'Quality Professional of the Year' Award for Syngenta Lynchpin

Agricultural technology innovators, Syngenta, this week received an accolade for their investment in Quality Assurance – thanks largely to the tireless dedication of their Quality Manager, Ann Meldrum.

Voted “Quality Professional of the Year” by the Scottish Quality Management Centre (SQMC), Mrs Meldrum is responsible for Quality best practice at the company’s Grangemouth site; which employs over 300 staff.

SQMC’s Director of Programmes, Ian Hannah, praised Mrs Meldrum’s passion and effort to reinforce the message of conformity, consistency and compliance to the site’s Management Systems.

Mr Hannah – a Fellow of the Chartered Quality Institute (CQI) – was speaking at SQMC’s presentation ceremony this week, which marked the climax of the Dunfermline-based organisation’s annual events to celebrate World Quality Day.

“Quality professionals rarely receive the credit they deserve when a manufacturer or service provider enjoys a successful year,” he said. “Working hard behind the scenes, they are all too often the unsung heroes of the business world. That’s why SQMC took the decision earlier in the year to invite our colleagues in Quality across the UK to nominate individuals who they thought deserved special recognition for their services, and contribution to the success of their employer. Once we had whittled down the nominations to a shortlist of four, it didn’t take long for our committee to agree that Ann was particularly deserving of formal credit for her achievements at Syngenta; and I’m grateful to her colleague, Mike Allison, who brought this all to our attention.”

Mrs Meldrum was presented with a trophy and £500 professional development voucher by Ron Rivans – Chairman of the CQI’s West of Scotland branch, and Head of Education at the Management Centre; which is an internationally-accredited training body, and Management Systems think-tank.

Mr Rivans was delighted to be involved in the process, and SQMC are keen to introduce a second category of awards next year.

• PHOTOGRAPH: SQMC Director, Ian Hannah (left), is pictured here with Ron Rivans, Chairman of the Chartered Quality Institute West of Scotland, who presented Ann Meldrum with her trophy.

Originally conceived by the United Nations in 1990, ‘World Quality Day’ provides an excellent opportunity to raise awareness worldwide of the important contribution which ‘Quality’ brings to any organisation’s – and even nation’s – economic growth and prosperity.

Why are Britain's Quality Assurance professionals all too often the unsung heroes of the business world?

As part of our celebration of this year's World Quality Day, the Scottish Quality Management Centre are inviting you to nominate your own unsung hero of the Quality world - whether it's yourself, a current workmate, or a retired colleague.

We welcome the name of anyone you would like to see formally recognised for his or her efforts and dedication behind the scenes of an effective Quality Assurance department or successful organisation.

Using the form below, please tell us who and why; and these details will be passed on to our specially-formed 'recognition committee'.

Deadline for entries

All nominations must be received by the 31st October, 2011.

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