Executive Director
David Hutton is committed to whistleblower protection as a means of safeguarding the public interest and the integrity of our institutions. He is a knowledgeable commentator and sought-after public speaker on the subject of transparency and accountability, and the vital role played by honest employees who speak out about misconduct.
David is also an author and former management consultant, recognized as an expert in management systems and organizational change. During his career he served as a senior executive in industry, led a successful consulting practice for 20 years, worked with clients around the world, and published two authoritative books on quality management that have been published, translated and distributed on four continents.
In 2005 he became concerned about growing corruption in Canada and decided to volunteer some of his time to help combat this. He joined FAIR, soon assumed a leadership role, and retired from his consulting practice in order to focus on this work. In May 2008 he was formally appointed Executive Director.
Management Background
David Hutton has extensive experience of applying quality improvement methods – as an engineer, as a manager and as a senior executive. He specialized in the use of Baldrige-style organizational assessments to drive continuous improvement; and the process of managing change. He is also a Fellow of the American Society for Quality and the author of two authoritative books in his field.
A Pioneer in Organizational Assessment
Since 1990 David focused on the assessment process, and was responsible for more than a hundred organizational assessments and related assignments. He also has in-depth knowledge of the awards systems from which modern business excellence assessment methodologies are derived.
He served for eight years as a Senior Examiner for the Canada Awards for Excellence, the Canadian equivalent of Baldrige (administered by the National Quality Institute). He also participated in the design of the award criteria, and chaired the committee of Lead Examiners which oversees the adjudication process.
A Successful Author
Hutton's most recent book "From Baldrige to the Bottom Line", published by ASQ Quality Press, is a comprehensive roadmap for using the assessment process to drive organizational change and improvement. His best-selling first book "The Change Agents' Handbook" is a practical guide to managing organizational change and for dealing with the personal challenges facing people who act as catalysts for change. These books are available from Amazon.com
Seasoned by Experience
Hutton's early career included 10 years with IBM in quality assurance of advanced product development projects. As Vice President of Corporate Quality for Mitel Corporation, he guided this international telecommunications equipment manufacturer to number one position in the industry in terms of overall customer satisfaction; and achieved dramatic improvements in operating performance.
Since founding his consulting practice in 1990, he worked with clients in North America, Europe, Australia, India and China - and in various sectors including service, manufacturing, high-technology, government and health care.
Recognized By Peers
In 1998 Hutton was elected a Fellow of the American Society for Quality. The citation reads:
"For outstanding leadership and a humanistic approach in promoting quality management principles and practices across Canada and internationally; and for exceptional professional contributions as a consultant and author in the field of quality management."