Course: SCM101
Section: 1F08
Date: Not Yet Scheduled
Location: Fogelman College of Business, Education Suite – Room 385
Program Fees: $495 per individual; 10% discount for 3 or more registrations from the same organization
Enroll online: Not Yet Scheduled

A one day seminar designed to update executives, managers and other business professionals on the most current events in Business Process Excellence (formerly known as Quality Management!). For example, did you know that there is an Executive Order on Improving Government Program Performance that establishes a Performance Improvement Council within OMB? Do you know the latest standards being considered by ISO, ANSI and ANAB? What is this debate in the media on Innovation versus Six Sigma? Each attendee will receive insight on the latest trends and methodologies that will affect their companies.

Topics Covered in the Program Include:

• What does Process Excellence mean for your company?
• How will Globalization and Social Responsibility going to affect us?
• What are the latest techniques for improvement?
• What are the latest developments in standards?
• How do they apply to my customers?
• What will my employees need to know?
• What is the innovation versus improvement debate?
• What is the future of quality, ISO, Baldrige, etc.?

Who Should Attend?

Simply put, you need to be here to be current; regardless of whether you are a business executive, manager or professional. The material is based on the latest research available from industry experts, publications and the 2008 ASQ Futures Study. Participants will be engaged in class room discussions on the latest issues and trends and how to apply them to their specific organizations and customers.

Faculty: Ernie Nichols, Ph.D. and Mike Nichols, CSSMBB, CQA and CQMgr

Dr. Ernest Nichols is Associate Professor of Supply Chain and Operations Management in the Department of Marketing and Supply Chain Management. Dr. Nichols is also the Director of the Center for Supply Chain Management in the FedEx Institute of Technology at The University of Memphis. Ernie has conducted SCM consulting and educational programs for a number of Fortune 500 corporations and governmental agencies in the U.S. and abroad. Prior to his doctoral studies, was a management consultant with Dialog Systems, Inc. Ernie received his BA in Economics from the University of Maine, his MBA with a concentration in Materials and Logistics Management and Ph.D. in Business Administration from Michigan State University.

Mike Nichols is the principal consultant for Nichols Quality Associates with over 30 years experience in business process improvement. Nichols’ is immediate past president of the American Society for Quality and current Chairman of the Board.  His current clients include Cisco Systems, The Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Hess Oil and Aflac.  He also recently co-authored his second successful book, “Six Sigma for Financial Services, How Leading Companies are Driving Results with Lean, Six Sigma, and Process Management”.  His first book was “What is Six Sigma Process Management?”

Prior to starting his own company Mike was the Director of Six Sigma Design and a certified Senior MBB for American Express. Additionally, he provided strategic deployment consultation to leadership, global training support, and he managed a multi-million dollar portfolio of Six Sigma projects.  Prior to that he spent 23 years with FedEx, primarily in management and performance engineering positions.

Mike is a Certified Quality Engineer, Certified Quality Manager, and Certified Quality Auditor by the American Society for Quality.  He was appointed a Fellow of the Society in recognition for his contributions to quality. He has also served as a three-time examiner for the Tennessee Quality Award, and as an examiner and a two-time judge for the Greater Memphis Award for Quality. Currently he is serving on the Board of Judges for the North Carolina Award for Excellence.