Media Release

Contact: Dennis Mathis, Public Relations Coordinator, San Juan Regional Medical Center, 505-324-2238 or email dmathis@sjrmc.net

FARMINGTON, NM (July 2, 2008) Lynn Onken, San Juan Regional Medical Center's education manager, has been appointed to the 2008 Board of Examiners for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. The Award, created by public law in 1987, is the highest level of national recognition for performance excellence that a U.S. organization can receive.

As an examiner, Onken is responsible for reviewing and evaluating applications submitted for the Award. The board is composed of approximately 500 leading experts selected from industry, professional and trade organizations, education and healthcare organizations and government. Sixteen members of the board are from New Mexico.

Those selected meet the highest standards of qualification and peer recognition. All members of the board must take part in a preparation course based on the Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence and the scoring and evaluation processes for the Baldrige Award.

Onken joined San Juan Regional Medical Center in January 2008, as manager of staff education. Previously, she was senior director of organizational development at San Juan College. This is her second year to be appointed as a Baldrige examiner. "My participation in a national organization whose purpose is to promote the highest quality standards is beneficial to San Juan Regional Medical Center in our quest to achieve excellence. I can apply the principles to my work here to assist others in their improvement and education efforts," Onken stated.