UA’s Alabama Productivity Center Names Keynote Speakers for 2008 Quality Award Conference

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The Alabama Productivity Center at The University of Alabama will feature Bradley R. Byrne, Kathy Harris and Fonda Vera as keynote speakers for the 2008 Alabama Quality Award Conference and Ceremony.

The 2008 Alabama Quality Award recipients will be recognized at the Alabama Quality Award Annual Conference and Award Ceremony during a banquet on the evening of Dec. 4. The AQA conference, administered by the Alabama Productivity Center, will be held Dec. 3-5 at the Bryant Conference Center in Tuscaloosa.

Kathy Harris is the vice president of human resources and organizational development at Mercy Health System in Janesville, Wis. She has served as a national Baldrige examiner and is on the board of directors for the Wisconsin Forward Award Program. She will be the luncheon speaker on Thursday, Dec. 4. Her presentation will discuss Mercy’s transformation story, highlighting its three key success factors — integration, culture of excellence and accountability, as well as providing emphasis on employee and physician partnership engagement strategy.

Fonda Vera is dean of planning and research for institutional effectiveness at Richland College. She is on the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award board of examiners. She will be leading the Getting Started with the Malcolm Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence workshop on Friday, Dec. 5. It is designed for those who aren’t familiar with the criteria and will include the basics of getting started using Richland’s measurement system and lessons Richland’s leadership has measured along the way.

Bradley R. Byrne is the chancellor of the Alabama Community College System. He has worked for more than 20 years to improve education in Alabama by serving on numerous boards and committees. He was also a member of the Alabama Senate from 2002-2007, representing Baldwin County. He will deliver the keynote address at the Awards Presentation Banquet on Thursday, Dec. 4.

For additional information, contact Linda Vincent in the Alabama Productivity Center at 205/348-8994 or Linda@proctr.cba.ua.edu

The Alabama Quality Award is administered by the Alabama Productivity Center, an Alabama Technology Network center and a nonprofit outreach component of The University of Alabama. The Center’s mission is to find ways to use University research and educational resources to enhance the competitiveness of Alabama business and industry.