Michael Hoseus

Executive Director

Mike Hoseus is Executive Director of the Center for Quality People & Organizations (CQPO). Mike brings both manufacturing operations and specialization in Human Resource experience to CQPO. CQPO current projects with Toyota include New Hire selection and training process, Team Leader and Group Leader post promotion training, Quality Circle Leader and Manager training, and Global Problem Solving for all levels. Mike is an adjunct professor with the University of Kentucky’s Lean Manufacturing Program. Mike is co author with CQPO and Dr. Jeffery Liker (Author of the Toyota Way) of Toyota Culture. Mike is also president of CMH Inc.

Prior to CQPO, Mike was a corporate leader for 13 years at Toyota Motor Manufacturing’s Georgetown, Kentucky, plant both in Human Resources and Manufacturing. As Assistant General Manager in Human Resources, his responsibilities included personnel, safety, HR development, employee relations, benefits, training, and manufacturing/human resource teams for a plant of 8000 team members. His major initiative was development of the enhanced relationship between Human Resource and Manufacturing Mike’s operational responsibilities in manufacturing started in 1987 as a front line supervisor in vehicle assembly. This included all aspects of safety, quality, productivity, cost and morale for operations. With experience as Assembly Plant Manager and eventually Assistant General Manager, his responsibilities increased to include both assembly plants including operations, maintenance, and engineering. He is a Toyota Certified Trainer in Global Problem Solving & Waste Reduction, Standardized Work and Kaizen Events.

Mike has served and contributed to numerous community boards such as the Kentucky Community and Technical College System and the Lexington Mayor’s Partnership for Youth. Mike has degrees in Business and Psychology from Xavier University and a Masters of Arts in Counseling from Asbury Theological Seminary. Mike’s wife, Suzy and he are co-founders of CMH, Inc. and Life Learning Ministries and have three children, Ben, Leah and Lindsay.

Jean Jeffords

Office Manager

Jean Jeffords serves as the office manager for Center for Quality People and Organizations, Inc. She oversees accounting processes and the day-to-day operations for CQPO. In addition, Jean has worked in partnership with the Scott County School System to provide accounting support for two international conferences.

A native of West Virginia, Jean graduated from St. Albans High School in St. Albans, W.V. She then continued her education at Tennessee Temple University in Chattanooga, Tenn., where she studied business.

Jean has held several administrative positions during her career, and for each company, she has found ways to streamline business processes and increase efficiencies. She is a natural communicator and organizer, and she brings an in-depth knowledge of Microsoft and QuickBooks programs.

Prior to joining CQPO in 2002, Jean spent nearly 10 years in office administration at Georgetown College. She served as the administrative assistant to the alumni director, director of development and the campus minister. She also coordinated two annual Pastors Conferences with the chapel minister.

Jean currently resides in Georgetown, Ky., with her husband, Jim Jeffords. The two like to spend time with their five children and eight grandchildren and vacation in Outer Banks, N.C.

Current CQPO Projects: Selection/Hiring Systems & Manufacturing Employee Training; High School Healthcare Academy Program Coordinator; Job Readiness Training Development

Relevant Experience: In Business Support: Nineteen years of experience with multi-phased, competency based hiring and promotion systems staffing the Toyota Georgetown plant (TMMK). Coordination of TMMK’s Manufacturing Training Program

In Education system projects: Initiated the QUEST program to introduce Toyota group problem solving concepts to educators, administrators and students. Currently working with local school systems and healthcare providers on a new High School Healthcare Academy to focus on encouraging students to enter healthcare careers.

In Community ventures: Development of Life Skills training, including basic problem solving, leadership and teamwork, to unemployed adults and new immigrants for Adult Education and Toyota.

Background: 1988-2006 worked on the Production floor at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky (TMMK) as a team member, team leader, group leader and Assistant Manager in the Quality Control Department and as Assistant Manager in the Paint Department. Eight years of experience in new model planning and preparation prior to vehicle launch. Over 600 hours of classroom training in Toyota methodologies, and hands on training in Japan and at TMMK by Toyota Motor Corp. (TMC) Japanese trainers.

Current CQPO Projects: Lean Manufacturing Consultant currently training at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky, (TMMK), Toyota Engineering and Manufacturing America (TEMA), other Toyota North American manufacturing centers (NAMC’s) in North American, and Toyota suppliers as well as other companies outside of Toyota

Relevant Experience: Specializing in Effective Communication and Conflict Management, Myers-Briggs Personality Testing, Toyota Business Practices (TBP-Problem Solving 8 step), Toyota Production System (TPS), Toyota Way (TW) Values and Culture training, Visual Management Systems, Company Business Planning targeting key performance indicators, Standardized work development, Plan-Do-Check-Action (PDCA), and Quality Tools, Job Instruction Training (JIT), Quality Circle Training, and A3 Writing

Roy L. Jay

Senior Consultant

Current CQPO Projects: Training Instructors for the Land Cruiser Simulation with emphasis on Problem Solving

Relevant Experience: 34 years in Manufacturing and Service Industries as an engineer in tooling, production, and product design. Including 20 years engaged in Lean Manufacturing in Operations Management and Lean Consulting (13 years with Toyota). Business Planning, Assessment, Lean Tools training and application in a Lean Culture.

Background: 1988-1998 worked on the Production floor at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky (TMMK) as a team member, team leader and group leader in the Plastics Department, with over 460 hours of courses taken in Toyota methodologies, and hands of training by Toyota Motor Corp. (TMC) Japanese trainers.

Current CQPO Projects: Lean Manufacturing Consultant currently training at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky, (TMMK), Toyota Engineering and Manufacturing America (TEMA), other Toyota North American manufacturing centers (NAMC’s) in North American, and Toyota suppliers as well as other companies outside of Toyota

Relevant Experience: Specializing in Toyota Business Practices (TBP-Problem Solving 8 step), Toyota Production System (TPS), Toyota Way (TW) Values and Culture training, Visual Management Systems, Company Business Planning targeting key performance indicators, Standardized work development, Conflict Management and Effective Communication, Plan-Do-Check-Action (PDCA), and Quality Tools, Job Instruction Training (JIT), Quality Circle Training, and A3 Writing

Relevant Experience: Brad has over 29 years experience in manufacturing with 22 of those years spent in the Automobile Industry. After 9 years in Lean Consulting, he is president of Lean Integrity, Inc. He is a team member of Lean Associates and has done training as well as speaking in Lean Conferences.

After 12 years at Toyota, Brad now provides consulting support to the automotive industry as a Principal Lean Consultant. As a consultant, he has taught lean manufacturing in over 90 different manufacturing plants. He has worked with both OEM facilities and suppliers support in application of lean philosophy, tools and methodologies to reduce/eliminate waste.

John A. Bugbee

Senior Consultant

Current CQPO Business Projects: Human System for Lean Management training, strategic planning consultation

Current CQPO Education Projects: High School Manufacturing Academy training, Adult Outreach Manufacturing Academy training

Experience: Designing and implementing lean recruitment and selection systems; designing and implementing lean training curricula; providing organizational development consultation services for a wide variety of public, private, educational and philanthropic organizations over a 30 year period.

Current CQPO Business Projects: Creative PDCA Process Mindworks Inc.

Current CQPO Community Projects: Adult Manufacturing Academy

Current CQPO Education Projects: Scott County Schools

Experience: Adjunct Professor, Midway College; Human Resource Management; TMMK Contractor (Selection Process, Salaried Employee Relations, Pre-Promotion Assessment)

Gene Childress is a Senior Consultant & Trainer for CQPO. He is an experienced Human Resources consultant serving a diverse group of clients from both the private and public sector.

His working experience includes twenty years at Procter & Gamble in both product and market research, starting a new business, Maitre D’, a fine dining referral service and twelve years in Kentucky State Government. He created and developed the Governmental Service Center at Kentucky State University, which was responsible for the development and training of state employees, including the development of the Kentucky Career Manager certified program.

Gene has worked as an independent consultant with major clients including Toyota, United Distillers and Vintners and Chrysler/BMW/Tritec in Brazil. He helped to develop and implement the initial Toyota Assessment Center, which processed 28,000 applicants in 7-hour sessions in groups of 12. He also developed and implemented the human resource portion of Toyota's employee 8-week orientation program. His work includes assessment, job analysis, structured interviewing, selection system processes, new hire orientation, quality control, management training and employee development. He currently is working with the Center of Quality - People and Organizations with a program called QUEST, a meeting facilitation and problem-solving program, which he helped originate and develop.

He received his education at Ohio State University and the University of Cincinnati.

Gene has also been active in many community programs. He has served on many Boards, both management and advisory in both Ohio and Kentucky, including Blue Cross/Blue Shield, University of Kentucky Management Center and the Center of Excellence for Quality at Kentucky State University. He has received national and international recognition from the U. S. Jaycees. He has been an officer at the local, state and national level for many organizations in both the private and public sector. Both the Ohio Jaycees and the Kentucky Certified Public Manager Association have named their state awards for leadership the Gene W. Childress award. He has been speaking to organizations for over thirty years and is a member of the National Speakers Association. He has been recognized by many organizations as a top motivating speaker.

Background and Relevant Experience: Mr. Blankenship is a recently retired career educator. From 1992-2008, served as Superintendent of Scott County Schools, Georgetown KY. A founding member of the Center for Quality People and Organizations and a past and current leader of a number of professional organizations whose missions focus on sustaining excellence and quality practices in primary and secondary education institutions. A former teacher of graduate education courses at West Virginia University, Marshall University and Georgetown College.

Current Projects and Interests: Promoting a continuous improvement organizational culture in schools, interpreting the principles and models of the Toyota Way and the Toyota Culture books in educational contexts, and exploring the applications of Invitational Education concepts with educational leaders and faculties.