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PROLOGUE

In 1998 the Logistics Center published its reinvention cookbook, A Taste of Reinvention, Sizzling Change Recipes from the Heartland. At the time the cookbook was an interesting novelty. Government Executive Magazine wrote a short blurb about our creative venture. Thousands of copies were handed out, and hundreds more were requested by people interested in its content. Our Internet site took numerous hits as those interested in reinvention perused its recipes.

Although we touted it as a serious guide to reinvention, the primary interest in the recipe book was in the clever way we approached various reinvention issues. Little did most readers know that the recipe book indeed was a very specific set of instructions regarding how to achieve a serious, accelerated organizational and performance change. The cookbook was written two years into the Logistics Center's change journey. Two years later, the Logistics Center has achieved a private sector-like turn around.

This year the Logistics Center is a year 2000 President's Quality Award Program-Merit Award winner. We won the first time we applied. We are also ISO 9002 certified. Our performance has improved radically. We went from having virtually no measures, to having measures that show we may be the best in the government in our field in several performance categories.

Our message is not how well we did. Certainly, we are proud of our accomplishments. Our message is that our accomplishments are replicable in any federal or private sector organization. The recipe for success is spelled out in this cookbook. We do not pretend to have the patent on making effective changes. We do believe we are one of the few organizations that can lay claim to a four-year turn around. If you are interested in achieving the same thing, you will probably have an interest in our successful formula.

We have reprinted the old cookbook with its original recipes and have added updates that will give you a taste of what we've been up to since the original publication date. In addition, we have added a couple of new sections.

Once again, Bon appetit!!
July 2000

Norman Bowles
FAA Logistics Center Program Director

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