Kim Humphrey is President/CEO of the Association for Manufacturing Excellence (www.ame.org ). AME, founded in 1985, is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to the exchange of knowledge in enterprise excellence.
Kim has over 30 years of leadership experience with international companies including Huntington Ingalls/Newport News Shipbuilding, where she was responsible for process excellence and supplier development. Her diverse background includes leadership roles in supply chain, quality systems, logistics and operations management, continuous improvement, and process excellence.
Kim is a member of the Commonwealth of Virginia Manufacturing Development Commission, appointed by Virginia Governor Youngkin. https://www.governor.virginia.gov/newsroom/news-releases/2024/january/name-1019802-en.html
Kim serves on the Board of Directors for the Virginia Senate Productivity and Quality Award (SPQA) and has served as an examiner and team lead. She also served on the Virginia One’s to Watch Program as a mentor. She is a Baldrige National Quality Award Board Examiner and serves on the New Horizons Educational Foundation Inc. (nhrec.org) Board of Directors. She is a Virginia Peninsula Chamber of Commerce Leadership Institute graduate.
She also is a Virginia Supreme Court certified mediator and mentor. Kimberlee A. Humphrey (state.va.us)
Kim attended Rochester Institute of Technology and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Nazareth College.
February 2024 Spotlight
Why did you choose to become a Board Member for SPQA?
I have been a SPQA board member for over 25 years, probably one of the longest board members. A coworker introduced me to Baldrige when I worked in the automotive parts manufacturing business many years ago. I took my first criteria training and was instantly hooked. I then became an examiner and found such value in learning from the criteria and from learning from others. I later joined the SPQA board to help share the message of performance excellence with other companies in Virginia and since have become a national Baldrige examiner. I heard someone say recently that no matter how long you are involved with Baldrige, you are always leaning something new and that is true.
What has been the most enjoyable aspect of being a Board Member?
Listening and learning from other board members, the examiners, and the companies themselves. It is particularly fun when you see that “aha” moment when an organization gets it. Even if an organization only completes their organizational profile, it is such an incredible learning experience for them.
What is your primary goal for learning from this experience?
I love that Baldrige always challenges me to learn more and dig deeper. I have learned more of the “how” to see. The seven categories combined with the core values are embedded in high-performing organizations. This framework helps improve organizational performance and sustainable results and has helped me with my organization. My goal is to continually learn.
What have you gained from serving as a Board Member?
Lifelong connections in performance excellence and the best set of tools for performance excellence.
What is your greatest passion outside of your professional life?
I am an avid volunteer, particularly when it comes to animals, hence my numerous “foster failures”. I also am very passionate about work life balance and how important that is to everyone. When you find a passion, whether it be Baldrige or fostering, it brings you to a place where life is just good.