As President and CEO of the Foundation for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, it is an honor to present our year in review, and to reflect back on more than a decade of service to the Baldrige Foundation and Baldrige Enterprise.
As always, thanks to all the dedicated volunteers, examiners, judges, state program leaders and their Boards, as well as the Baldrige Program Staff, for another successful year filled with achievement and progress in pursuit of performance excellence. And to those in the greater Baldrige community—consultants, members of ASQ, and other Baldrige-based organizations such as the American Health Care Association—thanks for your continued support and collaboration.
On July 25, 2022, the U.S. Commerce Department and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) initiated a comprehensive, independent review to “reimagine” the Baldrige Program and help reshape the future of Baldrige. Many of us participated in focus groups, interviews, surveys, formal and informal briefings, and offered advice and assistance throughout the review. In February 2024, NIST announced the new Baldrige Award criteria and application were available on their website, with a goal of identifying and announcing new national role-model organizations in the fall of 2024.
At this year’s Quest for Excellence® conference we honor the first recipients using the new award process.
The 2024 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award winners are:
- Alamo Colleges District, (Texas)
- Chickasaw Nation Department of Health, (Oklahoma)
- The City of Henderson, (Nevada)
- Freese and Nichols Inc., (Texas)
- Northeast Delta Dental, (New Hampshire)
In addition to a successful awards cycle in 2024, the Baldrige Program also conducted another Executive Fellows program cycle, valuable training, and began the process of updating the Baldrige Framework. The Enterprise also orchestrated the Communities of Excellence and Baldrige Fall Conferences in Florida, a number of state and regional program conferences, and updated the Baldrige Alliance strategic plan to transform the Alliance for the future.
Collectively, the Baldrige Enterprise continued to work together as one team to ensure Baldrige remains, America’s best investment!
Reflecting back on the last decade, I would like to spend some time reviewing the accomplishments of the Foundation team and our partners. In 2014, we built the Foundation’s first Strategic Plan. It had four Strategic Imperatives: Advocacy, Fundraising, Board Development, and Foundation Operations. Organizational alignment was created by implementing our strategy, along with a disciplined budget process, and accountability. Our values, established by the full Board, remain to this day: Commitment to Continuous Improvement; Stewardship; Trust; and Visionary Leadership. Our Strategic Plan was concise, clear, and helped guide us through challenging times. To demonstrate our commitment to all stakeholders and “walk-the-talk” we drafted an organizational profile and submitted it to a Baldrige-based state program, The Partnership for Excellence (TPE). They provided us valuable feedback and awarded the Foundation with their “Spirit Award” for completing the first phase of their recognition process.
ADVOCACY
As a cost saving measure, Baldrige was eliminated from the Federal Budget in 2012. The Foundation provided funding for the Baldrige Program to keep operating, however, it was clear in 2014, that if Baldrige was not re-established in the Federal Budget the Foundation would soon run out of money. Enlisting the help of Bob Livingston, and The Livingston Group (TLG), we began the process of lobbying for Congressional support to restore the Program’s appropriation. After meeting with members of the Commerce, Justice, and Science Subcommittees on Appropriations in the House and Senate for over two years, in 2017 Baldrige was restored at 2.2 million annually. This was an historic achievement. No other program in the history of the U.S. Government had ever been restored in the Federal Budget after being out for such an extended period. In the following year, we also restored Baldrige in the President’s Budget request, and that solidified the Baldrige Program’s funding position within the Department of Commerce.
Attaining “Community” as the 7th Category of the Baldrige Awards was another historic achievement for the Baldrige Foundation and our advocacy efforts. Not since the addition of Health Care and Education in 1998 and the Nonprofit sector in 2005, had Baldrige expanded its award categories. The Baldrige Foundation continues to provide organizational and administrative support to Communities of Excellence 2026 and in FY2023 was again, the sole sponsor of the COE Criteria and Framework. We look forward to helping scale-up participation in communities nationwide and securing additional funding to help us drive success using the new “Community” Baldrige Excellence Framework. Since 2014, the Foundation has given COE2026 over $138,000.00 in funding assistance and Gift-in-Kind (GIK) services which includes sponsoring their Community Framework.
To support our advocacy efforts, we developed the Journal of Performance Excellence in 2017. The Journal showcases the Baldrige Enterprise’s achievements each year and serves as a valuable tool helping to tell our story in Congress, and with all our stakeholders.
The Foundation sends formal letters of congratulations to all national award winners, and state program highest-level award winners. We also send letters of congratulations to all award winners’ U.S. Senators, Congressional Representatives, and Governors, letting them know of their constituent’s achievements. This often results in them writing to their award recipients as well and congratulating them. We also send them copies of the JPE each year thanking them for their support. This disciplined process provides a comprehensive approach to maintaining legislative support for Baldrige.
Other ways in which the Foundation provides advocacy are through formal presentations at national and international conferences world-wide, state-based program conferences, and by attending key events each year in support of organizations such as: The American College of Health Care Executives (ACHE); the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME); The Business Transformation & Operational Excellence World Summit & Industry Awards (BTOES); the American Hospital Association (AHA); the American Health Care Association (AHCA); and many others.
Our advocacy efforts have helped us build tremendous grass roots support for Baldrige both at the state and national levels, and internationally as well. An example of our international success is the continued relationship with Tata Sons, in India. For more than a decade, Tata has supported Baldrige and the Foundation. They serve as a Mac Baldrige Society member, Institute trustee, and have had a seat on our Board of Directors to help provide us with important international perspectives on quality and performance excellence. Molly Baldrige and I have presented at their awards ceremony, and we continue to strengthen our relationship with them as the largest user of the Baldrige Framework, globally.
FUNDRAISING
The Foundation has completely transformed its fundraising from passive fundraising (waiting for people to donate) to a comprehensive fundraising strategy that includes a website presence, fundraising campaigns throughout the year, planned and estate giving, a full suite of social media options, Giving Tuesday engagements, major gift strategies, and endowment possibilities with naming rights to awards and the Institute. Our highest-level donors are recognized through membership in the Mac Baldrige Society, and serve as Trustees for the Institute for Performance Excellence. The Foundation attained and has maintained Platinum level accreditation through Candid (formerly GuideStar), which is their highest rating for transparency, attained by less than .1% of all charities nation-wide.
Since 2014, the Baldrige Foundation has raised over nine million dollars in donations and Gift-in-Kind (GIK) services, finished every year under the Board approved budget, and passed annual external audits, demonstrating our stewardship. Most notably, in 2019, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) sent an auditor to examine the Foundation in person for three full days. He was so impressed with our mission, and operational processes, he wrote us a commendable letter and asked for a copy of the Baldrige Framework to take back to the IRS for them to consider implementing!
Our success and resiliency has truly been remarkable, especially when you take into account the COVID-19 Pandemic and subsequent economic downturn, followed by the Baldrige Program re-design which essentially shutdown the Baldrige program for well over two years. Altogether, four of the past five years have been devastating for philanthropy in general across the U.S., and especially for the Foundation. Yet, thanks to the commitment of the Baldrige community, we have weathered these turbulent times together and look forward to a brilliant future.
Lastly, a special thanks to Mid-America Transplant (CEOs Diane Brockmeier and Kevin Lee) and MidwayUSA (Larry and Brenda Potterfield) for their gifts over the years which are the most substantial by far. These organizations have demonstrated true leadership through their commitment to help sustain and grow Baldrige, and lead by example.
LEADERSHIP AWARDS
Since the Harry S. Hertz Leadership Award was first established, we have grown our wildly successful individual awards program which now includes the E. David Spong Lifetime Achievement Award, the Foundation Awards for Leadership Excellence by sector, and the Dr. Curt Reimann Baldrige Scholarship. During recent years when the Baldrige Program did not have national award recipients, the Foundation’s individual leadership awards played an integral part in keeping awareness and enthusiasm going strong. Especially at the annual Quest for Excellence© conferences.
The E. David Spong Lifetime Achievement Award was authorized by the Baldrige Foundation Board of Directors in 2016. The award recognizes an individual’s whole of a career, rather than, or in addition to, a single contribution. Lifetime Achievement Award winners are credited with changing the world and inspiring others to do the same.
The Harry S. Hertz Leadership Award, authorized by the Baldrige Foundation Board of Directors in 2012, recognizes an individual whose behaviors provide a role model for others.
The Baldrige Foundation Awards for Leadership Excellence were authorized by the Baldrige Foundation Board of Directors in 2016 and Community in 2023. The award recognizes leaders who provide exceptionally outstanding support to Baldrige and the Foundation’s mission.
The Dr. Curt Reimann Baldrige Scholarship was authorized by the Baldrige Foundation Board of Directors in 2017, and provides recipients an opportunity to attend the Baldrige Examiner Training Experience, held each spring at NIST in Gaithersburg, MD. The scholarship was created to recognize and honor the important role played by examiners in the Baldrige Award process.
In 2025, we added a joint organization award along with the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME). The CAHME/Baldrige Foundation Award for Leadership Excellence recognizes a CAHME program director who has made significant strides in improving the quality of their program and advancing the quality of healthcare management education. The award will be presented annually during the CAHME Awards Ceremony at the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) Congress on Healthcare Leadership.
Dr. Soumitra Bhuyan, PhD, MPH, Executive Director and Associate Professor at Rutgers University-New Brunswick’s Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, has been named the first recipient of the CAHME/Baldrige Foundation Award for Leadership Excellence.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
An integral part of every 501(c)(3) organization’s success is a diverse, engaged, and influential Board of Directors. Since 2014, the Board has grown significantly in stature and talent. We continue to add C-Suite leaders who have served, and continue to serve, at the highest levels in every sector of the economy. Our Board also includes an international member representing Tata Sons, the largest user of the Baldrige Framework in the world. We have conducted Board fundraising training and development sessions since 2014, and it has been an honor to serve under two really great Board Chairs, Dr. P. George Benson, and Dr. Kay Eggleston. Both have done an outstanding job leading and guiding the Board and strengthening their engagement.
FOUNDATION OPERATIONS
Established on May 19, 2020, the Baldrige Foundation’s Institute for Performance Excellence is a thought leader on performance excellence, leadership, and management in healthcare, education, business, government, and communities. The Institute team carries out this mission in a number of ways: undertaking research projects; hosting conferences and activities like CEO Roundtables; conducting executive-level and professional development skills training; and publishing and distributing a wide variety of educational materials including the peer reviewed Chronicle of Leadership and Management ©. The Institute has also served as the platform for our Leader Dialogue Podcasts and White Papers. The Institute's mission is to improve the practices of leadership and management in pursuit of performance excellence and its impact in an ever-changing world.
The Institute also provides individuals and organizations with strategy execution resources, and access to proven best practices from industry leaders. This allows stakeholders to more accurately assess organizational strengths, opportunities for improvement, and results by providing world-class benchmarks and innovative best practices. Empowering organizations with these great learning and networking resources will have a positive and lasting impact.
Additionally, The Baldrige Foundation’s Institute for Performance Excellence offers more than 370 generalized courses, professional development and skills training and certification programs that are 100% online and self-paced to support the unique demands of the 21st century learner. These training and certification programs like Lean & Six Sigma, Project Management, Data Analytics, and much more are dedicated to helping individuals and organizations achieve excellence. With this opportunity, professionals have the chance to learn how to deliver high-quality products and services, while simultaneously earning globally recognized certifications.
In addition to Individual training and resources, the Institute offers organizations around the world access to industry-leading partners, and products and services that support organizations on their excellence journeys. These include on-site training, degree programs, and customer/stakeholder engagement and benchmarking tools just to name a few.
Becoming an Institute Partner provides deep discounts on everything the Institute offers and makes a plethora of resources available to all Partner stakeholders. Partners can also establish their own “Institute community” where their organizations can collaborate and share best practices.
In 2014, the Foundation database had a total of 127 constituents. Today, our database has over 38,000 members, and mostly C-suite leaders. The Foundation and Institute websites, monthly webinars, and weekly newsletters, have all been integral to building such great interest across the Baldrige Enterprise and beyond.
The Baldrige Foundation’s Institute for Performance Excellence has experienced great success since it was established in 2020, and will be integral to the Foundation’s resiliency, sustainability, and success into the foreseeable future.
In closing, I want to personally thank my staff who have made everything possible! They are the best team anyone could ask for. Our Chief Operating Officer, Jerry Rees, who is the driving force behind the scenes keeping everything on track. Our Vice President of Marketing, Dr. Mark Wayda, who developed our first website and serves as the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Performance Excellence© and the Chronicle of Leadership and Management©. And our Vice President of National Programs and Development, Josh Racette, who was the architect of the Institute, designed all of our giving campaigns, and formed strategic partnerships that have allowed us to continue to grow. Josh will replace me as the next President and CEO, and I have complete trust, faith, and confidence in his ability to take the Foundation to the next level.
I also want to thank all those who have served on the Foundation’s Board of Directors, the Baldrige Program staff and Board of Overseers, NIST leadership, Alliance members, and all the dedicated volunteers, examiners, judges, state program leaders and their Boards, as well as everyone in the greater Baldrige community.
And to Molly, Megan, and Midge Baldrige, thanks for your friendship and continued support over the years. As President Ronald Reagan once said of Secretary Baldrige, “I always prized the quality of Mac’s vision. He had the capacity to look up from the dust of the plains to see the distant mountains.” It is that eternal optimism embodied in Mac’s personal leadership style that serves as his legacy and our inspiration for the future of Baldrige.
It has been the honor of my life to lead the Baldrige Foundation and to be part of a team that serves thousands of organizations across the nation and internationally. The extraordinary dedication, passion, and skill I have seen in all our stakeholders humbles me every single day, and I could not be prouder of our accomplishments and how the entire organization stepped up to address the challenges of our time.
Wishing you fair winds and following seas…
Al Faber
President and CEO
The Foundation for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award
