Akao Prize for QFD

In 1996, Dr. Yoji Akao, co-founder of QFD, convinced that the substantial evolution and contribution of QFD world wide merited recognition of those who had made it possible, agreed to the creation of a Prize in his honor.

The Akao Prize is now awarded to individuals around the world who have demonstrated Excellence in their practice and dissemination of QFD for many years. Taken into consideration are research, authorship, teaching, practical applications, and personal commitment and service to the QFD community world wide including participation in and presentation at the International Symposium on QFD. Dr. Akao requested the QFD Institute administer the Prize.

Selection follows the model of the Deming Prize, whereby candidates are proposed by a committee of Dr. Akao, the Executive Director of the QFD Institute, and past Prize recipients.

The Akao Prize is presented by Dr. Akao and the Executive Director of the QFD Institute annually at the International Symposium on QFD.

1996:	Bob King (USA) Larry Sullivan (USA) Tadashi Yoshizawa, Ph.D. (Japan)
1997:	Robert M. Adams (USA) Don Clausing, Ph.D. (USA) Alberto Galgano (Itlay) Hisakazu Shindo, Ph.D. (Japan)
1998:	Bo Bergman, Ph.D. (Sweden) Glenn H. Mazur (USA) Tadashi Ohfuji (Japan) Richard E. Zultner (USA)
1999:	Michiteru Ono (Japan) Anders Gustafsson, Ph.D. (Sweden) John Terninko, Ph.D. (USA) Jack ReVelle, Ph.D. (USA)
2000:	Kozo Koura, Ph.D. (Japan) Georg Herzwurm, Ph.D. (Germany) Dilworth Lyman (USA)
2001:	Noriharu Kaneko (Japan) Akashi Fukuhara (Japan) Satoshi "Cha" Nakui (Japan) Thomas Fehlmann, Ph.D. (Sweitzerland)
2002:	Atsushi Ootaki, Ph.D (Japan) Robert A. Hunt, Ph.D. (Australia) Ian A. Ferguson (UK)
2003:	Harold Ross (USA) Tomoyoshi Naoi, Ph.D. (Japan)
2004:	Koji Tanaka (Japan)
2005:	Fatih Yenginol, Ph.D. (Turkey) Yasuhisa Tsuda, Ph.D. (Japan)
2006:	Verónica González Bosch (Mexico) Toshiyuki Mochimoto, Ph.D. (Japan)
2007:	Thomas Saaty, Ph.D. (USA)