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THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release October 16, 1995

STATEMENT BY THE PRESS SECRETARY

The President today congratulated the two winners of the 1995 Malcolm Baldridge National Quality Award for their business excellence and quality achievement.

The winners are Armstrong World Industries' Building Products Operation(Lancaster,Pa.) and Corning Telecommunications Products Division(Corning,N.Y.)

"The United States is the most competitive nation in the world. Quality is a key to retaining that title. The Malcolm Baldridge National Quality Award is helping U.S. companies satisfy customers and improve overall company performance and capabilities," said the President. "These two forward-looking companies are excellent role models that have woven the Award's principles into all that they do. They are helping to build a more competitive America that will allow our children to work and contribute and prosper no an into the next century."

The award was established by Congress in 1987 to promote awareness about quality management, to recognize quality achievements of U.S. companies and to publicize successful quality strategies. The program is managed by the Commerce Department's National Institute of Standards and Technology in conjunction with private industry. screening of applications for the award is conducted by leading U.S. quality experts.

Since 1987, 24 companies have won the award. More than one million copies of the award criteria--which thousands of organizations use as a "roadmap" for quality improvement--have been distributed.

The President and Commerce Secretary Ronald H.Brown are expected to present the awards to the 1995 wining companies later this year in a ceremony in Washington,D.C.

For further information, contact Jan Kosko, National Institute of Standards and Technology, (301)975-2762.