Chesterfield is U.S. Senate Productivity and Quality Award Recipient

Recipients are selected by a 20-member SPQA Board of Directors comprised of previous recipients, academicians and business people. Selection criteria is based on a written application and on-site organization visits that demonstrate measurable quality and productivity results.

The prestigious Senate Productivity and Quality Award medallion recognizes organizations for their quality and productivity efforts and is the highest state quality award.

County Administrator, Lane B. Ramsey, says Chesterfield County employees have adopted a quality philosophy in their daily activities, earning a national reputation for efficient government.

"I am thrilled for our employees," Ramsey adds. "The citizens, though, are the real beneficiaries of this effort."

The U.S. Senate Productivity and Quality Award was established by a 1982 Senate Resolution to recognize organizations with exemplary quality and productivity improvement efforts, contributing to national competitiveness. Virginia is one of approximately 15 states with an established awards program, but its program is the most widely developed with the greatest number of applicant submissions.

Jack McHale, Board of Supervisors representative from the Bermuda District, says this award puts Chesterfield in a category with past recipients, including IBM, Canon and other notable companies, in the private and public sectors.

"This award recognizes both our commitment and our progress," he adds. "We want to be a First Choice Community and to achieve that goal, we must provide the very highest level of service at the lowest responsible price."

"Harry Daniel, Board of Supervisors representative from the Dale District at that time, said Chesterfield's quality journey has roots in the 1980s and that its Total Quality Improvement program officially was chartered in 1992. "In less than three short years," he adds, "our employees developed a program of excellence that has been recognized by this award."