From Local Sources

JASPER — The U.S. Department of Commerce announced Thursday that Memorial Hospital and Health Care Center in Jasper is one of five recipients of the 2018 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award.

A presidential-level honor, the award recognizes exemplary U.S. organizations and businesses that demonstrate an unceasing drive for radical innovation, thoughtful leadership and administrative improvement.

“These awardees are inspiring in so many ways,” said Walter G. Copan, Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and National Institute of Standards and Technology. “Each honoree strengthens our economy through its organizational excellence and positive impacts for its customers, students, patients and employees. They exemplify the American spirit in action and are role models for success in business and commerce.”  

In addition to Memorial Hospital, the 2018 honorees are: Alamo Colleges District, San Antonio, (education); Donor Alliance, Denver, (nonprofit); Integrated Project Management Company Inc., Burr Ridge, Illinois, (small business); and Tri County Tech, Bartlesville, Oklahoma, (education).

NIST manages the Baldrige Award in cooperation with the private sector. An independent panel of judges reviewed the evaluations performed by the board of examiners and recommended this year’s Baldrige Award recipients from a field of 27 finalist applicants.

The 2018 Baldrige Awards will be presented at a ceremony on April 7, 2019, during the Baldrige Program’s 31st annual Quest for Excellence conference in National Harbor, Maryland.

Since 1987, the Baldrige Award has been the highest recognition for performance excellence in the nation.

The award was established by Congress in 1987. Since the first group was recognized in 1988, 123 awards have been presented to 115 organizations (including eight repeat winners).