Congressional Meetings Solidify Support for Baldrige Funding

ASQ arranges congressional meetings for Baldrige judges and overseers

WASHINGTON — While a group of Baldrige judges and overseers were in Washington, DC, the week of June 6 to attend meetings at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), they participated in meetings with their Members of Congress and Congressional staff. The meetings provided the Congressional officials the opportunity to hear first-hand from some of their influential constituents about the importance of funding for the non-profit Baldrige category.

The meetings were arranged by Amy Kimball of Sellery Associates—ASQ’s Washington office—who was accompanied by Laurel Nelson-Rowe, ASQ headquarters staff managing director.

The Baldrige judges and overseers included:

• David Branch, CEO and President of Branch-Smith Resources, Ltd. (2002 Baldrige recipient in the small business category)
• Maureen Travalini, Senior Manager, Business Excellence, Kaiser Permanente
• George Benson, Dean of the Terry College of Business at the University of Georgia
• Julia Gabaldon, President and CEO of Quality New Mexico
• Steve Lampa, Senior Vice President, Lodging Quality Assurance, Marriott International Corporation

Also attending was Bob Thomas, Director of Government Relations for Medrad (2003 Baldrige recipient in the manufacturing category), who has been a constant supporter of Baldrige and the non-profit category.

Gabaldon, Branch, and Kimball met with Rep. Heather Wilson (R-NM). Rep. Wilson,an advocate of Baldrige, explained how she uses Baldrige criteria in her own office. “Baldrige is the best management model,” she stated. “It’s scalable.” Her district director is an examiner for Quality New Mexico. Congresswoman Wilson trains all the new Republican Members of Congress and their staff on how to use Baldrige in their offices so they can document their procedures. “That way, when someone leaves the office, the process stays the same. Otherwise, it changes all the time,” she said. The congresswoman sees constituent service as her first and foremost job; her office tracks it closely and changes how they do things based on feedback from constituents. Rep. Wilson pledged to help with the Baldrige effort as best she can.

Branch, Travalini, Benson, Gabaldon, and Kimball met briefly with Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX), member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and then with her staff to discuss funding for the new category. The senator was very helpful when the health care and education categories were added to the award program in 1998. She is expected to fully support the funding for the non-profit category.

Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-GA) had a lengthy discussion about the non-profit category with Benson (the senator’s constituent in the group), Branch, Travalini, Gabaldon, and Kimball. The senator is very familiar with and impressed by the Baldrige award program and would like to see this funding provided. He stated that the funding needed seemed like a small request. He committed to calling Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL), chair of the Appropriations Subcommittee with jurisdiction over NIST funding, to encourage the chairman to include this funding in the appropriations bill.

Benson and Travalini had a “great conversation” about the new category and its funding with the staff of Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-GA). John Gillies, Sen. Chambliss’ counsel, agreed to contact Senator Isakson’s staff and combine their efforts in supporting funding for the non-profit category.

Gabaldon, Branch, Benson, Travalini, Nelson-Rowe, and Kimball met with staff of Sen. Pete Domenici (R-NM), member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and educated them on the award and its benefits. Gabaldon explained the workings of Quality New Mexico, pointing out that Sen. Domenici is a founding member of that program.

One legislator key to securing funding for the non-profit category is Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), who is the ranking member on the Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, and Science. Although new to the ranking member post, Mikulski is not unfamiliar with Baldrige. She was influential when the health care and education categories were added. Lampa, Thomas, Nelson-Rowe, and Kimball met with the senator’s staff and learned that the senator favors programs that have a multiplier effect, such as the Baldrige program. They also learned that Mikulski would fight for what she can include in the appropriations bill especially for NIST.

Nelson-Rowe and Kimball met with a member of Sen. Patty Murray’s (D-WA) staff who was unfamiliar with the Baldrige program but left the meeting impressed. The Washington office of Boeing is following up with a phone call in support of the funding, as Boeing has a large presence in the State of Washington and is a two-time Baldrige recipient.

Nelson-Rowe and Kimball also met with a staff member of Sen. Larry Craig (R-ID), who wished to learn more about the Baldrige program.

Rep. Chris Van Hollen (R-MD) met with Lampa and Thomas (both constituents of the congressman), Nelson-Rowe, and Kimball. Rep. Van Hollen is quite knowledgeable about the Baldrige program. NIST is located in his district, so he is concerned about funding for all of NIST’s programs. He pledged to help in any way, including contacting Sen. Mikulski to encourage her support.

 

(l-r) Laurel Nelson-Rowe, Bob Thomas, Rep. Chris Van Hollen, Steve Lampa, Amy Kimball

(l-r) Maureen Travalini, George Benson, legislative assistant Michael Quiello, Sen. Johnny Isakson, David Branch, Julia Gabaldon

(l-r) Julia Gabaldon, Rep. Heather Wilson, David Branch, Amy Kimball