A note from ASQ President Mike Nichols

I first heard about Dr. Juran as a student in graduate school studying quality as part of a class on Operations Management. It was the same class where the professor introduced me to ASQ. I won’t disclose the decade! I immediately bought his Quality Control Handbook. It became my guide for so many things. I went on to collect most of his books as well as those of other gurus so that these books now cover a whole wall in my office. Many of my colleagues have told me similar stories.

I was fortunate to see him speak at the ASQ quality congress in Las Vegas. It was his farewell tour. His speech was brilliant, insightful and articulate. One quote of his from that speech remains with me to this day in my role as President. I paraphrase, “No professional society can exist on membership fees alone.” He saw ASQ as needing to fill a greater role in the world. I met him at the banquet that year and once or twice after that. While they were only brief introductions, he was a delight to talk to. He was always a staunch supporter of ASQ and will always be remembered by us as a true pioneer in quality and a leader in his profession.

Years ago an uncle of mine was retiring and was cleaning out his library. He handed me a 1962 edition of the Quality Control Handbook, second edition. Inside the cover are the signatures of J.M. Juran, Frank Gryna and Dorian Shainin. I will treasure it always. We are where we are today because of the thought leaders such as these who have come before us!

Mike Nichols