APICS monthly in professional development in November was a facility tour hosted by KCI, a leading medical device and equipment manufacturer headquartered in San Antonio. 35 Operations and Supply Chain Management professionals gather to hear KCI incredible business development journey and their current focus on lean operations management. Quynh Leverenz (left, presenting), KCI's Director of Operations, briefs the group on KCI's business journey since its founding more than thirty years ago. Quynh, a former GM executive, came to KCI in the last few years and has applied the lean six sigma principles in their Stout manufacturing facility.
Attendees enjoy networking prior to Quynh's presentation. In the foreground, KCI APICS Company Co-ordinator, Art Lopez (right, foreground), discusses his plans to work the the APICS certification programs next year. Although Art already holds a masters degree, he is looking of industry certification to augment his formal education. Company coordinators are APICS champions inside their companies who have the role of disseminating information regarding APICS events throughout their company. In the blue shirt is APICS Chapter President Vern Teichroeb, CPIM, CIRM, of StandardAero, talking to Dr. Jay Heizer, renowned San Antonio professor and author of several Operations Management textbooks, including those used in the APICS certification programs. Past APICS President Pat Tarver, CPIM, CSCP, of Johnson Controls, looks on. In the background, Gary Glick, of Provenir, visits with Chad and Madison McNair, of Aspen.
