Starr Award

Recognizing Excellence in the Production and Operations Management Practice

The Martin K. Starr Excellence in Production and Operations Management Practice Award has been instituted by the Production and Operations Management Society (POMS) to recognize contributions made to the field of Production and Operations Management (POM) by POM practitioners. The award is based on exceptional quality of contributions to the POM field and is presented to an individual who has done an exceptional job in making advances in the practice of POM, promoting the profession, making an impact, and building a linkage between industry and academics. These contributions are not restricted to a single organization and may span time spent at several organizations during the career of the candidate. The cumulative contributions made by the candidate during his/her career are evaluated. It is an international award and is open to all POM practitioners from around the world. It is POMS’ most prestigious award to recognize a practitioner and industry leader. The award is presented every year at the POMS annual conference.

The POMS’ Board in its annual meeting held on April 28, 2006 in Boston, U.S.A., unanimously approved that the award be named after Dr. Martin K. Starr. The POMS’ Board in its deliberations noted that Dr. Starr has contributed to POMS and its activities since its inception and has been a constant source of guidance and inspiration to POMS. Naming this award after him is indeed a great recognition of his services to the POM profession in general and the POM Society in particular.

The first four recipients of the award are:

2009: Ms. Erin J. Wallace
2008: Dr. Dino Petrarolo
2007: Dr. Corey A. Billington
2006: Mr. Lee Cockerell

All four recipients are the most esteemed members of the POM field. Ms. Erin J. Wallace serves as Senior Vice President of Operations Integration Line of Business for Walt Disney Parks & Resorts®. Dr. Dino Petrarolo is the Managing Director at Shatterprufe, South Africa’s Automotive Glass Manufacturer; and prior to his current position, Dr. Petrarolo served as the Global Head of Manufacturing Development, SABMiller plc, Sandton, South Africa. Dr. Corey Billington, recently returned to the world of Academia as Professor of Operation Management and Procurement at IMD in Lausanne, Switzerland after having worked as Senior Vice President for Hewlett Packard (HP). Mr. Lee Cockerell is a consultant, author, and speaker, now retired as the Executive Vice President of Operations for the Walt Disney World® Company.