Donald C. Fisher, Ph.D., Executive Director/CEO  for Mid-South Quality Productivity Center, has conducted Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award Assessments for organizations and has developed and coordinated TQM public workshops, seminars, and teleconferences. Dr. Fisher is a member of the Baldrige Board of Examiners, which is overseen by The U.S. Department of Commerce, and managed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the Board of Directors for the Alliance for Performance Excellence (State Baldrige Awards).

Walt Hanna, Director of Training, retired USN, has over 20 years of management and employee development experience in the fields of distribution, manufacturing, medical device, and air traffic control. His previous positions included talent management consultant/training manager with Medtronic’s Spinal and Biologics division, Senior Training Analyst with the City of Memphis, Training Specialist with Southern Fabricators, Manager /Training Specialist with Ingram Micro, NATTC Air Traffic Control School Course Supervisor, ATC Training Standardization Supervisor, and ATC Facility Manager with the U.S. Navy. Educational achievements include an M.S. in Operations Management with a concentration on Human Resource Management and a B.A. in Financial Accounting from National University. Walt has certifications with AchieveGlobal, Gordon Training International’s Leader Effectiveness Training and has memberships with ASTD, SHRM, and ASQ.

Mark Weber, Consulting Associate, has over 15 years experience in manufacturing industries such as chemical processing, consumer goods, and automotive OEM. Mark is a Registered Quality System Lead Auditor by the International Register of Certificated Auditors (registration number #A008651). He has quality system auditing or development experience with a variety of client companies in industries such as specialty chemicals, processed materials, automotive OEM, metal fabrication, electronic services, and manufactured goods. He has also led 40+ organizations through the ISO turn-key certification process with 100% success rate.

Duke Okes, Consulting Associate, is a knowledge architect who consults, trains, writes & speaks on management philosophies and technologies in the U.S., Bermuda, Canada, Caribbean, Europe, and Asia. He has been elected Fellow of the American Society for Quality, and is certified by ASQ as a quality manager, quality engineer, and quality auditor. Duke holds undergraduate degrees in technology and business, a masters degree in adult education, and has completed doctoral coursework in applied management and decision sciences. He is co-editor of The Certified Quality Manager Handbook (2nd edition), a contributor to The Certified Quality Engineer Handbook, and has published numerous articles (Quality Progress, Quality World, Business Improvement Journal, The Manufacturer, APICS-The Performance Advantage, Manufacturing Engineering, and Quality Management Forum).

David O. Compton, Consulting Associate, has over 30 years of experience in training and organizational development.  In the Army he served as an Organizational Effectiveness Officer for a major headquarters and trainer and O.D. consultant to major Army installation units. For the past 23 years he has worked as an internal trainer and consultant in two healthcare organizations in the Memphis area. David holds a MS in System Management Technology from Murray State University and is certified to present Franklin Covey 7 Habits courses and Four Disciplines of Execution. Additionally, he administers the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, Emotional Competence Inventory of the Hay Group and the DiSC Indra of Inscape Publishing. He is a member of ASTD. 

Greg Spencer, Consulting Associate, has over seven years of experience working with quality systems in both production and service industries. He has also facilitated the implementation of an ISO 14001 environmental management system for a specialty chemical company and serves as a lead internal auditor and trainer. He has given presentations on ISO 14001 to the paper industry. In addition, he has technical experience in implementing electronic document control systems for both ISO 9000 and ISO 14000 systems. Other experience includes facilitating both executive and line level project and committee teams. Greg holds an MBA in information technology management from Christian Brothers University and is a member of ASQ.

Robert Miller, Consulting Associate, has over 20 years experience in public relations, marketing, and communications.  He formerly served as President of RGM & Associates, LLC in New Orleans which provided consulting services to corporations, small businesses and organizations.  His work has received numerous awards including the Top Media Man Award and the Internet Technology Communications Award in 2003.

Robert (Bob) Belcher, Consulting Associate, has over 30 years experience in the manufacturing and service sectors. Bob is an internationally certified lead auditor and has led several companies to ISO 9000, 14001, 16949, QS-9000 and QSTE certification. In addition to being recognized as an engineering professional by various manufacturing organizations, Bob is also a recognized safety professional by ASSE. He is an author, a research engineer, and curriculum developer for several colleges and professional organizations. Bob holds Masters Degrees in Manufacturing Engineering, Operations Management, and Technical Education.

Andrew J. Mohler, Consulting Associate, has over ten years experience in various production processes, including the chemical processing, pulp and paper, leather and industrial water treatment industries. In addition, he has experience in testing and laboratory systems and is an ASQ certified quality manager and an RAB certified Provisional Auditor. Drew has been the Management Representative for two certified quality systems for over six years, and has extensive, hands on experience in designing, implementing and maintaining an ISO certified quality system. In 1999, he completed his Master's Degree in Engineering Management.

Loretta Taylor Dale, Ed.D, Consulting Associate, has more than 25 years in private and public sectors. She is a member of ASTD, ASQ, CBU Graduate School of Engineering Board of Advisers, former GMAQ Board of Directors and Process Team Chair, ASQ Program Chair, and WMCS Board of Directors. She was the 2004 ASQ featured engineer.

Maurice (Maury) A. Ayrer, Consulting Associate, has over thirty years experience in the continuous improvement of manufacturing operations. He is an ASQ Certified Quality Manager, Engineer and Auditor and is an examiner for the Shingo Prize for Excellence in Manufacturing. Maury is also a Six Sigma Black Belt and is licensed to present  Green Belt training and certification by Smarter Solutions, one of the premier Six Sigma organizations. Maury has extensively taught statistical methods for the Memphis section of ASQ and is thoroughly familiar with the techniques of Six Sigma, TQM, lean production and ISO and QS9000. Maury holds a B. A. in Mathematics from the University of Alabama at Huntsville.

Willa Martin Bailey, Consulting Associate,has 20 years experience as an intuitive manager in an international manufacturing company. Resourceful, innovative project manager with a focus on identifying business process improvements, cycle time and transaction cost reductions. Proven ability in communicating with people at all levels of the organization. A catalyst, change agent, problem solver, and coach for cross-functional organizations. An energetic, creative professional who has a sense of team, cares about people, and gets results. Willa has a Psychology degree from Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, NC.

David J. McClaskey, Consulting Associate, is a Baldrige expert that has worked with four national Baldrige winners:  Pal's Sudden Service, OMI, The Ritz-Carlton Hotel, and Eastman Chemical Company. He served as one of nine judges for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award for four years and has served as a judge for the Georgia and Tennessee Quality Awards. David is President/COO of the Business Excellence Institute, a CQ Manager, CQIA, and CQE. He is the 1998 recipient of ASQ's prestigious E.L. Grant Award. David has engineering degrees from the University of Florida and the University of Tennessee.

Pat Meeks, Consulting Associate, has 24 years experience in management positions with government agencies and private sector service organizations. She also has 24 years experience conducting a variety of in-house training programs. Her specialty is relating Baldrige criteria to governmental and private sector organizations, especially those organizations in the early stages of TQM implementation.

Steven F. Pettigrew, Consulting Associate, has over 17 years experience in the EMS and computer services fields. Steven’s background is in operations, logistics, quality and engineering improvement, supply chain management, and project management. He has 10+ years practical experience in the application of both Six Sigma and Lean manufacturing tools and is a certified Six Sigma Black Belt. Steven also has traveled extensively managing and supporting global processes and procedures and has held various management positions for private sector companies.

Abha Dastane-Rao, Consulting Associate, has over fifteen years of experience in manufacturing as a hands-on engineer and consultant.  She has assisted companies, especially automotive suppliers, with effective deployment of ISO9001, ISO/TS16949, ISO14001 and provided training for Internal auditing to these standards, Core tools (APQP, CP, FMEA, MSA and SPC), DOE and Six Sigma.  Abha is an ASQ Certified Quality Manager, a Certified Quality Engineer, Six Sigma Black Belt, and a Baldrige examiner. Abha holds a B.S in Chemical Engineering from Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, an M.S. in Statistics from University of Cincinnati, and an M.S. in 'Polymer Processing and Quality Assurance' from Wright State University.  She is also a RAB certified provisional auditor for Environmental and Quality Management Systems.  She has worked for Bridgestone-Firestone, Tyco Adhesives and Delco Chassis.