LINCOLN, NEB. (September 4, 2008)—How does your business measure its performance?  How do you stack up with your competitors?  How close to “world class” are you? 

The Nebraska Edgerton Program offers an opportunity for you to conduct your very own assessment of seven key areas of performance excellence: leadership, strategic planning, customer and market focus, measurement analysis and knowledge management, workforce focus, process management, and results.  These are the exact same criteria used by world-class businesses, and educational and health care organizations like Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Motorola, Caterpillar Financial, Cargill, Kenneth Monfort College of Business, Jenks Public School, SMS Health Care, and St. Luke’s Hospital of Kansas City, to name a few. The criteria are refined and updated annually by the prestigious Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award Program.

So, what’s the one of the quickest ways to identify gaps in these seven areas?   Have your employees and leaders use the “Are We Making Progress?” assessment, an outstanding free assessment tool that is available at: http://www.quality.nist.gov/.

But if you’re looking for a more thorough external assessment of your performance improvement system, along with in-depth guidance on ways you can improve, apply now for the Edgerton Award Program. 

Your application will be reviewed by external evaluators who will provide you and your company or organization with the most thorough feedback report you could hope to get.

Since 1993, more than 45 businesses and organizations have participated in the Edgerton Program with several earning the highest Edgerton Award of Excellence:  Lincoln Industries (previously Lincoln Plating), Behlen Mfg. Co.,  Saint Francis Medical Center, Eaton Corporation Torque Controls Division, Valmont, NEAPCO, Inc., Cargill Corn Milling and Tennaco Manufacturing (previously Walker Manufacturing). All of them will tell you it is well worth your time to apply.

Don’t wait another minute. Complete the Eligibility Determination Form by September 30 at http://www.edgertonaward.com/ (under “FORMS”) to find out if you qualify for the Edgerton Program. The complete application is due December 15.

To learn more about how your business or organization is sure to benefit from the Edgerton Program, contact Jenne Rodriguez at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , or toll-free at 800-426-6505.

CONTACT: Patty Wood at 800-426-6505, 402-471-1559, or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it