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ILPEx partners with Illinois leaders to build organizational knowledge and capability to achieve performance excellence and contribute to the economic vitality of their communities and the state. ILPEx offers training and feedback reports based on the proven organizational management framework of the Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence.

Darcy Davidsmeyer, ILPEx president and chief executive officer, said in her confirmation letter to Furst-Bowe that her “experience in the Baldrige Criteria as well as your experience working with and coaching myriad organizations in the area of performance excellence will be valuable assets to your role as a judge.”

Furst-Bowe serves on the Board of Overseers for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, an award that provides the highest level of national recognition for performance excellence that a U.S. organization can achieve.

“I’m looking forward to engaging in the ILPEx process that will assist Illinois companies and groups in their quest for excellence within their respective fields,” Furst-Bowe said.

The ILPEx award program has three levels: Gold Award for Achievement of Excellence – based on Baldrige criteria; Silver Award for Progress Toward Excellence – recipients exhibit evidence of well-deployed approaches for major processes; and Bronze Award for the Commitment to Excellence – recognized for earnest efforts to adopt continuous improvement principles.

Any organization can participate in the ILPEx process, including business, healthcare, government agencies, education and non-profits. The Baldrige Criteria enables organizations to follow an established approach to implementing, measuring and improving performance excellence.

Judges play a key role in the 2015 ILPEx assessment and recognition program. As a designated judge, Furst-Bowe’s responsibilities include the following:

• To be a mentor/partner of a lead senior examiner. The designated judge and lead senior examiner work closely together to assure the most comprehensive and objective examination of the applicant’s organization.
• To ensure the integrity of the team with the ILPEx processes.
• To be an editor of the feedback report along with the lead senior examiner.
• To serve as a designated judge for a second application when needed.

Judges attend a three-day training session that must be completed by early June.

About ILPEx

Illinois Performance Excellence (ILPEx), formerly The Lincoln Foundation for Performance Excellence, is a not-for-profit organization backed by both private and public funding, founded in 1994. ILPEx is the partner of choice in leading Illinois organizations to world-class performance. The ILPEx mission is to drive organizational excellence in Illinois using the Baldrige Criteria as the basis in all they do.

Photo: SIUE Chancellor Julie Furst-Bowe.