ASQ Worcester September 17 Meeting
Time: 12 PM to 1:15 PM
Via zoom ID: 7906904984
Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/my/qpsinc
0.2 RUs will be provided
For more info or questions, contact ASQ Worcester Section Chair, Jay P. Patel at jayp@qpsinc.com
Topic: Soft Skills for Success in the AI-Driven Economy
SPEAKER: Dr MANU VORA
Dr. Manu K. Vora, Chairman & President, Business Excellence, Inc., USA, M.S. CHE '70, PhD '75
Fulbright Specialist, U. S. Department of State, USA (2016-2023)
ASQ Fellow (1995-present), ASQ Past VP (2000-2002), Chair, ASQ Chicago Section (1994-95)
Member, AICTE National Education Policy 2020 Implementation Plan Committee, India, 2020
Adjunct Professor, Stuart School of Business, Illinois Tech, Chicago, USA (1993-2005, 2019-present)
Adjunct Faculty, School of Professional Studies, Northwestern University, USA (2008-present)
Visiting Faculty, IIT (BHU), Varanasi, India, GIAN Program - MHRD, Government of India (2016)
Abstract
In this webinar, Dr. Manu Vora will provide guidance on Soft Skills for Success in the AI-Driven Economy for professionals. He will share the importance of Soft Skills and spotlight important skills such as Leadership, Communication, Decision Making, Time Management, Teamwork (including Problem Solving), and Project Management (including Risk Management). In a recent webinar from Harvard College it was emphasized that AI will not replace Communication, Collaboration, Judgement, Ethical Decision Making, Negotiation, Passion, Perseverance, Compassion, Empathy, Creativity, Curiosity, and Wisdom. In the AI-driven economy, these essential skills are increasingly critical for academic and career success across the globe.
Biography
Dr. Vora received his B.Tech. (Honors) in chemical engineering from IIT (BHU) in 1968, M.S. (1970) and Ph.D. (1975) in chemical engineering from Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, and MBA with Marketing Management (1985) from Keller Graduate School of Management, Chicago. He is a Past Vice President of ASQ and an ASQ Fellow. He is a sought-after speaker on business excellence and quality management with over 1,500 presentations globally and has over 75 scholarly publications. He wrote 50 blog posts on quality management. In 2013, he delivered two TEDx Talks (IIT BHU and IIT Chicago). In 1968, he received the Tata Scholarship for graduate work in the US. In 2016 he was appointed as a Fulbright Specialist by the U. S. Department of State and completed his Fulbright Specialist Project in 2018 at IIT (BHU), Varanasi, India.
Dr. Vora is the Chairman and President of Business Excellence, Inc., a global quality management firm with over 51 years of leadership experience in guiding Fortune 500 companies with the U.S. Baldrige Performance Excellence framework. For over 33 years as an Adjunct Faculty, he has taught Operations Management courses at business schools globally. He offered "Project Management for Organizational Excellence”, a GIAN course approved by the Ministry of Education, Government of India in 2016 at IIT (BHU). He has contributed to 680 educational institutes in 36 countries across 5 continents. Since 2013, he has taught soft skills using technology to 1.2 million students/faculty/professionals.
Dr. Vora is bestowed with 5 medals from ASQ. He is a recipient of 2026 U. S. Malcolm Baldrige Foundation Award for Leadership Excellence in Nonprofits. He received 2023 Distinguished Alumnus Award from IIT (BHU), Varanasi, 2023 listing in Jewels of India, Volume II book highlighting 75 leading Indo-American personalities in the USA, 2025 and 2022 recognition from World Book of Records, London, UK, 2015 BHU Distinguished Alumnus Award, 2015 & 2000 Paul Harris Fellow Medal from Rotary International, 2012 IIT Chicago Alumni Medal, 2011 Ellis Island Medal of Honor, and 2010 US President’s Volunteer Service Award. Since 1989, he is the Founding Director & President of Blind Foundation for India and his team has raised over $8 million to serve three million blind people in India.
Webinar at ASQ Worcester Section, 12:00 noon – 1:00 pm EDT, September 17, 2026