Equipped for Excellence
The RMPEx Awards Program recognizes organizations from education, health care, manufacturing, nonprofit/government, service, and small business in the USA Intermountain Rockies region, including Arizona, Colorado, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming for their achievements in performance excellence. Award applicants receive extensive feedback identifying the organization’s positive attributes and opportunities for improvement. During the annual Baldrige Conference, RMPEx formally recognizes role-model applicants for performance excellence achievements with four levels of award participation. RMPEx also recognizes municipalities and organizations that pursue success using Framework Thinking and informal assertion-based assessments to guide their performance excellence journey. Organizations or individuals seriously committed to reaping the many benefits of systematic performance improvement can benefit from joining the RMPEx community as an applicant, examiner, and/or volunteer.
How We Can Help
RMPEx serves its customers and the community through its core competency of assessment and feedback. It is a low-cost service that guarantees tailored,
actionable, objective feedback and consultation. Organizations that have adopted the performance excellence framework are able to:
Establish a sound management framework
Achieve financial results
Increase organizational learning and development
Realize benefits to employees, customers, & community
Use the state award as a stepping stone to the national Baldrige Award
About RMPEx
RMPEx serves its customers and the community through its core competency of assessment and feedback. It is a low-cost service that guarantees tailored,
actionable, objective feedback and consultation. Organizations that have adopted the performance excellence framework are able to:
Incorporated in 2000 as a 501(c) (3) non-profit corporation, Rocky Mountain Performance Excellence (RMPEx) helps organizations improve performance and achieve results. RMPEx is funded solely by contributions and operational revenues and is one of over 24 similar state and regional programs that exist throughout the U.S. The approach is based on the Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence framework, a proven program that brings innovation and results to any organization. In August of 2025, the Quality New Mexico (QNM) Baldrige-based Program merged with RMPEx, and the Southwest Alliance for Excellence (SWAE) program merged with RMPEx in September 2025. This new 8-state regional Baldrige-based Program aligns the strengths and competencies of 3 state Programs to deliver unmatched formal and informal organizational assessments and provide expert organizational performance excellence coaching designed to help organizations large and small, for-profit and non-profit, businesses and small governments to achieve transformational, sustained success.
The RMPEx Board of Directors is responsible for the governance and operation of Rocky Mountain Performance Excellence, the 501c3 nonprofit organization incorporated in April 2000. RMPEx is governed by its bylaws and policies.
– 501 (c) (3) Certificate of Good Standing from Colorado Secretary of State
– Bylaws
– Antidiscrimination
MEET THE TEAM
Michael S. Gratz
Executive Director
With a 30-year track record of achieving results through continuous improvements, Mike is passionate about igniting curiosity within organizations and in a way that leads to insightful solutions to make work better. As Executive Director, he supports a community of performance excellence professionals and organizations across Arizona, Colorado, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah and Wyoming, building relationships grounded in the Baldrige Excellence Framework and with a drive to explore and understand both success and failure as an opportunity to learn and improve a little each day.
Baldridge Excellence Framework Experience – 15 Years
Robert “QualityBob” Mitchell
Chief Operations Officer
QualityBob has been active in Quality since 1985 as an ASQ Member Leader, and a quality professional within the 3M Company. Bob served in roles of increasing responsibility with 3M from product development to quality specialist to quality manager, retiring as the Senior Manager of 3M Corporate Quality, and Quality Manager for Post-it and ScotchBlue brands. Bob was most recently the Executive Director for Southwest Alliance for Excellence (SWAE). Bob has been a vocal advocate and evangelist for performance excellence since 1994 when 3M Dental Products began its PE journey and ultimately received the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award in 1997. Bob previously served as Badrige Lead Examiner with Performance Excellence Network (PEN) and SWAE.
Baldrige Excellence Framework Experience – 31 years
Kelley Molavi
Director of Programs
Kelley is the Vice President of Operations at the Tennessee Center for Performance Excellence and valued partner to RMPEx as our Director of Programs. Having served as a member of the Board of Examiners, a Team Leader, a Level 1 award coach, an editor on the Editorial Review Board, and an organizational coach, Kelley has also served as an examiner for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award and the Communities of Excellence Award. Prior to joining TNCPE, Kelley worked in the service and healthcare industries as a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, ISO 9001 Quality Auditor and Representative, Quality Manager, and Strategic Planner.
Baldridge Excellence Framework Experience – 23 Years
Amanda Brown
Marketing Coordinator
As a member of the RMPEx team, Amanda leads the charge with developing effective marketing strategies, creating engaging social media content and optimizing results through data analysis. Passionate about helping people achieve their own individual performance excellence, Amanda is also the Co-Founder and Executive Director of a non-profit outside of Atlanta that helps families in her community with the resources they need to improve their lives.
Baldrige Excellence Framework – 3 Years
MEET THE RMPEx BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Pat Lapekas,
Board Chair
President, Lapekas and Associates
With over 35 years of leadership experience and expertise, Pat is focused on providing organizations with knowledge and resources across a wide array of effective performance excellence tools including the Baldrige criteria, Lean Six Sigma and ISO 9000. Prior to starting her own consulting firm where she coaches each client towards achieving higher levels of performance, Pat helped lead Premier, Inc. to its 2006 National Baldrige Award and has since led multiple organizations to state, regional and national award recognition from all sectors.
Baldrige Excellence Framework Experience – 29 Years
Steve Schmidle,
Treasurer
CAO, Elevations Credit Union
Steve brings over 25 years of financial institution leadership and a passion for member service to his role. Prior to becoming CAO of Elevations, Steven served as CEO of Westerra Credit Union in 2023, he served for four years as CFO and thirteen years as Chief Strategy and Performance Officer at Elevations Credit Union. There, he oversaw key areas like finance, risk management, and strategic planning. Notably, Steve was instrumental in Elevations’ first pursuit of Baldrige recognition, and this experience instilled in him a drive to use his expertise to help other credit unions achieve similar success.
Baldrige Excellence Framework Experience – 16 Years
Matt Hortt,
Board Member
Executive Director,
High Plains Library District, Greeley, CO
Dr. Matthew Hortt is passionate about lifelong learning and continuous improvement. He has extensive experience in research, leadership and public policy. With nearly 30 years in public service, 25 of those years have been spent working in the public library across three states. Matthew is hard at work finding innovative ways to keep people engaged in learning and developing the workforce. Dr. Hortt was instrumental in starting the High Plains Library District on their Baldrige Journey.
Baldrige Excellence Framework Experience – 10 Years
Laura Jeffries,
Board Member
Chief Administrative Officer,
Donor Alliance, Denver, CO
Laura Jeffries has a passion for organizational development and a proven track record in performance excellence. With over 20 years of human resources experience, Laura has seen firsthand the power of the Baldrige Excellence Framework at Donor Alliance, a non-profit dedicated to saving lives through organ and tissue transplantation. As Chief Administrative Officer, she played a key role in fostering a high-engagement culture that led the organization to the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award in 2018 and the RMPEx Peak Performance Award in both 2015 and 2021.
Baldrige Excellence Framework Experience – 10 Years
Stuart McRae,
Board Member
City Administrator,
City of Sheridan, Wyoming
Stu is passionate about making a positive difference in people’s lives and is dedicated to using his extensive experience in Intelligence, Logistics, Aviation and city management to improve organizational processes and efficiencies. Serving as Sheridan, Wyoming’s City Administrator since June 2020, Stu’s experience also includes a 30-year military career where his Baldrige tenure began and includes several awards including the Army’s Army Communities of Excellence Gold Award, the President’s Installations of Excellence Award and the Best Department of Defense Installation Award.
Baldrige Excellence Framework Experience – 12 Years
Terri Runyan,
Board Member
Performance Excellence Program Manager,
Fort Collins, CO
Terri brings more than 27 years of experience advancing organizational excellence, leadership development, and performance improvement across local government, healthcare, education, nonprofit, and private sectors. A dedicated advocate for continuous improvement and the Baldrige Excellence Framework, she serves as an examiner for Rocky Mountain Performance Excellence and served on the Board of Examiners for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award for 10 years, supporting organizations in their pursuit of excellence and sustainable results. She led the City of Fort Collin’s nationally recognized performance excellence journey, culminating in the 2017 Baldrige Award and reinforcing her lifelong commitment to building high-performing organizations and leaders.
Baldrige Excellence Framework Experience – 27 years
DAVID SHAW,
BOARD MEMBER
CEO/Administrator,
Nor-Lee Hospital District,
New Mexico
David Shaw has served Nor-Lea Hospital District, a Critical Access Hospital, as its CEO/Administrator for 26 years. He has a real passion for performance excellence and nurturing a culture of compassion for the patients Nor-Lea serves. David Shaw was introduced to the Baldrige Excellence Framework in 2010 and has incorporated it into Nor-Lea’ leadership and operating model. He has served on the Quality New Mexico Board for several years. In 2025 Nor-Lea Hospital District was named recipient of the Malcolm Baldrige Quality Award.
Baldrige Excellence Framework Experience – 16 years
