well, I went anyway.

I arrived on Thursday, Aug 16 at about noon with my boss, Raja, a Lebanese native who is a
naturalized citizen of the USA. Raja and I are very similar people, with only one major difference in personal belief, he is Christian and I am Jewish. We decided that in our free time we would travel throughout the country, contrary to both of our families' requests not to leave the hotel.

On Friday we set out for the Dead Sea...a place I like to call the most innocuous place on Earth. Not even the Palestinians want that territory.

After our 'float' in this ancient, body of water with an excessively high level of potassium salts, we began our trek back to Tel Aviv and our hotel.

I was navigating and had an incredible urge to see Jerusalem again (I was there back in 1985), so I took a route that would take us into the heart of the Holy City. I did not tell Raja until we were well over an hour into our trip so he would not decide to turn around. Turns out Raja wanted to go as much as I. So, about two hours before sunset on Shabbath (Friday night - the Jewish Sabbath) we entered the walls of the Old City and parked the car. We arrived at
the Western (Wailing) Wall within an hour of the beginning of the Sabbath. It was quite a sight, watching hundreds of Chassidic Jews marching to the wall to welcome the Sabbath...a weekly, holy event. I, too, partook in saying my prayers at the Wall. Raja observed with detached curiosity but found himself looking on in awe.

That night when we returned to the hotel, I spoke with Sharon, my wife. I told her of the
trip to the Dead Sea. She became quite angry so I intentionally neglected to tell her of the visit to Jerusalem. After we got off the phone I began to get ready for bed when the phone rang. It was Sharon. She asked me to hold for a second and the next thing I knew, my mom was reprimanding at me as if I were a 10 year old again. I intentionally lied to my wife and mom, telling them that I would not travel from the hotel, except to visit our business associates on Sunday through Wednesday. This lie was perpetuated to protect them...I did not want
them to worry.

Of course, this did not deter us from traveling throughout the country. We visited many
places over the next 5 days including Caesarea, Haifa, Tiberius on the Sea of Galilee, Nazareth, Jaffa and Jerusalem twice more.

When I returned home I told Sharon, mom and others of my travels. They were angry but
loved the gifts I brought back from Jerusalem and Jaffa.

Do you remember what I said earlier about where I feel safer in Israel?

The reason for that statement is I worked, at that time, in a building complex that had been bombed by terrorists about 8 years ago (I did not work there at the time) and statistically, there was less of a chance of being hurt in Israel than in the World Trade Center. Sometimes I had
being right!

The above information was intended as a preface to my experiences of September 11, 2001.

I arrived at work that morning at 7:55 for a training session at 8:30 am.

I had a several emails to send including the announcement for my annual ski trip. At 8:30 I headed to the conference room...a room on the 30th floor of 2 WTC (Tower 2) that looks out over the World Financial Center and in the distance the Jersey City waterfront. With the blinds up we could see the southern side of 1 WTC (Tower 1). Of course we had the blinds closed and the projection screen down for the presentation. At 8:48 am, as we were making our introductions to the trainer, there was a distressing sound outside the window...it sounded like the window washers rig was sliding down the building at an unusually fast pace. Within seconds there was the smell of burning Kerosene. Just then an office mate, not in the session stormed into the room to announce that Tower 1 was on fire and we were evacuating immediately. I picked up everything in front of me and walked out. I had my cell phone, a note pad and a bottle of Diet Dr. Pepper. I left my briefcase, computer, suit jacket and many other personal effects too
numerous to list in my cubicle.

Well, we began a trek down 30 stories. It was a very orderly descent.

Many things happened over the next 15 minutes. One person on the stair was able to get a cell phone line out. We learned that a plane hit Tower 1.

We assumed it was a commuter plane that got off course or something. I commented to my
associate that all those fire drills during our school years paid off. We stopped a couple of times to assist an older woman who was becoming breathless. This was the most orderly descent in the face of a potential disaster I could imagine. Nevertheless, we reached the second floor, which on the north side exits to street level but on the south side is still one floor above the street. We exited to the south side of the tower and looked upon a war zone. There were papers flying everywhere, all kinds of 'trash' in the streets, cars burning and the sky was as dark as during a thunderstorm. What was missing was people and moving vehicles.

It looked as if downtown Manhattan had been bombed then deserted.

Out of curiosity I walked, with a colleague, to the north side of the building (inside, of course) to see what was going on. As I approached the windows overlooking the center court fountain of the World Trade Center I looked up into a Towering Inferno (just like in the movie) only to watch a body falling from somewhere above. The body (I think it was a man) landed on the other side
of the tent peak over the stage which abutted 1 WTC. At that point I turned to my associate, Hans, standing next to me and told him it was time to "get the hell out of here" so we went to re-join our teammates. We rushed back to the south end of the lobby only to find our team moving around to the south side in the opposite direction from which we were coming. We continued around to where we had just been to begin our descent to the first floor by escalator.
I began walking down the escalator, it was not moving, with Hans and 2 security people behind me...we were the last ones on the second floor as far as I can recall.

About two thirds of the way down the building shook and there was the sound of an explosion, then smoke started to pour out the elevators...I later learned this was at 9:03 am. The second airplane had just struck Tower 2.

I began to 'loudly' urge the people in front of me to move forward and away from the glass. We had to go through the revolving doors into 'The Mall' area. I continued to encourage people to move away from the glass.

As I were walking through the mall, I noticed one of my work associates wandering aimlessly. I approached and said to him, "Brad, lets get out of here!" I noticed many firefighters, police officers and rescue workers (EMS) swarming into the mall heading toward Tower 1. Brad and I walked through the mall, up another escalator toward Boarders Bookstore and out onto the east side of the complex at Church Street. There were already many police and fire personnel directing us to head down Fulton Street and away from the World Trade Center. As we proceeded down Fulton Street to Broadway we kept looking back to see two Towering Infernos now. It was devastating to see.

Our project team's primary office is at 195 Broadway, back to back with the Millenium Hilton Hotel which faces the World Trade Center complex. We arrived in front of that building to meet up with other team members. The Project Director, Peter, gave us instructions. He simply said to us, "whomever you see, tell them to go home and all of you GO HOME!" Prior to Peter's instructions I was debating going back to see if I could help anyone. His statement was a wake-up call to me. I realized that my job at this point was to get home to be with my wife, Sharon and my children, Danielle (almost 7) and Alex (who turned 5 just 6 days earlier).

I headed north, up Broadway continuously trying to reach my wife on my cell phone. I could not get a line out so I decided to head over to my prior place of employment. Argo International Corporation is located at 140 Franklin Street on the corner of Franklin and Varick in the heart of the Tribeca section of downtown New York City. I worked my way toward Argo continuously looking back at the burning towers. I saw something that no photograph could depict. Looking southward toward the north side of Tower 1 I could see the tail of a jumbo jet sitting inside the hole in the side of the building approximately 80 floors up. Tower 2 looked as if it were bombed, not struck by an airplane. I thought this due to the fact that the corner of the building about 65 floors up looked as if it had exploded outward, unlike the imploded appearance of Tower 1.

I stormed into Argo at about 9:30 am. I was not in a regular state of mind (I believe I was in shock) and basically pushed everyone out of my way. I recall being rude to friends but they seemed to understand. I attempted several times to get a phone line out. Finally, I connected with my wife's office. Getting her voicemail I left a message, in an incredibly shaky voice telling her, "I am alive, I am alright, I am at Argo and coming up to her." I must have repeated this over and over for 2 minutes. About 5 minutes later I called again and connected with her. I told her to stay put, I'm coming to her! I turned around a walked out heading north again.

When I reached Canal Street I decided to try the subway. As I headed east on Canal Street I noticed a woman with a subway map trying to find a route home. I stopped and helped her find an alternate route to Brooklyn, away from downtown. I did not remember this part of my story until two days later. I proceeded to the Lexington Avenue line and found the 6 train was still running north, so I got on the next train to arrive. Everyone on the train seemed to be in shock, including me. There was one young woman sitting alongside where I was standing who was crying. She composed herself and told us that her fiancee was on the 102 floor of Tower 1
and she had been trying to reach him for almost an hour but couldn't. When the train stopped at Grand Central Station I walked her off the train. She was much more composed and assured me she would be alright to get to her office. I walked the opposite way to exit onto Lexington
Avenue. Sharon's office is in the Chrysler Building directly across from Grand Central. I saw her and walked across the street (there was practically no traffic) and took her in my arms. We held each other for a few minutes of relief, then turned to go back to Grand Central in hopes of getting on a train home.

Shortly after we walked into Grand Central there was an announcement to evacuate the station.
So we turned and walked out heading north again. It was now 10 am.

I noticed that my cell phone battery was nearly drained. I called my mom as we walked, to
let her know I was alive. Then my phone battery ran out of juice. We walked to my cousin Grant's apartment to find he wasn't there, so we continued to walk north. I had enough composure to realize that I needed a new phone charger...mine was in my office and I had no idea when I would get back to the office again (we had no idea that the building was no longer standing)...so we stopped and bought a new one. That was when I realized that I didn't have my
wallet...it was in my briefcase, in my office, on the 30th floor of Tower 2.

As we walked we stopped and talked to a multitude of people about what was happening here in
New York. We tried to figure how this could actually happen in New York. Whenever we mentioned that I had been in the World Trade Center during the attack people just reached out and touched me. It took me about a week to understand that this was validation for them. This contact assured them that people had actually survived the attack.

We did have one negative incident with a pompous, arrogant, jerk that will not be embellished here. Otherwise all the people we encountered throughout the day were great. In a word, they were all New Yorkers!!!

At noon we arrived at my Aunt Jo Anne and Uncle Martin's apartment on Park Avenue at 86th Street. Thank goodness my aunt was home. We got on the elevator and proceeded to her 9th floor apartment. We spent the next 3 hours watching CNN, calming down, charging the cell phone and returning all the calls I'd received to this point. At about 1:20 pm I saw my first video of the airplane hitting Tower 2...I got a bit shaky again at that point. Finally, at 3 pm, we decided it was time to head home. We left and walked north again. We decided to go to Mount Sinai Hospital to give blood but, upon arrival, we were turned away.

I was finally feeling hungry, so we stopped for a slice of pizza around 4 pm...this was the first thing I had eaten all day (I'd skipped breakfast that morning). The we began to walk north again. I live in Northern Westchester, approximately 60 miles north of midtown. Sharon and I agreed that if we had to walk all the way home we would. We were actually heading to the Metro North Railroad Station at 125th Street in Harlem. We waited at the station for about 1 hour for a northbound train. At 5:30 we finally squeezed into a Hudson Line train that would take us to Croton-On-Hudson, our station. We arrive in Croton at about 6:45. We had to leave my car at the station. You should, by now be able to guess why...my keys were in my briefcase, 30th floor, Tower 2.

When we got home 15 minutes later, we hugged and kissed the kids like there would be no
tomorrow.

Next day we took the kids to school. My son, 5 years old, and a kindergartener, in his second week of school looked at the mural in the cafeteria asking me if the plane in the mural was going to crash into the school in the mural. I thought I'd lost my mind, but I had to assure him he was safe. Then I went to the school nurse and principal to verify that they were going to 'take care' of the kids and counsel them if they needed to talk or showed signs of distress.

Over the next few days, I went through all the stages of grief regularly discussed by Psychologists. I knew what was happening to me but could not control myself. When I finally broke down and cried over the weekend, I started to climb out of my grief. I'm much better now, but periodically, I have a bad day, like last Friday when I realized that had I stood at the northern window of the south tower for 2 more minutes, I would have seen the second airplane as it crashed into our building.

I learned on Sep 12, 2001 that one of our teammates, Randy Drake, was on the street in front
of 195 Broadway when the second airplane struck. He turned to run and was struck in the back of the head with what was believed to be an aircraft part. It crushed his skull. After two surgeries and 2 weeks, he was airlifted home to Kansas City, MO. His family brought him home and chose to take him off life support. He passed away 2 weeks after the attack. While over
5000 people were lost in this attack, Randy is the only person I knew who was physically injured and eventually perished from the attack.

One thing I've become proficient at in the past month is being evacuated.

I've already discussed the evacuations from 2WTC and Grand Central Station.

On Thursday, Sep 13, 2001 I traveled back to Manhattan to spend some time with my mom while she was receiving one of her last chemotherapy treatments. On the way south the train was held at a Bronx Station for about 1 hour due to a bomb scare in Grand Central. We were asked to wait on the station platform...this was evacuation #3. Friday, Sep 14, 2001 our work team met in Jersey City, NJ for our first of many counseling sessions.

On the same day the FBI was all over Jersey City searching the residences of people
believed to be responsible for the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, DC (this was not an evacuation but I was starting believe someone was after me). The following Monday, Sep 17, 2001 we returned to work, primarily to continue the counseling sessions. We were given office space at a Siemens facility in Iselin, NJ. Late in the afternoon, there was a fire in the facility, the first in the facilities long history. We evacuated one more time - evacuation #4. Finally, one week after we returned to our offices in midtown Manhattan, the building management decided that our floor, and ours alone, needed to have a fire drill. We were evacuated once again. This was the fifth and last evacuation.

After all that I've been through I must state that I am very lucky.

Friends, family, colleagues and especially my wife and kids have given me the strength and fortitude to go on. I am now back at work in midtown Manhattan, trying to pick up the pieces and rebuild what was lost and move our project forward. Thank goodness for my family and my work. Each give me something to look forward to and a reason to wake up each morning.

David B. Levy

October 24,
2001

9/11 Ten Years Later

In September 2001 I got an email from my high school friend, Flo, asking how I was doing following the events of 9/11. From that note I wrote a cathartic message which I shared with countless people since (I will post in a separate blog post shortly). In addition to sending that note I also renewed a friendship which dated back to junior high school as a result. For those that do not know, I survived the attack on the WTC. My office was in Tower 2 and I was in the office on Sep 11, 2001.

A couple of days ago I sent an email to my friends Mark, Barbara and Rona, kid-hood friends from Oceanside. The email simply said "I don't know how I should feel about Sunday's rememberance". Barbara said that writing helped me 10 years ago and maybe it can help again. So, here goes...

Two weeks before my 40th birthday the world as we knew it changed, forever. Sep 11, 2001 is a day that will live on, like Pearl Harbor Day, as a day of infamy. Now, two weeks before my 50th birthday it seems everywhere I turn the media is looking back on 9/11. Is it a day of rememberance, a day of mourning or a day to celebrate the polarization of the US population? To me it seems like Politics as usual in that every political leader is using the rememberance as his / her personal podium to campaign for something. First reponders (fire & police) and survivors are not being
included in the ceremonies at Ground Zero but every political leader will be there...is that appropriate, fair and equitable? I say no way!

As I reflect on the past 10 years I am concerned about the overall state of the world and most specifically here in the US:

• the terrorist leaders / designers of the 2001 attacks on the US no longer walk in this world, however, their legacy lives on and their purpose continues;


• the US is still at war (or are these police actions) on at least 2 fronts;


• the US economy is probably more fragile than its ever been;


• the US patriotism exhibited for a short period post 9/11 has faded;

On a positive note, I've had the opportunity to drive by Ground Zero recently and I am thrilled by the progress of the rebuilding. I've stated emphatically that if I had the chance to return to the WTC to work I would...I still mean it!

Continuing on the positive, having had the sense to walk away on 9/11 I've:

• seen 10 more birthdays for each of my children, Danielle who will soon be 17 and Alex who just turned 15;


• help shape the lives of these 2 young adults;


• had 10 more years of being happily married to my life love, Sharon;


• 10 years of life experiences with my family and friends;


• lived, loved, laughed and cried with loved ones;


• continued to hone my Quality skills and be a part of the continual improvement for several organizations;


• experienced 6 years as a Regional Director for ASQ which included 6 years on the Society's Board of Directors;


• had the opportunity to become a pretty good poker player and the chance to play in the World Series of Poker Main Event;


• ...and the list can go on...

Am I a different person because of my experiences associated with 9/11. I know that I did suffer some minor effects of Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome for several weeks immediately following the attack, however, I worked my way through the issues with the support of family and friends. Maybe my temper is shorter than it used to be but I think that is a result of getting older and life with my teenaged kids. I am still Quality-minded. I am still young at heart. I still love to tell a good story or joke whenever I can. Okay, some are not so good but I still tell them with
pleasure. That has not changed.

On a final note, a couple of those friends mentioned earlier have written to me about how they are feeling today and I want to share their thoughts too...

Mark wrote:

Obviously, we’ve been all thinking a lot about those tragic events 10 years ago today. A friend wrote to me on Friday about her remembering me telling her about the first plane hitting the first tower. I wrote back about my remembrances, of which there were several. Of course, perhaps the sharpest is my realization that you were down there and sheer panic until I found out you were OK. It was a difficult day in history but I’m so glad there was no personal tragedy for me associated with it. You asked what you should be feeling come today. As Barbara said, you should feel as you feel, but I know that I’m glad I can look back and know that there were so many things that you had a chance to see, do and experience and I’m glad that you were able to do just that and share them with me.

And Barbara wrote (slightly edited):

Good morning guys. It seems weird but had it not been for 9/11, I would not be writing that this morning or any of the many mornings I've written to all of you in the past years.

I just saw the first tower come tumbling down yet again on the TV and I got chills all over again.

So glad you made it though that day, David. It was a miracle and a gift to your family and
friends.

On this very sad day, that makes me happy.