Governor Perdue Congratulates The Boeing Company, Recipient of the 2003 Georgia Oglethorpe Award

Atlanta - Governor Sonny Perdue today congratulated The Boeing Company, Macon, for being named the 2003 Georgia Oglethorpe Award recipient. Named for Georgia's founder, James Edward Oglethorpe, the assessment is based on the prestigious Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award criteria. It is Georgia's highest level of recognition for organizational performance excellence. Boeing, Macon, is part of The Boeing Airlift & Tanker Division, which received the national Baldrige Award in 1998.

"We have long known Boeing's Macon facility to be top notch and a role model for others," said Governor Sonny Perdue. "I applaud the Macon facility for putting the concepts of continuous strategic and tactical improvement to work in its operations."

The Boeing Company will receive the award during the Georgia Oglethorpe Annual Conference & Awards Banquet to be held September 15-17, 2003 at Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, Georgia. The Boeing Company, Macon, becomes the second industry applicant to receive this award. In 2000, Prestolite Wire, Tifton, a manufacturer of ignition wire systems for the automobile industry, received the award.

"This award is a tremendous accomplishment for our site and is a tribute to the dedication and commitment of every member of our team," said Obie Jones, Site Leader- Boeing, Macon. "Our operation understands that no matter how good you are today, it will not be good enough to compete in tomorrow's market. Therefore, continuous improvement is a way of life for us."

"Georgia Oglethorpe is an earned award," said Victoria Taylor, Georgia Oglethorpe's Executive Director. Applying for the award requires a rigorous self- and third-party organizational assessment of your business. All applicants receive a written feedback report detailing their respective strengths and improvement opportunities against the Georgia Oglethorpe (Baldrige) Criteria. Business, industry, government, education, healthcare, and nonprofit organizations use the Criteria to help them create and sustain higher performance levels."

In the past six years, Georgia Oglethorpe has provided $3 million in virtually free consulting to 36 self-nominated Georgia organizations. It is a nonprofit, public-private partnership located at the Georgia Department of Labor. It provides education, assessment, feedback, and recognition based on the Criteria for Performance Excellence as a service to Georgia's organizations.

People interested in learning more about Georgia Oglethorpe should attend the Conference & Awards Banquet this September. For more information, please contact the Georgia Oglethorpe office at 404.651.8405 (voice mail) or goap@mindpring.com.