The Houston Planning Forum has extended an invitation to the Harvard Business 
School Club of Houston to their Holiday Luncheon and Social Mixer.? Please 
come early to enjoy complimentary hors d'oeuvres and holiday beverages before 
lunch.

PROGRAM DETAILS
Date:?????? Wednesday, December 20, 2000
Place:????? The Courtyard on St. James Place, 1885 St. James Place
Time:?????? 11:30 am - 1:30 pm
Speaker:? Gretchen Gemeinhardt, Ph.D., Senior Consultant at American 
Productivity & Quality Center
Topic:????? Utilizing Best Practices and Knowledge Management for Continuous 
Improvement

Using a proven approach to benchmarking, organizations can realize both 
tangible and intangible returns from its benchmarking activities.? At the 
December presentation, Gretchen Gemeinhardt will discuss using benchmarking 
as a tool to drive strategic and operational improvement.

Gretchen Gemeinhardt, senior consultant with the American Productivity & 
Quality Center (APQC), is responsible for planning, managing and performing 
individual and consortium studies and conducting needs assessments for 
educational and business organizations.? APQC, a world-renowned Houston-based 
resource for process and performance improvement, works with organizations to 
improve productivity and quality by using benchmarking, best practices, 
knowledge management, and other continuous improvement methods to adapt to 
rapidly changing environments, build new and better ways to work, and succeed 
in a competitive marketplace.

Prior to joining APQC, Dr. Gemeinhardt worked as management consultant 
serving health care and nonprofit organizations and worked closely with 
organizations implementing new programs and identifying new market 
opportunities.? She also managed several nonprofit organizations.? Most 
recently, she served as executive director of a nonprofit conflict resolution 
and mediation services organization.

Currently, Dr. Gemeinhardt is a visiting assistant professor at Texas Woman's 
University in the Department of Healthcare Administration.? Gretchen has also 
been a member of the business faculty of Rice University and the University 
of Houston.? Dr. Gemeinhardt has authored numerous articles and has presented 
at conferences in the United States.? Gretchen serves as an examiner for the 
Texas Quality Award.

Gretchen received her Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior and Management and MBA 
from the University of Houston and a Bachelor of Art from Hamilton College in 
Psychology and English. 
======================
RESERVATIONS REQUIRED
Reservations accepted until noon on Monday, December 18, 2000.
Pre-payment by credit card is required.? Credit cards will be charged for 
no-shows.

Leave following information on the HPF voice mail (713/908-0211), fax to 
281/424-4770, or e-mail dottie@kerr-solutions.com.

Member Name:
Company:
Phone:
Guest Name:
Members: $25???? Guests: $35
Payment:? Credit Card Only (Visa, MC, AMEX)?????????? 
Card Number:
Exp Date:
********************************
Membership.? The Forum would like to welcome Charles Beck, Director of 
Business Development at Brookwoods Group and Elizabeth Tobola, Strategic 
Sourcing & Staffing at Williams Gas Pipeline-Transco as new members.? We 
would also like to thank the following HPF members who have renewed their 
memberships for 2001:? Thomas R. Coneybeer, Ralph D'Onofrio, Gilbert A. 
Herrera, Brian P. Laporte, Ellen M. Shannon, and Kenneth M. Williams.
********************************
Meeting Location.? The Houston Planning Forum meetings are held at The 
Courtyard on St. James Place, located at 1885 St. James Place (off San Felipe 
between Sage and Chimney Rock).? Bring a guest to the December meeting and 
experience Houston,s premiere establishment for great meetings and superb 
food.? Free self parking available.
********************************
Upcoming Events: The Houston Planning Forum meetings are held monthly on the 
third Wednesdays from 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.? Make plans to attend the 
following upcoming events:

January 17, 2001 - Robert Shaw, CEO of Emerging; Topic: Strategies in 
Creating a Successful Start-up Company - A Post-April 2000 Perspective

February 21, 2001 - Osama Mikhail, Chief Strategic Officer, St. Luke,s Health 
Systems
********************************
Sponsorships Available.? Your firm can become a corporate sponsor for one 
year for only $500.? Sponsors are recognized at each meeting, monthly 
newsletter and HPF website.? Call Ken Williams today at 713/652-7560 for more 
information.
********************************

1999-2000 OFFICERS
Maury Sklar (President/CEO)
Halliburton Company
(713) 676-8554

Raymond Budde (Executive VP)
Signase, Inc.
(713) 792-3780

Victor Elgohary (CFO)
V.S. Elgohary & Associates
(713) 410-0743

John Skiffington (VP Membership)
Shell Chemical
(713) 241-9369

Martin Monroe (Membership Committee Chair)
Relativistic Solutions, Inc.
(281) 493-9418

Monty Boyle (VP Programs)
Cap Gemini
(713) 307-8345

Luiz Da Rocha (Programs)
Arthur Andersen LLP
(713) 237-5015

DIRECTORS
Kenneth Williams - Sponsorship
Frost Bank
(713) 652-7560

P.K. George - Director
Texaco, Inc.
(713) 432-2272

George Grimm - Director
G.W. Grimm Associates
(713) 880-4553

Arthur Penny - Director
Pilko & Associates
(281) 875-3700

James Sowers - Director
Towers Perrin
(713) 754-5409

SPONSORS
Frost Bank? *? G.W. Grimm Associates
Halliburton Company? *? Texaco? *? Towers Perrin

Dottie Kerr (dottie@kerr-solutions.com)
Administrator for Houston Planning Forum
http://www.houstonplanningforum.org/
Voice mail: 713-908-0211