For Immediate Release

ASQ Awarded Mastery Level by Wisconsin Forward Award

Milwaukee, Wisconsin, January 3, 2007 – The American Society for Quality (ASQ), a knowledge-based global community of quality experts headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, was recently awarded 2006 Mastery Level recognition by Wisconsin Forward Award, Inc. (WFA).

“This marks another milestone in our quality journey,” said Paul Borawski, ASQ executive director and chief strategic officer. “As an organization dedicated to the establishment and maintenance of quality practices and goals in the workplace and community, it’s an honor to be recognized at the Mastery Level by the Wisconsin Forward Award,” Borawski added. “We will continue to use the award’s rigorous assessment process and feedback to further advance ASQ’s overall organizational and operational excellence.”

The Mastery Level is an advanced level for organizations that are working to achieve the Governor’s Award of Excellence – the highest level of recognition.  Applicants were rigorously evaluated 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 875 hours of review.  Through the skillful practice of performance management principles, organizations that are recognized by the WFA demonstrate significant progress in expanding their capabilities through improved processes of all kinds.  Achievements are demonstrated by results; are clearly linked to quality and performance management systems; and are directly attributable to a systematic, well-deployed approach.

“These award winners demonstrate that an organization’s ongoing commitment to excellence can have long-term effects and lead to major gains in financial performance; patient care and safety; customer satisfaction and retention; and employee performance and involvement,” said Roberta Gassman, secretary for the Department of Workforce Development.

Wisconsin Forward Award recipients will be presented with their award in a ceremony at the Overture Center for the Arts in Madison, Wisconsin, February 7, 2007.

Wisconsin Forward Award, Inc. was created in 1997 by the Governor’s Council on Workforce Investment to advance the competitive position and world-class status of Wisconsin organizations in the international marketplace; and to enhance learning, continuous improvement and enterprise performance. The award promotes excellence in organizational management, recognizes the achievements and results of Wisconsin organizations implementing performance excellence systems and publicizes successful performance excellence management strategies.

All types and sizes of Wisconsin organizations are eligible to apply, including manufacturers, service companies, small businesses, educational institutions, health care organizations and non profit organizations, including trade and professional associations, government entities and charities.

WFA is a public/private partnership modeled after the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Program. The not-for-profit organization receives financial support from the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development as well as other organizations across the state.

The American Society for Quality, www.asq.org, has been the world's leading authority on quality for more than 60 years.  With more than 90,000 individual and organizational members, the professional association advances learning, quality improvement and knowledge exchange to improve business results, and to create better workplaces and communities worldwide.  As a champion of the quality movement, ASQ offers technologies, concepts, tools and training to quality professionals, quality practitioners and everyday consumers, encouraging all to Make Good Great®.  ASQ has been the sole administrator of the prestigious Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award since 1991.  Headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, ASQ is a founding partner of the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI), a prominent quarterly economic indicator, and also produces the Quarterly Quality Report.