Controversy Surrounds the Prestigious Baldrige Award

Recently, several news sources have written stories highlighting the controversy over an announcement that Premier Inc, a GPO, was the recipient of the prestigious Malcolm Baldrige award. It has been reported that Premier’s CEO, Richard Norling was on the board of trustees of the foundation and that a Premier staffer served on the review committee. An article in USA Today highlighted MDMA’s support for ending the GPO’s ability to accept kickbacks from suppliers. Other news sources that highlighted this controversy include the Charlotte Observer and the Union-Tribune. Dale Crownover, former chairman of the Baldridge Foundation, has called for Premier to withdraw its acceptance. MDMA joins Crownover in urging Premier to withdraw.