KALAMAZOO – In its ongoing conference series designed to bolster global competitiveness for local companies, Bank One, a division of JPMorgan Chase & Co., will feature Jeffrey Liker, Ph.D., author of The Toyota Way, as its keynote speaker at a Feb. 16 forum called Global Competitiveness: Learning to be Lean,
The event, scheduled for 8 am to 1:30 pm at the Radisson Plaza Hotel and Suites in downtown Kalamazoo, will also feature an economic forecast by James E. Glassman, managing director and senior economist for U.S. Economic and Policy Issues Research at JPMorgan Securities. Co-sponsors of the event include Battle Creek Unlimited, the Kalamazoo Regional Chamber of Commerce and Southwest Michigan First.
?Without question, businesses today face fierce competition from around the globe,? said Darren Timmeney, President of Bank One?s Kalamazoo/Battle Creek region. ?This forum provides an opportunity to hear firsthand about a global success story. We hope that businesses in Southwest Michigan will be able to apply the principles of Toyota?s success, thereby driving increased success for themselves and our regional economy.?
Liker, Professor of Industrial and Operations Engineering at the University of Michigan, will share his insights and discuss the implications for companies working to adopt lean practices. His book, The Toyota Way, defines 14 management principles and business philosophies behind Toyota?s worldwide reputation for quality and reliability and provides profiles of organizations that have successfully adopted those principles. In addition to hearing Liker?s perspectives about the principles and practices behind Toyota?s success, forum attendees will receive a signed copy of Liker?s book.
?Most companies are falling short by simply copying specific lean tools and techniques. ?Lean sigma? is often a buzzword for a toolkit that will reduce cost in the short term,? Liker said. ?Tools like these are only a small part of what has made Toyota so successful, and even these tools are generally misunderstood.?
Glassman is a senior economist and Managing Director with JPMorgan Chase & Co. He works closely with the company?s global treasury and capital markets groups, and he serves as an advisor for the firm?s key corporation relationships. He is the co-author of Global Issues, a publication that explores a wide range of global economic and market issues. Glassman?s views are widely cited in the financial media where he is a frequent commentator on economic policy issues. In December, Glassman was a panelist at a White House-sponsored conference on economic policy.
Bank One provides annual economic updates for its clients and customers, along with periodic luncheons and other events designed to inform and educate Southwest Michigan businesses about important issues facing businesses today.
Registration for the Feb. 16 forum is required, and seating is limited. The cost of the event is $50, payable by check or cash at the door. It includes the forum, lunch and a signed copy of Liker?s book. To register, contact Southwest Michigan First at (269) 553-9588 or e-mail [email protected].
JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE: JPM), a leading global financial services firm with assets of $1.1 trillion and operations in more than 50 countries. The company is a leader in investment banking, financial services for consumers and businesses, financial transaction processing, asset and wealth management and private equity. A component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average, JPMorgan Chase & Co. has its corporate headquarters in New York and its U.S. retail financial services and commercial banking headquarters in Chicago. Under the JPMorgan, Chase and Bank One brands, the company serves millions of consumers in the United States and many of the world?s most prominent corporate, institutional and government clients. Information about the firm is available at www.jpmorganchase.com.
In West Michigan, Bank One serves customers through a network of 35 banking centers and numerous ATMs. Bank One, which merged with JPMorgan Chase & Co. on July 1, 2004, operates a network of 240 branches and 370 ATMs in Michigan. Bank One branches nationwide will convert to the Chase brand in 2005 and 2006.
Nationally recognized for innovation in economic development, Southwest Michigan First provides business development, retention and attraction programs throughout Kalamazoo County. A privately funded, 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation, Southwest Michigan First was formed by leaders in business and higher education to promote economic development. Southwest Michigan First provides entrepreneurs and established companies with a wide range of corporate business development services and support. Visit them online at www.southwestmichiganfirst.com.
Battle Creek Unlimited, a private, nonprofit corporation, has received international acclaim serving as the business development arm for the cities of Battle Creek and Marshall. Battle Creek Unlimited is an enduring alliance of public, private and community leaders, guiding the nation?s first and most successful base conversion into Michigan?s largest modern industrial park — the 3,000-acre Fort Custer Industrial Park. BCU was one of the first organizations to initiate customized training to prepare workers for lean manufacturing and just-in-time production systems. Visit them online at www.bcunlimited.org.
The Kalamazoo Regional Chamber of Commerce is the largest private, voluntary, business association in southwest Michigan. Its members range from sole proprietorships to multi-national corporations. Representing 2,808 member businesses, that employ more than 70,000 workers, the Chamber serves as the collective voice for business on issues affecting business and the southwest Michigan region. Visit them online at www.kazoochamber.com.
