Alachua County Tax Collector’s Office Receives 2026 Sterling Sustained Excellence Award 

The Sterling Council has announced that the Alachua County Tax Collector’s Office, led by Tax Collector John Power, has been awarded the 2026 Sterling Sustained Excellence Award, recognizing the organization as one of the highest performing public agencies in Florida and the Southeast. 

This prestigious honor is reserved for organizations that have previously earned a Sterling Award and have demonstrated multiyear, benchmark level excellence in leadership, customer service, workforce engagement, operational effectiveness, and measurable results. 

The award was presented at the 2026 Sterling Awards Banquet in Orlando, May 29, 2026, where leaders from across the region gathered to celebrate organizations that exemplify performance excellence and continuous improvement. 

“Our workforce is the heart of this achievement,” said John Power, Alachua County Tax Collector. “This award reflects years of dedication by our team to serve our community with professionalism, compassion, and accountability. Sustained excellence is not about a single accomplishment; it’s about consistently doing the right things for our customers, employees, and stakeholders.” 

About the Sterling Council 

The Sterling Council is Florida’s premier organization dedicated to advancing leadership development, organizational assessment, and performance excellence across the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. Through its rigorous award programs, professional training, and statewide examiner corps, the Sterling Council helps organizations build resilient systems, improve outcomes, and achieve sustained, measurable excellence. Its flagship awards — including the Sterling Award, the Georgia Oglethorpe Award, and the Sterling Sustained Excellence Award — are modeled on the Baldrige Performance Excellence Framework and are recognized as the highest honors for organizational performance in the Southeast.  For more information, visit www.thesterlingcouncil.org