WISCONSINREPORT.COM (07/09/2009) - Wisconsin Forward Award Executive Director Elizabeth Menzer has announced the recipients of the 2009 Wisconsin Forward Award. Ten organizations are receiving recognition this year. They are Sacred Heart Hospital (Eau Claire), Central Wisconsin Center (Madison), Pewaukee Public Schools (Pewaukee), School District of Elmbrook (Brookfield), St. Clare Hospital and Health Services (Baraboo), St. Mary’s Hospital (Madison), Kohl's Department Stores Credit Division (Menomonee Falls), Evergreen Retirement Community Inc. (Oshkosh), and Upland Hills Health, Inc. (Dodgeville).

Wisconsin Forward Award, the state’s premier organization for the promotion and recognition of high-performance management principals, will honor award recipients at a ceremony and reception at the Promega BioPharmaceutical Technology Center in Madison on the evening of August 11, 2009.

The ceremony will also celebrate the accomplishments of well over 100 Wisconsin organizations that have benefited from the program’s services and learning opportunities, as well as the tens of thousands of hours of service that its volunteers have contributed.

Ten organizations are receiving recognition this year, including Sacred Heart Hospital, recipient of the Governor’s Forward Award of Excellence, the highest achievement level possible under the Wisconsin Forward Award.

These organizations demonstrate refined approaches, good-to-excellent results, and are considered industry leaders and role models for others. Sacred Heart Hospital, a 344-bed tertiary care hospital located in Eau Claire, was recognized for, among other strengths and best practices:

- A commitment to serve the sick, the aged, the poor, and the terminally ill with a primary concern of each patient’s spiritual, physical, psychological, and social well being.

- A focus on meeting the needs and expectations of both current and future customers as well as anticipating the future needs of patients, evidenced by an increase in market share.

- Role-model status in the areas of environmental protection, resource conservation, and waste reduction and has recently been recognized for its environmental leadership at the Global Conference on Environmentally Sustainable Health Care.

Six organizations will be recognized at the Mastery level, demonstrating significant maturity in developing and refining processes that are tied to good results in such areas as building a high-skilled workforce, financial and organizational performance, and exceptional customer satisfaction and retention.

- Central Wisconsin Center (Madison) — a residential care and treatment facility serving people with intellectual disability under the overall administration of the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) and the Division of Long-Term Care (DLTC) that provides long and short-term programs as part of each individual’s comprehensive care and services.

- Pewaukee Public Schools (Pewaukee) — a highly diverse public school district that offers a quality education to Village and City of Pewaukee students in early childhood through 12th grade. Its four schools on 65 acres served over 2,400 students in the 2008–09 school year.

- School District of Elmbrook (Brookfield) — a public school district serving six elementary schools, two middle schools, two high schools (both of which rank in the Wisconsin top 10 for ACT participation and high scores), and one multi-district special education secondary school.

Three entities within the SSM Health Care system, winner of the National Malcolm Baldrige Quality Award in 2002.

- St. Clare Hospital & Health Services (Baraboo) — a rural acute care hospital serving Baraboo, Lake Delton, Wisconsin Dells, Lyndon Station, Merrimac, North Freedom, and Rock Springs.

- St. Clare Meadows Care Center (Baraboo) — St. Clare’s long-term nursing facility, offering both skilled nursing and assisted living residential care.

- St. Mary’s Hospital (Madison) — a 440-bed acute care hospital and medical center with a full range of inpatient, outpatient, and diagnostic services.

Other organizations receiving recognition in 2009 include:

- Kohl's Department Stores –Credit Division (Menomonee Falls)
- Evergreen Retirement Community Inc. (Oshkosh)
- Upland Hills Health, Inc. (Dodgeville)

Wisconsin Forward Award, Inc. was created in 1997 by the Governor’s Council on Workforce Investment to advance the competitive position and world-class status of Wisconsin organizations in the international marketplace, and to enhance learning, continuous improvement, and enterprise performance.

The award promotes excellence in organizational management, recognizes the achievements and results of Wisconsin organizations implementing performance excellence systems, and publicizes successful performance excellence management strategies.

All types and sizes of Wisconsin organizations are eligible to apply, including manufacturers, service companies, small businesses, educational institutions, health care organizations, and non profit organizations, including trade and professional associations, government entities, and charities.

WFA is a public/private partnership modeled after the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Program. The not-for-profit organization receives financial support from the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development as well as other organizations across the state.