An article I published titled "Are Your Efforts to Optimize Distribution Costs Delivering Expected Results?" appears on page 6 of the Sept 2012 APICS-Houston Newsletter
16
The APICS Sam Houston State University (SHSU) Student Chapter is happy to announce its inception. Looking back, the road to starting the student chapter was full of challenges. However, there was encouragement and support along the way. The APICS Houston Chapter provided us tremendous help and support in the process. President Tish Patel quickly responded to our request for help and guidelines. Eddie Whitfield, VP of student activities, is helping us, every step of the way. We could not have successfully started SHSU APICS without the support of APICS Houston Chapter. Read more on Page 10 As fuel and transportation costs continue to rise, companies are seeking ways to minimize distribution costs. One tool many companies have turned to is a computer model that optimizes plant loading across the company’s production network in order to minimize shipping distances to distribution centers or customers, therefore resulting in the lowest total landed cost. After implementing these models, companies often find that their distribution costs do in fact decrease, however they do not achieve the decreases in total landed costs that the model predicted. Read more on Page 6 APICS Houston Chapter In today’s competitive landscape and commodity markets, all producers seek cost advantages, in many forms. Getting back to basics in how we manage our assets is one critical piece of the low cost producer equation. For the supply chain, a reliable upstream producer enables obvious optimization and low costs in the area of working capital and customer satisfaction. In addition, prudent Asset Life Cycle Management therefore becomes a key to success among all manufactures. Join us at this PDM on September 20! Jim Stephanou is a graduate of Drexel University with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. Prior to joining Bayer, Jim was employed by ARCO Chemical Company. Stephanou joined Bayer Material Science in 2001 as Director West Virginia Maintenance and Engineering based in New Martinsville before he was appointed Vice President, Production & Technology TDI, NAFTA. He is Head of Bayer Technology Services Americas since January 1, 2011. Read more on Page 16 September 2012 Issue “A SSET L IFE C YCLE M ANAGEMENT ” PDM WITH JIM S TEPHANOU — SEP 20 INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Highlights 1 President’s Message 2 Event Calendar 3 Certification Schedule 4 New Student Chapter 5 Optimize Distribution 6 CPIM in a Year 7 Successful Planner Series 8 Why CSCP? 9 APICS and KUHF 10 New Chapter Members 11 Job Bank Update 11 Writing Cover Letters 12 Principles of Inv. Mgmt 13 Board of Directors 14 List of CC 14 What’s your Passion? 15 T HE H ORIZON Houston Chapter “Inspiring Minds, Shaping Lives” Tish Patel, President Visit us at: www.APICS-Houston.org New Student Chapter on page 10! A RE Y OU O PTIMIZING YOUR DISTRIBUTION ? W ELCOME SHSU, N EW S TUDENT C HAPTER !
Transcript
The APICS Sam Houston State University (SHSU) Student Chapter is happy to announce its inception. Looking back, the road to starting the student chapter was full of challenges. However, there was encouragement and support along the way.
The APICS Houston Chapter provided us tremendous help and support in the process. President Tish Patel quickly responded to our request for help and guidelines. Eddie Whitfield, VP of student activities, is helping us, every step of the way. We could not have successfully started SHSU APICS without the support of APICS Houston Chapter.
Read more on Page 10
As fuel and transportation costs continue to rise, companies are seeking ways to minimize distribution costs. One tool many companies have turned to is a computer model that optimizes plant loading across the company’s production network in order to minimize shipping distances to distribution centers or customers, therefore resulting in the lowest total landed cost. After implementing these models, companies often find that their distribution costs do in fact decrease, however they do not achieve the decreases in total landed costs that the model predicted. Read more on Page 6
APICS Houston Chapter
In today’s competitive landscape and commodity markets, all producers seek cost advantages, in many forms. Getting back to basics in how we manage our assets is one critical piece of the low cost producer equation. For the supply chain, a reliable upstream producer enables obvious optimization and low costs in the area of working capital and customer satisfaction. In addition, prudent Asset Life Cycle Management therefore becomes a key to success among all manufactures. Join us at this PDM on September 20!
Jim Stephanou is a graduate of Drexel University with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. Prior to joining Bayer, Jim was employed by ARCO Chemical Company. Stephanou joined
Bayer Material Science in 2001 as Director West Virginia Maintenance and Engineering based in New Martinsville before he was appointed Vice President, Production & Technology TDI, NAFTA. He is Head of Bayer Technology Services Americas since January 1, 2011. Read more on Page 16
September 2012 Issue
“AS S E T L I F E C YC L E M A NA G E M E N T ” P D M W I T H J I M S T E P H A N O U — S E P 2 0
I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E :
Highlights 1
President’s Message 2
Event Calendar 3
Certification Schedule 4
New Student Chapter 5
Optimize Distribution 6 CPIM in a Year 7
Successful Planner Series 8 Why CSCP? 9
APICS and KUHF 10 New Chapter Members 11
Job Bank Update 11 Writing Cover Letters 12 Principles of Inv. Mgmt 13
Board of Directors 14 List of CC 14
What’s your Passion? 15
THE HORIZON
Houston Chapter
“Inspir ing Minds, Shaping Lives”
Tish Pate l , President
Visit us at: www.APICS-Houston.org
New Student Chapter on page 10!
A R E Y O U O P T I M I Z I N G Y O U R D I S T R I B U T I O N ?
W E L C O M E S H S U, N E W S T U D E N T C H A P T E R !
September has already arrived and we are really hoping for some cooler weather to dawn upon us soon. We are having record temperatures of heat this year so I hope that all of you are staying cool. Our board has been hard at work this past summer and we here at the APICS Houston Chapter have turned up the heat every step of way to bring you the best in supply
chain education. We have jazzed up the fall venue with some great classes and plant tours not to mention that we will be at the international conference in Denver this October. Please be sure to request your companies to consider you to attend the conference as there are so many opportunities to network and learn about supply chain and operations. All the knowledge gained will in turn benefit you in your daily jobs and the company to attain their goals. More information can be found on our website at www.apics-houston.org under international events. I am delighted to say that Mr. Jim Stephanou who is the head of Bayer Technology Services—Americas will be our guest speaker at our September 20th, professional dinner meeting. He will speak on the topic of “Asset Life Cycle Management”. Jim will go back to the basics covering and examining the basics of Asset Life Cycle Management and provide us both root causes and solutions as people operate their facilities to gain the utmost advantage for their customer, while still maintain the basics in safety, reliability and environmental performance. I encourage you to come out and listen as I know that many of our members who work in the manufacturing space face some challenges in today’s competitive landscape and commodity markets to seek cost advantages in many forms. Please be sure to join us and register on our website at www.APICS-Houston.org While you’re online, join the APICS Houston LinkedIn group as well as our Facebook page. These sites are a means of information that we could leverage to bring our work issues, questions and expertise to share with the group. CLASSES: The Houston APICS Chapter strives to bring you the best that supply chain education has to offer. New this year— we are pleased to offer our new Principles of Inventory Management class which is designed to give a holistic view of inventory to understand the principles and techniques of inventory management, roles and responsibilities, and the impact that inventory can have on a business. Please be sure to take advantage of this opportunity. Classes begin on September 15th and registrations are open so please be sure to take advantage of this course. We have also
started of the year with record CPIM registrations. Early registrations have ended and we are ready to start our full year of classes. CPIM is very well recognized in the industry and we continue to bring the best supply chain education to the Houston community. Please be sure to visit our website for more details at www.apics-houston.org JOB BANK: Please do take advantage of our job bank located on our website. This site has an array of supply chain opportunities for those of you on seeking opportunities. If you have any questions, please be sure to contact me at anytime. PLANT TOUR: We plan to have our next plant tour at National Oilwell Varco Rig solutions. More details to come so please stay tuned. HORIZON NEWSLETTER: Our “Horizon Newsletter” as you my have noticed has had a “face lift” if I may say. It is your “go to place” for all information pertaining to our upcoming events, classes, many interesting articles from recruiters and an array of information right at your fingertips. We have taken the survey feedback and have started to incorporate all the great ideas that “you” our members suggested. So please be sure to read it online, it only takes a few minutes and you might find something there that is of importance that you might like to read upon. Let us not forget to spread the word of “Supply Chain Education” to our companies and remember that everything we do everyday revolves in and around Supply Chain Management and Operations. Our chapter is one of the largest in the world, and with Houston being a global supply chain hub, the problem-solving and networking opportunities are vast. Experience the best of the best right here at THE APICS HOUSTON CHAPTER. I look forward to meeting you at an upcoming event. Respectfully submitted, Tish Patel President, 2012-2013, APICS Houston Chapter [email protected]
Stuck? It might not be because you can't find the right answer. It's almost certainly because you're asking the wrong question. The more aggressively you redefine the problem, the more likely it is you're going to solve it. The most successful people I know got that way by ignoring the race to find the elusive, there's-only-one-and-no-one-has-found-it right answer and instead had the guts to look at the infinite landscape of choices and pick a better problem instead. S e t h G o d i n , B e s t s e l l i n g a u t h o r a n d s p e a k e r http://sethgodin.typepad.com/ Reproduced with permission of Seth Godin
Page 3 September 2012 Issue
A P I C S H O U S T O N C H A P T E R E V E N T C A L E N DA R — N E X T M O N T H S
For more information, go to www.APICS-Houston.org, under Events
STUCK? S E T H G O D I N , G U E S T A U T H O R
T H E F U N S P OT “ T H E O P P O S I T E O F G R E E D ”
Courtesy of Jessica Hagy, Www.ThisIsIndexed.com
Sep-12
Date Event Speaker Location
20-Sep PDM: Asset Life Cycle Management Jim Stephanou Hess Club
21-Sep Coaching Driven Managers to Become Re-spected Leaders: Developing the Leader
Within You John D. Nguyen Hess Club
Oct-12
Date Event Speaker Location
25-Oct PDM: Lean Six Sigma at MD Anderson
Cancer Center Jeremy Meade, Diane
Schaub Hess Club
Nov-12
Date Event Speaker Location
15-Nov S&OP in a Process Industry Shari Ruelas Hess Club
A P I C S E D U C A T I O N A N D C E R T I F I C A T I O N 2 0 1 2 - 2 0 1 3 C O U R S E S C H E D U L E
Page 4 September 2012 Issue
C O U R S E A N D E V E N T S L O C A T I O N S
Location Address City State Zip Baker Hughes (Beltway 8 and 290 area) 9100 Emmott Road Houston TX 77040
Hess Club (Galleria area) 5430 Westheimer Road Houston TX 77056 Norriseal (Beltway 8 and West Little York
area) 11122 West Little York Houston TX 77041
TSP (Northwest corner of 610 Loop) 3303 West 12th St Houston TX 77008
Principles of Inventory Mgmt
Class Schedule Days Time Location Early Reg Ends
Principles of Inventory Mgmt Sept 15 to Nov 10 Saturday 8:00am to 12:00pm TSP 7-Sep
Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP)
Class Schedule Days Time Location Early Reg Ends
Winter CSCP Jan 15 to Apr 16 Tuesday 6.00pm to 9.00pm TBD 7-Jan
Certified in Production and Inventory Management (CPIM)
Class Schedule Days Time Location Early Reg Ends
CPIM in a Year (All Five Modules) - Save $350 By Committing to All Five Modules
Fall 2012 Program Sep 8 to June 1 Saturday 8.00am to 12.00pm Baker 24-Aug
Winter 2012 Program Jan 15 to Nov 14 Tue and Thu 6.00pm to 9.00pm Norriseal 7-Jan
Class Schedule Days Time Location Early Reg Ends
Fall 2012 Individual Classes
Basics of Supply Chain Sep 8 to Oct 6 Saturday 8.00am to 12.00pm Baker 24-Aug
Strategic Mgmt of Resources Oct 23 to Nov 15 Tue and Thu 6.00pm to 9.00pm Norriseal 8-Oct
Master Planning of Resources Nov 10 to Dec 8 Saturday 8.00am to 12.00pm Baker 26-Oct
Winter and Spring 2013 Individual Classes
Detailed. Sched. & Planning Jan 12 to Feb 2 Saturday 8:00am to 12:00pm Baker 4-Jan
Basics of Supply Chain Jan 15 to Feb 14 Tue and Thu 6.00pm to 9.00pm Norriseal 7-Jan
Execution & Control of Ops. Mar 9 to Mar 30 Saturday 8:00am to 12:00pm Baker 1-Mar
Master Planning of Resources Mar 19 to Apr 11 Tue and Thu 6.00pm to 9.00pm Norriseal 4-Mar
Strategic Mgmt of Resources May 4 to June 1 Saturday 8:00am to 12:00pm Baker 26-Apr
Detailed. Sched. & Planning May 14 to June 11 Tue and Thu 6.00pm to 9.00pm Norriseal 30-Apr
According to the Operations Management Employment Outlook, APICS CPIM designees, on average, earn 13 percent more than their counterparts. Distinguish yourself and enhance your marketability by earning the internationally recognized APICS Certified in Production and Inventory Management (CPIM) designation.
Join nearly 100,000 operations management professionals who have earned the highly respected APICS CPIM designation.
Contact Chuck Connelly, VP of Professional Development, [email protected] or 713-256-7500
Page 5 September 2012 Issue
The APICS Sam Houston State University (SHSU) Student Chapter is happy to announce its inception. Looking back, the road to starting the student chapter was full of challenges. However, there was encouragement and support along the way.
At the end of spring semester of 2012, Dr. Charles Capps and I initiated the idea of establishing an APICS student chapter to better serve our students in the College of Business Administration at SHSU. We are very excited about the benefits that our students could obtain through APICS. With great enthusiasm, we began the initiation and development of SHSU APICS.
A minimum of 15 student members is one critical requirement to start a student chapter. It would not be a difficult issue if the recruiting would have been in a regular spring or fall semester. However, we only have one short summer semester to recruit if we wish to promptly start the chapter in the coming fall. To successfully fulfill the minimum member requirement and promote SHSU APICS, we conducted a recruiting campaign, with the following activities:
Presented and discussed APICS’ benefits to the students in the summer Operations Management (OM) classes.
Emailed and informed graduate students and previous students in OM classes.
Displayed SHSU APICS posters in strategic locations throughout the college.
Flashed a SHSU APICS flyer on the display screen in the College of Business Administration everyday.
Created a SHSU APICS face page to share with interested students.
The campaign proved to be effective, even though there are not many students enrolled in summer school. We now have 15 student members. SHSU APICS is officially off and running.
APICS Houston Chapter provided us tremendous help and support in the process. President Tish Patel quickly responded to our request for help and guidelines. Eddie Whitfield, VP of student activities, is helping us, every step of the way. He explains procedures, answers our questions, provides us resources, and most importantly, gives us moral support and encouragement. We could not have successfully started SHSU APICS without the support of APICS Houston Chapter.
We also wish to thank the support from the Management and Marketing department, as well as the College of Business Administration at SHSU. They have provided us administrative and financial support during the recruiting campaign.
We are looking forward to our first official meeting with APICS professional members led by Eddie on September 06. We are excited about our chapter events and activities in the coming fall semester. We anticipate a bright future for SHSU APICS.
Kunpeng Li, Faculty advisor of SHSU APICS, Sam Houston State University, [email protected]
SHSU APICS S T U D E N T C H A P T E R — OF F & R U N N I N G
W H A T W O U L D Y O U D O W I T H A 1 3 % R A I S E ? E A R N T H E A P I C S C P I M T O F I N D O U T
As fuel and transportation costs continue to rise, companies are seeking ways to minimize distribution costs. One tool many companies have turned to is a computer model that optimizes plant loading across the company’s production network in order to minimize shipping distances to distribution centers or customers, therefore resulting in the lowest total landed cost. After implementing these models, companies often find that their distribution costs do in fact decrease, however they do not achieve the decreases in total landed costs that the model predicted. In most cases, this is because the models do not dynamically account for the cost of the complexity that is forced on plants when the number of distinct products they produce increases. To demonstrate the issue, let’s consider the impact that increasing the number of products produced has on the set-up time in a production system. To simplify the example, we will make the following assumptions:
All products require a set-up time of 1 hour. The production cycle repeats every 24 hours. Demand for all products is equal.
The illustration below demonstrates the impact of increasing the number of products on the productivity of the plant.
Increasing the number of products produced from three to six decreases productivity by 12.5%, and increasing from six to nine d e c r e a s e s p r o d u c t i v i t y b y a n o t h e r 1 2 . 5 % .
The impact on direct labor cost per unit is even more significant. If we assume the production rate for all products is constant at 100 units per hour of production time, and there is $10,000 per day in labor costs, we can determine the direct labor cost per unit for each of the scenarios above. If the company in our example used a direct labor cost of $4.76 per unit for Product A as an input to their model for optimizing distribution costs, they would be very surprised by the actual performance once they
increased the number of products produced in the plant. While they would likely have achieved the decreased distribution costs they set out to capture, the total landed costs would have been significantly higher than the model predicted. The real costs of increasing complexity in the plant extend well beyond setup times and direct labor. Increasing the number of products produced will have similar impacts on inventories of raw materials, work in process, and finished goods. It will drive increased overhead costs in the form of production planners, maintenance schedulers, and similar resources as the additional complexity requires more complex processes and systems to manage it. Most importantly, increased complexity results in increased risk. Although we are always striving to design reliable processes that deliver predictable results, the fact always remains that the more frequently a human has to interact with the process, the more likely an error is to occur. Why do our models fail to accurately predict these costs? They fail because they assign costs to “things” rather than “interactions”. While complexity is driven by the number of things in a system, the costs of complexity occur at the link, or point, at which these items interact. As the illustration to the right demonstrates, the number of links between items increases geometrically, not linearly. While most accounting systems and models seek to allocate the cost of a setup to a specific product, the cost of the setup is really driven by the interaction between two products. The cost of the setup between Product A and Product B is not driven by either product alone, but rather, by the fact that we have to change the line over from Product A to Product B. In our simplified example, we assumed that all products had the same setup time. The reality is that the time required to change the line over from Product A to Product B is likely to be very different than changing from Product C to Product B. In order to better model production systems and distribution networks, companies need to account for these complexity costs. Doing so requires thinking about costs differently than in the past. Using a “peanut butter spread” unit costing methodology will not accurately assign complexity costs. Rather, modelers must understand the drivers of the complexity, and allocate costs as a function of those drivers.
Chris Seifert, consultant with Wilson Perumal & Company, [email protected]. Reproduced with permission of Chris Seifert
Since 1973, the CPIM program has educated more than 75,000 manufacturing professionals on essential terminology, concepts, and strategies related to demand management, procurement and supplier planning, material requirements planning, capacity requirements planning, sales and opera-tions planning, master scheduling, performance measurements, supplier relationships, quality con-trol, and continuous improvement.
APICS CPIM PROGRAM BENEFITS Increase your functional knowledge of production & inventory management. Improve efficiency of your organization’s supply chain. Streamline operations through accurate forecasting. Predict outcomes more accurately. Maximize ROI on systems and technologies. Increase profitability by optimizing your organization’s inventory investment. Enhance your credibility among peers, employers, and customers
PROGRAM SCHEDULE
Page 7 September 2012 Issue
Register at: www.APICS-Houston.org
Pricing Members: Early: $2,050 Late: $2,200 Non-Members: Early: $2,250 Late: $2,400 Does NOT include testing fees. Early Registration Deadline: August 24, 2012
Contact Chuck Connelly CFPIM, CSCP and CPA V P o f P r o f e s s i o n a l D e v e l o p m e n t VPprofessionaldevelopment@ APICS-Houston.org 713-256-7500
This is the second article in a series describing the important qualities a planner should possess in order to be effective. One of the most important of many qualities you would want to have in a planner is the knowledge and appreciation of a formal planning process. Once a planner has been to
the “mountain top” and understands the benefits of operating in a “Class A” MRP environment, they will likely work hard to support and maintain it. They may remember the old days of keeping “hot lists” and of having to expedite the majority of the material needed for production. This was the world of the informal system that was stressful and that didn’t achieve the desired results. It was a never ending struggle of reacting to one shortage after the other. Typically there was no time or energy left for proper planning and therefore it was self perpetuating. Companies don’t need “heroes” to jump through hoops and get a few “hot” orders shipped as a way of doing business. They need disciplined planners operating a system that results in consistent and high levels of on time deliveries. A formal system that is set up correctly and is operating with accurate information gives the planner a fighting chance in that it can provide most of the material needed most of the time. I say “most of the time” because plans can be good and better but are never perfect because of a dynamic environment. The smart planner will use and protect the formal system and then will have the time and energy to adjust to changes and contingencies as they arrive. I will talk more about this very important attribute later. APICS provides the knowledge of how formal planning
systems can operate and the importance of having a foundation of accurate information. With this knowledge the planner knows what to expect and can evaluate information. It is so desirable to have a planner who can review the MRP system to make sure it is properly generating planned orders with the right quantities and lead time offsets, and to confirm that these are in line with the master schedule. Planners must be sure when new part numbers are set up that all the fields in the item master are correct so that material is planned properly. This is a common problem area when determining why material didn’t get ordered properly. Computers will never replace people to interpret and validate information and that is why systems have evolved with the ability to peg or trace requirements to higher level plans. Planners who understand how MRP works are also essential for any new software implementation and can serve as subject matter experts to prove out functionality in class room pilot sessions. So knowledge of systems and the motivation to make them work is invaluable in a planner and will help establish a formal culture that acknowledges and rewards disciplined performance. The goal is to remove the drama and heroics and replace them with consistent execution. We will conclude this series next time when we will discuss more about the planner’s skills in problem solving and managing change. -- Stay tuned. Mike Jones, Director of Production and Inventory Control for Stewart and Stevenson, APICS qualified instructor for the past 22 years, Contact at [email protected]
Reproduced with permission of Mike Jones
Page 8
T H E S U C C E S F U L P L A N N E R S E R I E S W I T H M I K E J O N E S , PA RT 2 O F 3
September 2012 Issue
Do you want to propose a speaker for our Professional Development Meetings (PDMs)? Although topics related to supply chain and operations management are preferred, recommended speakers could cover any kind of subject, as long is relevant to the development of our members.
The APICS CSCP designation is for professionals who are interested in increasing their knowledge and expertise in the field of global supply chain management. This program is ideal for individuals and organizations that are: Interested in more depth of knowledge and understanding in the areas of supplier and customer relations,
international trade, the use of information technology to enable the supply chain, and physical logistics Facilitating operational and financial improvement both within and across supply chain functions Interested in increasing knowledge and expertise in the field of global supply chain management. Mastering the tools to effectively manage global supply chain activities that involve suppliers, plans, distributors
and customers located around the world Implementing new or modifying their existing Enterprise Resources Planning (ERP) system(s) Desiring to create a common standard of understanding, vocabulary, best practices and frameworks within your
company to address your supply chain challenges and seize opportunities The CSCP learning system includes: Approximately 800 pages of printed learning materials Interactive Web based study tools: Pre and Post tests Module specific tests Glossary, E-flashcards and Information Center Candidates must apply for eligibility in order to register and take the exam. Eligibility requirements for the APICS CSCP designation are listed below: APICS CPIM, CFPIM, or CIRM, and C.P.M. designations plus two years of related business experience, or Bachelor's degree or equivalent plus two years of related business experience, or Five years of related business experience. A candidate must pass just the ONE exam. Please consult www.APICS.org for additional information
C E RT I F I E D S U P P LY C H A I N P RO F E S S I O NA L (CSCP)
Class Schedule Days Time Location Early Reg
Winter CSCP Jan 15 to April 16 Tuesdays 6:00pm to 9:00pm TBD Jan 7
Contact Chuck Connelly CFPIM, CSCP, CPA, VP of Professional Development at VPprofessionaldevelopment@ APICS-Houston.org
For more information on our programs or to register, please visit our website at www.APICS-Houston.org
** No class on 10/13 due to APICS International Conference
Class Member Non-Member
Price Price
Early Late Early Late
Winter CSCP <Price Subject to Increase> $1,850 $1,950 $2,050 $2,150
The Terra Grande (Region VI) and Heartland (Region V) Districts have sponsored the Charles K. ‘Chuck’ Nelson student paper contest since 2008. The contest is open to all student APICS members within the districts and consists of two categories undergraduate and graduate. Student submissions were from universities in the US and Mexico. I’m pleased to announce that Azhar Mohammed and Krithika Krishnan have won 1st place in the graduate division. Their paper “Efficient Reverse Logistics Implementation in the Retail Industry” received high praise from the judges. The students will share a cash award of $650. Azhar and Krithika were MBA students at Bauer College taking the Global Supply Chain Management MBA elective that I taught during spring semester of 2012. One assignment for the course was to develop a research topic and write a ‘white paper’ to be presented to senior managers that will help them extend their current knowledge about the chosen topic. The focus is to provide useable and actionable information and knowledge that the managers may then decide to further pursue.
Azhar and Kritihika graduated this past spring and earned their MBA degree and the Supply Chain Management Certificate.
Left to Right: Krithika, Azhar, Dr. Gordon Smith Gordon D Smith, Ph.D., C T Bauer College of Business University of Houston, [email protected]
Page 10
A N EV E N I N G A T KUHF N E W S G O Z D E C A PA R , A P I C S H O U S T O N C H A P T E R
September 2012 Issue
As a KUHF Silver Circle Contributor, APICS Houston was invited to an exclusive behind the scenes view of KUHF News on July 26, 2012. The event was held at the LeRoy and Lucile Melcher Center for Public Broadcasting on the University of Houston campus. The recently renovated building houses KUHF 88.7 and Classical 91.7 studios. The event started with a mini tour of the studio. During the tour, Capella Tucker, Program Director KUHF News, and Paul Pendergraft, Producer of Engines of our Ingenuity, answered questions about the KUHF news and broadcasting in general. APICS Houston Board members were able to get an insider look at the news operation, meet the journalists and on air talent we all hear during the local broadcast of ‘All Things Considered’. In addition, board members met fellow supporters of Houston Public Radio. As a Silver Circle Contributor, APICS Houston is recognized twice every month on KUHF. Don't be surprised if you hear APICS Houston name next time while you are stuck in the rush hour traffic! Did you know? KUHF was founded in 1950.
Left to Right: Steve Hasson (APICS Houston Ex-Officio), Tom Chambers (APICS Houston VP Membership), Ed Mayberry
(KUHF Midday Host), Tish Patel (APICS Houston President), Keith Myles (KUHF Afternoon Traffic Reporter), Gozde Capar (APICS Houston VP Marketing), Jack Williams (KUHF News
‘C H U C K ’ NE L S O N S T U D E N T P A P E R C O M P E T I T I O N 2 0 1 2 G R A D U A T E C O N T E S T F I R S T P L A C E W I N N E R S F R O M U O F H
This is a special sort of get together, similar to the meeting where you organize people to figure out the best way to take advantage of an opportunity. In both cases, amateurs usually run the meetings, and the group often fails to do their best work. Ignore these rules at your peril: Only the minimum number of people should participate.
Don't invite anyone for political reasons. Don't invite anyone to socialize them on the solution because they were part of inventing it--people don't need to be in the kitchen to enjoy the meal at the restaurant.
No one participating by conference call... it changes the tone of the proceedings.
A very structured agenda to prevent conversation creep. You are only here to do one thing.
All the needed data provided to all attendees, in advance, in writing.
At least one person, perhaps the host, should have a point of view about what the best course is, but anyone who comes should only be invited if they are willing to change their position.
Agree on the structure of a deliverable solution before you start.
Deliver on that structure when you finish.
S e t h G o d i n , B e s t s e l l i n g a u t h o r a n d s p e a k e r http://sethgodin.typepad.com/ Reproduced with permission of Seth Godin
Page 11 September 2012 Issue
N E W C H A P T E R M E M B E R S
APICS Houston Chapter welcomes it’s new chapter members:
To view the detailed list of new members, go to www.APICS-Houston.org/recognition/default.aspx
New Members Information Type Number
Professional Member 23 Student Associate 34
Enterprise Professional (E) 2 Enterprise Professional 1 Young Professional (E) 5
Total 65
C A R E E R C E N T E R J O B B A N K U P DA T E F O R S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 2
The APICS Houston Chapter is pleased to highlight the
following new opportunities for our members.
Forecast Analyst, Forum Energy Technologies
Supply Planner, Univar
Production Planner, TAS Energy
Raw Material Planner, Prodigy Staff Advisors
More information about job opportunities can be found at
HOW T O WR I T E A P E R F E C T C OV E R L E T T E R D E B O R A H W A L K E R , G U E S T A U T H O R
September 2012 Issue
Your cover letter has only one job. It is meant to entice the reader to open and read your resume. Sounds simple, but job seekers often stress as much over their cover letter as they do the resume. If this sounds like you, relax, there is a simple approach to cover letters that will streamline your application process and give you confidence every time you send out your resume. Just keep these three cover letter tips in mind and you'll never stress over writing them again. 1. Keep it short. More often than not you'll send your cover letter via email or some other electronic system. Your reader won't be looking at a piece of paper, but at their computer screen. Ever notice how short your reading attention span is when you're reading text on your computer? That's why online articles are typically shorter than print articles. The same holds true for email messages. If you've got 60 messages in your inbox you don't have the patience for lengthy text. Now imagine you're a recruiter or resume screener and you must get through a couple hundred resumes in a day. If you want your cover letter read keep it short, concise and to the point. 2. Focus on qualifications. Most job seekers freeze up when writing cover letter because they don't know what information recruiters want to see. The first person in an organization to read your resume is a recruiter or HR professional who acts as a screener. They are interested only in identifying candidates who match their set of qualifications. The better the match the higher the interest. Don't worry about explaining why you are interested in the position, the screener probably doesn't care. He/she only
want to know if you qualify as a viable candidate. Use the job posting as a guide to know exactly what qualifications to mention in your cover letter. 3. Don't try to get fancy. Job seekers get frustrated writing cover letters because they try to make it into a creative writing exercise. That's not necessary. It's much more important that you keep your ideas clear and easily understood. When writing about your qualifications do use the same verbiage to describe your skills as the job posting. You'll make the resume screener's work much easier and they will recognize you as a perfect candidate match much quicker. Using this simple approach will allow you to take a customized approach with each cover letter you send. Generic cover letters usually sound canned no matter how much time was spent writing them. Worse, a one-size-fits all cover letter looks like it was borrowed off the page of a sample cover letter book. Would you take the time to read a mass-produced letter? I'm often asked if cover letters are still relevant in today's fast-paced job market. While the form has changed from paper to electronic they are still a vital part of your job-search marketing materials. Cover letters provide your first opportunity to make a good impression on your potential new employer. It pays to write them with clarity and simplicity. Deborah Walker, Certified Career Management Coach Read more career tips at www.AlphaAdvantage.com. Reproduced with permission of Deborah Walker
Company Coordinators act as liaisons between the Houston Chapter Board of Directors and fellow employees to help their companies derive maximum benefit from its APICS membership. The Company Coordinator promotes APICS within their own Company by: Defining the benefits of membership participation and be a
key source of information regarding APICS within your organization
Explaining the certification programs and how achieving
CPIM or CSCP certification is both professionally and personally rewarding
Circulating the monthly Professional Development Program
announcement Promote and distribute newsletters, seminar brochures, and
other APICS literature to interested parties and key personnel
Posting schedules of APICS seminars and review courses
and assisting with the registration process by maintaining updated registration forms and directions to the facilities where the programs are being offered
Provide feedback to the Board of Directors regarding areas
of improvement and your company's educational needs
For more information about the company coordinator program, please contact James Nolan, Director of Company Coordinators,
P R I N C I P L E S O F I N V E N TO RY M A NA G E M E N T
Contact Chuck Connelly CFPIM, CSCP, CPA, VP of Professional Development at VPprofessionaldevelopment@ APICS-Houston.org
For more information on our programs or to register, please visit our website at www.APICS-Houston.org
We are pleased to offer our NEW Principles of Inventory Management class. This class is designed to give a holistic view of inventory. The goal of this course is to impart an operational knowledge and understanding of inventory management principles and techniques, roles and responsibilities, and the impact that inventory can have on a business.
Key Topics Operations Management and Inventory Fundamentals
Key Trends Key Definitions and Classes of Inventory Balancing Demand and Supply Objectives
Purpose and Functions of Inventory Inventory Decisions, Ordering and Replenishment EOQ and Lot Sizes Cycle Inventory, Safety Stock, Seasonal Inventory Carrying, Stock out and Capacity Costs Surplus / Obsolete Inventory Inventory Valuation and Performance
Advanced Inventory Management Techniques Supplier Lead Time Uncertainty Time Phased Order Point Inventory and Financial Statements ABC Inventory Year End Physical and Cycle Counting
Lean Inventory Concepts and Practice JIT and Lean Inventory Flow and Reduction Kanban Flow and Calculations
Fundamentals of Purchasing Definitions, Responsibilities, and Strategy Buyer / Planner Concept Systematic View and Relationship with Inventory
Sourcing Strategies Strategic Sourcing Objectives, Activities Make versus Buy Spend Analysis Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) vs Traditional
Purchase Order Management and Performance Measurement Process and Order Flow MRP, VMI, Kanban, e-Procurement Purchasing Performance Management
For everyone that manages, orders, buys and/or controls inventory
Registration www.APICS-Houston.Org
Under Calendar of Events
Class Information Day: Saturdays Dates Sept 15 to Nov 17 Time 8:00am to 12:00pm Location TSP
If you want to get involved with the Houston APICS Chapter, please contact your company coordinator. You can also contact our President or board members for assistance. Thank you for your support.
The Houston APICS Chapter Board is a dedicated team of people that work to provide relevant events and services to chapter members. Your feedback is essential for continuous improvement, so please contact us with comments, suggestions and improvement ideas.
Page 14 September 2012 Issue
APICS H O U S TO N C H A P T E R B OA R D O F D I R E C T O R S 2 0 1 1 – 2 0 1 2
L I S T O F C O M PA N Y C O O R D I NA TO R S Below, a list of the company coordinators that are currently working with the APICS Houston Chapter. Please contact your local company coordinator for more information about Chapter services and events.
Company Coordinator Company Chris Agner National Oilwell Varco - Westchase
Arnold Aguilar Aker Solutions Rob Bytheway Baker Hughes Peter Cayea Cameron International
Prasanth Chakra Bayer Duane Chandler Weatherford International
Madhavi Chiruvolu Toshiba Lana Forrest Baker Hughes Bob Gardner Pathfinder/Schlumberger
Chongkol Graunke Akzo Nobel Functional Chemicals Steven Hasson TSP Chuck Hayes Cameron - Flow Control Kevin Helm Oceaneering
Mauricio Hernandez Shell Mark Hoffman Cameron Drilling Systems
Jeff Hoke Wyman Gordon Tracy Hughey Akzo Nobel Ken Jamison Weatherford - Gulf Bank
Bob Kirkpatrick National Oilwell Varco - Bammel
Company Coordinator Company Austin Klein National Oilwell Varco - Sugarland Lisa Leroux Weatherford
Larry McClellan Schlumberger – HPC Gary Mundell National Oilwell Varco - FM 529
Jim Nolan FMC Technologies Patrick Paro Del Packaging
Giovanni Ramirez National Oilwell Varco - Galena Park Angelina Rodriguez National Oilwell Varco - Air Center Blvd
Chaitanya Saha National Oilwell Varco - West Little York Ram Santhanavaradan National Oilwell Varco - Conroe
Don Thomas Unisource Mary Timko Schlumberger – SPC Kevin Tye Weatherford International - Northwoods Amy Walla Hewlett-Packard
Nick Webster National Coupling Company Tony Xu Foxconn
Robert Yagel Goodman Manufacturing Cathy Hernandez Halliburton Energy Services
E V E R F E LT Y O U R J O B I S N ’ T W H A T Y O U W E R E M E A N T T O DO? D A N P I N K , G U E S T A U T H O R
September 2012 Issue
The idea is that if we simply acknowledge what fires our soul, if we just pull out our metaphysical arthroscope and examine our hearts, the path will reveal itself. So – with a voice that quavers in expectation and an inflection that italicizes the final word – they ask us again: "What's your passion?" Ladies and gentlemen, I detest that question. When someone poses it to me, my innards tighten. My vocabulary becomes a palette of aahs and ums. My chest wells with the urge to flee. Oh my. The answer better be amazing – not some fumbling, feeble reply. But I know the responses I've formed in my head aren't especially good. Worse, they're probably not even accurate. And I'm not alone. So, as the economy comes back, and people begin pondering new opportunities, maybe we can take a break from this daunting and distracting question and ask a far more productive, one: what do you do? I learned the wisdom of this alternative from Gretchen Rubin, who lives and works in New York City. After graduating from law school in the early 1990s, Rubin served as a law clerk for the US Supreme Court. This job is perhaps the sweetest plum in the American legal orchard. It practically guarantees a career of high-level positions in law firms and government. But during her stint, Rubin's eyes wandered away from the law. "When I had free time, I never wanted to talk about cases or read law journals, the way my fellow clerks did. Instead, I spent hours reading, taking notes and writing my observations about the worldly passions – power, money, fame and sex," Rubin says. "Finally, I realized, 'Hey, I'm writing a book.' And it dawned on me that some people write books for a living. This project didn't have to be my hobby; it could be my job." She wrote her first book – Power Money Fame Sex: A User's Guide – and soon she realized that she wasn't a lawyer. She was a writer. Now she has four books to her name, including her latest, The Happiness Project. Rubin might have felt an occasional bolt of passion while writing. But that didn't offer much guidance. Instead, she took a step back and watched what she did. Emma Jones is the founder of Enterprise Nation, a London company that supports small businesses. She has discovered that people who notice what they do when nobody is watching them, or even paying them, often end up as entrepreneurs. "I'm seeing quite an increase in the number of people turning a hobby into a business," she says. "You start innocently by making cakes or taking photos in your spare time. Friends and family admire the results and recommend you to others. Before you
know it, you are your own boss and making a living from doing what you do." This is how people find their way. Instead of endless self-examination and the search for some inscrutable holy emotional grail, they act. Sometimes the answer that emerges from the action isn't fully formed, says Marci Alboher, author of One Person/Multiple Careers. "Often that thing 'on the side' becomes a slash that gets tacked on after an answer to the 'What do you do?' question. That's why we're seeing so many lawyer/chefs and dentist/massage therapists. And these slash careers are often pit stops on the way to full-blown career shifts. Of course, passion isn't bad. But business can be a bit like love. When people first fall in love, they experience that woozy and besotted feeling that verges on obsessiveness. That's passion, and it's great. But as couples bond more enduringly, that fiery intensity can give way to a calmer warmth. That's true love – and that's where the magic is. So, next time you're on either the giving or receiving end of advice, skip the hot and steamy passion and go for the calm and deeper love. Ask questions like: What did you do last Saturday afternoon – for fun, for
yourself? What books do you read or blogs do you visit, not for work,
but just because you're interested in them? What are you great at? What comes easily to you? What would you do – or are you already doing – for free? As it happens, I can testify to the power of de-emphasizing passion and re-emphasizing doing. Beginning about two decades ago, I worked in some very demanding, intensely stressful jobs in American politics and government. But throughout – on the side, usually for no money – I wrote magazine articles about business and work, and formulated ideas for books. At one level, it was foolish. I lost sleep, sacrificed leisure, and probably distracted myself from my paid employment. But after many years, it finally hit me: This – not politics – is what I did. And now, as a result, that's what I do. Am I passionate about it? Sure, I guess. Maybe. Some days. But passion isn't something I much ponder. I'm too busy doing what I do. Dan Pink, author and business leader, www.danpink.com Reproduced with permission of Dan Pink
In today’s competitive landscape and commodity markets, all producers seek cost advantages, in many forms. Getting back to basics in how we manage our assets is one critical piece of the low cost producer equation. For the supply chain, a reliable upstream producer enables obvious optimization and low costs in the area of working capital and customer satisfaction. In addition, prudent Asset Life Cycle Management therefore becomes a key to success among all manufactures. This presentation examines the basics of Asset Life Cycle Management and provides both root causes and solutions as people operate their facilities to gain the utmost advantage for their customers, while still maintain the basics in safety, reliability, and environmental performance
Join us on September 20th, 5:30 PM to 8:30 PM at 5430 Westheimer Rd, Hess Club
$25 members, $30 non members, $10 students Late fees apply
For more information, go to:
www.APICS-Houston.org, under Events
Jim Stephanou is a graduate of Drexel University with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. Prior to joining Bayer, Jim was employed by ARCO Chemical Company (now Lyondell Basell Industries) from 1987 through 2000 in va r i ous eng in ee r i ng and manufacturing roles with increasing respons ib i l i t y . These d iverse assignments were in several locations
within the U.S., including Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Lake Charles Louisiana as well as Rotterdam (the Netherlands). Stephanou joined Bayer MaterialScience in 2001 as Director West Virginia Maintenance and Engineering based in New Martinsville before he was appointed Vice President, Production & Technology TDI, NAFTA. He was based in Baytown from 2002 to 2005. In 2005, he was appointed Vice President, Propylene Oxide Global Asset Management for Bayer MaterialScience in Pittsburgh. Jim Stephanou is Head of Bayer Technology Services Americas since January 1, 2011.
Don’t Miss this Event!
J O I N U S A T T H E N E X T P D M E V E N T — S E P 20 T H , 2012 “A S S E T L I F E C Y C L E M A N A G E M E N T ” , J I M S T E P H A N O U
