FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:                  G 94-95
Oct. 18, 1994, 10 a.m.

Contact:  Jan Kosko                     Three Companies Win 1994
          (301) 975-2767                Baldrige Quality Award


     President Clinton announced today AT&T Consumer
Communications Services (Basking Ridge, N.J.), GTE Directories
Corp. (Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas) and Wainwright Industries, Inc.
(St. Peters, Mo.) as winners of the 1994 Malcolm Baldrige
National Quality Award for excellence in quality management.

     "The president and I congratulate the dedicated men and
women of these companies.  With visionary leaders and an educated
and empowered workforce, they are striding into the 21st century
confident they will be able to meet the quality and
competitiveness challenges of the future," Commerce Secretary
Ronald H. Brown said.

     "As the pace of global competition quickens, I encourage all
U.S. companies to follow the examples of these winners by
focusing on and investing in quality.  U.S. business
competitiveness depends on American firms that understand the
importance of being fast moving, cutting edge and more flexible
than their competitors," he added.

     The award is named for the late Secretary of Commerce
Malcolm Baldrige and is managed by the National Institute of
Standards and Technology, an agency of the Commerce Department's
Technology Administration.

     It was established by Congress in 1987 to promote quality
awareness, to recognize quality achievements of U.S. companies
and to publicize successful quality strategies.  The award is not
given for specific products or services.  Up to two awards may be
given annually in each of three categories:  manufacturing,
service and small business.  Since 1988, 22 companies have won
the award.

     Companies submit applications with details on their quality
management systems.  An independent board of quality experts
evaluates the applications and looks for achievements and
improvements in seven areas:  leadership, information and
analysis, strategic planning, human resource development and
management, process management, business results, and customer
focus and satisfaction.

     Teams of examiners visit applicants that pass an initial
screening to verify information in the application and to clarify
any issues or questions that came up during the review.  All
applications are reviewed by at least eight examiners.  Each
applicant receives a "feedback" report citing strengths and areas
that need improvement in its quality management program.

     President Clinton and Secretary Brown will present the
awards to the 1994 winners at a ceremony in Washington, D.C.,
later this year.

     The three companies will present details of their quality
improvement strategies and results at the annual Quest for
Excellence conference to be held Feb. 6-8, 1995, at the
Washington Hilton & Towers, Washington, D.C.

     A non-regulatory agency, NIST promotes U.S. economic growth
by working with industry to develop and apply technology,
measurements and standards.  NIST was selected by Congress to
design and manage the award program because of its role in
helping U.S. companies compete, its world-renowned expertise in
quality control and assurance, and its reputation as an impartial
third party.

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NOTE TO EDITORS:  Brief descriptions of each 1994 winner are
attached.