SSA & Company
Encyclopedia
SSA & Company is a privately held global business operations consulting firm headquartered in New York
. The firm was originally founded as the Six Sigma Academy in 1994 by the progenitors of the Six Sigma
revolution at Motorola
. SSA & Company provides consulting, execution, and training services to companies in strategic process management using a platform that combines Six Sigma, Lean, and other tools.
The firm has offices located in Aspen, Colorado; London, UK; Paris, France; Milan, Italy; Munich, Germany; Shanghai, China; Beijing, China; and Yokohama, Japan.
, along with Motorola engineer Bill Smith and Dr. Mikel J. Harry, implemented a long term Six Sigma quality program to address the diminishing market share and growing quality concerns of Motorola's products. Galvin then gave Harry the responsibility of creating a way for a majority of workers to be equipped with the skills and tools needed to disseminate Six Sigma efficiently throughout the company.
In the early 1990s, Harry teamed with Richard Schroeder, another employee from Motorola, to found the Six Sigma Academy. The company's goal was to teach companies and their employees how to use Six Sigma tools, specifically Lean Six Sigma, efficiently to dramatically reduce the number of defects while improving the quality of their products. The first client of the Six Sigma Academy was Allied Signal whose CEO, Larry Bossidy, decided to adopt Six Sigma. Around the same time, Jack Welch
, then Chairman and CEO of General Electric
, became interested in improving quality using Six Sigma. GE analyzed the cost savings opportunity and found that there was potential for a $7 billion to $10 billion savings. In 1996, Welch teamed with the Six Sigma Academy to launch Six Sigma at GE and to train his employees in using the tools. In addition both DuPont
and Merrill Lynch
later became clients of the Six Sigma Academy.
In 2005 the Six Sigma Academy was bought out by Scott Miller
, the former CEO of Hyatt Hotels Corporation, Dave Fuente
, the former CEO of Office Depot
, Bob Steel, the former vice chair of Goldman Sachs
, and David Niles, a former partner of Castling Group. The company is now focused on redefining how Six Sigma and similar process improvement methodologies are used and making them more relevant to today's business challenges. As part of this new identity, the Six Sigma Academy was renamed to SSA & Company in 2008.
, IKON Office Solutions
, McGraw-Hill
, Alliant Energy
, Fannie Mae, Seyfarth Shaw
, Charles River Laboratories, Ford, and ConocoPhilips. SSA & Company applied Lean Six Sigma tools to the Chicago-based law firm Seyfarth Shaw, which was the first time the methodology had been implemented in the legal industry.
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. The firm was originally founded as the Six Sigma Academy in 1994 by the progenitors of the Six Sigma
Six Sigma
Six Sigma is a business management strategy originally developed by Motorola, USA in 1986. , it is widely used in many sectors of industry.Six Sigma seeks to improve the quality of process outputs by identifying and removing the causes of defects and minimizing variability in manufacturing and...
revolution at Motorola
Motorola
Motorola, Inc. was an American multinational telecommunications company based in Schaumburg, Illinois, which was eventually divided into two independent public companies, Motorola Mobility and Motorola Solutions on January 4, 2011, after losing $4.3 billion from 2007 to 2009...
. SSA & Company provides consulting, execution, and training services to companies in strategic process management using a platform that combines Six Sigma, Lean, and other tools.
The firm has offices located in Aspen, Colorado; London, UK; Paris, France; Milan, Italy; Munich, Germany; Shanghai, China; Beijing, China; and Yokohama, Japan.
History
In the late 1980s, the former CEO of Motorola, Bob GalvinBob Galvin
Robert William "Bob" Galvin was a US executive. He was the son of the founder of Motorola, Paul Galvin, and served as the CEO of Motorola from 1959 to 1986.-Motorola career:...
, along with Motorola engineer Bill Smith and Dr. Mikel J. Harry, implemented a long term Six Sigma quality program to address the diminishing market share and growing quality concerns of Motorola's products. Galvin then gave Harry the responsibility of creating a way for a majority of workers to be equipped with the skills and tools needed to disseminate Six Sigma efficiently throughout the company.
In the early 1990s, Harry teamed with Richard Schroeder, another employee from Motorola, to found the Six Sigma Academy. The company's goal was to teach companies and their employees how to use Six Sigma tools, specifically Lean Six Sigma, efficiently to dramatically reduce the number of defects while improving the quality of their products. The first client of the Six Sigma Academy was Allied Signal whose CEO, Larry Bossidy, decided to adopt Six Sigma. Around the same time, Jack Welch
Jack Welch
John Francis "Jack" Welch, Jr. is an American chemical engineer, business executive, and author. He was Chairman and CEO of General Electric between 1981 and 2001...
, then Chairman and CEO of General Electric
General Electric
General Electric Company , or GE, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in Schenectady, New York and headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States...
, became interested in improving quality using Six Sigma. GE analyzed the cost savings opportunity and found that there was potential for a $7 billion to $10 billion savings. In 1996, Welch teamed with the Six Sigma Academy to launch Six Sigma at GE and to train his employees in using the tools. In addition both DuPont
DuPont
E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company , commonly referred to as DuPont, is an American chemical company that was founded in July 1802 as a gunpowder mill by Eleuthère Irénée du Pont. DuPont was the world's third largest chemical company based on market capitalization and ninth based on revenue in 2009...
and Merrill Lynch
Merrill Lynch
Merrill Lynch is the wealth management division of Bank of America. With over 15,000 financial advisors and $2.2 trillion in client assets it is the world's largest brokerage. Formerly known as Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc., prior to 2009 the firm was publicly owned and traded on the New York...
later became clients of the Six Sigma Academy.
In 2005 the Six Sigma Academy was bought out by Scott Miller
Scott Miller (Chief Executive Officer)
Scott Miller is currently the Chief Executive Officer of the operations consulting firm SSA & Company, LLC. He is also currently a Special Advisor of General Atlantic as well as the Director of AXA Financial, Inc. and MONY Life Insurance Co...
, the former CEO of Hyatt Hotels Corporation, Dave Fuente
Dave Fuente
Dave Fuente is currently the Chairman of the operations consulting firm SSA & Company, LLC. He is also currently on the Board of Directors at Ryder System, Inc., Sunrise Senior Living, Inc., and a past Director of Dick's Sporting Goods since 1993. He became the Presiding Non-Management director...
, the former CEO of Office Depot
Office Depot
Office Depot is a supplier of office products and provides many services. The company's selection of brand name office supplies includes business machines, computers, computer software and office furniture, while its business services encompass copying, printing, document reproduction, shipping,...
, Bob Steel, the former vice chair of Goldman Sachs
Goldman Sachs
The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. is an American multinational bulge bracket investment banking and securities firm that engages in global investment banking, securities, investment management, and other financial services primarily with institutional clients...
, and David Niles, a former partner of Castling Group. The company is now focused on redefining how Six Sigma and similar process improvement methodologies are used and making them more relevant to today's business challenges. As part of this new identity, the Six Sigma Academy was renamed to SSA & Company in 2008.
Use of Six Sigma
SSA & Company wrote the Lean Six Sigma curriculum in the early 1990s and eventually deployed it to some of the world's largest corporations. However over the years as many executives began to abandon process management projects due to the amount of time to complete them and the complex engineering perspectives, SSA & Company created its proprietary Strategic Process Management (SPM) approach. SPM is said to tailor Lean and Six Sigma methodologies to corporate strategy and achieve benefits in less than 90 days.Clients and Industries Served
The company's client list gradually grew beyond the manufacturing industry to include such diverse industries as retail, financial, health care and pharmaceutical, media, energy, and law. Some of the companies SSA & Company has worked with include SuperValuSupervalu (United States)
SuperValu Inc. is a United States grocery retailer and distributor. The corporation, headquartered in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, has been in business for over a century. It is the third-largest food retailing company in the United States , and ranks #51 on the Fortune 100 list.On June 2, 2006,...
, IKON Office Solutions
IKON Office Solutions
IKON Office Solutions is a company based in Malvern, Pennsylvania. Formerly part of ALCO Standard. It was the world's largest independent provider of document management systems and services until it was purchased by manufacturer Ricoh in 2008...
, McGraw-Hill
McGraw-Hill
The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., is a publicly traded corporation headquartered in Rockefeller Center in New York City. Its primary areas of business are financial, education, publishing, broadcasting, and business services...
, Alliant Energy
Alliant Energy
Alliant Energy Corporation is a public utility holding company that incorporated in Madison, Wisconsin in 1981. It consists of two subsidiaries:...
, Fannie Mae, Seyfarth Shaw
Seyfarth Shaw
Seyfarth Shaw LLP is an American law firm. It has offices in the United States, including Chicago, New York, Boston, Washington, D.C., Atlanta, Houston, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Sacramento, and an office in London, England.- Labor & Employment :...
, Charles River Laboratories, Ford, and ConocoPhilips. SSA & Company applied Lean Six Sigma tools to the Chicago-based law firm Seyfarth Shaw, which was the first time the methodology had been implemented in the legal industry.
Executive Officers
- Scott MillerScott Miller (Chief Executive Officer)Scott Miller is currently the Chief Executive Officer of the operations consulting firm SSA & Company, LLC. He is also currently a Special Advisor of General Atlantic as well as the Director of AXA Financial, Inc. and MONY Life Insurance Co...
: Chief Executive Officer - Dave FuenteDave FuenteDave Fuente is currently the Chairman of the operations consulting firm SSA & Company, LLC. He is also currently on the Board of Directors at Ryder System, Inc., Sunrise Senior Living, Inc., and a past Director of Dick's Sporting Goods since 1993. He became the Presiding Non-Management director...
: Chairman of the Board of Directors - David Niles: President
- Mikel J. Harry: Vice Chairman and Chief Knowledge Officer
- Ram CharanRam CharanDr. Ram Charan is a business consultant, speaker, and writer.- Personal life :Charan worked in his family's shoe shop in Hapur, Uttar Pradesh, India while growing up...
: Advisor - Steve Kerr: Advisor
- Kaj Ahlmann: Advisor