MEMPHIS, Tenn. (Tuesday, 6/28/22) – After more than 34 years as the leading source of efficiency and productivity training for the region, the Mid-South Quality Productivity Center will close on June 30.
The Mid-South Quality Productivity Center (MSQPC) was formed on April 21, 1988, as a joint partnership between the Greater Memphis Chamber and Southwest Tennessee Community College to bring global best-practices in organizational efficiency to Memphis. Founded by the late Larry Papasan, who was the head of Memphis Light, Gas and Water at the time, MSQPC has become a premier source locally and nationally for efficiency and productivity training, services, and products, and has helped hundreds of Mid-South companies streamline their processes, resolve problems, and reduce unnecessary costs.
Dr. Donald Fisher, the longtime executive director of MSQPC and an internationally recognized expert in business efficiency and productivity, plans to retire as the center closes.
“Nobody in the country has done what we’ve done,” said Dr. Fisher, who is also the author of 18 productivity books. “During our history, we’ve assessed about 150 organizations, including St. Jude, Le Bonheur, City of Germantown, and over 60 schools for the former Memphis City Schools. I’m incredibly proud of our more than three decades of work to make the Mid-South a global example of business efficiency.”
In addition to being a Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) Center of Emphasis, the MSQPC is a Baldrige-based center, which means all its products and services are based on the Baldrige Excellence Framework, the worldwide standard for excellence in organizational performance. Dr. Fisher was one of the original members of the national Baldrige Board of Examiners and has represented Baldrige as a global consultant, including in Japan, Dubai, Germany, Ireland, Thailand, Kuala Lumpur, and Mauritius.
To honor his work, Dr. Fisher will be awarded the title of MSQPC emeritus executive director by Southwest Tennessee Community College.
“MSQPC has made an enormous impact on our Mid-South business community thanks to the leadership of Dr. Fisher who for 30 years provided area businesses and organizations with quality training in productivity education, small business consulting and professional development,” Southwest Tennessee Community College President Dr. Tracy D. Hall said. “We are grateful to Dr. Fisher and the Greater Memphis Chamber for our partnership in offering this program and look forward to continuing our work to build and train a quality workforce for Memphis and the region.”
Dr. Fisher will continue to consult with the Chamber as it incorporates many of MSQPC’s core services.
“The MSQPC has put Memphis on the leading-edge of advancements in efficiency and quality, and our entire business community thanks Dr. Fisher for the tremendous job he and his team have done,” said Beverly Robertson, president and CEO of the Greater Memphis Chamber. “The center will be missed but the Chamber will carry on its work to help businesses level-up to meet the demands of the future.”
Media Contacts
Greater Memphis Chamber: Ryan Poe, Director of Communications, 901-268-5074
SWTCC: Diana Fedinec, Director of Public Relations and Media, 901-482-2939
About the Greater Memphis Chamber: One of Memphis’ oldest institutions, dating back to 1838, the Greater Memphis Chamber is a privately funded nonprofit that serves as the region’s lead economic development organization and the “Voice of Memphis Business” on local, state, and national issues. The Chamber’s mission is to relentlessly pursue prosperity for all — through economic and workforce development, pro-growth advocacy, and by providing support and resources to its investors, which include many of the region’s largest employers. For more information about the Chamber, visit memphischamber.com and memphismoves.com. Also, follow the Chamber on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram, and sign up for its weekly newsletter, Memphis Fourword.
About Southwest Tennessee Community College: Southwest Tennessee Community College is a comprehensive, multicultural, public, open-access college with two main campuses in Memphis, Tenn. and five sites in Shelby and Fayette counites. Southwest awards associate degrees and certifications in more than 120 programs of study to raise educational levels, enhance economic development and enrich quality of life for students and the community at large. Southwest is a Tennessee Board of Regents institution, accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. For more information, visit www.southwest.tn.edu. Follow Southwest at Facebook.com/southwesttn, Twitter.com/southwesttn and Instagram.com/southwesttn.