Two Manufacturers, Business School, Hospital to Receive Presidential Award for Quality and Performance Excellence

President George W. Bush and Commerce Secretary Don Evans today announced four organizations as recipients of the 2004 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, the nation's only Presidential award for quality and organizational performance excellence.

The 2004 Baldrige Award recipients are:

• The Bama Companies, Tulsa, Okla. (manufacturing category)
• Texas Nameplate Company, Inc., Dallas, Texas (small business category)
• Kenneth W. Monfort College of Business, Greeley, Colo. (education category)
• Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton, Hamilton, N.J. (health care category)

This is the second time that Texas Nameplate has been named a recipient of the Baldrige Award; the first time was in 1998. Baldrige Award recipients can reapply for the award after five years.

"President Bush and I are proud to name these outstanding organizations as recipients of the prestigious Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award," said Commerce Secretary Don Evans. "They embody the Baldrige themes of ethical leadership, sustainability, innovation and continuous improvement. I salute these organizations and their workers for their contributions to America's economic and competitive strength."

The 2004 Baldrige Award recipients were selected from among 60 applicants. All four recipients were evaluated rigorously by an independent board of examiners in seven areas: leadership; strategic planning; customer and market focus; measurement, analysis, and knowledge management; human resource focus; process management; and results. The evaluation process included about 1,000 hours of review and an on-site visit by teams of examiners to clarify questions and verify information in the applications.

"We are confident that the 2004 Baldrige Award recipients will serve as role models for every U.S. organization striving to improve. It is truly gratifying for those of us on the Baldrige Award board of examiners who volunteer to evaluate these organizations to see them recognized for their exemplary performance," said Harry Reedy, chair of the private-sector Baldrige Award panel of judges and vice president and director of quality for State Street Corp., Boston, Mass.

The 2004 Baldrige Award recipients are expected to be presented with the Baldrige Award in a ceremony in Washington, D.C., early next year.

Named after the 26th Secretary of Commerce, the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award was established by Congress in 1987 to enhance the competitiveness of U.S. businesses. The award promotes excellence in organizational performance, recognizes the quality and performance achievements of U.S. organizations, and publicizes successful performance strategies. The award may be presented to five types of organizations: manufacturers, service companies, small businesses, education organizations and health care organizations. The award is not given for specific products or services. Since 1988, 62 Baldrige Awards have been presented to 59 organizations. In October, President Bush signed into law legislation that authorizes the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to expand the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award Program to include non-profit and government organizations. The program may begin to solicit applications for the award from non-profit organizations in 2006.

The Baldrige program is managed by NIST in conjunction with the private sector. As a non-regulatory agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce's Technology Administration, NIST develops and promotes measurement, standards and technology to enhance productivity, facilitate trade and improve the quality of life.