CONCORD, N.H. — Northeast Delta Dental has received the prestigious Baldrige Performance Excellence Award, a national honor recognizing organizations for outstanding quality, service, and innovation.
The award was presented on Sunday, March 30, by Robert Fangmeyer, Director of the Baldrige Performance Excellence Program at the National Institute of Standards and Technology. The ceremony took place at the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront, where more than 500 guests gathered to celebrate the achievements of five national award recipients.
Northeast Delta Dental was the only New Hampshire-based organization to receive the honor this year, making it the first ever from the state to earn this distinction. It joins a select group of just five companies nationwide awarded in 2025.
The company stood out for several key achievements, including a 99% account retention rate, its Guarantee of Service Excellence program, and a strong record of customer satisfaction.
“We are thrilled to be recognized with this prestigious award for our business practices and our commitment to the communities we serve,” said Tom Raffio, President and CEO of Northeast Delta Dental. “We credit the Baldrige framework for our success and are proud to give back to underserved communities.”
The award ceremony was followed by the Quest for Excellence Conference, where honorees and other leading organizations shared successful strategies and innovations designed to help improve performance across various industries.
Established by Congress in 1987, the Baldrige Performance Excellence Program aims to improve the quality of goods and services in the U.S. It encourages long-term organizational success by recognizing outstanding role models across sectors.
The Baldrige evaluation process is rigorous. It begins with a detailed application that outlines a company’s key practices and results. A team of examiners then reviews the application and visits the organization to verify the information. A panel of judges makes the final decision based on the findings from both the application and the site visit.
