In May 2008, Standard Controls made a strategic commitment to implementing a comprehensive quality management system using the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award Criteria for Performance Excellence as a business model. The Baldrige criteria provides an outline for excellence in seven key areas of a business, including leadership; strategic planning; customer and market focus; measurement, analysis and knowledge management; workforce engagement; process management; and results. Standard Controls management expects to improve in all areas of the business as we implement a continuous improvement model into the business.
The Baldrige Award is given by the President of the United States to businesses that apply and are judged to be outstanding in the seven areas. Congress established the award program in 1987 to recognize U.S. organizations for their achievements in quality and performance and to raise awareness about the importance of quality and performance excellence as a competitive edge.
The criteria for the Baldrige Award have played a major role in achieving the goals established by Congress. They now are accepted widely, not only in the United States but also around the world, as the standard for performance excellence. The criteria are designed to help organizations enhance their competitiveness by focusing on two goals: delivering ever improving value to customers and improving overall organizational performance.
Standard Controls is working with several to implement Performance Excellence include the Hogan Center for Performance Excellence, Texas Manufacturing Assistance Center, the CEO Institute, and Quality Texas.
Standard Controls pursuing ISO 9001:2000 Quality Management System. ISO 9000 is a family of standards for quality management systems. ISO 9000 is maintained by ISO, the International Organization for Standardization and is administered by accreditation and certification bodies. Some of the requirements in ISO 9001 (which is one of the standards in the ISO 9000 family) include:
- A set of procedures that cover all key processes in the business.
- Monitoring processes to ensure they are effective.
- keeping adequate records.
- Checking output for defects, with appropriate and corrective action where necessary.
- Regularly reviewing individual processes and the quality system itself for effectiveness.
- And facilitating continual improvement
A company or organization that has been independently audited and certified to be in conformance with ISO 9001 may publicly state that it is "ISO 9001 registered." Standard Controls is working to incorporate existing processes and quality systems under the ISO 9001 Quality System platform, and plans to achieve compliance by the end of 2009.
In pursuing these quality management systems, Standard Controls has hired three key personnel. In May, Standard Controls hired Wiff Dedrick as Chief Operating Officer. Wiff has an extensive background with Performance Excellence, serving on the Board of Examiners for the Texas Award for Performance Excellence for five years, including three terms as Senior Examiner. In addition, Wiff led the Lean Plant conversion for his prior employer in Richardson Texas, reducing cost, improving productivity, improving quality, and reducing waste.
further served as the ISO 9001 Management Representative and gained ISO 9001:2000 registration for his organization in 2002 in 18 months.
In August 2008, Standard Controls hired Mike Boyte as Manufacturing Manager. Mike is a certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, having trained and certified over 65 Green Belts from 2006 to the present. Mike has over 15 years experience in process improvement, defect reduction, and waste reduction. He also has substantial experience with ISO Quality Management systems and Performance Excellence. Mike received his MBA from Texas A&M University Commerce in August 2008
In May 2008, SCI hired Patricia Garcia to assist in Performance Excellence implementation. Patricia has earned an undergraduate degree in business, an MBA, and a Master’s of Science degree. She currently serves on the Board of Examiners for the Texas Award for Performance Excellence, and has been instrumental in developing SCI quality systems. She is currently working to achieve a PhD in Leadership Management. |
