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About Us

Our Philosophy:

The company name viaSim comes from the phrase “learning via simulation”.  People learn best by doing, and computer models and simulations are the best approach when the issues cannot be easily constructed in a physical model.  This is especially true for simulating large-scale corporate and market dynamics, management decision making and policy design, and multi-organization product development and value chain processes.  Through computer simulation, we can learn more about the underlying dynamics, “drivers,” and “leverage points” in our complex business processes and, as a result, increase our understanding.  Increased understanding leads to better decisions and actions, which lead to better results.

Key Personnel:

J. Chris White

Mr. White is a Certified Six Sigma Lean Master Black Belt (MBB) and Certified Quality Manager (CQM) and leads the system dynamics (SD) and other modeling and simulation efforts at viaSim. Prior to this role, he was Vice President of Operational Risk Management at Bank of America where he developed models and simulations to help the bank understand the short-term and long-term risks associated with various strategic decisions, such as outsourcing and major reductions in workforce. He also worked as a Program Manager in charge of all web development and Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) program efforts at a small technical firm in the Dallas-Ft. Worth (DFW) area that performed engineering functions for highly specialized Department of Defense (DoD) agencies. The web-based efforts created program management extranets for several military program offices that allowed users to perform a variety of collaboration activities.

Before this company, Mr. White worked several years as Director of Program Management at a small software development and consulting firm in the Washington DC area where he worked with Robert Sholtes (below) to develop several management simulation tools for the defense acquisition community under the SBIR program and commercial ventures.  These tools covered design, production management, project management, and operations and support (O&S) of military weapon systems, as well as personnel and supply chain management.  Several of the Phase I SBIR efforts advanced to Phase II and two (2) even progressed to Phase III commercialization efforts.  Mr. White was responsible for $4M in contracts that applied these simulation tools to military weapon system programs, including the U.S. Coast Guard Deepwater Project, the U.S. Navy P-3C Orion, the U.S. Navy LPD-17 and Aegis shipbuilding programs, and several U.S. Marine Corps land-based weapon programs, to increase the management skills of program managers and reduce total ownership cost.  In this role, Mr. White also developed curriculum for simulation-based training classes and delivered the training.  The approach to developing these simulation tools is similar to the approach used by viaSim.  Small models were created to form the building block elements of a high-level modeling tool.  Thus, Mr. White has extensive experience working with Mr. Sholtes to develop simulation tools geared at improving management of complex systems.

Before joining the company in Washington DC, Mr. White moved from Systems Engineer to Manager of Total Quality Management (TQM) at a large defense contractor in the DFW area and then worked as Manager of Process Improvements at a telecommunications equipment manufacturer in the DFW area.  In all positions, he developed the company’s capabilities in modeling and simulating complex business processes, with a focus on project management and order fulfillment, and conducted training on various TQM related subjects.

Mr. White holds a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1990) and a M.S. in Engineering Management from the University of Michigan (1992).  He has published one textbook, Strategic Quality Management (Dame Publishing, 1998), and two workbooks, System Dynamics in Business (Quality Press, 1998) and Process Improvement Through Modeling and Simulation (Quality Press, 1997).  He has also published numerous articles in the fields of simulation, TQM, leadership, project management, and strategic management.