Texas Border Business
Pharr, Texas – The City of Pharr is proud to announce that it has earned the Governor’s Texas Award for Performance Excellence (TAPE) from the Quality Texas Foundation (QTF). The City of Pharr is being recognized as a role model organization demonstrating exceptional performance in all areas of organizational management – leadership, strategic planning, customer focus, measurement, analysis and knowledge management, workforce focus, operations focus, and results.
“This is incredible news for the City of Pharr, our community, our region, and our state,” said Pharr Mayor Ambrosio Hernandez, M.D. “We have been strategically working towards this goal over the last few years with the ultimate goal of earning the highly-coveted Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, the nation’s highest presidential honor for performance excellence, and one to which Pharr strives to achieve,” continued Hernandez. “This means we are one step closer,” he added.
Since 1993, the Quality Texas Foundation has administered the Governor’s Texas Award for Performance Excellence (TAPE) as an independent non-profit corporation. Winning the Governor’s TAPE symbolizes that the organization is one of the best in the state of Texas and it is based upon a very rigorous and robust process that has resulted in 21 National Recipients and 59 State Recipients, according to the QTF website.
“The City of Pharr has accomplished what many cities are afraid to look into,” said Dr. Mac McGuire, Chief Executive Officer of the Quality Texas Foundation. “The Malcolm Baldrige Quality Framework includes a robust review of Leadership, Strategic Planning, Customer (resident) Service, Utilization of the appropriate defensible measures, the Workforce Environment and Engagement, Operations both tactical (daily) and strategic (long term), along with the verifiable results for each area mentioned above,” he continued. “The City of Pharr excels at each one,” added Dr. McGuire.
Pharr is now only the third city in the entire state of Texas that’s obtained the Governor’s Award — the ultimate recognition from the Quality Texas Foundation. Last April (2021), Pharr was awarded the “Progress Level Recognition” from the Quality Texas Foundation, which put the City of Pharr only two steps away from reaching its goal of national recognition.
“This is a long arduous journey that many organizations attempt and very few achieve,” stated Hernandez. “However, we continue to strive to be a city that provides service excellence and a culture of continuous improvement and I am so proud that our hard work, persistence, and dedication have paid off,” he added. “We are now officially only one step away from reaching our goal and you bet we will get it done,” Hernandez said.
As part of the process, the City of Pharr has worked to strategically improve operations, streamline services, enhance customer service, improve finance operations, implement best practices, and develop strategic goals and policies to move the city towards a more prosperous and efficient future.
“This is truly amazing news, and I would like to acknowledge our amazing TEAM PHARR employees and leaders who have worked collectively towards this goal as we aim to enhance our city operations and provide the highest quality service to our constituents,” Hernandez added.
“Rarely does a city or any type of organization achieve the Governor’s Award as the best city in our region (TX, PR, MO, KS, OK, and LA),” stated Dr. McGuire. “The City of Pharr accomplished this monumental task on its first try,” he added. “The City Council, City Manager, and Assistant City Manager should be heralded as best in class,” he exclaimed. “Congratulations to a well-run City Government!”
Assistant City Manager Anali Alanis, who has helped spearhead Pharr’s initiative toward these distinctions, remarked, “This prestigious award is very near to my heart. It has been years in the making; the City’s commitment to improving our community and reach performance excellence is truly unmatched. Each day, I’m inspired by the hard work and dedication of our people, the City of Pharr’s leaders and every employee. Here in Pharr, we strive for “Excellence Every Day,” and I’m extremely grateful to be part of this City and its ongoing journey. Team Pharr will undoubtedly continue to accomplish great things.”
“This is just the beginning of greater things coming to Pharr. Stay tuned,” said City Manager Andy Harvey.
