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William Burton, Senior Director, Performance Services, Duke University Health System
Sustaining Success Using Six Sigma as the Foundation for Performance Improvement

Abstract: This session will detail Duke University Hospital's six sigma journey. It will present an overview of the deployment process and how they use Six Sigma as the foundation for organizational performance improvement. Duke University Hospital initiated the journey in 2004 and continues to use six sigma as their performance improvement methodology. This session will share lessons learned and the keys to sustainability.

As the Senior Director of Performance Services, Bill directs the Performance Services function for the Duke University Health System. As a part of this responsibility, he provided oversight of the Duke University Hospital six sigma deployment.

Bill came to Duke in 1993. Prior to joining Duke he worked with SunHealth Enterprises (now Premier Inc.) for over ten years as a management consultant. He received his B.S. and M.S. from North Carolina State University in Industrial Engineering and is a certified six sigma black belt.

Dr. Timothy Clapp, Regional Trainer, North Carolina Community College System, Accelerating Innovative Solution Generation

Prior to his current position as a Regional Trainer for the North Carolina Community College System, Dr. Tim Clapp served as the director of the Zeis Center for Textiles Extension Education and as a professor in the Textile & Apparel Technology & Management Department in the College of Textiles at North Carolina State University. He received his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from North Carolina State University in 1976. He worked four years as a process engineer for Union Carbide Corporation before returning to NC State University, where he received a Masters and a Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering with a specialization in machine design.

Dr. Clapp served as a Master Black Belt instructor for the Six Sigma team in addition to teaching a multitude of undergraduate and graduate level courses that include topics from new product development to Theory of Inventive Problem Solving (TRIZ) and quality improvement methods. Dr. Clapp emphasizes a holistic approach to education by fostering skills in writing and bridging the academic environment to real-world experience.

Dr. David Dickey, William Neal Reynolds Distinguished Professor of Statistics, NC State University Department of Statistics and Institute for Advanced Analytics, Getting There: Using Data Mining to Navigate toward Success

Abstract: An overview of data mining tools, specifically those available in SAS Enterprise Miner, is given. Decision Trees (arguably the most useful of the techniques) is the main focus but clustering, neural networks, logistic regression, and association analysis will be introduced, time permitting.

Dave Dickey received his PhD from Iowa State University. He and his major professor Wayne Fuller, are the inventors of the Dickey-Fuller test available in most time series computer programs and discussed in most modern time series texts. He teaches time series, experimental design, and data mining and does statistical consulting at NC State. He has an associate appointment in economics, is on the financial math faculty and the faculty of the Institute for Advanced Analytics at NCSU and has been a contract instructor for SAS Institute since 1981. He has advised 16 statistics PhD students. Dickey is a fellow of the American Statistical Association and an NCSU Distinguished Professor.

Dr. and Mrs. Dickey have two married children: a daughter who is a graphic artist and a son who is a Chemical Engineering professor at NCSU. He has 2 granddaughters.

Dr. A. Blanton Godfrey, Dean and Joseph D. Moore Professor of Textile and Apparel Technology and Management

Prior to joining NC State on July 1, 2000 Blan was Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Juran Institute, Inc., the leading international management consulting, research, and training organization focused on quality management and business excellence, a position he held for thirteen years. Prior to joining Juran Institute, Blan was Head of the Quality Theory and Technology Department of AT&T Bell Laboratories. The department focused on applied research in the areas of quality management and technology, reliability and productivity. Blan joined Bell Labs in 1973 after receiving an MS and PhD in Statistics from Florida State University and a BS in Physics from Virginia Tech.

For nineteen years Blan was also an Adjunct Professor in Columbia University's School of Engineering and Applied Science where he taught graduate courses in quality management and control. For four years he was a guest lecturer in clinical quality management at Harvard University.

Blan is a Fellow of the American Statistical Association, the American Society for Quality, the World Academy of Productivity Sciences, and the Royal Society for the encouragement of Art, Manufacturers, and Commerce. He is an elected member of Sigma Xi, the New York Academy of Science, The Fiber Society, and an Academician of the International Academy for Quality. He is also listed in Who's Who in America. He has published over 200 articles and book chapters and co-authored or co-edited five books including Modern Methods for Quality Control and Improvement and Curing Health Care: New Strategies for Quality Improvement. The first edition of Modern Methods was named "Book of the Year" by the Institute of Industrial Engineering and the second edition was published in 2002. He is the co-editor (with Dr. Joseph M. Juran) of Juran's Quality Handbook, Fifth Edition, published in March 1999. The Spanish edition of the handbook was published in 2000, and the Chinese edition in 2003. The Japanese edition and a paperback revised edition of Curing Health Care were published in 2002. Blan was co-editor of the Management of Quality and Business Statistics section of the Encyclopedia of Statistics in Quality and Reliability published in 2007.

Dr. Godfrey was a member of the United States delegation to ISO's Technical Committee 176 from 1980 to 1987 during the years of the creation of the ISO 9000 series of standards. From 1987 to 1990, Blan contributed to the creation of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award and served as a judge for the first three years of the award. He served as a member of the Board of Examiners again in 1999 and 2000. He has also served as the Chairman of the Judges for the United States Air Force Quality Award and on the Board of Directors for the Connecticut Award for Excellence. Blan served as a member of the Board of Directors of Juran Institute, the American Statistical Association, the Institute of Healthcare Improvement's Quality Management Network, Textera, the National Institute of Statistical Sciences, as a member of the Board of Trustees for the Cancer Hope Network, and on the Board of Overseers for Fordham University's School of Business, the National Advisory Council for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's special initiative, "Pursuing Perfection: Raising the Bar in Healthcare Quality," and served as an Award Judge for the Veterans Health Administration Kenneth W. Kizer Quality Achievement Award. He currently serves on the North Carolina Board of Science and Technology, on the board and executive committee for the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, on the Board of the Emerging Issues Institute, the board of Instrumar, the board and executive committee of [TC]Â² (Textile Clothing and Technology Corporation), and on the Board of Directors for the American Textile History Museum. He also is a member of the North Carolina Institute of Medicine and the Advisory Council of the North Carolina Patient and Safety Council.

In 1987 Blan and Don Berwick, then of Harvard University and the Harvard Community Health Plan, started the National Demonstration Project for Health Care Quality Improvement. Over the years this project has evolved under Don's leadership into the not-for-profit Institute for Healthcare Improvement and has become a major force in changing health care management throughout the world.

Blan has given seminars, consulted, or taught courses in over fifty-five countries and his written materials have been translated, collectively, in over fifteen languages. He has personally worked with many of the top executives of leading companies throughout the world.

In 1992 the American Society for Quality Control presented Blan the Edwards Medal for his outstanding contributions to the science and practice of quality management. Blan received the Distinguished Graduate Award from Florida State University's College of Arts and Sciences in 1993. He was also named a "Grad Made Good" by the FSU student members of ODK, a campus leadership fraternity that each year selects three former students they admire for career accomplishments. Blan's research interests include statistical graphics, quality and productivity management, strategic deployment, mistake proofing, and applied statistics. In 2001 he became the founding editor of Six Sigma Forum Magazine, a new journal published by the American Society for Quality. In 2005 he was selected as the Deming Lecturer for the American Statistical Association's Annual Conference. In 2008 Blan received the C. Jackson Grayson Distinguished Quality Pioneer Medal in recogntion for innovation in the promotion of quality for all mankind and for "his leadership in blending quality and innovation in product development, strategy and higher education." Blan shared this honor with Mr. Al Gore, Dr. Donald Berwick and Dr. Jerry Weast.

Richard June, Six Sigma Manager, Parkdale Mills, The Burglar Award

Abstract:We did not create 6S or Six Sigma, yet our company has benefited from the work of others. We borrowed from others liberally, so in this context we are proud to say we are burglars.

Like most, our Six Sigma journey began from the vision of a top executive who was committed to the concept. Technical support and tools were provided by NCSU-IES. As we went thru the training we realized that there was a marriage between 6S non-statistical tools and Six Sigma statistical tools and we understood that we had to find the right mix for our company's culture.

We benefited greatly from visiting local industries and seeing firsthand what they were doing with 6S and Six Sigma. Deciding how to launch 6S and Six Sigma so that it would fit us and not be perceived as just another program was perhaps our greatest concern.

The presentation today will show you how we made the first step(s) and illustrate what is working long term for our culture.

I have been married 39 years to Debra Susan Miles June. We have one son, Brian June, and one grandson, Justin June.

Bachelor of Science with major in Biology from Lee University. Master of Education from Clemson University.

Former middle school teacher (science and math) until I was drawn toward manufacturing which gave me the opportunity to balance the things that I value working with; people, machines and data.

Although the industry has been shrinking and contracting, I consider it a blessing to have worked for over 32 years in the textile industry as a, shift manager, department manager, plant manager, and superintendent, as well as research and development. It is the latter role that brought me into 6S and Six Sigma.

Randy Kesterson, VP of Operations, General Dynamics, I (didn't) learn everything I need to know about Continuous Improvement and LSS in kindergarten

Abstract: Whether you are in the early stages of deploying Lean Six Sigma or well down the road on your journey, you will gain valuable insights as Randy Kesterson, Vice President of Operations at General Dynamics, shares extensive experience gained from leading teams toward excellence.

Randy will share lessons learned, key factors for success, and the major pitfalls to avoid in creating a self- sustaining culture of continuous improvement for all stages of maturity. He will explain his conviction that there is no "one size fits all" approach to achieving success

Randy will address continuous improvement strategy creation, successful deployment of Lean Six Sigma practices and keys to overcoming resistance to change. He will show how consistent focus and effort can yield solid results and significant return on your continuous improvement investment over time.

Randy Kesterson, Vice President of Operations, General Dynamics. His career includes executive leadership roles in organizations that design and build highly-engineered products in the aerospace and defense and other capital goods industries. Randy is a seasoned manager with over 30 years of practical business experience in positions ranging from Manufacturing Engineer to Program Manager to Executive Vice President/Chief Operating Officer, he has created and directed numerous large-scale implementations and continuous improvement initiatives. Randy's passion involves the leadership of strategic (and impactful) organizational change.

Employers have included John Deere, Harsco (including a General Motors Joint Venture), Curtiss-Wright (a descendant of the Wright Brothers' company), and MD Helicopters. Randy took a mid-career, four year deep dive into strategic change management consulting, working with companies such as Bank of America, Caterpillar, Motorola, Bank of Montreal, and Ford.

Robert Lechich, Director of Operational Excellence, Global External Supply Biotech, Pfizer Pharmaceuticals, Deploying Lean Six Sigma in Global Manufacturing Networks

Abstract: In the pharmaceutical industry, future manufacturing strategies will require a balance of speed, cost and agility while maintaining high quality levels and regulatory compliance. To execute such strategy, manufacturing is becoming more global as well as becoming distributed between internal manufacturing sites and key external contract partners. Management is challenging operational excellence professionals to provide innovative ways to ensure successful deployments within these distributed manufacturing networks. Mr. Lechich will discuss his experiences and lessons learned within the Pfizer's manufacturing network.

Robert Lechich is currently the Director of Operational Excellence in the Global External Supply Biotech organization at Pfizer Pharmaceuticals. His work is focused on improving contract manufacturing and business processes with the supply chain. Robert has a diverse background in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries and has worked in many areas including manufacturing, quality assurance, process engineering, facilities management, automation and information systems and supply chain management. He holds a bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering and master's degree in Technology Management from Stevens Institute of Technology In addition to being a Certified Six Sigma Master Black Belt from North Carolina State University, he holds other certifications including Project Management Professional (PMP), Certified in Production and Inventory Management (CPIM) and Supply Chain Management Professional (CSCP).

Craig Long, Vice President, Milliken Performance Solutions, Milliken & Company
Applying the Key Learnings from Milliken's Journey to Excellence to Other Organizations and Industries

Abstract:This presentation will detail Milliken's journey of Operational Excellence over the past 30 years through the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, European Quality Award, Canadian Quality Award and 54 JIPM TPM Prizes.

The lessons learned at Millken at now being transferred to other organizations in a wide variety of industries and countries. Currently, Milliken is conducting this work in over 130 operations in 8 countries.

The essence of this presentation will examine what holds organizations back from achieving their full potential and what is organizationally and operationally required to have a successful Journey to Excellence. Many of Milliken's findings are surprising.

Craig's seasoned perspective adds to the foundation of leadership for the Milliken Performance Solutions team. He began his career with Milliken at a manufacturing facility as an Industrial Engineer. Craig's real world experience, in addition to Industrial Engineering, includes Product Development, Account Management, Business Management, Corporate Education, Corporate Recruiting and Activity Based Costing. He furthered his career by running several industrial businesses before being promoted to Director of Quality in 1994. In 1997, Craig was promoted to Vice President of Quality and Milliken University, and then spearheaded Milliken & Company's implementation of Six Sigma in 2004. He has held leadership responsibility for all Corporate Continuous Improvement processes leading two corporate study mission trips to Japan. Craig was a member of the U.S. Quality Council of the Conference Board for 14 years and served as co-chair. Craig is a graduate of the Harvard Advanced Management Program.

John Noguera, P.Eng., Chief Technology Officer and Co-Founder, SigmaXL, Variation Reduction and Robust Design Using DiscoverSim^™

Abstract:Variation reduction and robust design are a vital part of Design for Six Sigma (DFSS). While Design of Experiments (DOE) play an important role in DFSS, in order to achieve optimal results, one must also employ the tools of Monte-Carlo simulation and optimization.

DiscoverSim is a powerful new Excel add-in tool that will enable these improvements even with complex, non-linear models. Stochastic Global Optimization is achieved using a hybrid methodology of Dividing Rectangles (DIRECT), Genetic Algorithms, and Sequential Quadratic Programming. Simulation and optimization speed are realized using DiscoverSim's Excel Formula Interpreter.

DiscoverSim will be demonstrated to reduce the variation of a simulated Catapult and the robust design of a solenoid shut-off valve.

John Noguera is Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer of SigmaXL, Inc., a leading provider of user-friendly Excel add-ins for statistical and graphical analysis. John leads the development of SigmaXL and DiscoverSim with a passion for ease-of-use, practical & powerful features, and statistical accuracy.

John has specialized in teaching statistical methods and consulting in the implementation of Six Sigma Quality â€“ with a focus on practical application with return on investment, in manufacturing, service and transactional areas. Since 1989, he has provided consulting and training services to more than 5000 black belts, green belts, managers, engineers, and business professionals in North America, Central America, Australia, Asia, Middle East and Europe.

John is a certified Six Sigma master black belt and was an instructor at Motorola University. He co-developed Motorola's External Six Sigma Green Belt program which utilized the SigmaXL software tool.

John was fortunate to have started his involvement with Six Sigma being mentored by the originator of Six Sigma, Bill Smith.

John has a B.A.Sc. in Electrical Engineering (1981) from the University of Waterloo. He is a member of the Professional Engineers of Ontario, American Statistical Association and Senior Member of the American Society for Quality. He has authored conference papers on Statistical Process Control and Six-Sigma Quality and has been a guest lecturer at the University of Notre Dame. He is a contributing author in the Encyclopedia of Statistics in Quality and Reliability (Wiley, 2008).

Margaret O'Brien, Management Consultant, AML, LLC Change=Conflict! What will be the Change Effect

Abstract: Six Sigma projects drive change in our organizations. Recognizing reactions to Change, building internal capacities to manage potential conflict, and projecting the hidden costs of conflict helps our organizations to plan for the Change journey, leading us out of the 'muck' and through these uncharted waters. In this Change Management 101 session, we will discuss Change reactions and how to effectively manage them.

Margaret O'Brien is a distinguished member of the Academy of Outstanding Extension Faculty at NC State University. After 31 years of service, Margaret retired from her senior leader position in 2009 where she had enjoyed roles as program director, six sigma faculty, team specialist, continuing education director, and Economic Development Cluster director. Serving clients in MBB, GB, YB, RB, and BB classes, O'Brien developed and instructed team-oriented classes at all levels with the NC State LSS team. She is a published author of several papers and instructor guides, and has presented at numerous conferences and multiple courses to cross-sectional business and industry types. Currently, she lives in the RTP area and works nationally on short term projects and teaching engagements.

Michael Pickels, Director of System Excellence, High Point Regional Health System, Introducing Change Management into an Environment of Constant Change

Abstract: Is managing change really necessary? Is change really about what is being changed or about who is being changed? Implementing a Change Management Program into an environment of constant change seems doomed to fail before it ever gets started. Come and hear how Mike and his team have worked with their senior leadership team to not only find a program that works, but has data and lessons learned to prove working with the people side of change can result is significant improvement. Healthcare seems burdened with change on a daily basis and the trend has no end in sight. Mike and his team have utilized tools and best practices that when used, will re-direct negative opinion leaders, build confidence in laggards, and gain acceptance by the many eyes searching for confirmation that Change Management does work.

Mike is the Director of Quality at High Point Regional Health System, a 400-bed hospital in North Carolina. He joined the healthcare industry five years ago after serving nearly 20 years in the Finance industry. He is a Certified Six Sigma Black Belt with over 10 years of experience with project management and software system development, implementation, and management.

Mike serves as a Malcolm Baldrige Quality Program Expert at High Point Regional, leads process improvement initiatives within the Health System, leads the Balanced Scorecard process for the Health System, and serves as a mentor to over 50 Green Belts and Black Belts throughout the Health System. He is a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University with an MHA from Pfeiffer University.

Mike and his wife live in Greensboro and have two girls, ages 6 and 9.

D. Barry Self, Trainer and Coordinator, Advanced Manufacturing Technology, Forsyth Technical Community College, Which Way Did It Go: Supply Chain Support for Winston-Salem Industries for the Blind

Abstract: Winston-Salem Industries for the Blind had a good problem, growing at a rate of 30% per year for the last four years. The growth had outpaced their infrastructure, so they needed to get into the 21st century in terms of technology. They needed to modernize to be able to manage growth so that they could continue to employ blind/visually impaired workers. A new blind/visually impaired friendly materials management system was needed to support the business. The technology would also have to interface with their Enterprise Resource Management system used to support sales and production planning.

Adding to the complexity, halfway through the development of the supply chain improvements, the Department of Defense issued a new mandate that would require manufacturers with military contracts to begin using radio frequency identification tags for individual clothing items supplied on military contracts. Failure to implement this new technology would cause Industries for the Blind to lose tens of millions of dollars in DOD contracts and cost nearly 250 blind and visually impaired people their jobs.

Due to the urgent DOD request, a test program was implemented modifying the RFID technology so that blind and visually impaired people could work with it. In our pilot test of the system, the blind workers tagged 30,000 items with almost no errors. Representatives of the Department of Defense visited Industries for the Blind to see first-hand how the new system worked. Our prototype system became a model for the other sheltered workshops for the blind/visually impaired throughout the country.

The work on the new supply chain management system incorporating voice technology resumed and was completed. As of today, 68 new blind/visually impaired workers have been hired. IFB continues to grow their business, as the new system helps them add value-added activities to their business.

D. Barry Self is a trainer/coordinator for Forsyth Technical Community College teaching Advanced Manufacturing Technology, including Lean Six Sigma, Lean Manufacturing, Lean Office, RFID/Bar Coding, Global Logistics, Supply Chain Management and being certified as an instructor for assembly operations at the new Caterpillar lower power train facility under construction in Union Cross, NC. Prior to joining Forsyth Tech, Mr. Self retired from R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company serving on the management team for 15 years in international operations and contracted to Japan Tobacco International following the sale of RJR's international trademarks. Prior to joining the international operations team, Mr. Self held various management positions in the RJR's domestic tobacco operations including Purchasing and Quality Assurance. He is a Certified Purchasing Manager from the Institute of Supply Management and holds a bachelor's degree in Chemistry from East Carolina University.

Joel Smith, Statistician/Senior Business Development Representative, Minitab Inc., Gage R&R in the Real World

Abstract:When evaluating whether your measurement system is giving you good data or not, things are not always as simple as 3 operators measuring 10 parts 2 times each. Often there are other factors to consider, missing data, or interactions. Expanded Gage R&R allows us to consider these real-world challenges to getting quality data and evaluate our measurement system accurately.

Joel is a graduate of Rose-Hulman Institue of Technology with a BS in Chemical Engineering and Virginia Tech with an MS in Statistics and has been with Minitab at their State College, PA headquarters since 2004. He has served in several roles within the Technical Support and Sales departments and is currently the Senior Six Sigma Business Development Rep. Joel is a certified Black Belt and has spoken on a broad range of data analysis and quality topics at many national and regional conferences.

Carmen Weese, Senior Vice President, Global Services, INC Research, The Road to a Trusted Process

Abstract: An overview of the deployment of the Lean Six Sigma (LSS) program in a fast growing global Clinical Research Organization (CRO) company. A description of the successes and challenges of how an industry differentiator (The Trusted Process) was established by using LSS and the continued utilization of the methodology as we grow. The Trusted Process enables us to provide reduced variability, yet maintain the flexibility to customize offerings to support the needs of our customers. The Trusted Process has led to startups 35% faster than the industry benchmark, enrollment 4 weeks ahead of schedule and database locks occurring 39% faster than industry benchmark. Take the journey on how a simple initiative has led to a corporate culture.

Ms. Carmen Weese brings over thirteen years of diverse data management, project management and process analysis experience to her role as Senior Vice President, Global Data Services. Ms. Weese oversees a business unit comprised of data entry, data management and clinical programming globally through functional global services hubs in Asia, Europe and North America. Her teams support global company-wide operations of data management and clinical programming functions for biopharmaceutical sponsors. She has broad therapeutic application of her data management experience in areas such as cardiovascular, central nervous system, devices, infectious disease and oncology. Ms. Weese also has extensive experience managing a variety of industry leading clinical data technologies. Ms. Weese co-chairs the Six Sigma initiative internally within INC Research. She is actively leading a Six Sigma project and serves as the Black Belt for over ten additional projects within the company. She has been certified as a Six Sigma Green Belt by North Carolina State University (NC) and is in the process of certification as a Six Sigma Black Belt by North Carolina State University (NC).

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