The Association for Manufacturing Excellence

THE ASSOCIATION FOR Manufacturing Excel T he Association for Manufacturing Excellence (AME) is the premier organization for the exchange of knowledge in enterprise excellence. Members come together to explore lean thinking and other enterprise improvement methods, exchange best practices, and network in order to advance their careers and improve the competitiveness and overall value of their organizations. Share. Learn. Grow. Recently, Business View Magazine asked Kimberlee Humphrey, President & CEO of AME about the organization and how it serves its members. The following is an edited version of her written response. BVM: Can you talk a little about the history of AME? What was in the minds of its founders and what was the need that they felt had to be filled? Humphrey: “AME was founded in 1985, emerging from the American Production and Inventory Control Society (APICS). However, the ideas that drove this action began in the 1970s when