Back Row, L-R: Jeff Doyon, Bob Rasmussen and Joe Weber. ​Front Row, L-R: Judy Ruthko and Beth Rafferty.
The annual Supply Chain Excellence Awards Ceremony recognizes successful projects that have been implemented within the supply chain organizations across each of the General Dynamics (GD) business units. This year’s ceremony was held on Thursday, October 17, at GD corporate headquarters in Reston, VA, where there were award winners from each of the 10 business units. All of the winners had the opportunity to present their projects to fellow awardees, the Supply Chain Excellence Committee, Supply Chain Management Council (SCMC) and members ​of GD’s executive staff. In total, there were 13 projects presented among the business units.
Electric Boat was well represented at the ceremony by several attendees, including Vice President and Chief Supply Officer, Beth Rafferty, and Director of Nuclear Quality Control, Judy Ruthko. Erin Howe, committee chair of the SCMC, and Jessica Butts were not only key attendees, but the team that organized and made the event a success. Other attendees were Joe Weber, quality advocate, Graeme Archer, Jeff Doyon and Bob Rasmussen, who took home two awards for Electric Boat with his submitted project, “Quality Advocates at Focus Factories.” Bob submitted his award to the Supply Chain Excellence Committee in April, and ultimately won a Supply Chain Excellence Award that was presented at the ceremony.
Bob Rasmussen and Gordon Stein, Supply Chain Management Council Chair and GD Land Systems Vice President and General Manager of U.S. Operations.​​​
​Given the unprecedented growth in production as Electric Boat ramps up to deliver one Columbia and two Virginia-class submarines per year, the Focus Factory model was implemented to address the growing need for space and resources at Quonset Point. EB’s Focus Factories are based at suppliers’ facilities, resulting in additional off-site space for EB production work to be performed. Electric Boat utilizes EB-badged supplier employees to execute work, addressing manning needs in support of heightened production. Focus Factories follow a unique model, each adhering to EB’s quality management system, including processes, procedures and on-site supervision by EB management. On-site presence of EB personnel is key to EB’s success, and Bob’s project has strengthened this oversight.
The “Quality Advocates at Focus Factories” project has placed dedicated, quality advocates at EB’s various Focus Factories, adding enhanced oversight of site operations and ensuring adherence to EB’s policies and procedures. These advocates have the ability to quickly address any quality issues and concerns, track first-time quality metrics and share lessons learned across the business. “The value this provides leads to a robust, independent quality presence acting as teammate, conscience and regulator on the floor with an embedded supplier workforce that is learning how to build integral parts of a submarine for the first time,” said Bob. The oversight these quality advocates provide ensures quality doesn’t hurt schedule and schedule doesn’t drive quality, resulting in a balanced equation at EB’s Focus Factories. “The main focus of my project was quality, so it was a big surprise that I won a Supply Chain Excellence Award coming from the quality organization. I’m super proud of that,” said Bob.
Given to the highest-scoring presentation, the Peer Choice Award is left in the hands of audience members, who following each presentation, completed a questionnaire scoring the projects. The audience scored the projects on overall content, how they were presented and delivery of the presenter. Bob’s project was the top choice, and he scored a second win with the Peer Choice Award.
  ​Back Row, L-R: Judy Ruthko, Jeff Doyon, Bob Rasmussen, Joe Weber and Graeme Archer. Front Row, L-R: Erin Howe, Jessica Butts and Beth Rafferty.
