Picture 1 (Six Sigma Graduation 2014 #2): Front row:

Brigadier General Elton Lewis (far left), Senator-Elect

Novelle Francis, Jr. (second from left), JFL CEO Dr.
Kendall M. Griffith (third from left) and Six Sigma
graduates at the Gov. Juan F Luis Hospital & Medical
Center at the VICC on Friday, November 7, 2014

November 15, 2014--19

JFL CERTIFIES 55 HOSPITAL EMPLOYEES & 11
FROM VI PUBLIC & PRIVATE SECTORS IN SIX SIGMA
BUSINESS STRATEGY
~JFL Continuing Reform & Hospital Culture Change
Towards Greater Efficiencies~
On Friday, Dr. Kendall M. Griffith, CEO of the Gov.
Juan F. Luis Hospital and Medical Center was pleased to
congratulate 55 Hospital employees and 11 individuals

from the VI public and private sectors who completed

coursework at JFL in Six Sigma business strategy
certification. The graduation ceremony was held at the
Virgin Islands Cardiac Center on St. Croix.
Griffith acknowledged the importance of providing
employees with trainings and other opportunities to help
improve Hospital procedures. He stated, "Central to every
organization is its ability to continuously and strategically
analyze its methods to bring about the highest and best
use of available resources and personnel. Today's
graduates have taken an important step in learning new
models of management that will help to further transform
JFL's infrastructure and overall strategic development."
He continued, "It is for this reason that we decided to
make the Six Sigma certification training available to the
greater community. At JFL, I frequently talk about a
revolution or culture change underway, one born of the
need for greater accountability, an increased focus on
customer service, and better financial controls. For
example, when we do something new for the first time,
some may say thats not how we do things here. But when
it is done enough and with the goal of creating positive
and sustainable change for all, it can become the way it is
done and a new culture is formed. The training in the Six
Sigma methodology is but one step that JFL is taking to
help create a new work dynamic that is more responsive
and more responsible to the people of this community."

Six Sigma is a methodology which consists of several

methods of analyzing company processes for flaws in
order to bring about greater efficiencies and
improvements. The methodology is one of the most
renowned business strategies known in the professional
world, consisting of highly statistically and data driven
methods. Six Sigma is also a hierarchy system, consisting
of Yellow, Green, and Black Belt levels.
The Yellow Belt is the first achievement in the Six
Sigma certification process; it is mainly for beginners who
are taking their first steps in learning the methodology.
The Green Belt represents the next level and the Black
Belt is the highest level.
The Six Sigma certification is available to Hospital
employees, as well as members of the public, private and
non-profit sectors.
Griffith indicated that the Six Sigma training is not
limited to managers or senior-level staff. "I encourage
Hospital employees and staff from other organizations
including individuals in business offices, policy staffers,
maintenance workers, materials management staff,
housekeeping, nursing, other medical staff and individuals
from across the work spectrum to pursue Six Sigma
certification. In fact, JFL employees from all of these areas
and others have graduated from this program. We are
very proud of our efforts in continuing to certify our staff in
Six Sigma and invite others to join in our culture change."

At Friday's ceremony, 4 employees graduated in Six

Sigma from the Virgin Islands National Guard, as well as 2
from VITEMA, 2 from the Bureau of Information
Technology, 2 from the VI Department of Labor and 1 from
DIAGEO USVI.
Of the 66 individuals who graduated with certifications
in Six Sigma on Friday, 35 now hold Yellow Belts and 31
now hold Green Belts. To date, 297 JFL employees have
been trained in Six Sigma.
CEO Griffith explained, "Each Six Sigma project follows
a defined sequence of steps and has specific targeted
goals, such as reducing costs, increasing customer
satisfaction, and increasing profits. Now more than ever,
JFL can benefit from implementing these concepts and
methodologies. In fact, one of our goals at JFL is for every
employee to be trained in the Six Sigma approach. The
result is a more efficient organization that is continuously
improving. This means better patient experiences,
increased pharmacy accuracy, and other clinical and
administrative improvement initiatives."
Brigadier General Elton Lewis, Director for the Virgin
Islands Territorial Emergency Management Agency
(VITEMA) was the keynote speaker for the graduation
ceremony. Lewis discussed the importance of cultivating
leadership skills within an organization. He stated, "We
have to keep in mind that once the methodologies have
been taught, implementation is key to future success.
When we take the time to train and learn new systems of

leadership and management, we invest in our future." He

continued, "The skills learned during the Six Sigma
training are some of the most desired executive leadership
tools in organizational management today. Graduates are
to be congratulated for their efforts and reminded to lean
on those principles to strengthen JFL and the greater
Virgin Islands community."
Senator-Elect Novelle Francis, Jr. also addressed the
graduation ceremony attendees on Friday. He applauded
JFL's Six Sigma program and encouraged graduates to
utilize the skills gained to collectively benefit their own true
potentials and to, in turn, benefit St. Croix and the Virgin
Islands.
The 66 graduates at Friday's Six Sigma ceremony
include:
Yellow Belts
Anesta Gore
Albert Bryan
Monique Casey
Sheena Powell
Luis J. Julian
Mayra Cirilo
Neidra Reid
Nicole Pacheco
Paula Henderson
Jacintha Stephens
Corlise Petersen
Chever Donaldson
Joanna Richardson
Dianne Bryan
Wanda Centeno
Colleen Liburd-Azubuike
Delia Prentice-Peter

Deletta Ebbessen
Latoya Petersen
Lindy Freeman
Ithlane Woodson
Maxine Bowery
Lorina Dyer
Beverly Andrews
Ruth Melendez
Sherise Williams
Elma Hunt
Devin Carrington Jr.
Myrna T. Roper
Jovelle Smithen
Ninafe Awong
Yolette Coley-Pickering
Shirley Chapman- Lewis
Keith A. James
Yvonne Ramsey
Green Belts
Jaime Cook
Gregory Magras
Lucita Phillip
Olivine Benjamin
Kenneth Alleyne
Mark Bough
Roger Moore
Allison De Gazon
Kaon Beharry
Dyma Williams
Sheena Powell
Ninafe Awong
Ruben Molloy
Daijae James
Albert Bryan
Cornelius Jn Baptiste
Joanna Jn Baptiste
Herrington Augustin
Antonya Williams
Janelle Rossington
Catherine Canton
Andrew Edwards
Laura Forbes
Malika Felix
Karen Garnette
Jelani Mathurin

Rael Sackey
Jacintha Stephens
Lori lei Plaskett
Joseph Bramble
Hannifer Britton-Barry

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