About Us: Testimonials

Governor Crist's Video Message

Governor Crist's Challenge to You
"The Sterling Management Model is recognized as one of the most comprehensive ways for any organization to improve performance and drive excellent results. I challenge all leaders to explore Sterling as a strategy to increase efficiency, innovation, and success for your organization and continue Florida's vision of a state of excellence."

Governor Charlie Crist
Florida Governor

Customer Testimonials

"The investment that we have made in Sterling will pay dividends for years to come. Because of the Sterling model, our constituents will continue to be grateful for the outstanding customer service that they receive in this office."

Lydia Gardner, Clerk
Orange County Clerk of Courts

"Using the Sterling/Baldridge management system helped Shands HealthCare accelerate our improvement efforts. It was a catalyst that led us to enhance our use of performance measures and improve our outcomes. This process builds our competitive advantage and return on investment to strengthen our organization for years to come.  Our ultimate focus is to provide outstanding service and operations resulting in the highest levels of quality care for our patients."

Timothy M. Goldfarb, CEO
Shands HealthCare

"The Sterling process helped The Ritz Carlton, Sarasota improve the execution of our strategy, enhance workforce engagement, and demonstrate sustained customer loyalty and business results."

Jim McManemon, General Manager
The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota

"Leadership commitment to continuous improvement and using the Sterling management model to drive high performance has helped us develop a culture of service excellence in each of our organizations.  We now provide our public services to citizens of our communities in a more timely, efficient, and cost-effective manner."

Doug Belden, Tax Collector
Hillsborough County Tax Collector

“Through the rigorous Sterling process, Quest Diagnostics has demonstrated that our Six Sigma, Lean and other continuous improvement methodologies have enhanced the quality, efficiency and reliability of testing we do on approximately 20,000 patient specimens in South Florida each day. These efforts are successfully putting the patient first, generating a patient satisfaction rating of 97 percent. This is just one of the several indicators, revealed through the Sterling assessment, that our operations in South Florida are generating competitive advantage and a favorable experience for patients.”

Jim Panzer, Managing Director South Florida
Quest Diagnostics Incorporated

"Our mission is to serve every student with excellence as the standard. The Sterling feedback report confirmed that continued improvement is a primary focus of our School Board and our high quality employees, as we concentrate on student performance and doing what is best for students. Leading a generation to first in the nation is not simply a slogan for us, but rather a cause in which we deeply believe and will achieve."

Dr. Richard A. DiPatri, Superintendent
Brevard Public Schools

"The Sterling Challenge assessment was a great process to begin our small business’s pursuit of excellence.  The site visit and feedback report that we received based on the detailed examination helped us to focus on improvements in our company and prepare our employees for the more detailed Governor’s Sterling Award process.  Both processes helped us to focus on the leadership systems needed to sustain our competitive edge and return on investment."

Britt Landrum, Jr., President & CEO
Landrum Professional Employer Services

"We began our journey is 1997 with leadership's commitment to continuous improvement and performance excellence. The Sterling/Malcolm Baldrige Criteria provided the framework for our management system and helped us to define our mission, vision, values, and strategic priorities. As a result, we have transitioned from a reactive to proactive high performing culture that is data-driven and embraces its internal and external customer groups. The criteria have enabled us to sustain our direction, measure and improve how service is delivered to our customers, and develop and strengthen collaborative community partnerships that have resulted in positive trends for critical health outcomes."

Lillian Rivera, Administrator
Miami-Dade County Health Department

"We have adopted the Baldrige model as our corporate approach for all 12 Divisions in Alabama, Georgia, and Florida to manage our business. Our company has created a leader-driven team based culture focused on data based decisions, and has established a Balanced Scorecard to measure and monitor our success. These approaches have enabled us to focus on, and improve, what's most important to our business and sustain our competitive edge."

Matthew Dent
VP, Corporate Development
Buffalo Rock Company (Pepsi Bottler & Distributor)

"Three years ago, we began our Sterling journey by completing a Navigator survey then progressed to the Sterling Challenge assessment this past year. In 2007-08, we plan on applying for the Governor's Sterling Award and continuing our journey to organizational performance excellence. We have received tremendous value from the site visits and feedback reports. We will continue to use the Sterling Criteria as our management model so that we can strategically incorporate world-class management approaches."

Lorraine Stickland
President & CEO
Fringe Benefits Management Company

Additional Testimonials

Sterling Examiners say....

"... a wealth of knowledge, cutting edge ideas, and priceless experience."
"...excellent networking opportunities, awesome training and development."
"The depth of the Sterling examination process taught me more about what it takes to be a high performing organization than I learned in my MBA program."

Applicants say.....

"...the most well rounded view of organizational performance an executive can get."
"...the best organizational feedback to drive business results."
"The Governor's Sterling Award process was a rewarding experience for our employees and Leadership Team that helped us focus on what's most important to satisfy our customers."