Nov 21, 2013
Robert (Bob) Fangmeyer, deputy director of the Baldrige Performance Excellence Program (BPEP) at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), has been selected to be the program’s new director. He will be only the third director to lead the BPEP since its establishment by Congress in 1987. Fangmeyer has served as acting director since his predecessor, Harry Hertz, retired in June, 2013.
Fangmeyer started with the BPEP in 1997, holding multiple positions that increased in scope and responsibility over time: staff member, supervisory business specialist, team leader, senior staff-program analyst, deputy director and acting director. He has played a leading role in the development of the Baldrige Criteria, the creation of the program’s executive fellows program, and in Baldrige international activities. Fangmeyer has helped lead the Baldrige Program’s efforts to transform its business model, business plan and organizational relationships as the program has transitioned over the past year to be fully funded by the private sector. He also has represented the program as a speaker at national and international events, and is the primary liaison to the network of Baldrige-based state and local award programs.
Prior to the BPEP, Fangmeyer worked for six years as a human resources specialist in NIST’s Office of Workforce Management. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from Villanova University and a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Maryland.
BPEP is managed by NIST in cooperation with the private sector. The program raises awareness about the importance of performance excellence in driving the U.S. and global economy; provides organizational assessment tools and criteria; educates leaders in all types of organizations about the practices of national role models; and recognizes them with the Baldrige Award in six categories: manufacturing, service, small business, health care, education and nonprofit. BPEP also is a partner in the Baldrige Enterprise, which includes the private-sector Baldrige Foundation, the Alliance for Performance Excellence—a body made up of the 33-plus state, local, regional and sector-specific Baldrige-based programs serving nearly all 50 states; and ASQ, an international organization promoting quality.
Thousands of organizations worldwide use the Baldrige Criteria to guide their operations, improve performance and get sustainable results. This proven improvement and innovation framework offers organizations an integrated approach to key management areas. The criteria are regularly updated to reflect the best practices from the latest validated management techniques.
The Baldrige Award, named after Malcolm Baldrige, the 26th Secretary of Commerce, is not given for specific products or services. Since 1988, 96 organizations have received the award.
Article by NIST Tech Beat: November 20, 2013
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