President
George W. Bush and Commerce Secretary Don Evans today
announced five winners of the 2001
Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, the nation's
premier award for performance excellence and quality achievement.
For the first time in the history of the Baldrige awards,
winners were named in the education category.
The
2001 Baldrige Award recipients are:
Clarke
American Checks, Inc., San Antonio, Texas (manufacturing);
Pal's
Sudden Service, Kingsport, Tenn. (small business);
Chugach
School District, Anchorage, Alaska (education);
Pearl
River School District, Pearl River, N.Y. (education);
and
University
of Wisconsin-Stout, Menomonie, Wis. (education).
"President
Bush and I congratulate the men and women who have won the
2001 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award," said
Commerce Secretary Evans. "Through their passion for
excellence and their commitment to employees, customers,
students, stakeholders and their communities, they have
achieved extraordinary results. They represent the proud
spirit of America and our strong resolve to excel."
"We
are especially pleased to announce the first Baldrige Award
winners in the education category," continued Evans.
"They will be outstanding role models for 21st Century
education organizations. As President Bush has so often
said, if we succeed in educating our youth, many other successes
will follow."
In addition
to including the first-ever winners in the education category,
this year's awards include the first winner in the quick
service restaurant industry, Pal's Sudden Service. Chugach
School District, with just 30 faculty and staff, is not
only one of the first education winners, it also is the
smallest organization to win a Baldrige Award. Three of
the 2001 winners also have won state quality awards: Clarke
American Checks, 2001 Texas Award for Performance Excellence;
Pal's Sudden Service, 2001 Tennessee Quality Excellence
Award; and Pearl River School District, 1994 New York Governor's
Excelsior Award.
These
organizations are expected to receive the Baldrige Award
in a ceremony in Washington, D.C., early next year.
The
Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award is given to U.S
organizations that have exemplary achievements in seven
areas: leadership, strategic planning, customer and market
focus, information and analysis, human resource focus, process
management, and business results.
All
applicants for the Baldrige Award undergo a rigorous examination
process that ranges from 300 to 1,000 hours of outside review.
Final-stage applicants are visited by teams of examiners
to clarify questions and verify information. All applications
are reviewed by an independent board of examiners primarily
from the private sector. Each applicant receives a report
citing strengths and opportunities for improvement.
Named
after the 26th secretary of Commerce, the Malcolm Baldrige
National Quality Award was established by Congress in 1987
to enhance the competitiveness of US businesses. The award
promotes quality awareness, recognizes the quality and performance
achievements of US organizations, and publicizes successful
performance strategies. It has five categories: manufacturing,
service, small business, education and health care. The
award is not given for specific products or services. Since
1988, 46 organizations have received the Baldrige Award.
The
Baldrige program is managed by the National Institute of
Standards and Technology, an agency of the US Department
of Commerce's Technology Administration, in conjunction
with the private sector.
Further
information and photos are also available by calling (301)
975-2762.
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