TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Sixteen organizations are recipients of the 2006 Alabama Quality Award, the state’s honor for quality and performance, administered by the Alabama Productivity Center, located at The University of Alabama.
The awards will be presented at the Alabama Quality Award Annual Conference and Award Ceremony Nov. 30 at UA’s Bryant Conference Center.
The highest level of recognition, Level 3- Alabama Excellence Award, was awarded to Buffalo Rock Co. – Alabama Divisions – Birmingham, Dothan, Gadsden, Huntsville, Mobile, Montgomery, Talladega, Tuscaloosa and Tuscumbia; DCH Health System, Tuscaloosa; and Huntsville Hospital.
Recipients of the Level 2 Award- Progress Toward Excellence were Buffalo Rock Co. – Corporate Logistics, Manufacturing, Operations, and Facilities, Birmingham; Riverview Regional Medical Center, Gadsden; UAB Medical Center West, Birmingham; Albertville Nursing Home; Falkville Health Care Center; and McGuffey Health and Rehabilitation Center, Gadsden.
The Level 1- Commitment to Excellence was awarded to Anniston Army Depot; St. Luke’s Episcopal School, Mobile; Crossville Health and Rehabilitation; and Westside Terrace Health & Rehabilitation Center, Dothan.
In addition to the three levels of recognition, the Alabama Productivity Center administers the Award of Excellence for Continuous Productivity and Quality Improvement for previous winners of the Alabama Quality Award. This year’s recipients are Mizell Memorial Hospital, Opp; Thomas Hospital, Fairhope; and Tuscaloosa Veterans Affairs Medical Center.
The Alabama Quality Award is modeled after the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. The state award recognizes and honors organizations that use effective productivity and quality improvement strategies, techniques or practices which can be shared with other organizations to help contribute to the overall economic well-being in the state of Alabama.
The award is based upon performance criteria that include the following: excellence in leadership; strategic planning; attention to customers and other stakeholders; market focus; process management; and analysis of organizational performance. Companies use the criteria as a self assessment tool to determine at which level of the Alabama Quality Award they should apply.
“For most organizations, the most valuable aspect of going through the award process is the feedback that an organization receives, both external and internal,” said Dr. David Miller, director of the Alabama Productivity Center. “Externally, the award process provides an audit of whether the organization is doing the right things the right way.
“Internally, the process forces an organization to do a self assessment by going through the steps of preparing an application.
In addition to the award presentations, winners of the Alabama Quality Award will share their best practices during the conference, Nov. 29-Dec. 1.
“The conference itself is an effective benchmarking and learning opportunity,” said Miller. “Organizations share their best practices; teams showcase their approaches to problem solving; national award winners describe their quality-based strategies and tactics.”
For additional information contact Linda Vincent at the Alabama Productivity Center, 205/348-8994 or Linda@proctr.cba.ua.edu.
The Alabama Quality Award is administered by the Alabama Productivity Center, a nonprofit organization established in 1986 by The University of Alabama and Alabama Power Co. The Center’s purpose is to find ways to use University research and educational resources to stimulate economic development within the state.
Contact
Misty Bell, Alabama Productivity Center Public Relations, 205/348-4474, mbell@proctr.cba.ua.edu
Bill Gerdes, UA Public Relations, 205/348-8318