Who Should Apply? Baldrige Examiner Selection

The Baldrige Performance Excellence Program depends on a volunteer board of experts who can evaluate organizations that apply for the Baldrige Award and are willing to represent the program. In selecting Baldrige examiners, we are careful to include professionals from a broad range of industries, sectors, organizations, and work experiences.

In addition, to fulfill one of the Baldrige Program’s basic aims—to expand the U.S. base of knowledgeable, trained examiners—we always reserve a portion of the board for new examiners. Because of these factors, and because we receive a large number of applications, we may not be able to select some highly qualified applicants in a given year. If you are not selected, please consider applying again the following year.

We select Baldrige examiners based on their personal qualifications. Examiners are not considered representatives of their employers or other organizations.

We’ll consider the following factors in reviewing your application.

U.S. Citizenship

To be a Baldrige examiner, you must be a citizen or permanent resident of the United States. If you are selected to serve on the Board of Examiners, you will be required to show proof of citizenship or your permanent residency. A list of valid documentation will be provided upon your selection notification. You will not be denied consideration or appointment on the grounds of race, creed, color, national origin, age, sex, or disability.

Expertise in the Baldrige Criteria Categories

We’ll look carefully at your experience in the seven Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence categories. Your work experience may demonstrate expertise in several of these categories. For example, you may understand Workforce Focus (Category 5) because of relevant supervisory experience. Significant experience in production leadership may have given you an understanding of Operations Focus (Category 6), and marketing experience may mean that you understand Customer Focus (Category 3).

In-Depth Experience in Several Sectors or a High-Need Area

We’ll also consider whether you have in-depth experience in multiple industry sectors (e.g., manufacturing, service, health care, education, or nonprofit settings including government). In addition, we look at your expertise in professions of high need such as physicians, school superintendents and senior leaders in medium and large organizations.

Your expertise may be demonstrated through formal studies and/or accomplishments, which may include relevant job experience, papers or articles written, research conducted, and degrees or certificates earned.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

We’ll also consider your knowledge, skills, and abilities in the following areas:

• leadership
• strategic planning
• customer service, human resource, and/or process management
• statistical methods and evaluation of financial results
• analysis (particularly relating to organizational evaluation)
• oral and written communication
• interpersonal communication (since such skills will enable you to be an effective team member)
• use of technology to manage and communicate professional information (e.g., Microsoft Office and Web-enabled applications)

Past Performance on the Board of Examiners

While we value the willingness of every board member to serve, there are infrequent occasions where a board member does not meet the demands of the training program and evaluation timelines, work schedules, or work assignments.  These circumstances will be considered in selecting board members in future years.

Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest

In the application, we’ll ask you to electronically sign a statement indicating that you understand the Baldrige Program’s requirements for Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest.