50%
Achievement/Excellence
Overall achievement and excellence in service, products, or performance, including financial performance where applicable.
Best of State · The judging process
Winner Selection
The judging process is one of the most important dimensions of Best of State. The process is designed to make judging as impartial and objective as possible. To that end, all judges determine their scores independently, without input from other judges. This prevents any individual judge from exerting influence on any other judges.
Judges review nominations online and evaluate any other submitted material. They assign three separate scores to each nominee, with 100 points possible.
01 · The standard
Judging Criteria
Best of State seeks to recognize the people, organizations, and businesses that are achieving, innovating, and improving the quality of life in Utah. The judging criteria is specifically designed to consider factors that don't necessarily show up on the income statement.
30%
Innovation/Creativity
Innovation, creativity, and differentiation — the ideas and approaches that set a nominee apart.
20%
Contribution to Quality of Life in Utah
Contributions that improve the quality of life for the people and communities of Utah.
Excelling and Surpassing All Else.®
02 · Independent expertise
Who Are the Judges?
Judges are selected for their expertise and credibility in their fields. Best of State turns to professional associations, universities, industry leaders, and chambers of commerce for recommendations.
More than 100 judges serve on separate panels for each of the ten divisions. They are volunteers, donating many hours to review nominations and submitted materials.
Judges’ names are kept confidential to avoid lobbying from applicants or other judges. When a conflict of interest exists, the judge must abstain from evaluating that nominee.
03 · Independent certification
Tabulation and Certification of Results
Scores are delivered to the independent CPA firm Gilbert & Stewart, P.C., where they are totaled and triple-checked for accuracy. Gilbert & Stewart notifies Best of State of the medal winners.
In each major division, judges select the most outstanding medal winner to receive the Best of State Statue (BOSS).
04 · Objectivity above all
Sponsors & Integrity
Sponsors sometimes win and sometimes do not. Judges generally have no idea of or interest in who sponsors Best of State.
Best of State principals have no influence in judging. Integrity and objectivity always govern the process.
05 · Symbols of excellence
The Awards
The Medal
The Medal is 2 inches in diameter, solid bronze plated in gold, with the motto inscribed on its edge. Its custom-loomed, double-thick neck ribbon is edged in gold.
The Statue / BOSS
The Best of State Statue is 20 pounds of solid bronze on a black granite pedestal, plated in 24k gold. One BOSS is awarded in each of the ten divisions.