Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award Ceremony
April 23, 2008

Prepared remarks by
W. Paul Worstell
President
PRO-TEC Coating Company

Thank you Secretary Gutierrez.

I would like to say thank you to the many distinguished guests here today.

This is a day of celebration.

The Baldrige organization is celebrating great success with this 20th year anniversary conference.

Mercy Health Systems, Sharp HealthCare, the City of Coral Springs and ARDEC are celebrating. Congratulations for your extraordinary accomplishments.

The 236 associates of Pro-Tec Coating Company are celebrating today, here and in Leipsic, Ohio. We are a small company, located in a small community, but the spirit of our associates and their commitment to excellence fills us with a large sense of gratitude and pride.

There are many people to thank for their support in helping us on our journey. I would like to begin with our customers, the automakers, who have challenged our company to be an innovative leader in coated steel and our suppliers who have been valuable partners in this venture.

We are grateful for our parent companies, US Steel and Kobe Steel. They have given us the freedom to be different. The freedom, support and encouragement to use a different business model and create a culture that is unique.

We are grateful to other organizations on the Baldrige journey. We have learned so much from the many sharing opportunities.

We are grateful for the many Baldrige professionals and volunteers who are the lifeblood of both state and national organizations. The many hours devoted to reviewing applications, performing site visits, and preparing feedback reports represent a serious commitment to performance excellence.

Our performance excellence journey began early, long before we knew how to “deploy, align, and integrate!” It may still be difficult to get our associates from northwest Ohio to say “engagement” but there is no doubt about their passion for process, measurement and results.

We began our Baldrige journey seven years ago and what felt very awkward at first is now just very hard work. We have learned that performance excellence is a journey. And, through Baldrige we have learned that there are no destinations on the journey, only more opportunities for improvement. What a remarkable method to move an organization forward.

Finally, I would like to say thank you to each of you who have supported our organization and ask that you celebrate with us.

I would like to extend a special thanks to the associates of Pro-Tec Coating Company for their continued commitment to excellence. Their spirit, character, and devotion to our organization are an inspiration.

News release on the ceremony for the 2007 Baldrige winners

Posted: 04/23/08
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