FOUR U.S. FIRMS RECOGNIZED FOR QUALITY AND BUSINESS EXCELLENCE.

Two manufacturers, one service company and one small business have been named the recipients of the 2000 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. The companies (and Baldrige category) are Dana Corporation Spicer Driveshaft Division, Toledo, Ohio (manufacturing); KARLEE Company Inc., Garland, Texas (manufacturing); Operations Management International Inc., Greenwood Village, Colo. (service); and Los Alamos National Bank, Los Alamos, N.M. (small business). No awards were given in the education and health care categories.

This is the first time that a water treatment company and a bank have been honored. The two manufacturing recipients, Spicer Driveshaft and KARLEE, make driveshafts and precision sheet metal/machined components, respectively.

The award was established by Congress in 1987 to enhance the competitiveness of U.S. businesses by promoting quality awareness, recognizing quality and performance achievements of U.S. organizations, and publicizing successful performance strategies. The award is not given for specific products or services. Since 1988, 41 companies have received the Baldrige Award.

Baldrige Awards may be given in manufacturing, service, small business, education and health care. The companies are expected to receive their Baldrige Awards at a ceremony in Washington, DC, later this year.

Go to the NIST web site at www.nist.gov and click on "News," or call [phone], for details on the 2000 Baldrige Award and the recipient companies. Further information on the Baldrige National Quality Program is available at www.quality.nist.gov or by calling [phone].