Articles

· Uncategorized

Press Release 3/5/2026

OKLAHOMA QUALITY FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES 2026 AWARD WINNERS Formal Awards Ceremony to be Held at Upcoming Oklahoma Excellence Summit Oklahoma City, OK (March 4, 2026) — The Oklahoma Quality Foundation (OQF), the state’s leading nonprofit dedicated to advancing organizational performance and excellence through the Baldrige Excellence Framework, today announced the recipients of the 2026 Oklahoma Quality…

Ashleigh Newton

· OQF Resources

Continuous Improvement Gift

Why Continuous Improvement Is the Best Gift You Can GiveAuthor: Kaitlin Hixon | Director of Continuous Improvement, Oklahoma City Indian ClinicApril 16th, 2025Let’s talk about something powerful that any organization, no matter the sector, can benefit from: continuous improvement.Now, I know the term may sound formal and rigid, but continuous improvement is simply about implementing small,…

Jerron Wright

· OQF Resources

Becoming a Baldrige Examiner

What it Takes to Become a Baldrige ExaminerAuthor: Josh Gray | Executive Team Leader, Amada Senior Care Oklahoma Expertise Rooted in Excellence The Baldrige Examiner role isn’t just a volunteer opportunity — it’s a transformational experience. Examiners are at the forefront of evaluating high-performing organizations and helping them grow stronger through structured feedback and insight.…

Jerron Wright

· OQF Resources

Strategic Planning (Part 4)

Strategic Planning: (Part 4)Author: Erin Cunningham, MBA | IT  Continuous Improvement Engineer, Chickasaw NationMarch 14th, 2025Turning Your Plan Into Reality Through Execution and Follow-UpA solid strategic plan is more than just a roadmap for your organization—it’s a game plan for success. But here’s the catch: it’s only as good as its execution. This is where many…

Jerron Wright

· OQF Resources

Championship Leadership

Championship Leadership: The Playbook for Elevating PerformanceHeath Wright, CEO of Oklahoma Quality Foundation03/06/25The Right FocusGreat leadership isn’t about fancy strategies or complicated frameworks—it’s about mastering the fundamentals and executing them daily. Just like in sports, the best teams don’t win because of one incredible play; they win because they consistently practice the basics, refine their…

Jerron Wright

· OQF Resources

Strategic Planning (Part 3)

Strategic Planning (Part 3): Aligning the Whole Team Through KPIs and Cascading GoalsAuthor: Erin Cunningham, MBA | IT  Continuous Improvement Engineer, Chickasaw Nation   February 26th, 2025    What Are KPIs and Why Do They Matter?   In our last post, we talked about the importance of leadership involvement in strategic planning. But how do you…

Jerron Wright

· Press Releases

Press Release 02/05/2025

OKLAHOMA QUALITY FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES 2025 SUMMIT & AWARD WINNERS Kim Koch Thompson02/05/2025 Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell to Honor Outstanding Oklahoma Organizations at Annual EventOklahoma City, OK (February 4, 2025) — The Oklahoma Quality Foundation (OQF) invites organizations across the state to join its 2025 Oklahoma Quality Summit on February 19th at the Moore Norman Technology Center (South Penn…

Jerron Wright

· OQF Resources

Strategic Planning (Part 2)

Strategic Planning (Part 2): The Importance of Leadership InvolvementAuthor: Erin Cunningham, MBA | IT  Continuous Improvement Engineer, Chickasaw NationJanuary 20th, 2025 The Key to Successful StrategyStrategic planning might sound like corporate jargon, but trust us—it’s the game plan for taking your organization from “meh” to “wow.” Last time, we discussed the three key elements for success:…

Jerron Wright

· OQF Resources

Unlock Your Leadership Potential with Proven Executive Coaching

Unlock Your Leadership Potential with Proven Executive CoachingAuthor: Heath Wright, Executive Director, Oklahoma Quality Foundation   December 26, 2024   Coaching That Delivers Results As the new year approaches, it’s time to ask yourself: What could I accomplish with the right guidance? Whether you’re leading a company, a team, or simply striving to improve, our…

Jerron Wright

Case Studies

Don Chalmers Ford | 2016 Application

Momentum Group | 2016 Application

Stellar Solutions | 2017 Application

Elevations Credit Union | 2014 Application

Integrated Project Management | 2018 Application

Charter School of San Diego | 2015 Application

Studer Group | 2010 Application

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I learn more about the criteria? 

Check out the #ExcellenceAtADistance series for more information about the criteria and how to apply it to your organization.

Where can I order my own copy of the Baldrige Framework?

We have copies of the 2024 Baldrige Framework Available for sale. Click the link to place your order while supplies last.

Is there a calendar showing the assessment timeline?

Yes! The full timeline can be found on our Examiner Page under Award Cycle Timeline.

Baldrige Resources

Baldrige Excellence Builder

Based on the more detailed Baldrige Excellence Framework and Criteria for Performance Excellence, the Baldrige Excellence Builder helps you assess your organization’s strengths and opportunities for improvement against the most important features of organizational performance excellence. By completing and acting on this assessment, you will be better positioned to accomplish your mission, improve your results, and become more competitive.

Baldrige Cybersecurity Excellence Builder

The Baldrige Cybersecurity Excellence Builder is a self-assessment tool to help organizations better understand the effectiveness of their cybersecurity risk management efforts, and identity improvement opportunities in the context of their overall organizational performance. This self-assessment tool blends organizational assessment approaches from the Baldrige Performance Excellence Program (BPEP) with the concepts and principles of the Cybersecurity Framework developed by National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Applied Cybersecurity Division (ACD).

Criteria Commentary

The Criteria Commentary provides summaries of the Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence categories and items. You can download the Criteria Commentary for free at these links: