James (Jim) Spengler had a local government career that spanned 54 years. His leadership involved organizations responsible for recreation, parks, cultural arts, and history. His work career included director level positions in Virginia, California, Texas, and Ohio. Initial work with the Baldrige program started as an applicant organization receiving the Texas Quality Award in 2000. Organizational improvement, through Baldrige, remained a theme in Ohio and Virginia. Jim serves as a Baldrige national examiner, a SPQA examiner, and an examiner for the Communities of Excellence Program.
Jim has a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Education from the University of Virginia as well as a Master of Business Administration from the University of Texas.
Jim also has the following certifications:
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- Certified Organizational Development Professional
- Certified Leadership Development Professional
- Certified Executive Coaching Professional
- Certified Balanced Scorecard Professional
May 2022 Spotlight
At SPQA, our support in helping organizations on their journey to excellence leverages the talents and experiences of our volunteer workforce. Each workforce member has a unique story to tell. In this article we have interviewed Jim Spengler, our Chair, to get his story.
Why did you choose to become a Board Member for SPQA?
I served for five years as an examiner and team leader for SPQA. The board chair asked me, at a Forum conference, if I would consider serving as a board member. My involvement with state Baldrige programs goes back to 1994 for Texas, Ohio, and now Virginia. My interest is in making the program beneficial to as many organizations as possible. This is an outcome I could work for as a member of the board that I could not do just by serving on examination teams.
What has been your favorite part of being a Board Member?
My favorite part of being a Board Member is getting to know the other members, the organizations they work for or with, their experience with Baldrige, and how we can work together to make the program better. I find it adds value to my leadership experience and makes me a better contributor in my organization.
What do you most want to learn from this experience?
I want to continually learn how to apply the Baldrige criteria as a system to the benefit of customers, employees, and stakeholder.
What have you gained from being a Board Member?
Every year I get to experience real case studies from organizations applying Baldrige to their organization. There are so many things I learn that I can emulate on my organization’s improvement journey.
What is the hobby you’re most passionate about?
I am passionate about health and fitness. As a daily habit I send staff a wellness thought by email and I sponsor a monthly healthy lunch. If we holistically take care of our health (physical, mental, spiritual) we are better able to help others.