Ian W. Hannah (1939-2025)

Fellow of the Chartered Quality Institute and Senior Member of the American Society for Quality; Founder of the Scottish Quality Management Centre.

Prior to Ian W. Hannah passing away peacefully this month, he told his son Malcolm he was satisfied with his life: "I lived much more in the first 40 years of my life than most people get to in 100."

To the world of Quality Management, Ian was a pioneer and a mentor. To his family, he was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather. To his colleagues and students, he was a teacher, encourager, and friend. To everyone who knew him, he was, simply, a gentleman.

A Life of Humble Beginnings

Born in Glasgow in 1939, just two months before the outbreak of World War II, Ian grew up in the bustling tenements of Kingston. He often joked that the war starting right after his arrival was “not his fault.”

Life there was tough but full of character — the sort of childhood that produced resilience, a sharp wit, and a lifelong sense of perspective. He left school on a Friday and started work the following Monday at Scottish Cables in Renfrew. While working, he studied at Reid Kerr College in Paisley, gaining engineering qualifications that would open doors far beyond Glasgow.

From Scotland to the World

In the 1960s, Ian and his beloved wife Janey moved first to London, then to Canada and the USA. His work with companies such as Northern Electric, Phillip’s Cables, and Brand Rex placed him at the forefront of a rapidly growing telecommunications industry, just as the world’s demand for telephone and fibre optic cables was exploding.

It was in Vancouver that Ian was unexpectedly appointed “corporate quality manager” after his boss asked what he knew about quality. His famous reply: “Well, I can spell it — that’s about all.” Within weeks, he was learning on the job and finding himself drawn into the world of quality.

A Defining Moment: Apollo 1

In January 1967, Ian attended a week-long American Society for Quality Control course in Anaheim, California. At that stage, he remained somewhat sceptical about quality control, treating it as another management fad.

Midway through the course, devastating news broke: Apollo 1 astronauts Gus Grissom, Ed White, and Roger Chaffee had died in a cabin fire during a launch rehearsal. Among Ian’s fellow delegates were NASA supply chain engineers. He never forgot the shock and grief that overcame them when they learned their colleagues had perished as a result of a quality failure.

That moment transformed Ian. He later reflected that he saw in those engineers’ faces the human cost of neglecting quality. No longer was it a matter of statistics, checklists, or procedures. Quality was about people’s lives, livelihoods, and futures.

From that day, he determined to dedicate his career to championing quality with passion, humility, and integrity. As he himself later put it:

“It was then I realised just how important quality was, and I was determined to learn as much as possible.”

That week in California reshaped his life’s mission — and through it, countless others would benefit.

Teaching, Mentoring, and SQMC

Returning to Scotland in 1972, Ian played a pivotal role in establishing a new manufacturing plant in Glenrothes. The company he worked for, Brand Rex, had been weighing up locations, and it was Ian — a fervent patriot — who successfully persuaded them to invest in Scotland. The decision brought with it not just a factory, but a wealth of skilled jobs for his fellow Scots — something Ian took quiet pride in for the rest of his life.

His reputation as a leader in quality and manufacturing soon attracted attention from other industries. Such was the esteem in which he was held that he was headhunted by Tannoy, the world-famous loudspeaker manufacturer, to become their Group Quality Manager. He commuted daily to Coatbridge, bringing the same blend of rigour, innovation, and humanity that became his trademark.

At the same time, Ian began teaching evening classes at Glenrothes and Buckhaven Technical College where he discovered a gift for teaching, before taking a role as a lecturer and Depute Head at the college's Centre for Industrial Studies. Later, he gained a formal teaching qualification from Jordanhill College of Education and moved into full-time education, where his influence would multiply many times over.

By the mid-1980s he had joined West Lothian College as Assistant Principal, and then Stirling University, where he founded the Scottish Quality Management Centre (SQMC). There, he developed and launched the UK’s first Master’s Degree in Quality Management — a bold innovation that earned ‘Centre of Excellence’ status from the Institute of Quality Assurance.

When funding cuts threatened SQMC’s closure in 1998, Ian acted with characteristic foresight and courage. He transformed the centre into a private company, SQMC Ltd., preserving its accreditations and its mission. This ensured that the organisation he built would continue to support industry in Quality, Environmental, and Health & Safety management. SQMC continues to create the nation's next generations of Quality professionals, today, under the leadership of his son Kenny.

An International Voice

Ian’s expertise and reputation took him around the globe. He was flown to conferences across Europe and the Americas, often sharing the stage with some of the most iconic figures in the Quality profession.

On one occasion, he even walked Dr. Josef Juran — one of the founding fathers of modern quality management — back to his London hotel, using the time to run new ideas past him. That mix of humility, initiative, and lifelong curiosity was typical of Ian.

From Boston to Warsaw, from Reykjavik to Milan, he left his mark not just through lectures and papers, but through personal connection. As one colleague wrote:

“For nearly thirty years, Ian was my mentor, my compass, and my quiet lighthouse in the stormy seas of quality management. He didn’t just teach systems — he embodied them.”

The Man Behind the Mission

Those who knew Ian remember not only his professional achievements, but his warmth, humour, and humanity.

“He was a gentleman 🥰 I loved chatting with him and hearing his stories. The jokes were corny but he loved to tell them, and he always made us laugh.”

“Ian taught me all I know. He was an amazing man.”

“Ian gave so much to so many. He leaves a huge legacy in terms of his contribution to the world of quality management.”

From colleagues at Caterpillar to protégés in Australia, from students nervously attending their first class to seasoned professionals who built careers on his encouragement, Ian touched lives everywhere he went.

“Sorry for your loss Kenny, he touched so many people’s lives over his lifetime. You will always be proud of not only his achievements but as a family man as well.”

Anchored by Faith

In the early 1970s, while living in Vancouver, Ian heard and embraced the Gospel and was 'born again'. His faith in Jesus was genuine and central to his life. It shaped the way he conducted business, how he treated people, and how he faced his final illness — with peace and hope.

As one colleague wrote:

“We don’t sorrow as those without hope, because we have the blessed hope that one day we will be with the risen Christ — as Ian now is.”

Family and Legacy

Ian is survived by his beloved wife Janey, their three sons Neil, Malcolm, and Kenny, and a wider family who adored him.

He leaves behind more than institutions, publications, or accreditations. His true legacy is the thousands of students, colleagues, and friends who carry forward not only what he taught, but how he lived — with humility, kindness, humour, and faith.

“If our purpose in living is to make a difference, then Ian’s contribution was both noteworthy and effective.”

Ian W. Hannah made a difference. His life touched the world, and his memory will continue to inspire.