President John F. Kennedy famously said, “Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.” This was his challenge to every American citizen to contribute in some way to the public good.

The COVID-19 pandemic in late 2019 and most of 2020 was unprecedented, and like all organizations ASQ was forced to take necessary precautions and make difficult decisions. Sadly this included the cancellation of the World Conference on Quality Improvement (WCQI), which had been scheduled for May 4-6 in Columbus, Ohio

The warmth of spring brings flower and green lawns, and it also brings awards and recognition to the quality profession. Recognition abounds; both Quality Magazine and ASQ have dedicated significant time and resources promoting, validating and now honoring individuals who have made a significant impact to the quality community.

As a Master Black Belt I teach Lean Six Sigma courses and often provide definitions of common terms. One such term is “value” which I define as the ratio between quality and price (value = quality/price).

My youngest child graduated college last May and just transitioned into his very own apartment. As I helped him move I reflected on when I first ventured out on my own many years ago.

In late September 2018, NBC began televising “New Amsterdam,” a medical drama inspired by Dr. Eric Manheimer’s memoir, “Twelve Patients: Life and Death at Bellevue Hospital,” and his 15 years as medical director there. 

In my younger years, whenever I heard “It is better to give than to receive,” I thought it related to birthday and Christmas presents. Now—because with age comes wisdom—I understand that giving has a much broader meaning. 

ASQ has rebranded itself so it is now known simply by its acronym rather than as the American Society for Quality. The reason for this is simple: ASQ is a global entity. Headquartered in Milwaukee, WI, ASQ also operates regional centers in Asia, Latin America and the Middle East/Africa. 

Most organizational leaders know that quality makes them more competitive and yields improved bottom-line results. They know what they need to achieve—product and/or service quality—but many organizations struggle with how to consistently yield the quality they seek. This is where ASQ can best provide assistance.

During ASQ’s annual awards presentation, held just prior to ASQ’s World Conference on Quality and Improvement in Seattle, ASQ recognized 16 people for their contribution to the quality profession. Besides two honorary memberships, 12 medals and two awards were bestowed in numerous categories.