Baldrige Program Calls for Examiners

(NIST: Gaithersburg, MD) -- Each year the Baldrige Program recruits experts from business, education organizations, health care providers, nonprofit organizations, and other groups to serve on the Board of Examiners for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. Examiners evaluate applications for the award and prepare feedback reports to applicants that cite strengths and opportunities for improvement.

The application form for the 2010 Board of Examiners is now available online at http://baldrige.nist.gov/Examiners/e1.htm. Applications must be submitted electronically; the deadline is 2 p.m. EST on Jan. 7, 2010.

The board consists of more than 500 volunteers, including 12 judges and about 60 senior examiners representing many industries and sectors. Service on the board provides opportunities to enhance one’s knowledge about improving processes and achieving world-class results, develop a network of like-minded colleagues, earn professional development continuing education units (CEUs), and help improve U.S. competitiveness.

For the past two years, participation in the Baldrige Program has been ranked in the top 10 government leadership development programs by Leadership Excellence magazine.

This year, the Baldrige Program is particularly interested in potential examiners who are senior managers, physicians, dentists, tenured professors in higher education, K–12 teachers, principals, and superintendents, or those who have expertise in nonprofit organizations, finance, automotive manufacturing, food manufacturing, insurance, retail merchandising, construction, and hotel and hospitality industries.

For assistance in preparing an examiner application, contact NIST by e-mail at examappl@nist.gov, or call the Examiner Hotline toll-free at (877) 237-9064 (Option 2).

Named after Malcolm Baldrige, the 26th Secretary of Commerce, the Baldrige Award was established by Congress in 1987 and is managed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in cooperation with the private sector. The Baldrige Program promotes excellence in organizational performance, recognizes the achievements and results of U.S. organizations, and publicizes successful performance management strategies. The Baldrige Award is not given for specific products or services. Since 1988, 75 organizations have received Baldrige Awards.

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NIST

Founded in 1901, The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is a nonregulatory federal agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce. Headquartered in Gaithersburg, Maryland, NIST’s mission is to promote U.S. innovation and industrial competitiveness by advancing measurement science, standards, and technology in ways that enhance economic security and improve our quality of life.