Purdue to host Deming Institute conference

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - People from across the country will gather at Purdue University to explore the philosophy of the man credited with improving manufacturing processes and quality control in the United States and Japan and how his ideas relate to sustainability.

The W. Edwards Deming Institute Fall Conference will be Oct. 18-20 in Purdue's Stewart Center.

Deming's teachings, going back to post-World War II Japan, were the beginning of the Total Quality Management model, which has been adopted by companies around the world.

The conference's theme, Out of the Crises - New Thinking for a Sustainable World, will explore Deming's theories and how they relate in today's world. The conference is specifically geared for students, executives, managers, educators and entrepreneurs across all business, government, health care, education and nonprofit sectors.

Conference topics and presenters include:

* "Highlighting SIA's Zero-Landfill Strategy," Tom Easterday, executive vice president of Subaru of Indiana Automotive.

* "Application of Deming's Principles to the Sustainability Challenge," John Sutherland, Purdue's Fehsenfeld Family Head of Environmental and Ecological Engineering.

* "Deming 101," Ian Bradbury, president and CEO of Peaker Services.

* "Disruptive Sustainability," Andrew McKeon, founder and principal of Business Climate.

* "Investing in a Regenerative New Economy," John Fullerton, founder and president of Capital Institute.

* "Sustainability as a National Imperative," Mark "Puck" Mykleby, retired U.S. Marine Corps colonel and senior fellow of New America Foundation.

* "Patagonia's Quality and Sustainability Journey," Randy Harward, Patagonia vice president for advanced research and development.

* "A Systems Approach to Sustainability," Ted Radzinski, founder of Sustainable Solutions Corp.

* "Remembering Dr. Deming," Nida Backaitis, organizational effectiveness consultant with MITRE Corp.

Cost of the conference is $275 if registering by Sept. 1 and $325 after that date. The student registration fee is $225. Registration and more information are available at https://www.deming.org/content/2013-fall-conference-0

Student scholarships are available. Contact Rodney Vandeveer at vandevee@purdue.edu for more information.

Writer: Brian Zink, 765-494-2080, bzink@purdue.edu