 "Receipt of the Shingo Bronze Medallion signifies an organization's
strong use of tools and techniques for business improvement," said
Robert Miller, executive director at The Shingo Prize. "Those
organizations that receive the Bronze Medallion are on their way to
true operational excellence."State Farm Life Insurance Co. is
part of the State Farm family of insurance and financial services
companies. Founded in 1929, State Farm Life Insurance (and its
affiliates) is one of the largest providers of life insurance in the
United States and Canada, with over 7.9 million policies in force.
With a vision to be the first and best choice of customers in the
products and services they provide, the organization has intensified
its focus on providing value by adhering to the principles of
operational excellence advocated by The Shingo Prize.
"Being awarded the Shingo Bronze Medallion is an honor, and the
process of ‘competing' for this award was exciting and energizing,"
said Jenifer Laesch, life supervisor at Bloomington Life Operations
Center. "Our commitment to operational excellence does not end with
the Shingo assessment; we will embed these principles into our
culture and continue to focus on improving processes and creating
value for customers."
Through its pursuit of excellence, State Farm Life experienced a
25 percent reduction in operational expenses while simultaneously
growing 250,000 policies, a 27 percent improvement in productivity,
$35 million in savings from process redesign, and many other process
and system improvements.
By "challenging" or applying for an award, organizations invite a
group of accomplished professionals and trained examiners from The
Shingo Prize to thoroughly review their culture and operations. The
examiners select the organizations they think are worthy of
recognition.
"In providing recognition, The Shingo Prize invites organizations
to challenge early in their implementation of improvement efforts,"
Miller said. "Doing so provides them valuable feedback to help
accelerate their implementation. By understanding the principles we
teach, organizations can begin to proactively change their culture.
Culture is the key to sustainable operational excellence."
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The State Farm Life -- Bloomington Operation Center will receive
the Shingo Bronze Medallion at the Awards Ceremony and Gala during
the 25th annual Shingo Prize International Conference in Provo,
Utah, May 6-10. The awards gala is the conclusion to the four-day
event, which features a selection of workshops, plant tours, keynote
speakers and breakout sessions designed to provide ongoing
knowledge, insights and experience for organizations in their
pursuit of operational excellence.
The Shingo Prize for Operational Excellence is named after
Japanese industrial engineer Shigeo Shingo. Dr. Shingo distinguished
himself as one of the world's thought leaders in concepts,
management systems and improvement techniques that have become known
as the Toyota Business System. Drawing from his teachings, The
Shingo Prize helps companies and organizations increase their
efficiency and effectiveness by developing cultures that better tap
the talents of their employees. The Shingo Prize also awards and
recognizes organizations that demonstrate exceptional results from
applying its philosophy.
For more information or to register for the international
conference, visit
www.shingoprize.org.
[Text from file received from the
Jon M. Huntsman School of
Business]
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