North Platte, Nebraska – Pamela Sweeney, vice president of Quality at Great Plains Regional Medical Center, has been appointed by Dr. Patrick Gallagher, director of the Commerce Department’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), to the 2011 Board of Examiners for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. The Award, created by public law in 1987, is the highest level of national recognition for performance excellence that a U.S. organization can receive.

As an Examiner, Pam is responsible for reviewing and evaluating applications submitted for the Award. The board is composed of approximately 500 leading experts selected from industry, professional and trade organizations, education and health care organizations, and nonprofits (including government).

Those selected meet the highest standards of qualification and peer recognition. All members of the board must take part in a preparation course based on the Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence and the scoring and evaluation processes for the Baldrige Award.

The Baldrige Award may be given annually in each of six categories: Manufacturing, Service, Small Business, Education, Health Care, and Nonprofit. Awards have been presented to 80 organizations, including the 2010 recipients: MEDRAD, Warrendale, Pa. (manufacturing); Nestlé Purina PetCare Co., St. Louis, Mo. (manufacturing); Freese and Nichols Inc., Fort Worth, Texas (small business); K&N Management, Austin, Texas (small business); Studer Group, Gulf Breeze, Fla. (small business); Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital, Downers Grove, Ill. (health care); and Montgomery County Public Schools, Rockville, Md. (education). Information about the Baldrige National Quality Program and the application process is available from the Baldrige National Quality Program, at 301- 975-2036 or [email protected], or from the Baldrige Program’s website at http://www.nist.gov/baldrige.