ASQ East South Central Region April 2024 Newsletter
Contents
· ASQ Lexington Section Meeting on Thursday, April 18, 2024 @12-1pm EST
· Cognizing the Quality Management System: Responsibilities, Internal Auditing, and Process Familiarization in an IATF16949 Manufacturing Environment by– Steve Ross (Virtual, Live Session)
· ASQ1106 Plant tour of LabConnect – In-person only
· Quality 4.0 March Meeting Video and Slide Deck Available for Download
· ASQ Recertification Changes
· A Thoughtful Pondering and Lesson on Hurling Crabapples
· Other Online Education Opportunities in April
· Huntsville Section Meetings – In-person
· Other Online Education Opportunities in March
ASQ 0911 April 2024 Section Meeting on Thursday, April 18, 2024 @12-1pm EST
Our next ASQLEX 0911 member monthly meeting is a live webinar virtual meeting that begins at 12PM EST on Thursday, April 18th.
If you plan to attend, please email reservation to Mark McDonald (Mmcdonald@hendrickson-intl.com) by noon Tuesday, April 16th.
ASQ live webinar presentation:
Cognizing the Quality Management System: Responsibilities, Internal Auditing, and Process Familiarization in an IATF16949 Manufacturing Environment
Presenter – Steve Ross (See short Bio below)
Section hosts- John Simson and Steve Ross, ASQ Lexington, KY -
Presentation agenda-
· Understanding responsibilities and oversight areas for the manager of QMS
§ Learning and training for the position
§ Desirable familiarization with various area processes such as manufacturing, warehousing, and sales.
§ Internal quality auditing for IATF16949 manufacturing (automotive)
§ Certification and continuing education for internal auditors
§ Training grid for internal quality audit training
§ Demonstrations of some online videos for all levels of auditors
The Zoom virtual Meeting link for this live webinar meeting will be sent out to those who register with Mark McDonald.
Note: A 0.5 RU* will be given for live webinar meeting that you attend. However, you must use the email registration so that the Section has an attendance record. Please mute your computer microphone during the presentation. * ASQE and ASQ corporate agreed to allow us to use 0.5 RU for section meetings during 2024 transition period.
Meeting Agenda:
11:50 -12:00 pm Log in and Section welcome, Speaker and webinar intro
12:00 – 1:00 pm Presentation and then Q&A with members.
Note- Presenter would like the audience interaction with comments and questions.
ASQ 1106 April Plant Tour - Register now for our tour of LabConnect on Thursday April 18th, 2024. 5:30pm at 2304 Silverdale Dr, Johnson City, TN 37601. – In person only.
LabConnect improves lives by partnering with pharma/biotech companies and clinical research organizations (CROs) to accelerate the development of new medicines around the world. An independent, global, one-stop-shop focused on delivering central laboratory services that are tailor-made, timely and flexible. LabConnect provides unparalleled program oversight and support to meet the evolving study demands from traditional to increasingly complex trials. With deep and unmatched experience, LabConnect’s team of scientific experts serves as an extension of our clients' clinical teams, quickly coordinating all laboratory related needs and providing end-to-end analytical and logistical solutions. Offering a full suite of services from real-time sample tracking and data integration to groundbreaking scientific support services, LabConnect is the global partner of choice for central laboratory services.
Join us as we tour the Labconnect facility and see how clinical trial sample kits are built, quality control processes, how patient samples are received, accessioning of samples, storage of samples, shipment of samples and how data is received.
For questions about the tour contact Sandeep Amin, (908)208-3638. SAmin@crownlaboratories.com
MemberPlanet Registration
For those interested, after the tour we will meet at Cootie Brown’s on Roan Street in Johnson City for a networking dinner.
Quality 4.0 March Meeting Video and Slide Deck Available for Download
At March meeting of the Northeast TN section we covered Quality 4.0 in two presentations. The first was a video by the Juran Institute available at Quality 4.0: Building The Plan | Juran Institute, An Attain Partners Company. The second was a presentation by Rebecca Mott entitled “Mastering the Digital Symphony of Emerging Technologies”. This presentation was recorded and is available in our YouTube channel atASQ1106 NE TN Section - YouTube. The slide deck is available on the myASQ site of the Northeast Tennessee Section.
ASQ Recertification Changes in the 2024 Recertification Handbook – Editorial by Arved Harding
There were some recent changes announced to the ASQ recertification process. A link to FAQs - ASQE_Recertification_Updates_2024.pdf
There were many members surprised with some changes. The biggest surprise is moving the 0.5 RU’s per meeting hour for meetings to 0.1. In communications with ASQE leadership we were reminded that before “COVID” it was0.1 RU’s per meeting hour and because of the “COVID” pandemic it was moved to 0.5 RU’s per meeting hour. They are just moving it back to the pre-COVID level. There are several other changes. See the FAQ link above.
The following was pulled from the Recertification Handbook with some statements highlighted that as quality professionals we should take note. The idea of showing continuing competency is the theme.
ASQ Recertification Program - Continuing Competency
Continuing Competency refers to the demonstration of specified levels of knowledge, skills, or abilities not only at the time of initial certification, but throughout an individual’s professional career. ASQ mandates maintenance of one’s credential through activities that reinforce continued competence. Maintaining one’s ASQ certification is crucial to professional growth, fluency, and status within the industry and is a mandatory requirement of certification. In accordance with ISO 17024 Standards for Conformity Assessment, recertification conditions shall ensure there is impartial evaluation to confirm the continuing competence of the certified person. To maintain the integrity of a certification, ASQ requires that individuals recertify every three years, either by recording and submitting activities or by exam. There is a 60-day period after one’s recertification date which is considered a “grace period,” allowing additional time to collect documentation and upload the necessary documents to your online journal along with payment. An individual may choose to recertify by exam, they have up to one year before or after their recertification date. If one does not recertify, their certification will lapse and ASQ will no longer recognize them as “certified”.
After initial certification, one must carry out specific professional development requirements to recertify every three years and provide documentation in support. All activities must relate or correspond to at least one area of the Body of Knowledge (BoK) for an individual’s certification(s).
Here are questions recently submitted by the ASQ Geographic Community Council to the ASQE Certification Council and their response.
1. What was the strategy in changing the RUs for attending section meetings from 0.5 to 0.1?
The changes made in the recertification requirements, including changes in RU values, were made to ensure recertification meets the ISO 17024 standard for continuing professional development. Since 2022, ASQ Certifications are now accredited. As such, recertification requirements are subject to auditing, inspection, and adherence to the standard. These benchmarked changes, aligned to the standard, create a defensible model of continuing competence for ASQ Credential holders, increasing the value of the ASQ Certifications.
2. Won't these changes make it more difficult to attain the number of RUs needed to recertify, including for those who are unemployed or retired?
While individual items have been set to a lower RU value than in previous years, the Professional Development MAX RU barrier has been removed (is now unlimited). Additionally, volunteering and mentoring have been added under the "Giving Back" category, offering more ways to earn RUs beyond meetings and events.
One hypothetical way (there are many combinations that work) to achieve 18 RU over the 3-year span of recertification without employment RUs (if employed, that provides another 10.8 RUs):
· 2 hours of Professional Development content per member unit meeting x 8 meetings per year x 3 years = 4.8 RUs
· 1 hour of Professional Development per Webinar for attending hour-long webinars from Sections and Divisions x 9 times per year x 3 years = 2.7 RUs
· Active ASQ Membership for the 3 years = 1.5 RUs
· Serve on a Section Committee for the 3 years = 4.5 RUs
· 10 hours of Volunteering (e.g., many sections participate in student fairs or in other volunteer activities) across the 3 years = 1.0 RUs
· Engaging in mentoring (mentor OR mentee) for 5 hours per year x 3 years = 1.5 RUs
· Attend a 1-day Section or Division conference 2 times over 3 years = 2.0 RUs
3. How should Sections handle RU values for back-to-back events in the same day, such as a workshop for an hour and a presentation for an hour, etc.?
Keep in mind that the Professional Development RUs are per hour, not per event. If hosting events successively, one after the other, you can give RUs for each hour. A 2-hour Section event equates to 0.2 RUs and so forth.
4. When are these changes effective?
We recognize that transition time is necessary due to events that may have already been advertised and planned, and so for the remainder of 2024, the 0.5 RU that has been in place for member unit events in recent years will be honored. We will also honor the old points system for all categories in 2024 as a soft launch.
In other words, for 2024, Section events will be honored at the 0.5 RU value AND ALSO those recertifying may claim RUs under the newly introduced categories. Please be sure to start socializing with members that the new ISO-compliant points system of 0.1 RU per professional development hour (no maximum) will be fully enforced after this year so people can plan out their RUs based on where they are in their 3-year cycle.
For more information on recertification see Quality Recertification - How to Recertify via Exam or Journal | ASQ
For more information on ASQE, the professional body behind the scenes which develops the ASQ Certification Body of Knowledge and manages all aspects of the certification process, click here.
Join ASQ1106 for our May 16th meeting as we look at various scenarios getting RU’s for recertification. Registration and details of the meeting will be announced later.
A Thoughtful Pondering and Lesson on Hurling Crabapples
A special article from a dear cousin of Arved Harding. Leton Harding is President, Chairman, and CEO of Powell Valley National Bank.
Letters From Leton: Crabapples Can Be Dangerous!
Posted on July 12, 2021 by Leton Harding
Reprinted with permission from Leton Harding 3/9/24
As a young lad, we used to often roam the mountains and hollows, especially in the fall. The smells, the colors of the trees, the refreshing coolness of the day. Every fall these sensations take me back to a time of fun with my cousins.
On occasion during our days of fun, we would play a game of “hurl the crabapples”.
Yes, you read that correctly – hurl the crabapples.
We would gather up crabapples from some crabapple trees and find a bush or smallish tree from which we would cut a limber stick. Then, splitting up into teams, we would take the hill on one side of the farm or the other side – approximately a hundred yards away. Thus began the hurling of the crabapples, boosted in distance by the tree limb.
No harm came to us -outside of subsequent sword fights with the sticks- as the distance made accuracy difficult. However, we considered it a “moral” victory when one of the cousins had to dodge the projectile.
A couple weeks ago at the beach I was reminded of these times as I saw numerous dog-walkers playing fetch, using longish “sticks” with a scoop at the end to pick up the ball and hurl it greater distances than possible with a simple arm toss.
What an idea! Added strength against the constant winds of the oceans. Plus, you didn’t have to pick up a slobbery ball covered in sand. Playing with the dog from a distance.
Hmm, doing things from a distance. I could do that. I could check emails from the beach. Zoom in for meetings. Have Jason set up a VPN for me to access the Bank’s systems.
On subsequent days as I watched the owners and their dogs, I noticed a strange thing.
Folks with the long hurling sticks seldom interacted with their dogs beyond, well, hurling the ball. The dog brought the ball back, and it was eventually picked up and hurled again.
Dogs whose owners did not have the device tossed the ball or frisbee (couldn’t throw a frisbee with that stick) after first interacting with the dog. And they petted their dog often, which brought joy to the dog and, I think, to the owner as well.
I thought, if I were a dog, I would like to be with the owner who spent more “quality time” with me. Generally, those were the folks without the sticks.
As we have shared and stressed many times, technology and its usage will grow and grow. That’s just the way it is.
But as we progress down this path, we cannot let technology be the stick that distances us from the ones we care for in our business lives – our customers.
Interactions with customers are much less frequent today, which makes the time and interactions we do share more valuable than ever.
One lesson Covid taught us is that we still like being with people.
So, being reminded of how much everyone would miss interacting with me (and me with them), I put aside the notion of PVB from the Beach, packed up and headed back to the cool mountains.
After all, just a couple of months until crabapple hurling time!
Stay safe.
– Leton
“Letters From Leton” is a blog series comprised of the weekly updates that Leton Harding – President, Chairman, and CEO of Powell Valley National Bank, shares with the Bank’s team members. These newsletters are full of uplifting anecdotes and intriguing insights that are applicable beyond the Bank, so we want to share them with you.
FREE ASQ Huntsville Section In-Person Meetings
March meeting link:
https://app.memberplanet.com/#/event/asqhuntsvillesection/marchasqhuntsvillesectionmeeting
April meeting link:
https://app.memberplanet.com/#/event/asqhuntsvillesection/aprilasqhuntsvillesectionmeeting
May meeting link:
https://app.memberplanet.com/#/event/asqhuntsvillesection/mayasqhuntsvillesectionmeeting
Other Online Education Opportunities in April
When: Apr 16, 2024 from 06:30 PM to 07:30 PM (ET) Community: St. Petersburg-Tampa Section 1508
When: Apr 18, 2024 from 06:00 PM to 07:30 PM (ET) Community: Greater Detroit Section
When: Apr 18, 2024 from 07:00 PM to 08:30 PM (ET) Community: Binghamton Section
When: Apr 24, 2024 from 12:00 PM to 01:00 PM (ET) Community: Ottawa Valley Section
When: Apr 25, 2024 from 07:00 PM to 08:00 PM (ET) Community: Innovation Division
Check myASQ Events for more events virtually and in your area.