 "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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