United Southeast Federal Credit Union
Received Tennessee Center for Performance Excellence
2004 Commitment Award

The Tennessee Center for Performance Excellence (The Center) today announced that the United Southeast Federal Credit Union of Bristol, Tennessee is a 2004 winner of the Commitment Award in its annual recognition program.  The award will be presented at the 12th annual Awards Banquet on February 17, 2005, at the Renaissance Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee.  United Southeast Federal Credit Union is a member-owned, not-for-profit financial institution.

The Center, through its annual evaluation and assessment process, recognizes organizations that have achieved the highest standards of excellence in their operations and results.  The program uses the Criteria for Performance Excellence established by the Baldrige National Quality Program as the evaluation and education tool. 

Awards are presented in four categories:  Interest Recognition (the beginning level), Commitment, Achievement, and the highest level – the Excellence Award.

Awards are determined on the basis of fulfilling the criteria described for each level.  There is no limit to the number of awards presented annually, but to achieve the Center’s prestigious Excellence Award, an organization must demonstrate an exceptional commitment to management excellence relative to the standards. 

To date, 16 organizations have attained this “world class” designation of which four – Eastman Chemical Company, Federal Express, Pal’s Sudden Service and Caterpillar Financial Services, Inc. – have also achieved the Baldrige National Quality Award.  For 2004, an Excellence Award is not being presented.

At the Center’s three other levels, seven will be honored at the advanced level with the Achievement Award, ten are being recognized with the Commitment Award and 18 are Interest Recognition recipients.

“It is an honor for me to recognize and to offer my congratulations to all of these great Tennessee companies that have demonstrated a commitment to excellence,” Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen said.  “The employees of each of these organizations are to be commended for having set and met the standards for quality performance that reflect positively on our state.”

Since the Center’s creation in 1993, nearly 1,000 organizations have progressed through one or more levels of achievement.  A Board of Examiners made up of more than 85 experts in business, education, health care and government assessed this year’s applicants in seven categories: leadership; strategic planning; customer and market focus; measurement, analysis and knowledge management; human resource focus; process management; and results. 

“Excellence implies more than competence,” said Katie Rawls, president of the Tennessee Center for Performance Excellence.  “It means striving for the highest possible standards.  The 2004 Award winners represent the best and have done a great service by setting high standards for others to follow.  I applaud their accomplishments.”

The Tennessee program, which is itself a national and international role model, is open to all businesses as well as public and private education institutions, health care organizations, government agencies and other non-profit entities.  Serving as chair of the 2004 Board of Directors is Dr. Michael Browder, General Manager, Bristol Tennessee Electric System. 

For more information on United Southeast Federal Credit Union, contact Beverly J. Stephens, Human Resources Director, at (423) 989-2188 or Shelly Brown, Marketing Director at (423) 989-2167.

For more information on the Tennessee Center for Performance Excellence, contact Katie Rawls, President, at the organization’s Nashville office at (800) 453-6474 or (615) 214-3106.