regional awards
Recognizing High-Performing Organizations with Awards for Excellence
Evaluation Process
At The Partnership for Excellence (TPE), we help organizations identify strengths and opportunities for improvement through comprehensive assessments using the Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence. Organizations that participate undergo a rigorous evaluation by a team of examiners who assess leadership, strategy, customers, measurement, knowledge management, workforce, operations, and results, with full applications receiving over 1,000 hours of review, including a three-day site visit to verify and clarify key information.
An independent panel of judges reviews each organization's evaluation, approves the final feedback reports, and recommends the award to the TPE Board of Trustees.
Award Recognition Levels
Organizations entering this long-term quality journey are recognized with an Award at the following levels:
1. Advising Level – Spirit Award
2. Partnering Level – Pioneer Award
3. Examining Level (Full Applications) receive one of four awards:
- Platinum – Governor’s Award
- Gold – Achievement of Excellence
- Silver – Commitment to Excellence
- Bronze – Pledge to Excellence
Award Recipient Recognition
TPE award recipients are honored at our Annual Quest for Success Conference held in Columbus, Ohio. All of the high-performing organizations will be presented with their achievement awards at the awards banquet.
Other Ways to Get Involved
Organizational Assessments
Examiners
Board of Trustees
Quest for Success
Award Recipients - 2024
| Organization | Location | Award Level |
|---|---|---|
| Meridian Community Unit School District 223 | Stillman Valley, Illinois | Gold - Achievement of Excellence |
| Perry County Board of Developmental Disabilities | New Lexington, Ohio | Silver - Commitment to Excellence |
| Ironton - Lawrence County Community Action Organization | Ironton, Ohio | Pioneer Award |
| Fairfax County Public Schools | Fairfax, Virginia | Spirit Award |
| The Foodbank, Inc. | Dayton, Ohio | Spirit Award |
| Northwestern Illinois Association | Sycamore, Illinois | Spirit Award |
Individual Award Recipients - 2024
| Individual | President's Award |
|---|---|
| Denise Kaetzel | Director of Organizational Excellence and Quality at Memorial Hospital and Health Care Center in Jasper, Indiana, received the President’s Award for Extraordinary Volunteerism, which is given to a person who has demonstrated extraordinary service to The Partnership for Excellence. |
| Kurt Schoch | President, Performance Improvement Consulting, LLC in Carmel, Indiana received the Frank J. Perez Leadership Award, which recognizes a member of the TPE community who exhibits extraordinary individual leadership in performance excellence and leadership behaviors and results consistent with the Baldrige Excellence Framework. |
