The local news ran a story celebrating Joe Taylor. Taylor, the quality control manager at Peer Bearing in Waukegan, IL, has not called in sick in his 50 years on the job even though he has a two-hour commute each way to work. When asked about his accomplishment, Taylor replied, “We have a standard that we have to meet here. Quality is what we’re about.”

While not calling in sick in 50 years is impressive, perhaps even more impressive is the fact that Taylor is so in tune with the quality of the bearings at his company that Glenn Spungen, Peer Bearing’s vice president, said that despite all of the fancy equipment to test the bearings, Taylor can spin the bearings in his hand and “99% of the time he’ll be accurate as to what the problem is.”

That truly is being in tune with quality and no doubt Taylor is a valuable asset to his company.

It is that time of year where Quality Magazine would like to recognize those true quality professionals and plants. We’re currently seeking nominations for the 2010 Quality Professional and Plant of the Year.

The Quality Plant of the Year award is open to manufacturing plants in the United States. The plant must be involved in making and measuring, testing or inspect-ing discrete parts. We’re looking for plants that have applied world-class quality technology, equipment, ser-vices and techniques that result in reducing scrap, rework, warranty or manufacturing costs, improve productivity or cycle time, increase capacity or improve adherence to quality standards.

Past Plant of the Year recipients include Diamond Electric, Kenworth Truck Co., Accurate Gauge & Manufacturing Inc., Freightliner’s Mt. Holly, NC, Truck Manufacturing Plant, Ford’s Van Dyke Transmission Plant, Lockheed Martin’s Oldsmar, FL, facility and Personna American Safety Razor.

Through its individual awards program, Quality Magazine recognizes an individual who, during the course of his/her career, has made outstanding contributions to the quality profession. Applicants for the award are judged on leadership, achievements, application, service and awards.

Past Professional of the Year recipients include Roderick Munro, Jim L. Smith, Peter Sanderson and H. James Harrington.

The deadline for nominations for both Quality Plant and Professional of the Year is November 2, 2009. Nomination forms can be downloaded at www.qualitymag.com.

The 2010 Plant and Professional of the Year will be recognized at the Quality Measurement Conference March 22-25, 2010 in Orlando, FL. For more information on the conference, visit www.qualitymag.com/qmc.

Take the time to nominate a colleague who has taught you what quality is all about or a plant where quality is a way of life.