ASQ 619 (Spokane)

04/07/2026

"Thoughts on Successful Volunteer Organizational Leadership"

April 28 Spokane ASQ Section Virtual meeting and presentation

6 pm to 8 pm PDT

Register at https://asq.webex.com/weblink/register/r6bc43279f7c8f19ef3a64fea7c88dbfa

Presenter: Barry Craner

One of the greatest challenges facing contemporary organizations that rely on volunteers is the successful recruitment and retention of capable, committed volunteer leaders. If you’ve been recruited into such a role, you are already capable and committed. And possibly feeling a bit overwhelmed.

Volunteer roles can be time consuming and challenging. As unpaid leaders/team members, we may often feel on our own and become discouraged to the point of wanting to quit. Instead, it may help to better understand some of the challenges.

Barry will discuss various factors in organizational leadership, with concepts that apply not only to industrial careers, but also in volunteer organizations. His goal is to encourage fellow volunteers and help them to better understand several major concepts that lead to success in volunteer situations.

Insights will be shared on how to:

• Drive continuous improvements when an organization is in a stable mode to contribute and manage activities when little change is evident

• Address and manage issues when change is needed and to overcome resistance

• Manage/lead up, across, and down

Change is never easy. An exercise will demonstrate how to expect and handle difficulties in negotiations and how to overcome resistance.

Note: Following the presentation a short Spokane ASQ section meeting will be held to discuss section news and obtain member input for future activities.

03/21/2026

Save the dates! ASQ Audit Division Conference - September 23-24, 2026 - in Rosemont Illinois

03/05/2026

Looks like an interesting presentation on March 17 from the San Fernando Valley ASQ section!

How to Ensure Metrological Traceability as an Internal Calibration Lab

Tuesday, March 17, 2026 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM PDT

Presenter: Heather Wade

If you, as a manufacturer, test lab, or calibration lab, calibrate your own measuring and test equipment (M&TE), you likely benefit from reduced downtime, shorter turnaround time, more control over calibration processes, and lower costs.

But keep in mind—ISO/IEC 17025 requirements still apply. To maintain conformance, your lab must meet the same requirements as ISO/IEC 17025-accredited calibration providers: competent personnel, documented and validated procedures, suitable equipment, metrological traceability, uncertainty evaluation, and proper recordkeeping. These areas are common sources of
nonconformities which can lead to increased risks and reputation damage from resulting product recalls.

Learning Objectives:

1) the common accreditation body requirements for in-house or internal calibrations,

2) how these requirements are already in ISO/IEC 17025, and

3) how to meet the requirements.

Tere is no charge - but registration is required: https://app.memberplanet.com/ #/event/asqsanfernandovalleysection/howtoensuremetrologicaltraceabilityasaninternalcalibrationlab

02/26/2026

Join us for our March 24 virtual meeting! (no charge to attend)

Quality Audits: Practical Strategies to Increase Success
for Quality Professionals

Presenter: Gayle Lewis

Details and Registration Link:

https://asq.webex.com/weblink/register/r2c6f6dedf525fa6934091e9029229980

02/26/2026

Since 1951, the U.S. has celebrated the accomplishments of engineers, technicians, and technologists during National Engineers Week.

Over the years, thousands of fans have shared that Star Trek characters like Montgomery Scott and Geordi La Forge inspired them to pursue careers in engineering.

In turn, we are inspired by the engineers who are making a better future possible for all. To every engineer who creates for the sake of progress for humanity, thank you. Happy National Engineers Week!

02/15/2026

When was the last time you reviewed Dr. Deming's 14 Points of Management? Perhaps now is a good time to do so.

1. Create constancy of purpose toward improvement of product and service, with the aim to become competitive and to stay in business, and to provide jobs.

2. Adopt the new philosophy. We are in a new economic age. Western management must awaken to the challenge, must learn their responsibilities, and take on leadership for change.

3. Cease dependence on inspection to achieve quality. Eliminate the need for inspection on a mass basis by building quality into the product in the first place.

4. End the practice of awarding business on the basis of price tag. Instead, minimize total cost. Move toward a single supplier for any one item, on a long-term relationship of loyalty and trust.

5. Improve constantly and forever the system of production and service, to improve quality and productivity, and thus constantly decrease costs.

6. Institute training on the job.

7. Institute leadership. The aim of supervision should be to help people and machines and gadgets to do a better job. Supervision of management is in need of overhaul, as well as supervision of production workers.

8. Drive out fear, so that everyone may work effectively for the company.

9. Break down barriers between departments. People in research, design, sales, and production must work as a team, to foresee problems of production and in use that may be encountered with the product or service.

10. Eliminate slogans, exhortations, and targets for the work force asking for zero defects and new levels of productivity. Such exhortations only create adversarial relationships, as the bulk of the causes of low quality and low productivity belong to the system and thus lie beyond the power of the work force.

a. Eliminate work standards (quotas) on the factory floor. Substitute leadership.
b. Eliminate management by objective. Eliminate management by numbers, numerical goals. Substitute leadership.

11. Remove barriers that rob the hourly worker of his right to pride of workmanship. The responsibility of supervisors must be changed from sheer numbers to quality.

12. Remove barriers that rob people in management and in engineering of their right to pride of workmanship. This means, inter alia, abolishment of the annual or merit rating and of management by objective.

13. Institute a vigorous program of education and self-improvement.

14. Put everybody in the company to work to accomplish the transformation. The transformation is everybody's job.

To learn more about Dr. Deming's 14 Points of Management click here:
https://deming.org/explore/fourteen-points

02/15/2026

02/13/2026

"What’s Coming in ISO 9001?" February 25 presentation

Invitation from Channel Cities ASQ

Wednesday, February 25, 2026 / 6:00 – 7:30 PM PST

What’s Coming in ISO 9001?

Presenter: Michael Mills

This is a virtual event - no pre-registration required.

Recently the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) published a draft document updating their most popular standard, ISO 9001. The Internet has been busy with speculation about what might ultimately change by the time they are done, and consultants are selling high-priced classes to companies who want to be ready.

So ... Do you need a high-priced class? What is really changing?
This talk examines the Draft International Standard and compares it with the current edition, to offer a complete summary of the changes so far.

There is no charge for ASQ members or non-members. No registration is required: just go to the event link on February 26:
https://asq.webex.com/asq/j.php?MTID=mfaec9e4725f85478558bd5bc24ef2fb2

About the presenter: Michael Mills is a past Chair of the ASQ Channel Cities Section; he is a current member of both ASQ and ISO TC 176. He has worked in telecommunications and automotive diagnostics, and describes his special focus as “managing Quality systems for small organizations that have just been acquired by larger ones.” He has been auditing to ISO 9001 since 1996, and blogs weekly at Pragmatic Quality Blog.

Simple, modern video meetings for everyone on the world's most popular and trusted collaboration platform.

02/12/2026

Are you ready to start mapping out your experience?

The full WCQI agenda is live! Now you can explore sessions, speakers, and start building your personalized schedule.

Start planning your WCQI schedule TODAY: https://web.cvent.com/event/043f00d4-fae1-4d98-886d-7b09663a0282/websitePage:1b60284c-1c5e-4abc-abbd-9ad578238eab

02/12/2026

Quality audits are evolving—and AI is shaping what comes next.

In this month’s Quality Progress—My Quality Story, Diveshkumar Choudhary shares his experience conducting in-person quality audits in the pharmaceutical and healthcare sectors—and the gradual shift to remote and virtual audits as technology advanced and global operations expanded.

That transition accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, the next transformation is emerging: AI-enhanced virtual audits.

By incorporating AI, quality audits can achieve new levels of precision, efficiency, and predictive analysis. As technology and regulatory compliance continue to merge, it’s an exciting time to be part of the quality profession.

Read the full article TODAY: https://asq.org/quality-progress/articles/my-quality-story-the-future-of-quality-audits?id=45aac6dd1395427ab1341d98e2bebf44

02/10/2026

Check out this presentation: "QualityBob" is always great! February 12 - Phoenix ASQ event:

Designing Your Quality Career: Leadership in Performance Excellence


Presenter: Robert “Quality Bob” Mitchell
COO, Rocky Mountain Performance Excellence
Principal Consultant at QualityBobTM Consulting

Quality professionals today face more career options - and more uncertainty - than ever before. Traditional “climb-the-ladder” models no longer fit every practitioner, organization, or stage of life.

This presentation will explore career pathing as a strategic and intentional system - one that integrates technical mastery, leadership capability, adaptability, and purpose. The emphasis is on individual ownership of career development, alignment with organizational needs, and resilience in the face of disruption (e.g., Quality 4.0, AI, and workforce shifts). It will include practical guidance for crafting a clear career narrative, identifying primary and secondary career paths, and positioning oneself for sustained impact in performance excellence.

Participants will learn how to:
• Distinguish career pathing from traditional employee development
• Identify career path models aligned to personal strengths and motivations
• Understand how leadership in performance excellence transcends job titles
• Apply best practices to intentionally plan, reassess, and communicate their career journey
This session is ideal for early-, mid-, and senior-career quality professionals, leaders, examiners, and those considering their next professional chapter.

About the speaker: Robert “QualityBob” Mitchell, CQA, CQE, CMQ/OE, ASQ Fellow and Distinguished Service Medal recipient, is the Principal Consultant at QualityBobTM Consulting and Chief Operations Officer for Rocky Mountain Performance Excellence - a regional Baldrige-based Alliance program.

Bob has over four decades of experience spanning industry, consulting, and nonprofit organizational excellence networks. During his 34 years at 3M Company, he progressed up a dual-ladder career from product development to manufacturing process engineer to quality assurance to director-level leadership roles while leading process, product, and system improvements in complex, multinational environments.

In his "retirement" Bob has served as Executive Director for Southwest Alliance for Excellence and designed a Quality & Regulatory systems training curriculum for startups for the Center for Entrepreneurial Innovation. He is an experienced Baldrige Examiner, instructor, mentor, and coach dedicated to developing the next generation of quality leaders.

01/31/2026

Digital transformation doesn’t have to mean a seven-figure budget.

In our newest episode of All Things Quality, explore how organizations can move from chaos to clarity with a practical, scalable approach to Quality 4.0—using tools you likely already have.

Listen TODAY: https://open.spotify.com/episode/68NOmgFG50lBIBD7r7fbZG?si=ARtdNOeBRUmh0--OXHBRqQ