U.S. flag
        An official website of the United States government
          Here’s how you know
        Here’s how you know**Official websites use .gov**
              
              A **.gov** website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
        **Secure .gov websites use HTTPS**
              
              A **lock** (  A locked padlock
) or **https://** means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. https://www.nist.gov/baldrige/how-baldrige-program-began/launch-baldrige-program-and-first-awards-ceremony
  Search NIST
    Search
              Menu

      


Close
    Topics
        All Topics
                                                        Advanced communications
                                                        Artificial intelligence
                                                        Bioscience
                                                        Buildings and construction
                                                        Chemistry
                                                        Climate
                                                        Cybersecurity
                                                        Electronics
                                                        EnergyEnvironment
                                                        Fire
                                                        Forensic science
                                                        Health
                                                        Information technology
                                                        Infrastructure
                                                        Manufacturing
                                                        Materials
                                                        Mathematics and statisticsMetrology
                                                        Nanotechnology
                                                        Neutron research
                                                        Performance excellence
                                                        Physics
                                                        Public safety
                                                        Resilience
                                                        Standards
                                                        Transportation
            Publications
            Labs & Major Programs
        Laboratories
                                Communications Technology Laboratory
                                  Engineering Laboratory
                                  Information Technology Laboratory
                                  Material Measurement Laboratory
                                  Physical Measurement LaboratoryUser Facilities
                                NIST Center for Neutron Research
                                  CNST NanoFab
                                                        Research Test Beds
                                                        Research Projects
                                                        Tools & InstrumentsMajor Programs
                                Baldrige Performance Excellence Program
                                  CHIPS for America Initiative
                                  Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP)
                                  Office of Advanced Manufacturing
                                  Special Programs Office
                                  Technology Partnerships Office
            Services & Resources
        Standards and Measurements
                                Calibration Services
                                  Laboratory Accreditation (NVLAP)
                                  Quality System
                                  Standard Reference Materials (SRMs)
                                  Standards.gov
                                  Time Services
                                  Office of Weights and MeasuresSoftware
                                                        Data
                                Chemistry WebBook
                                  National Vulnerability Database
                                  Physical Reference Data
                                  Standard Reference Data (SRD)
                                                        Storefront
                                                        License & PatentsComputer Security Resource Center (CSRC)
                                                        NIST Research Library
            News & Events
        News
                                                        Events
                                                        Blogs
                                                        Feature Stories
                                                        AwardsVideo Gallery
                                                        Image Gallery
                                                        Media Contacts
            About NIST
        About Us
                                Leadership
                                  Organization Structure
                                  Budget & Planning
                                                        Contact Us
                                                        Visit
                                                        Careers
                                Student programsWork with NIST
                                                        History
                                NIST Digital Archives
                                  NIST Museum
                                  NIST and the Nobel
                                                        Educational Resources
 
 Baldrige Performance Excellence Program
    
      
  How the Baldrige Program Began
                            Expand or Collapse
          1983–1986: Commissions, Initiatives, and a First Attempt
                      1987: Tragedy Gives Impetus to Award
                      The Criteria Framework and Award Process Are Born
                      The First Baldrige Award Process
                      The Judges Panel and Board of Examiners
                      The Board of Overseers
                      The Foundation for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award
                      Launch of the Baldrige Program and First Awards Ceremony
                      Baldrige Spreads to the States
                      The Transformation of American Business—and the Other Sectors
                      Twenty‐Five Years LaterLaunch of the Baldrige Program and First Awards Ceremony

Share
  Facebook
                      Linkedin
                      Twitter
                      Email

First Baldrige Award Ceremony, White House, November 14, 1988 with President Reagan speaking.
First Baldrige Award Ceremony, White House, November 14, 1988Credit:
          
  The White House/Susan BiddleOn March 31, 1988, President Reagan launched the Baldrige Program at a White House Ceremony:

The award . . . offers a vehicle for companies, large and small . . . to examine their own approaches to quality. It offers companies a standard with which to compare their own progress to that of the country’s very best. This award means even more to me because it is a fitting way to honor a good friend. The economic liberty and strong competition that are indispensable to economic progress were principles that Mac Baldrige stressed, both as a successful businessman and a dynamic and effective Secretary of Commerce. The affluence this nation enjoys and the economic success that we’ve achieved derive from a free enterprise system that provides quality products and services. Mac helped strengthen this system. Mac’s work symbolized quality in every respect.

Reimann said the launch was an uplifting meeting, with everyone feeling that they had the administration’s full support. “As civil servants who never even thought about going to meet the Secretary of Commerce,” Reimann said, “this was quite an experience—very intimidating but exciting.” And joining the national effort, ASQC and APQC, which had itself been trying to create a private‐sector‐ managed award, came on board as the original nonprofit contractors mandated in the law.

Secretary of Commerce Verity echoed the President, “The award—which will be America’s ‘Nobel Prize’ for quality—will promote quality awareness, recognize quality activities of U.S. companies, and help draw the attention of all businesses to successful quality strategies. It also provides opportunities for business to have outside experts evaluate their quality programs.”20

Remarkably, Reimann and his colleagues—and the entire public‐private partnership—met the awards deadline set by Secretary Verity, and the first recipients were announced on November 14, 1988, at a packed ceremony held at the White House.

“We had made the decision to publicize the award and the broader program by promoting the concrete accomplishments of the Baldrige Award recipients,” said Mat Heyman, a long‐time NBS/NIST official charged with directing outreach. “The concept of a government‐managed award to recognize quality achievements in the private sector was likely to be met with natural skepticism, so the accomplishments of the recipients—and more importantly, the lessons contained in their success stories—was our focus.”

20 Verity, William, “Quality—The Quest for Excellence,” *Business America: The Magazine of International Trade*, U.S. Department of Commerce, May 9, 1988
  Performance excellence, Assessment tools and services, Baldrige award, Baldrige examiners, Baldrige Framework and Criteria, Best practices and Leadership development

    
    Contacts
      
        

Baldrige Customer Service
  baldrige@nist.gov
  (301) 975-2036
  NIST/BPEP 
  100 Bureau Drive, M/S 1020 
  Gaithersburg,
  MD 20899-1020

Created April 17, 2023, Updated April 19, 2023 ‹ The Foundation for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award
              Baldrige Spreads to the States ›
 HEADQUARTERS
            100 Bureau Drive
              Gaithersburg, MD 20899301-975-2000
            Webmaster | Contact Us | Our Other Offices
        Twitter
            
Facebook
            
LinkedIn
            
Instagram
            
YouTube
            
Giphy
            
RSS Feed
            
Mailing List
                              How are we doing? Feedback

  
  Site Privacy
                      Accessibility
                      Privacy Program
                      Copyrights
                      Vulnerability Disclosure
                      No Fear Act Policy
                      FOIA
                      Environmental Policy
                      Scientific Integrity
                      Information Quality Standards
                      Commerce.gov
                      Science.gov
                      USA.gov
                      Vote.gov