U.S. Coast Guard Finance Center

AWARDS

2003

On Friday, May 16, 2003, VADM Thomas Barrett presented the 2003 Commandant's Quality Award - Gold Level to the Coast Guard Finance Center in a ceremony held at the Coast Guard Innovations Exposition in Baltimore Maryland. In 1998, the Coast Guard Finance Center was the first unit to receive a Gold Level award, and is now the first Coast Guard unit to receive a second Gold Level CQA. This Award level recognizes units for performance improvement initiatives and customer service excellence. The Finance Center uses the Commandant's Quality Award criteria and it Core Values as a model for organizational improvement.

2000

*	Chief Financial Officer of the Coast Guard Commendation – Presented on 12 July 2000, this award was presented to the Finance Center for the “major contribution to the agency’s unqualified Chief Financial Officer’s Act audit opinion.
*	Coast Guard Unit Commendation for the period July 1997 to January 2000. Presented on 10 January 2000 this award was presented to the Finance Center “for exceptional preparation and readiness of mission critical financial systems and processes for Year 2000 compliance.”

1998

*	U.S. Senate Productivity and Quality Award for Virginia – Award for Continuing Excellence. Virginia Senator George Allen congratulates the U.S. Coast Guard Finance Center. Details of visit.
*	U.S. Coast Guard Commandant’s Quality Award - Gold Level (first ever presented)

1997

*	U.S. Coast Guard Commandant’s Quality Award – Bronze Level

1996

*	U.S. Coast Guard Commandant’s Quality Award

1994

U.S. Senate Productivity and Quality Award for Virginia –
Medallion of Excellence

1993

*	U.S. Senate Productivity and Quality Award for Virginia – Plaque for Outstanding Performance – Presented by Senators Warner and Robb.

1992

*	Department of Treasury Certificate of Award For Distinction in Payments Management.

U.S. Senate Productivity and Quality Award for Virginia

The U.S. Senate Productivity and Quality Award for Virginia (SPQA), sponsored by Senator John Warner and Senator George Allen, is a world class organizational assessment process that is one of the oldest such processes in the country. The Virginia SPQA even predates the prestigious Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. The SPQA assessment process reviews organizations in the areas of leadership, strategic planning, customer focus, information and analysis, human resources, process management, and business results.

There are five award categories: Manufacturing, Service, Government, Education and Health Care. There are also four levels of recognition; Certificate for Significant Achievement, Plaque for Outstanding Achievement, Medallion of Excellence, and finally the Award for Continuing Excellence.

The U.S. Coast Guard Finance Center is only the second federal government organization to be recognized with the Award for Continuing Excellence.

Congratulations from Virginia Senator George Allen
Senator Allen with FINCEN CO. Captain Tschohl

On March 27, 2002 Virginia Senator George Allen and his local staff, visited the U.S. Coast Guard Finance Center located in Chesapeake, VA. The Senator’s primary purpose for visiting the Finance Center was to congratulate the entire Finance Center staff for its superior performance that resulted in the Center receiving the Award for Continuing Excellence from the U.S. Senate Productivity and Quality Award for Virginia. As one of the Honorary Chairmen of this state recognition process, Senator Allen applauded the Finance Center for achieving the highest level of recognition that is only presented to organizations that demonstrate sustained exemplary performance in quality and productivity.

After addressing the staff, Senator Allen was given a management briefing that focused on the many innovative use of technology to greater serve the Coast Guard community. Senator Allen’s parting comment was that “technology used at the Finance Center should be a model for both government and commercial activities.” He noted that he would suggest that other government organizations visit the Coast Guard Finance Center to benchmark some of its innovative practices.

U.S. Coast Guard Commandant’s Quality Award

The Commandant’s Quality Award (CQA) is based on the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award criteria and the President’s Quality Award criteria. The Coast Guard encourages all units to perform a CQA self-assessment and to apply in the CQA process if the self assessment indicates an appropriate level of compliance to the criteria.

The Coast Guard Finance Center was the first Coast Guard unit to be recognized with the Commandant’s Quality Award – Gold Level.