ASQ Mining Interest Group

For World Quality Month 2014, I provided the following address to the ASQ Mining Interest Group.

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Having recently returned from ASQ headquarters in Milwaukee, I am pleased to share that we are all part of a vibrant and dynamic organization, which continues to adapt and evolve to address the changing needs of our respective global professional communities.  In this regard, I am very pleased to have had the opportunity to observe and partake in the progress of the ASQ Mining Interest Group.

As a global society, ASQ has committed to taking those constructive steps which it believes will enhance and improve member value.  This includes a greater commitment to improving information technology and financial controls.  The sustainment of these endeavors will be managed through the ASQ’s Performance Awards and Recognition (PAR) program.  I encourage all ASQ members to familiarize themselves with this program in order to make their respective member units more effective.

The ASQ Mining Interest Group falls within the framework of the ASQ Technical Communities Council (TCC) which manages Divisions, Interest Groups, and Technical Committees.  As a Regional Director for the ASQ sections in Canada (Region 4), I will work constructively to assist and encourage the integration of ASQ Mining events with ASQ Section activities, ensuring that quality practitioners aligned with ASQ in Canada can benefit from the innovative and dynamic programs.

I can personally attest to the high caliber of the annual gala event in Saskatoon, held in October 2014 at the Sheraton Cavalier.  It was remarkable to be part of a prestigious panel of speakers, spanning executives, practitioners, public servants, and professional leaders.  I particularly enjoyed the direct testimonials from mining employees with “hands-on” quality experiences.  The time went very quickly and by having the meals in the meeting rooms, this permitted programming to continue and be enjoyed concurrently with networking and social contacts.  It was a very efficient and fulfilling day which raises the standard for other ASQ events.

ASQ Member Value is gained from constructive and memorable experiences.  I think that the ASQ Mining Interest Group is on a very constructive track to becoming a thriving ASQ Division and an essential part of the TCC.  Unlike the ASQ Sections and Regions, Technical Communities like the ASQ Mining Interest Group are not limited nor constrained by geography.  For example, I was delighted to know that there were contributors from Australia who were working to refine a distinct body of knowledge and intellectual content, pertinent to the mining industry.  This is truly representative of a global professional organization.

Overall, based on the presentations, my impression is that the leadership within mining has embraced quality as an essential practice.  It was particularly compelling to hear speakers from different backgrounds and perspectives consistently emphasize the importance of quality to success in mining, and share specific examples of successful implementation and outcomes from quality deployment.  This makes the program relevant for those outside of mining, who can then use these actual examples where theory has been transformed into practice.  I look forward to continued growth and success.