About Alan Ichikawa – Leadership Rooted in Faith and Performance Excellence
I help leaders align strategy, faith, and execution to create meaningful impact. With decades of experience in organizational effectiveness and purpose-driven leadership, I bring clarity, trust, and transformation to teams and missions that matter.
Golden Hills Community Church
To me, leadership and faith are inseparable — when guided by both, excellence becomes a way to serve people and purpose. As a founding member of Golden Hills Community Church, I played an instrumental role in its growth to 4,000 attendees, helping build the church’s mission and vision from the ground up. I led strategic planning initiatives, developed leadership programs, and guided the church through a period of significant expansion. Over the years, I served as Elder and Church Chairman, ensuring that the church’s leadership remained aligned with its mission while fostering a strong community impact.
MAP International
At MAP International, I served on the Board of Directors for six years, as Corporate Secretary and Chair of the Board Development and Strategic Planning Workgroup, aligning vision and execution for global impact.
The Dow Chemical Company
At Dow Chemical, I held key roles in engineering, research, manufacturing, IT, quality, training, and Human Resources, driving change initiatives that improved both system performance and organizational effectiveness. I spearheaded company-wide Six Sigma initiatives and Baldrige-based assessments, significantly enhancing operational reliability and productivity.
My guiding principle remains consistent: Leadership rooted in faith is the most sustainable form of excellence.
Baldrige Performance Excellence Leadership
In addition to my roles in organizational effectiveness, I have dedicated over two decades to advancing performance excellence through the Baldrige Performance Excellence Program. My leadership spans national, state, and regional levels, where I’ve helped organizations improve their results, strengthen evaluation systems, and pursue excellence with integrity.
California Council for Excellence & CAPE
As Ethics Chair of the California Council for Excellence (2016–2023), I helped ensure the state’s performance awards were grounded in the highest ethical standards. I also led California Award for Performance Excellence (CAPE) as Chair (2014–2016), promoting excellence across sectors including manufacturing, healthcare, education, and nonprofits. From 2010 to 2014, I served as a CAPE Judge and chaired the CAPE Judges Program, evaluating top-performing organizations statewide.
Baldrige Examiner & Trainer
I served as a senior examiner and team leader on national Baldrige examination teams, providing feedback and insight to organizations working to improve their performance across a wide range of industries. As a trainer, I helped equip new examiners with the tools and mindset required to identify and strengthen excellence.
Michigan Quality Council
As an Examiner, Trainer, and Trustee with the Michigan Quality Council (2000–2007), I supported organizations across the state in strengthening their performance. I helped improve examiner teams, identified improvement opportunities, and guided Michigan-based organizations in applying performance excellence principles to achieve meaningful results.
The Dow Chemical Company
At Dow (2002–2004), I developed a corporate Baldrige-based performance excellence program that was implemented across all global business units and corporate functions. I led enterprise-level training programs and supported teams in applying and sustaining the Baldrige framework to drive innovation, strategic alignment, and operational excellence across the organization.
Why I Do This Work
My consulting practice is grounded in both experience and purpose. I’m committed to helping leaders and organizations pursue excellence—not just in performance, but in values, service, and long-term impact. I believe that leadership rooted in integrity, clarity, and faith creates sustainable results and healthier teams.
This work allows me to bring together what I’ve learned across industries, roles, and frameworks—from Fortune 100 companies to local nonprofits. It’s about equipping others to lead well, grow wisely, and serve with purpose.
