The American Society for Quality (ASQ), the world’s largest network of quality resources and experts, is proud to recognize the quality professionals who currently hold the most ASQ certifications. In total there are 11 individuals who currently hold 14 out of 18 ASQ certifications.

• Muralidhar Audipudy, Round Lake, IL

• Mahlon Cashman, Westfield, MA

• Sheldon Dummer, Grayslake, IL

• Peter Ganavazos, Fort Lauderdale, FL

• Rajinder Kapur, Troy, MI

• John Lee, Sandy, UT

• Yeo Leong, Singapore

• William Meyer, O’Fallon, MT

• Francois Pageau, Le Gardeur, Quebec, Canada

• Kevin Quigg, Carol Stream, IL

• Michael Young, Neosho, MT

Since 1968, when the first ASQ certification exam was given, more than 170,000 individuals have taken the path to reaching their goal of becoming ASQ-certified in their field or profession. To learn more about ASQ’s certifications, visit http://www.asq.org/certification/index.html.

William Meyer, a quality specialist at The Boeing Company, is one ASQ member who has seen a distinct advantage to obtaining ASQ certifications. He is an ASQ Certified Biomedical Auditor, Calibration Technician, Six Sigma Green Belt, Quality Inspector, Quality Auditor, Quality Engineer, Quality Improvement Associate, Quality Process Analyst, Quality Technician, Reliability Engineer, Software Quality Engineer, Six Sigma Black Belt, HACCP Auditor, and Manager of Quality/Organizational Excellence.

"Working to attain my ASQ certifications has put me on a path of success," says Meyer. "Not only did I receive peer recognition, but recognition from my employer. My knowledge base has expanded and I feel more confident than ever of my skills in today’s employment landscape."

"ASQ provides certification as a way to provide formal recognition to professionals who have demonstrated an understanding of, and a commitment to, quality techniques and practices in their job and career," explains Paul Borawski, ASQ executive director and chief strategic officer. "This is a great accomplishment and represents a high level of peer recognition."

Salary Survey Shows Certification Advantage

ASQ’s 2009 Salary Survey shows 57.8 percent of respondents stating that they have at least one ASQ certification. While certifications and training allow quality professionals to gain new skills and proficiencies, evidence shows that these items can also greatly increase a quality professional’s earning potential.

Managers who are ASQ Certified Managers of Quality/Organizational Excellence reported they earn a higher average salary than their counterparts without this certification. In the United States, the difference is $9,551. In Canada, the difference is $7,742.

The top ASQ certifications held are ASQ Certified Quality Auditor (CQA) and ASQ Certified Quality Engineer (CQE).

Respondents who completed one or more Six Sigma training programs report average earnings of $12,456 more than those who didn’t.