LINCOLN, NEB. (October 28, 2005)—Two manufacturers and a hospital today received 2005 Edgerton Quality Awards for ongoing efforts in quality.

The Edgerton Awards program is patterned after the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Awards program. Applicants are evaluated in the areas of leadership, strategic planning, customer and market focus, information and analysis, human resources, product and service processes, and business results; judged by a team of Edgerton Examiners; and rated according to strengths and opportunities for improvement.

Two organizations received the Edgerton Award of Progress:

· Behlen Mfg. Co., Columbus, Neb.—World headquarters Behlen Mfg. Co. manufactures and ships products globally through its three business units, Behlen Country, Behlen Building Systems, and Behlen International and Diversified Products (IDP). The company employs 710 workers at the Columbus plant. Behlen Country makes farm gates, corral panels, livestock-handling equipment, horse stalls, dog kennels, livestock feeders, waterers and water tanks. Behlen Building Systems products include custom designed metal building systems for commercial, industrial, institutional and warehousing buildings. Behlen IDP has combined the resources of International Agricultural Systems, Strip Joining Presses, and Custom Fabrication.

In 2006, the company will celebrate 70 years in business. The company’s vision for the future is “Teamwork and Change,” reflected in a participative model of leadership. The company culture is best described by a number of ‘building blocks,’ with “Value Added Customer Satisfaction” at the top.

“Our customers require us to have quick service, reasonable prices, and top quality products,” said Phil Raimondo, Behlen Mfg. president and chief executive officer. “If we miss on those bases, we aren’t going to get another chance. They are going to go to a competitor.”

The company maintains a leadership position in a highly competitive market through teamwork, innovation, education and technology advancements. Behlen Mfg. has a unique training partnership, recognized by Training Magazine as one of the top 100. This partnership guarantees a skilled workforce that is highly productive and efficient.

“One of the best ways to continuously improve is to find out what is out there,” Raimondo said. “From a benchmarking standpoint, we want to understand the latest and greatest improvements that other companies are using and how we can implement those things and how we can stay focused on continuous improvement.”

· Cooper Nuclear Station (CNS), Brownville, Neb.—Owned and operated by the Nebraska Public Power District, CNS is the largest single unit electrical generating site in the state, generating 798 megawatts of electricity. The District is charted by state statute to deliver electric power, wholesale or retail, to all parts of 91 of Nebraska’s 93 counties, an estimated population of 800,000 people in a 76,281 square mile area. CNS employs a diverse staff of 754 full-time employees.

“We want customers to not even think about us. We want them to take us for granted…to get up in the morning, turn on a light switch and expect electricity to come on,” said Randy Edington, NPPD chief nuclear officer.

The interactive leadership model at CNS allows for communications and involvement across the organization. Engagement by top leadership with the diverse employees through meetings, training, and strategy sessions is a model that can be adapted by other businesses.

“Basically every year we will re-evaluate the items we learned, examine that area, and say ‘What can we do differently now?’…It is a continuous improvement process,” Edington said. “Quality is in the fabric of what we do, whether it’s in our equipment, our training processes, or our human performance where we are looking at our error reduction techniques. Quality is just a way of life where every single item we work on is examined from a quality perspective.”

The focus on safety and robust training of employees is a high priority. Recently, CNS located a training facility in Auburn, Neb., which is available to the community for civic activities. This commitment and involvement in the surrounding communities is beneficial for both CNS and the area.

Receiving the Edgerton Award of Commitment was:

· Phelps Memorial Health Center (PMHC), Holdrege, Neb.—The need for a modern hospital came from the desire of citizens living in Holdrege and the surrounding area to access contemporary health care services. Established in 1968, PMHC is a 49- bed acute care hospital that provides inpatient services, swing-bed patient care, and comprehensive outpatient services. It strives to be the first choice of families, and seeks to deliver a continuum of care that enhances peoples’ quality of life.

“Every patient should have the BEST there is to offer,” said Joyce Hein, PMHC chief executive officer, ”whether in central Nebraska or at a major medical center, we want to assure patients that they have access to the best.”

During the past five years, PMHC has strived to balance the need to compete and to collaborate as far as staffing and/or contracting with primary care and specialty physicians. All members of its medical staff are in private practice.

The collaboration with partners and medical staff is highly effective and efficient for patient care. Cross-functional teaming is common within the hospital and provides for a high level of consistency of care. Support is given to the continued personal and professional growth of each employee.

PMHC has developed unique partnerships and engaged in state of the art technological innovation to provide the best care for patients. This allows the center to keep up with the ever-changing dynamics of healthcare. Patients at PMHC receive the highest level of care and services in a safe, friendly environment.

“The Edgerton process has helped us set our quality and strategies for upcoming years,” Hein said. “Here are areas where we can organize, be more effective and efficient, and make better use of data analysis process. If you are truly embracing continuous quality improvement and continuous learning, Edgerton is just another opportunity to help you move toward a higher performance level.”

FOR INFORMATION, CONTACT:

Jenne Rodriguez at 800-426-6505, 402-471-3745, or email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it