Kenneth Chenault, chairman and CEO of American Express, and Dr. Toby Cosgrove, president and CEO of Cleveland Clinic, will be awarded the 2015 Deming Cup for Operational Excellence at a ceremonial reception on October 27, 2015, at Columbia University’s Low Rotunda.
Awarded annually since 2010, the Deming Cup honors leaders for operational excellence and for fostering a culture of continuous improvement within their organizations. Its 37-member judging committee, comprising eminent figures in industry and academia, is co-chaired by Terry J. Lundgren, chairman and CEO of Macy’s; Sergio Marchionne, CEO of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles; and Paul O’Neill, 72nd secretary of the US Treasury.
“I am honored to join the distinguished list of leaders who have received this prestigious award and to accept the Deming Cup as recognition of the ongoing work at American Express to deliver service excellence and transform our business at a time when new technologies are driving the convergence of payments and commerce,” Chenault said. In his 14 years as chairman and CEO, Chenault reshaped American Express’s business model, making its products the gold standard of the industry. The company’s strong financial performance, reputation for integrity, and commitment to social responsibility remain the benchmarks of his leadership.
In 2004, Dr. Toby Cosgrove — a decorated Vietnam veteran who served as a surgeon in the US Air Force — became president and CEO of Cleveland Clinic, assuming the stewardship of the Cleveland Clinic Foundation. His success in improving the practice of medicine and the delivery of medical care is driven by constant curiosity and everyday innovation. “I am honored and humbled to receive this prestigious award, which recognizes the unwavering commitment of each one of us at Cleveland Clinic — a model of healthcare for the 21st century — to provide the best medical care to our patients with compassion, integrity, and empathy,” Cosgrove said.
Professor Nelson Fraiman, director of the Deming Center, congratulated Chenault and Cosgrove for reaffirming that “the prestige of the Deming Cup comes from the caliber of our awardees and finalists. We honor them not only for creating successful organizations, but also for doing so through the values of continuous improvement, innovation, and empowering employees as agents in that transformation.”
Founded in 1989 at Columbia Business School, The W. Edwards Deming Center promotes operational excellence in academia and business by sponsoring applied research and curriculum creation, disseminating best practices, and providing professional development opportunities for practitioners. Previous winners of the Deming Cup include Dr. Brent C. James, executive director of the Institute for Healthcare Leadership at Intermountain Healthcare; H. Fisk Johnson, chairman and CEO of SC Johnson; Ellen J. Kullman, chairman and CEO of DuPont; Samuel J. Palmisano, former chairman and CEO of IBM; Paolo Rocca, chairman and CEO of Tenaris; Ratan N. Tata, chairman emeritus of Tata Sons; Stef Wertheimer, founder of ISCAR; and current committee co-chairs Sergio Marchionne and Terry J. Lundgren.
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