The 2000 South Carolina Governor's Quality Award Conference was held on April 25, 2000 at the Sheraton Hotel and Conference Center.  This year's conference was co-sponsored by the South Carolina Quality Forum and the South Carolina State Government Improvement Network.  The conference theme was "Quality in the New Millennium".  Hunter Howard served as the Master of Ceremonies for the day.  After a networking continental breakfast, the keynote speaker, Barry Diamondstone, Deputy Director, Baldrige National Quality Program of the National Institute of Standards and Technology energized the audience with a presentation on the relationship of the state and national quality awards and the importance of recognizing organizations that exhibited quality.  He highlighted the efforts of South Carolina companies, Milliken, Carolina Eastman and Westinghouse as National Award winners.  Mr. Diamonstone also publicly recognized the individual efforts of Roger Milliken as one of the pioneers of the National Quality Award through leadership and service on the National Board.  He challenged the 2000 award winner, McLeod Regional Medical Center, to apply for the National Award. 

Following the keynote speaker, conference participants attended two of the seven break out sessions offered.  These sessions were presented by the 2000 Gold Achiever, Dana Corporation Spicer Heavy Systems Assembly, Lugoff, SC, 2000 Silver Achiever, Standard Corporation Integrated Logistics, Columbia, and Greenville, Redesign of the Governor's Quality Award Process and A Systems Approach for Diagnosing Organizational Performance Problems, 2000 Bronze Achiever Dana Corporation WIX Filtration, Dillon, SC, 2000 Silver Achiever Dana Corporation Spicer Driveshaft Division, Columbia, SC, and Examiners Recruitment.  These sessions received excellent evaluations and information was shared on best practices. 

The recognition luncheon highlighted the efforts of examiners, judges, the Quality Forum Steering Committee and Advisory Board members.  Special recognition was given to John Surak, Clemson University and Charlie Richitelli, Shakespeare Monofilament.  John Surak served as Co- Chairperson of the Awards Committee since the awards inception. Charlie Ritchitell has served as Chairperson of the SC Quality Forum and Chair of the Advisory Committee since it's inception.  Both John and Charlie have been leaders in the quality arena of the state.  They will be truly missed.
 The last general session opened with a presentation from McLeod Regional Medical Center, the 2000 Governor's Quality Award winner.  They discussed their approach, deployment and implementation of quality and highlighted the strong commitment of employees and management to continuously improving the services they provide to patients.  Following their presentation Governor Hodges spoke to the audience and discussed how he is committed to ensuring that quality will be implemented in state government.  He has requested funding from the General Assembly and will use these resources for a Baldrige training program and implementation beginning with cabinet level agencies and throughout state government.  He praised the efforts of the companies who won awards this year and encouraged other organizations including state government to follow the lead of these fine award winners.

The Milliken Medal of Quality was presented to Greg Frampton and Dr. Mary Thornley.  Greg Frampton, Executive Administrator, South Carolina Department of Revenue.  Greg Frampton's leadership and dedication to quality management was recognized when the South Carolina Department of Revenue became the first state agency to receive the Governor's Quality Achiever Award.  He championed the establishment and served as the first chair of the South Carolina State Government Improvement Network which has helped instill the quality process throughout state government.  Frampton was one of the early leaders in the Quality Forum and, through his involvement, helped establish the South Carolina Governor's Quality Award process. Dr. Mary Thornley, President, Trident Technical College, Charleston, SC.  Dr. Thornley embraces the servant leadership principals and has modeled to the college and the community a willingness to communicate, to change, to participate, and to empower.  In 1992, she personally taught the "Introduction to Quality" course to over 500 employees of the college and continues to lead the same seminar for all new employees.  Dr. Thornley is a founding and executive board member of the Trident Area Community of Excellence (TACE) which promotes continuous improvement in goods and services of business, industry, and government in the greater Charleston area.  In 1998, Dr. Thornley was awarded the ASQ Quality Management Division, Partners for Quality Award for her support of quality management at the local and national levels.

 The Bronze Achiever was Dana Corporation, WIX Filtration Products of Dillon, South Carolina.  Dillon manufactures over 700 different oil and air filter catalog numbers for passenger cars and light duty trucks and employs 334 people.  Operations began in Dillon in 1976 and they have since grown to over 400,000 square feet with approximately 200,000 in manufacturing and the remaining square footage in warehousing and support functions. 
There were two silver achiever winners.  The first was Dana Corporation Spicer Driveshaft Division of Columbia.  The Columbia CV Plant (of the Dana Corporation) opened in 1986, originally equipped to provide CV joints for the aftermarket.  Changes in the market strategy created additional investments for the site, and it eventually joined the Spicer Driveshaft Division and began supply of CV joints for original equipment vehicles, rather than the aftermarket.  With the acquisition of the Columbia Facility, GKN's CV-related employment reached nearly 2200 in Michigan, North and South Carolina.  Revenues for 1999 were over $450 million, and sales for 2000 are projected to top $500 million.  The Columbia plant employs nearly 200 skilled people in the manufacture, assembly, and distribution of CV-jointed halfshafts (for front-and rear-axles) and CV-jointed pro shafts (for four-wheel-drive vehicles).  This technology combines tremendous vehicle capabilities with the superior ride and handling customers now demand.

Standard Corporation Integrated Logistics of Columbia and Greenville was the other Silver Achiever.  Standard Corporation is a privately held third-party logistics company.  Founded in 1894 in Columbia, SC as The Standard Warehouse Company, Standard's business is quite simply to perform outsourced logistics services that companies do not consider part of their core competencies.  The company was incorporated in 1964 as Standard Corporation and as customers expectations changed it expanded its service offerings to provide manufacturing support and transportation services in addition to warehousing.  As such, three operating divisions later evolved into what was known as SC Transport, Standard Industrial Services and the The Standard Warehouse Company.  The company reorganized in 1998 to bring all of the operating groups together and renamed itself Standard Corporation Integrated Logistics to be more reflective of today's logistics environment. 

The Gold Achiever, Dana Corporation, Spicer Heavy Systems Assembly Division of Lugoff, SC.  This plant is one of three facilities comprising Spicer Heavy Systems Assembly Division.  The plant assembles completed class eight chassis (trucks with a gross vehicle weight exceeding 33,000 lbs.) for Mack Trucks' Winnsboro, SC plant and Western Star Trucks' Charleston, SC plant.  The belief that our "People Are Our Most Important Asset," the Corporation's slogan, drives the open communication and involvement and recognition of the employees.

The 2000 recipient of the Governor's Quality Award, McLeod Regional Medical Center of the Pee Dee.  For nearly 100 years, McLeod Regional Medical Center has stood as the "Choice for Medical Excellence".  At the main 371-bed campus in Florence, SC, Centers of Excellence within the hospital have emerged.  McLeod Regional is one of only three hospitals in South Carolina to carry the Level II Trauma Center certification.

Over 275 participants attended the 2000 Governor's Quality Award.  Next yearís Quality Award will be presented in October 2001.  Details will follow on the revised process in upcoming articles.