Steven M. Ouellette

Steve is President of The ROI Alliance, LLC, a Colorado-based consulting firm. He has extensive experience implementing the systems that allow companies and organizations to achieve performance excellence, as well as teaching Master's-level students the tools used in PE. For many years, he was one of Quality Digest's most popular authors, writing a monthly column called "The Six Sigma Heretic" as well as authoring a number of other articles. He is the co-editor of "Business Performance Excellence" with Dr. Jeffrey Luftig and the author of "Galileo's Telescope: How to Create Integrated Metrics And a Realistic Strategic Plan Across a Business" and "Data-Driven Leadership, Empowering Managers with Statistical Insights." He also holds a teaching black belt in aikido, a non-violent martial art.

Steve earned his undergraduate degree in Metallurgical and Materials Science Engineering at the Colorado School of Mines. He also earned a minor in the Guy T. McBride Honors Program in Public Affairs for Engineers. After graduation, he was honored with a Thomas J. Watson Fellowship and spent a year in Europe studying the “Evolution, Fabrication, and Social Impact of the European Sword.”

Upon completion of the Fellowship, he began working for ALCOA and achieved the rank of Senior Metallurgical Engineer.

During his time at ALCOA, he was educated in the Quality Sciences by Luftig & Warren International (LWI). Eventually, Steve joined LWI and worked there for six years in a variety of industries, including primary metals extraction and manufacture, baking, distribution, assembly, and auto parts manufacturing, among others. During this time, he became an expert in both the application and teaching of a number of advanced business and statistical tools. He was principal in developing the Six Sigma materials for LWI. He has held an ASQ Certified Quality Engineer and Certified Quality Auditor, and received a Six Sigma Black Belt from Motorola University and a Six Sigma Master Black Belt from LWI.

Steve earned his Masters of Engineering from the Lockheed-Martin Engineering Management Program at the University of Colorado Boulder, and was the first of its alumni to teach there.