Tennessee Department of Human Resources (DOHR) Receives Excellence Achievement Award

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Department of Human Resources (DOHR) has earned the Achievement Award in the annual Excellence in Tennessee recognition program administered by the Tennessee Center for Performance Excellence (TNCPE). TNCPE is Tennessee’s only statewide quality program and is patterned on the Baldrige Performance Excellence Program, the national standard for recognizing role model performance through innovation, improvement, and visionary leadership. The Tennessee Department of Human Resources accepted the award at the 25th Annual Excellence in Tennessee Awards Banquet on Feb. 21, 2018, at the Franklin Marriott Cool Springs.

“We are thrilled to receive recognition for our commitment to excellence,” said DOHR Commissioner Rebecca Hunter. “One of most important values is continuous improvement. By supporting ongoing efforts to improve service offerings and processes, DOHR can be successful in creating an atmosphere where employees can develop and thrive and are excited about where they work and what they do.”

The Tennessee Department of Human Resources  is a cabinet-level agency that drives the strategic direction of human resources for the state, which is the largest employer in Tennessee with over 42,000 employees.

Through an annual evaluation and assessment process, TNCPE recognizes high-performing organizations that demonstrate continuous improvement and role model processes. This year, TNCPE has named 31 organizations as 2017 Award winners that represent outstanding achievement in the following industry sectors: health care, manufacturing, service, education, government, and nonprofit.

“Organizations that pursue a TNCPE award have a special drive,” Gov. Bill Haslam said.  “The Tennessee Department of Human Resources’ commitment to improvement will reach deep into our community, making a significant contribution to the state’s economy, and the wellbeing of its citizens.”

Organizations apply to the TNCPE program at one of four levels. As the levels increase, so does the depth and complexity of the application, which is based on the Baldrige Excellence Framework™. Since the program was founded in 1993, only 24 organizations have attained the excellence designation. One received the Excellence Award this year; five organizations were honored with the Achievement Award; 24 organizations received a Commitment Award; and one received Interest Recognition.

“The TNCPE Awards program helps organizations look at the big picture and continuously strive to implement the best practices in their industry or sector,” said TNCPE president Katie Rawls. “But it’s not easy – if it were, every organization in the state would be participating. Our 2017 award winners are truly passionate about performance excellence and have chosen TNCPE and the Baldrige framework to help them become the best they can be.”

Achievement Awards are presented to organizations that have built systematic processes that are deployed and aligned throughout the organization to meet its key business needs. Results are improving due to a systematic improvement approach and these organizations have many practices from which others can learn and grow.

A full list of winners can be found on the TNCPE website www.tncpe.org

Established in 1993 as a public-private partnership, the Tennessee Center for Performance Excellence strives to promote economic development and drive organizational excellence by helping companies and organizations grow more competitive in today’s global marketplace through affordable, in-depth assessments. A statewide nonprofit, TNCPE is grounded in the Baldrige Excellence Framework—a holistic framework used by organizations across multiple industries to improve their performance and achieve sustainable results. More than 1,400 organizations have participated in and benefited from the TNCPE program. Five Tennessee businesses—Bristol Tennessee Essential Services, Caterpillar Financial Services Corporation, Pal’s Sudden Service, Eastman Chemical Company, and Federal Express—have been honored with both the prestigious Baldrige National Quality Award and the TNCPE Excellence Award.

For more information about the Tennessee Center for Performance Excellence (www.tncpe.org), contact Katie Rawls, president and CEO, at katie.rawls@tncpe.org. 

For more information on the Baldrige Performance Excellence Program, visit www.nist.gov/baldrige/ .

For more information on Tennessee Department of Human Resources, visit www.tn.gov/hr.