President Bush Honors City Of Coral Springs For Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award

By Nicol Jenkins
Editor

The city of Coral Springs has recently received the highest honor from the President of the United States.

President George W. Bush has honored the city of Coral Springs for winning the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, a Presidential honor that recognizes U.S. companies for organizational performance excellence.

Coral Springs Mayor Scott Brook, Vice Mayor Vince Boccard and City Manager Mike Levinson received the honor at the April 23 recognition ceremony held at the White House.

“I think it’s an honor to be part of the commission that’s receiving this award,” Boccard told the Our Town News, prior to the award ceremony.

“I’m ecstatic about representing the city in receipt of the recognition of this coveted award for excellence,” Mayor Brook told the Our Town News prior to the ceremony.

The City of Coral Springs is the first state or local government in the nation to receive the coveted Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. This is the first year non-profit organizations could apply for the award, after testing a pilot program in 2006. Of 84 total applicants, Coral Springs was one of 13 nonprofits to apply and one of only four to receive a site visit in its category.

“It’s what I call a 14 year journey,” Boccard said. “The city manager has brought us into the corporate world, running the city like a major Fortune 500 company. It is what makes us unique from other cities.”

Boccard added, “We’re the only city in the history of Malcolm Baldrige to ever receive a site visit and to win the award. It’s an honor to be recognized by national government.”

Mayor Brook credits the award to “tremendous planning, incomparable attention to detail, and we always put our citizens first.”

The City Commission and some city staff attended a banquet following the ceremony. The Secretary of Commerce honored the Commission and staff at the banquet. Only three members of the city were allowed to attend the White House ceremony due to security issues, according to city staff.

This past week, the House and Senate in Tallahassee also recognized the city of Coral Springs for winning the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award.