Pagliacci Pizza, founded in Seattle in 1979, has been honored with a Performance Excellence Northwest (PENW) Award at the Mt. Denali Excellence Level, recognizing outstanding organizational excellence and sustained business performance.
The award is an achievement that comes with a great deal of prestige. It’s the first time in more than 10 years that PENW, a Regional Baldrige Program that includes Alaska, Washington State, Oregon and Idaho, has recognized an organization at the top level.
PENW helps develop high-performing leaders, organizations and communities. According to a press release, the Mt. Denali Excellence Level is PENW’s highest recognition and highlights organizations demonstrating best-in-class practices aligned with the rigorous Baldrige Excellence Framework.
Known for its strong commitment to sustainability and innovation, Pagliacci Pizza operates 23 locations throughout the greater Seattle metropolitan area. The brand has been voted a Seattle favorite in many polls and won numerous awards, including Best Pizza several times in Seattle Weekly and Seattle Magazine.
“For over a decade, Baldrige processes have shaped key decisions at Pagliacci, helping us improve our business,” said Matt Galvin, the pizza brand’s co-owner. “Those strategies have helped us navigate challenging times, from COVID to unprecedented inflation. Baldrige practices touch every facet of our business, from new-employee training to customer communication. It has been an enormous lift for our crew, and the results speak for themselves: stronger sales, fewer complaints, average manager tenure now exceeding 14 years, and a smoother, more predictable operation.”
The Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award program was established by the U.S. Congress in 1987 and is administered by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The award “represents the pinnacle of recognition for performance excellence in the United States,” the press release states.
Recognition at PENW’s Mt. Denali Excellence Level reflects Pagliacci’s commitment to excellence across multiple categories, including leadership, strategy, customer and workforce engagement, operational efficiency, and measurable outcomes. The company said its success “stems from a clear vision, strong values and continuous improvement — principles underscored by the Baldrige framework. This recognition affirms Pagliacci’s long-term business excellence and positions the company among the elite organizations in the Pacific Northwest.”
