KELLOGG — Mountain Valley of Cascadia’s executive director MaryRuth Butler was recently named as a recipient of the Baldrige Foundation’s Leadership Excellence Award.

Butler is just one of 12 recipients across the United States to receive the award.

Ever humble, Butler took little credit for the award and instead praised her staff.

“I am honored to be receiving the leadership award,” Butler said. “But my team plays such a huge role in all of my success. I’ve really surrounded myself with a terrific staff. It takes an extraordinary commitment to be considered for this honor, and that’s what I get everyday from my outstanding team.”

Al Faber, president and CEO of the Foundation for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award Inc. made the announcement at a recent press conference.

“We have four categories of leadership awards,” said Faber, “that recognize outstanding individuals, leaders and supporters who embody Baldrige leadership values and principles, and who have provided outstanding service to the Baldrige community. There are so many people doing such important work promoting the Baldrige Framework. Through their efforts to grow the Baldrige community, they help thousands of organizations across the country to improve their performance. Baldrige makes health care safer and more accessible, education more effective, businesses more efficient and customer-focused, cyber systems more secure, governments more streamlined and nonprofits more responsive across the spectrum. These great leaders are helping to ensure the sustainability of Baldrige into the future.”

This is not Butler’s or Mountain Valley’s case of with winning Baldrige Awards.

In 2016, while still under the Kindred banner, Mountain Valley was named one of four recipients of the 2016 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award and was the first nursing center to receive a Baldrige Award in the program’s history.

The awards will be presented at a Baldrige Foundation luncheon held as part of the 31st annual Quest for Excellence conference on April 9 at the Gaylord National Harbor in National Harbor, Md.