ASQ President Greg Watson came to Southern Ohio to speak to the Scioto Valley Section at its October 10 dinner program meeting. The location was the University Center at Shawnee State University, Portsmouth.

Watson opened his remarks with a President's point-of-view of ASQ and how quality professionals can take advantage of its network of resources, including those at the new Scioto Valley Section level. He then addressed the key forces expected to shape the quality discipline between now and the year 2020. In doing so, he addressed the Society's strategic planning and the recently completed "Foresight 2020" study.

Earlier in the day, Watson had met through Section arrangement with Shawnee State University President Dr. James P. Chapman and Professor Carl Hilgarth, Chair of the Department of Industrial and Engineering Technology, to discuss quality in education and how the University and the Society could share in new initiatives.

Attendees at right include Dr. James P. Chapman, President of Shawnee State University; and Scioto Valley Section members Bob Lawton, Manager, Nuclear Safety & Quality Organization, United States Enrichment Corporation, Portsmouth; John Shewbrooks, Manager, Independent Assessments Group, USEC Portsmouth; and Professor Carl Hilgarth, Chair of the Department of Industrial and Engineering Technology at Shawnee State University.

Also in attendance for Watson's remarks included ASQ members Sheryl Morris Meyer, Chief of the Customer Service Center at the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, Huntington; Michael Boggs, the Columbus Section's Certification Chair and an instructor for some of the Scioto Valley Section's preparatory courses; and John Markiel, YSK Corporation, Chillicothe.

On behalf of the Section, Executive Committee member John Nemeth, at right, presented Watson with a gift basket of items -- some made in the Ohio, Kentucky and West Virginia Tri-State area and others donated by Section member companies.

Watson presented Scioto Valley with its certificate recognizing that the Section had achieved the Total Quality Level of the Society's Section Management Plan (SMP) approach, the highest of three levels. Those who accepted the certificate included Bob Rinderman, at left, Immediate Past Chair; and Tim Matchett, at right, the current Section Chair. Rinderman and Matchett accepted the award on behalf of the Section and in particular Grant Germann, SMP Chair, and Wade Midkiff, Internet Liaison, who were responsible for Total Quality Level survey and submission activities.