UA’s Alabama Productivity Center Announces 11 AQA Winners Include Chamber Member Companies

The Alabama Quality Award panel of judges has designated 11 organizations as recipients of the 2011 Alabama Quality Awards, honoring them for quality and performance excellence, among the 11 recipients, two are Chamber members.

The award is administered by the Alabama Productivity Center, part of The University of Alabama’s Culverhouse College of Commerce.

Organizations awarded the Level One: Commitment to Excellence award: Sigmatech Inc., Huntsville; Standard Roofing, Montgomery; URS Federal Services.

Three organizations were awarded the Level Two: Progress toward Excellence award. These recipients are: the Cruise Missile Defense Systems Project Office, Redstone Arsenal; the U.S. Army Prototype Integration Facility, Redstone Arsenal; and the Joint Attack Munitions Systems Project Office, Redstone Arsenal.

“It is an honor for our employees to be recognized for their hard work, on behalf of customers.”

Standard CEO Pete Taylor said. “Our employees strive for perfection; and, in doing so, achieve excellence, in every phase of work. Standard Roofing employees’ efforts sustain our company’s visionof being, Committed to Our Customers Success.”

The AQA conference and ceremony will be held Dec. 7-8. The awards will be presented to the recipients the evening of Dec. 8, at the Hotel Capstone in Tuscaloosa.

“The Award allows organizations to track their progress and is proof that they are making excellent strides in the quality of their work,” said Dr. Barry Mason, interim director of the Alabama Productivity Center.

The AQA recognizes and honors organizations that use effective productivity and quality improvement strategies, techniques or practices which can be shared with other organizations to help contribute to the overall economic well-being in the state of Alabama.

“Winning the quality award sends a powerful message,” Mason said. “It tells customers, suppliers and other stakeholders that the company can perform well while operating in a sustainable manner.”

The award is based on performance criteria that include excellence in leadership, strategic planning, attention to customers and other stakeholders, market focus, process management and analysis of organizational performance.

“The quality award is a wonderful motivation tool for the organizations,” Mason said. “Employees are recognized and rewarded for doing the right things the right way.”

The Alabama Productivity Center is a nonprofit organization established in 1986 by The University of Alabama and Alabama Power Co.The center’s purpose is to use University research and educational resources to stimulate economic development within the state.