Alachua County Tax Collector’s Office receives 2026 Sterling Sustained Excellence Award
Press release from the Alachua County Tax Collector’s Office
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – 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 multi-year, 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 on 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.”
This is a major award.
It is the highest-level recognition for organizational performance excellence, modeled after the national Baldrige Award. Only a handful of organizations earn it each year, and the evaluation process is brutal.
Some years, in Florida, perhaps one or two organizations will receive this award.
But this award is for sustained excellence. This is even more rare.
Being a 48 year resident of Alachua County, I remember the days of dreading to go down our Tax Collector’s Office! John and his staff have transformed this office into such an enjoyable experience, that I actually look forward to heading down there! A tip of the hat to John and his staff! Job well done!!!!