In This Issue

• Jonah Program^® to be offered in Europe starting June 25th
  
• The Dale T. Houle Educational Scholarship
  
• Velocity - The World Conference on TOC, Lean and Six Sigma
  
• Personnel Announcements
  

Jonah Program^® to be offered in Europe starting June 25th

AGI is pleased to announce a European venue for the Jonah Program^® starting in June 2007. The complete program is scheduled in two parts during the weeks of June 25-29 and July 23-27. The Jonah Program^® employs a systematic and logical process that is a practical blend of the scientific method and the Socratic technique to answer the three questions essential to any successful change: What to Change?, To What to Change? and How to Cause a Change?. This process is commonly referred to as the Theory of Constraints (TOC) Thinking Processes (TP).

The Jonah Program^® participants will learn, step-by-step, how to apply the TOC TP using a subject matter of their own choosing (e.g., Increasing company throughput via product life-cycle management, Improving student retention at..., Creating a community-based health clinic). At the completion of the program, each participant will have developed a robust and detailed plan for deploying a strategy that resolves the problems identified in their subject matter (and gained the ability to apply the tools to any subsequent subject they choose).

Since the challenges of getting the requisite approval, buy-in or collaboration for any change often far outweigh the more tangible aspects of implementing a strategy, the participants will also invest time internalizing TOC’s Six Steps to Buy-In. These steps provide a systematic process to circumvent resistance to change by building understanding, ownership and consensus on What to Change?, To What to Change? and How to Cause a Change?. When people are able to answer these questions in a meaningful way, the participants will be able to secure the commitment and conviction needed for successful implementations.

This challenging program, presented by the president of the AGI International Group, Dr. Eric De Smet, uses a very participatory learning format and will require trainees to bring a real-world problem to address. Each trainee will produce a complete portfolio of their designed solution, focused to achieve breakthrough results, including a buy-in presentation tailored to the problem’s stakeholders. The course will be hosted in the heart of England’s East Midlands in Melton Mowbray, UK. To get more information and sign up for the program, please visit the AGI website.

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The Dale T. Houle Educational Scholarship

In recognition of Dale T. Houle’s service as Managing Partner of the Avraham Y. Goldratt Institute from 1997-2006, the Partners of AGI established an educational scholarship in his name to be awarded annually enabling recipient(s) to attend their choice of an AGI Open Course (Jonah Program^®, Supply Chain or Project Management Technical Expert Training Programs) during the following year.

Successful applicant(s) will submit a one-page essay detailing why they want to attend the applicable program. Included in the essay will be the specifics on how the applicant intends to use his or her education, and why the scholarship is needed.

The Scholarship Selection Committee will review all applications and has the full authority to determine scholarship awardee(s).

The scholarship covers only the program fee. All other costs (travel, housing, food, etc.) shall be borne by the awardee(s) or their organization.

The applicant agrees, if he or she is awarded a scholarship, to update the Goldratt Institute annually for two years on how they have applied the education received.

Applications are to be submitted by email to Jeff Jackson, or in writing to AGI, 442 Orange St, New Haven, CT 06511, no later than August 1st, 2007 to be eligible for the 2007-08 scholarship(s).

All applicants will be notified in writing by August 15th, 2007 of the status of their application.

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Velocity - The World Conference on TOC, Lean and Six Sigma

TOC World^® is becoming Velocity – The World Conference on TOC, Lean and Six Sigma. Mark your calendars for the week of April 13th, 2008 - less than one year away!

This global conference is scheduled from April 15-17, 2008 at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Connecticut. Velocity — speed with direction — conveys the synergistic advantages of using the three approaches coherently to focus improvement efforts towards continuous system improvement, beyond what might be accomplished individually towards continuous process improvement. The conference will include case studies and workshops on each methodology, as well as their integrated application. Two pre-conference full-day workshops, 1) An Introduction to TOC and 2) An Introduction to Lean Six Sigma, will be offered on April 14th.

Velocity 2008 Pricing Per Person in US Dollars
Register & Pay	Pre-Conference April 14	Conference - April 15-17
		Individuals	Groups of 5 or more	AGI Jonah or Expert Registrations
On or Before October 15, 2007	$495	$1500	$1250	$1000
October 16 through December 31, 2007		$1650	$1400	$1150
January 1, 2008 through February 29, 2008		$1800	$1550	$1300
On or After March 1, 2008		$2000	$1750	$1500

A limited number of government per-diem rate rooms will be available. Details for booking your room directly with the Mohegan Sun will be available soon.

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Personnel Announcements

Suzan Bergland has been unanimously elected to join the AGI partnership. Suzan is Vice President for Implementation Services of the AGI-North America Group and her experience with AGI and TOC began more than ten years ago at Cryovac.

Bob Jacob has been named Director of Implementation Support, AGI-North America Group. Bob has been working with the Institute since 1996 and became a partner in 2001.

Jeff Jackson has joined AGI Headquarters as Vice President of Global Market Presence after retiring from the US Air Force after 28 years of service. Jeff will develop strategic communication for AGI, including conferences, newsletters and the AGI website.

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