Books by Terra Vanzant Stern
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Terra Vanzant Stern

Terra Vanzant Stern

Terra Vanzant-Stern, PhD, PMP, SPHR/GPHR, is a Six Sigma Master Black Belt and CEO of SSD Global Solutions, Inc. (Smart Simple Decision Making). She is an expert in Lean Six Sigma, process improvement, problem solving, and leadership with several published books, including Lean Six Sigma: International Standards and Global Guidelines and Leaner Six Sigma – Making Lean Six Sigma Easier and Adaptable to Current Workplaces. Her work also extends to Design Thinking and Employee Engagement, where she offers training and certification as an Employee Engagement Coach.

Dr. Stern is a USAF veteran and holds multiple professional certifications including PMP, SPHR, GPHR, and Quality Engineer. She has served on non-profit boards such as the Project Management Institute (PMI) and the Colorado Lean Network (CLN). Her industry experience includes executive coaching, facilitation, and leading Kaizen rapid improvement events for organizations like Tennessee Valley Authority and Southern California Edison.

She has contributed to academic program development at institutions like George Washington University and Metropolitan State University, where her Lean Six Sigma book is used as a course text. Formerly, she has held leadership roles including Chair of the ASQ Lean Enterprise Division and Strategy Chair of the Colorado Human Resource Association.

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ENERGY in Motion: Applying Lean Six Sigma to the Nuclear Energy Industry

ENERGY in Motion:
Applying Lean Six Sigma to the Nuclear Energy Industry
Terra Vanzant Stern, PhD

The use of nuclear energy ensures smooth operations while guaranteeing that energy levels are supplied without any carbon emissions. This makes it one of the best energy sources in the world today. As nuclear energy advances, Lean Six Sigma tools can...

Leaner Manufacturing: How to Make the Lean Production Process Easier, Faster, and More Cost-Effective.

Lean Manufacturing, the production method first popularized by Toyota, has often been reduced to charts and tools by many US manufactures -- they’ve abandoned the original intent of the methodology. Many of the concepts and theories have becomes misconstrued, but systems such as Kanban (a Japanese concept used in Just-in-Time manufacturing) and...

THE PARADOX OF CORPORATE DARWINISM: WHY THE FITTEST DON’T ALWAYS SURVIVE IN CORPORATE AMERICA

CEOs often say “People are our most important asset,” yet companies frequently hesitate to invest in professional education, in-house consulting or internal entrepreneurism. Leadership training is often overlooked as well as change management and teambuilding. This book, based on a dissertation, suggests that without career guidance and personal...