Testimonials from Manufacturing

Don’t just take it from us. Here’s what leaders in manufacturing say:

“I cannot think of a better way to verify the sustainability of a business model than using the [Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award] process to confirm that your founding business principles continue to be the foundation upon which you grow. ... Since 1999, Sunny Fresh Foods has experienced rapid growth: three plants have grown to five, 380 stakeholders have grown to 620, revenue has doubled, and Sunny Fresh has become a net exporter of talent to its parent company, Cargill, Inc.”
—Michael Luker, President, Cargill Kitchen Solutions (formerly Sunny Fresh Foods, Inc.), 1999 and 2005 Award recipient

 “We didn’t apply the [Baldrige] concepts ... to win an award. We did it to win customers. We did it to grow. We did it to prosper.”
—Earnest Deavenport, Chairman and CEO, Eastman Chemical Company, 1993 Award recipient

 “We applied for the Award, not with the idea of winning, but with the goal of receiving the evaluation of the Baldrige Examiners. That evaluation was comprehensive, professional, and insightful. It reinforced where we were strong and provided valuable information on areas where we could improve––making it perhaps the most cost-effective, value-added business consultation available anywhere in the world today.”
—Bob Barnett, Executive Vice President, Motorola Commercial, Government & Industrial Solutions Sector, 2002 Award recipient

“In 1991, when we began applying the Baldrige principles to our business, little did I realize how different my life and business would become. We achieved significant improvements in business performance, both in increased productivity and reduced cycle time, enabled by a cultural transformation to an empowered workforce. In 2000 I changed jobs, and again we applied the Baldrige principles. In three years, we saw double-digit increases in both revenue and earnings while maintaining double-digit margins, also with a cultural transformation! ... So when asked ‘Why Baldrige?’, I have to answer, ‘Why not?’ I have the personal experiences to show that it truly works!”
—E. David Spong, former Vice President and General Manager, Boeing Airlift and Tanker Programs, 1998 Award recipient, and former President, Boeing Aerospace Support, 2003 Award recipient

“Our Baldrige journey began 15 years ago, when the first Baldrige Awards were announced. Performance excellence has since become the blueprint for exceeding the expectations of our customers, shareholders, and employees. We attribute much of Medrad’s success to the Baldrige process.”
—John P. Friel, President and CEO, Medrad, Inc., 2003 Award recipient