IAQ Quality Sustainability Award

Hesam AREF KASHFI

Hesameddin AREF KASHFI born in 1948, holds an M.Sc. in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from Shiraz University in Iran and a Master Degree in Sociology from Paris University in France as well as many certificates in quality, quality management and TQM from worldwide recognized institutions in UK and Japan. He is a consultant, trainer and lecturer in quality and quality management and the author of more than 75 articles published in Iranian management magazines, ISO bi-monthly, AOTS quarterly KENSHU and some other quality-related journals. He serves as the Chairman and Managing Director of Continuous Improvement Engineering Consultants and Chairman of Institute of Quality Engineering in Iran. His main field of professional activities comprises quality culture, leadership, human resources development and related subjects which are usually called as “Human side of Quality.” He has widely lectured and conducted seminars, workshops and conferences on Quality and related issues in more than 150 cases for a broad range of 80+ organizations. Hesam has had contributions as speaker, invited speaker or keynote speaker to large national, regional and international quality congresses and conferences in more than 50 events in many countries and has served them as member of technical committee, organizing committee or steering committee. He has presented papers in the international quality events in China, India, Iran, Kuwait, Japan, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, Turkey, UAE, United Kingdom and Uzbekistan.

Hesam AREF KASHFI is the Founder and President of "Iranian Society of Quality Managers", Establishing Member of Asian Network for Quality, Senior Member and past Country Councilor of American Society for Quality, Honorary Fellow of Quality and Productivity Society of Pakistan and Life Member of Asia Pacific Quality Organization where he served as “Vice President for External Affairs” for 6 years until August 2011. He has been the key player as President and Chairman of the Steering Committee of the International Conference of Quality Managers which received the largest support and audience in the world with about 5000 attendees every year during 2004-8. Hesam has been instrumental in making world quality movement known for Iranian community and vice versa.

He has close relationship and cooperation with regional and national quality organizations in many countries and due to his outstanding endeavors he was named “Quality Ambassador of Iran” by Iranian Society of Quality Managers. In this regard and in the honor of his tireless efforts for promotion of quality, quality management and excellence and for receiving the historic supporting message from Dr. Joseph M. Juran for the quality movement in Iran in 2004, an official postage stamp is printed and issued recognizing him as the “Pioneer of Excellence.”

Hesam is the recipient of the President’s Award from Asia Pacific Quality Organization in Sydney in 2006 and also is elected as an Academician at the prestigious International Academy for Quality in 2006 (recently as Corresponding Member.) As his latest achievements, he has received “ASQ Centurion Award” in Tokyo in 2010 and also “APQO Harrington- Ishikawa. Executive Medal” in Mexico City in 2009 for his contribution to world quality movement and for spreading cause of quality worldwide and specially in Asia and the Pacific Rim. He strongly believes in people and their potential in shaping their own future by transforming themselves as a foundation and building block for changing their life, organization and society. In realization of his dream, he designed, organized and successfully conducted a special workshop called Asian CAMP ( Create Alignment to Maximize Performance) close to Himalaya, as the “Roof of The World” for mutual learning and developing synergy among participants from different countries to act as change leaders in life and business through exploring and enhancing capabilities for change and transformation.