How We Work — and What We Offer
How We Work — and What We Offer
About Jesse Stevenson
I spent 28 years in the U.S. Coast Guard — 15 years enlisted, rising to Chief Petty Officer, before attending Officer Candidate School and retiring as a Lieutenant Commander. That arc taught me something that has shaped everything I've done since: real credibility is earned from the ground up, not handed down from a title.
When I discovered quality and continuous improvement late in my military career, it clicked immediately. Not because it was theoretical — but because it was practical. It was a disciplined way of looking at any process, asking honest questions about what wasn't working, and fixing it systematically. That's the same mindset I carried through 28 years of service.
Since retiring from the Coast Guard, I've spent over a decade teaching quality and continuous improvement — to university students, industry professionals, and everyone in between. I've also served as a Quality Director and Process Analyst, leading organizations through ISO 9001 audits, Six Sigma projects, and real, measurable change. One of the things I've learned is that organizations rarely need more complexity — they need clarity. They need someone who will take the time to understand their situation before prescribing a solution. That's what J.S. Quality & Performance Improvement is built on: an honest assessment first, and training or consulting that's sized to what you actually need.
Credentials & Recognition
• ASQ Certified Six Sigma Black Belt
• ASQ Certified Manager of Quality/Organizational Excellence
• ASQ Certified Quality Improvement Associate
• ASQ ConnEx Expert — qualified to teach Lean Six Sigma Yellow, Green, and Black Belt; Root Cause Analysis; and Quality 101
• Master's Degree in Quality Systems Management, National Graduate School
• Master of Business Administration (MBA), McKendree University
• Bachelor's Degree, Industrial Technology, Southern Illinois University Carbondale
• Illinois Performance Excellence Examiner (state-level Baldrige program)
• Waldo A. Vezeau Award for Technical Achievement — ASQ St. Louis Section
• 2018 Adjunct Professor of the Year — Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
• Instruction experience: SIU Carbondale, SIUE, Harris-Stowe State University, St. Louis Community College, and industry
If you're trying to figure out where to start with quality or process improvement, I'm happy to have that conversation — no pressure, no pitch, just an honest look at where you are and what might help.