IMRF’s Journey of Excellence is our approach for getting where we want to go as an organization. It is the path IMRF has chosen to help us continuously improve and enhance our processes so we can fulfill our promises to our stakeholders and customers. In 2008, IMRF adopted the Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence as our framework for our Journey of Excellence.  The Baldrige Criteria outline global best practices for leadership, strategy, customer engagement, measurement, workforce engagement, process management, and results that an organization can adapt into its own environment. In 2019, IMRF became the first public pension fund in the nation to receive the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. This webinar will provide a high-level overview of the Baldrige Criteria and highlight examples of how the criteria has improved our organization.

The presenter for this Webinar will be Kathy Goerdt.  Kathy Goerdt is the Organizational Excellence Officer at the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund where she leads various initiatives such as continuous process improvement, strategic planning, the Journey of Excellence, Project Portfolio Management, Project Management, and delivering creative solutions to operational challenges. She has worked at IMRF for 25+ years, serving in various operational and technology roles before becoming the Organizational Excellence Officer. Kathy earned her bachelor’s degree in business administration from Saint Leo University. As a Six Sigma Black Belt and LEAN Management professional, Kathy uses her performance excellence expertise to facilitate process improvement efforts that are aligned with proven tools and strategies. Kathy served as a 2018 Baldrige Examiner for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award (MBNQA), a Senior Examiner for Illinois Performance Excellence (ILPEx), is a member of the ILPEx Board of Examiners and serves on the Board of Directors for the Illinois Baldrige Program.