Rhea and Washington Counties, NETWORKS – Sullivan Partnership Honored at Annual Ceremony
NASHVILLE – Two Tennessee counties and one county/municipal economic development organization received the 2008 Interest Award from the Tennessee Center for Performance Excellence Wednesday night, February 18, 2009. Rhea and Washington Counties and NETWORKS - Sullivan Partnership were among the honorees that have completed a rigorous evaluation and feedback process based on criteria from the Baldrige National Quality Program.
“Recognition by the Tennessee Center for Performance Excellence is a high honor that represents dedication and hard work on the part of each of these communities,” ECD Commissioner Matt Kisber said. “ECD is proud to partner with TNCPE for the continued assessment and improvement of communities across Tennessee. I congratulate Washington and Rhea Counties and NETWORKS, and I look forward to many more of TNCPE’s community success stories in the future.”
The three communities are participants in the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development’s Three-Star Program. Three-Star maintains a close partnership with TNCPE, a nonprofit organization that exists to help Tennessee businesses and organizations run more effectively by conducting assessments and providing training.
“While receiving this award is truly significant, the efforts behind it are even more exciting," TNCPE President Katie Rawls said. "The TNCPE assessment process helps Three-Star communities identify where to focus improvement efforts. This results in stronger communities that better serve the people of our state. Together, we're making Tennessee a better place to live and work.”
All of the award-winning Three-Star communities were carefully evaluated by TNCPE’s Board of Examiners, a highly trained volunteer corps composed of professional leaders from across the state. The process provided valuable insight that the communities will use to improve the quality of life for their citizens.
About the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development
The Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development’s mission is to create higher skilled, better paying jobs for all Tennesseans. The department seeks to attract new corporate investment in Tennessee and works with Tennessee companies to facilitate expansion and economic growth. To find out more, go to
www.tnecd.gov.
About the Tennessee Center for Performance Excellence
The non-profit Tennessee Center for Performance Excellence (TNCPE) is an economic development program that uses the Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence to improve systems and processes among businesses and organizations throughout Tennessee. For more information about TNCPE or the Excellence in Tennessee Conference and Banquet, please visit http://www.tncpe.org/conference or contact Katie Rawls, president, at the organization's Nashville office: (800) 453-6474 or katie.rawls@tncpe.org.
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Contact: Michaela Jackson
Phone: (615) 253-4897
E-mail: Michaela.Jackson@state.tn.us
