WASHINGTON, Jan. 27, 2026 -- The Baldrige Foundation announced today that Tommy Gonzalez, City Manager of Midland, Texas, has joined the President's Council for Performance Excellence, a strategic advisory council focused on strengthening America's economy, supporting critical national infrastructure, and advancing leadership systems that enable organizations and communities to thrive.
The President's Council for Performance Excellence brings together like-minded leaders from government, business, and civic institutions who share a common commitment: improving economic performance and societal outcomes by strengthening how organizations are led and managed. Council members serve as trusted advisors to the Baldrige Foundation's President & CEO and leadership team as the Foundation works to expand the reach and real-world application of the Baldrige Performance Excellence Framework.
At the heart of the Council's work is a focus on customized, practical programs that help businesses, communities, and public institutions grow, improve, and perform at higher levels. By leveraging the tools, education, and resources of the Institute for Performance Excellence, the Council supports initiatives that strengthen organizational systems, workforce capability, and leadership effectiveness; key drivers of a resilient economy and a competitive nation.
"Sustainable, resilient growth depends on leaders who build capability for the future," said Josh Racette, President & CEO of the Baldrige Foundation. "Baldrige provides a disciplined yet adaptable approach to improving performance across every sector of the economy. I'm honored to have Tommy Gonzalez join a Council focused on strengthening businesses and the communities they serve. He has a passion and expertise in partnering with leaders across the public and private sectors to help organizations and their communities nationwide compete and lead in a global economy. He will be a strong addition to our President's Council for Performance Excellence."
Since its inception in 1987, the Baldrige Performance Excellence Framework has served as America's national quality and excellence Framework, supporting performance improvement across business, health care, education, manufacturing, nonprofit, and government sectors. Non-prescriptive by design, the Framework enables leaders to apply proven principles in ways that reflect their unique missions, challenges, and communities.
As City Manager of Midland, Gonzalez oversees a community that sits at the intersection of energy, infrastructure, workforce development, and economic growth. His leadership experience reflects the Baldrige Foundation's belief that strong economies are built on strong organizations, and strong organizations are built through intentional leadership and well-designed systems.
"Baldrige has always been about more than organizational improvement; it is about strengthening the systems that support our economy and quality of life," said Tommy Gonzalez, City Manager of Midland, TX. "I understand that sustainable growth doesn't happen by chance. It happens when leaders invest in clear strategy, strong workforce systems, and disciplined execution. My experience helping to lead a fast-growing city allows me to lend my voice in support as we work to help organizations and communities lead a global economy. I understand what being a strategic connector is all about, and I have a passion for mobilizing the private sector. I look forward to doing just that as a member of the President's Council for Performance Excellence."
Members of the President's Council participate in ongoing strategic discussions and help shape how the Baldrige Foundation works with the public and private sectors to advance its mission of supporting leaders, strengthening organizations, and enabling communities to grow, adapt, and compete on a global stage.
With Gonzalez's appointment, the Baldrige Foundation continues to reinforce its role as a national convener of leadership excellence, connecting economic vitality, organizational performance, and community well-being through a shared framework for results.
About the Baldrige Foundation and the Institute for Performance Excellence
The Foundation for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award (Baldrige Foundation) is a nonprofit, private sector partner of the Baldrige Performance Excellence Program within the Department of Commerce, advancing quality, leadership, and performance excellence across all sectors of the U.S. and globally. Through advocacy, education, and strategic partnerships, the Foundation strengthens the competitiveness and resilience of organizations and communities. Its Institute for Performance Excellence serves as the Foundation's educational and thought leadership arm, offering access to research, benchmarking, training, and certification programs designed to help leaders and organizations achieve sustainable results through the Baldrige Framework. Together, the Foundation and Institute empower organizations to pursue excellence, drive innovation, advance competitiveness, and create lasting impact in organizations and communities, and equip them to lead in a global economy.
Learn more about the Baldrige Foundation by visiting www.baldrigefoundation.org.
Learn more about the Institute for Performance Excellence by visiting www.baldrigeinstitute.org.
