Irving, Texas, is among four recipients of the 2012 Malcolm Baldridge National Quality Award, the nation’s highest Presidential honor for performance excellence. The annual awards from the U.S. Commerce Department’s National Institute of Standards and Technology recognize innovation and leadership in the business, health care, education and nonprofit sectors.
Irving, a city of about 217,700 residents between Dallas and Fort Worth, won the award in the nonprofit category. Irving was noted for its fiscal stability as one of five Texas cities and 89 in the nation with a AAA rating from both Standard and Poor’s and Moody’s — ratings the city has maintained since 2007.
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Irving was also noted for efficient delivery of services. The city’s overall cost of service — combining property tax, water, sewer, drainage and sanitation charges — has been better than four comparable cities in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, according to the Commerce Department. Since 2006, the percentage of residents rating many of the city’s key services, such as police and libraries/recreation, as good or excellent has increased by double digits.
This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Baldridge Award, named after former Commerce secretary Malcolm Baldridge. Since 1988, 93 organizations have received the award.
The 2012 recipients were selected from among 39 applicants. Other 2012 award recipients include: Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control, Grand Prairie, Texas; MESA Products, Inc., Tulsa, Okla.; and North Mississippi Health Services, Tupelo, Miss.
