The Baldrige Performance Excellence Program has announced the 17 executives selected for the 2025 Baldrige Executive Fellows Program, an annual leadership training initiative. The program provides a unique opportunity for direct learning from Baldrige Award winners, organizations nationally recognized for excellence in management and operational strategies.
Exclusive Training with Leading Experts
Participants will have the chance to visit some of the best companies in the United States, engage with their executives, and observe top-tier management models firsthand. This approach allows Fellows to broaden their strategic vision, applying it to the challenges within their own organizations. Throughout the program, they will also gain access to a network of high-profile professionals with whom they can exchange experiences and strategies.
Direct Experiences with Leading Companies
Laurie E. Locascio, 17th Director and Under Secretary for Standards and Technology at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, underscores the value of the initiative:
“The Baldrige Executive Fellows Program offers executives a unique opportunity to learn directly from Baldrige Award winners, adopting proven management strategies to improve sustainability and performance in their organizations.”
Wilbur Ross, 39th U.S. Secretary of Commerce, also highlights the program's benefits:
“Taking part in this program enhances not only leadership skills but also the value brought to one’s company, employees, and the entire community.”
Leadership Strategies That Make a Difference
Since 2010, over 168 executives have completed the Baldrige Executive Fellows Program, applying what they’ve learned to real-world projects with tangible results. Some have transformed their companies' strategic planning, improved supply chains, or made healthcare systems more efficient. Others have found ways to reduce opioid dependence after surgeries or introduced management models that boosted employee engagement and satisfaction.
Participants come from every sector of the U.S. economy, and during the program, they visit hospitals, manufacturing companies, hotels, restaurants, and other top organizations. These experiences provide firsthand insight into how leading organizations tackle challenges, drawing inspiration from field-tested solutions.
Results from 2010 to Today
Since its launch in 2010, the program has trained over 168 executives, with projects that led to:
- Improvements in strategic planning processes.
- Innovation in supply chain networks.
- Creation of highly reliable healthcare organizations.
- Reduction in opioid use among post-surgical patients.
- Increased engagement of employees and physicians.
- Standardization of business processes.
- Optimization of student career readiness.
- Reorganization of healthcare services to improve public health.
The Fellows come from a variety of sectors in the U.S. economy and have had the opportunity to visit and engage with leaders of award-winning companies operating in industries such as manufacturing, healthcare, hospitality, transportation, and services.
Glossary
- Baldrige Award: An award established by the U.S. Congress in 1987 to recognize excellence in organizational management.
- Baldrige Executive Fellows Program: An advanced leadership training program based on case studies from companies that have won the Baldrige Award.
- National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST): A U.S. federal agency that promotes standards and technological innovation.
