SPEAKER TELLS HOW PLAN WORKS FOR BUSINESS

Although the Malcolm Baldrige Program is best known for its quality awards, the program's criteria are often used by companies to improve their organizations.

"The program is designed to move a company from "customer focus" to "customer satisfaction," said Arnold M. Weimerskirch, vice president of corporate quality for Honeywell Inc.

Weimerskirch, a registered professional engineer and former chairman of the Panel of Judges for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, was guest speaker at the Business Conference, held at the Show Me Center Wednesday. His topic was "Quality Service: A Constant Challenge."

"Creating Value" was the theme of the 1995 Business Conference.

The challenge is for business to take the Baldrige plan and put it into focus, Weimerskirch said. "It can provide an evaluation for the company and determine how to improve the competitiveness of the business."

The Baldrige plan is also being adopted for not-for-profit organizations with an education and a health care pilot program, said Weimerskirch, who addressed a campus group later Wednesday at the University Center.

Dr. Demetrius Karathanos, Southeast Missouri State University, professor of management and director of international programs for the Donald L. Harrison College of Business, is serving as a member of the education pilot evaluation team.

The Baldrige Criteria for Education is designed to help schools elementary through postsecondary improve their educational services.

Also on the busy day's conference schedule was a special health care panel with opening remarks by Kathleen Steele, Region VII, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services at Kansas City.

Karen Hendrickson, assistant administrator, Southeast Missouri Hospital, served as moderator of the health session. Health care panelists were Belinda Heimericks, executive director, Missouri Nurses Association; Charlotte Craig, administrator, Cape County Public Health Department; Ron Cates, deputy director, Missouri Department of Health; and William Shell, president MedAmerica HealthNet Inc.

The conference was sponsored by the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce University Relations Committee and Southeast Missouri State University's Donald L. Harrison College of Business.