NIST announces 2010 Baldrige Award winners.

Press Release Summary:



U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke named 7 organizations as recipients of the 2010 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, the nation's highest Presidential honor for performance excellence through innovation, improvement, and visionary leadership. Recipients include MEDRAD; Nestle Purina PetCare Co.; Freese and Nichols Inc.; K&N Management; Studer Group; Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital of Downers Grove, IL; and Montgomery County Public Schools of Rockville, MD.



Original Press Release:



2010 Baldrige Award Winners Announced



U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke yesterday named seven organizations as recipients of the 2010 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, the nation's highest Presidential honor for performance excellence through innovation, improvement and visionary leadership. This marks the first year that three small businesses have been selected at one time and only the second instance in the Award's 23-year history that a total of seven organizations are being honored.

The 2010 Baldrige Award recipients (and categories) are:

MEDRAD, Warrendale, Pa. (manufacturing)

Nestlé Purina PetCare Co., St. Louis, Mo. (manufacturing)

Freese and Nichols Inc., Fort Worth, Texas (small business)

K&N Management, Austin, Texas (small business)

Studer Group, Gulf Breeze, Fla. (small business)

Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital, Downers Grove, Ill. (health care)

Montgomery County Public Schools, Rockville, Md. education)

MEDRAD receives the Baldrige Award for the second time, having also been selected in the manufacturing category in 2003.

The 2010 Baldrige Award recipients were selected from a field of 83 applicants. All of the applicants were evaluated rigorously by an independent board of examiners in seven areas: leadership; strategic planning; customer focus; measurement, analysis and knowledge management; workforce focus; process management; and results.

The only Presidential Award for performance excellence, the Baldrige Award was established by Congress in 1987 to enhance the competitiveness and performance of U.S. businesses. Manufacturers, service companies, small businesses, education institutions, healthcare organizations, and nonprofit organizations such as charities, trade and professional associations, and government agencies are eligible to receive the award. The award promotes excellence in organizational performance, recognizes the achievements and results of U.S. organizations, and publicizes successful performance strategies. Since 1988, 86 organizations have received the Baldrige Award. It is named after Malcolm Baldrige, the 26th Secretary of Commerce.

The Baldrige Performance Excellence Program is managed by the Commerce Department's National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in conjunction with the private sector. The program raises awareness about the importance of performance excellence in driving the U.S. and global economy; provides organizational assessment tools and criteria; educates leaders in businesses, schools, health care organizations, and government and nonprofit agencies about the practices of best-in-class organizations; and recognizes national role models by honoring them with.

For more details, read today's news announcement, "Seven U.S. Organizations Honored with the 2010 Baldrige National Quality Award" at http://www.nist.gov/baldrige/baldrige_recipients2010.cfm.

Media Contact: Michael E. Newman, michael.newman@nist.gov, 301-975-3025

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