President Clinton Recognizes Leading Companies and American Leadership in the New Economy

"I always saw a big part of my duty here as just to have government policies that would reinforce what is right and get out of the way of what is right, so that we could create the conditions and give people the tools so that everybody could do what you're doing. And we've tried to do that...So I thank you. I thank you for making America a better place. I thank you for your enthusiasm and for being a model for other American workplaces. And I ask you, when you go home, to share with your friends and neighbors who may not work with you the idea that this country is like where you work."

-- President Clinton, 12/19/97

While recognizing the four winners of the Malcolm Baldridge Quality Awards Ceremony, President Clinton celebrated the United States economy as a world leader and the strongest in a generation. The President highlighted his bold economic strategy -- shrinking the deficit and balancing the budget, investing in our people and lowering unfair barrier to our goods and services. The result is the strongest economy in a generation and policies which have helped companies like those honored today compete successfully in the "New Economy."

President Recognized Four Companies Winning Baldridge Quality AwardsFor the fourth year, President Clinton honored the winners of the Balridge Quality Awards, a public/private partnership between the Department of Commerce and private industry leaders. This year's recipients of the award, which honors business excellence and quality achievement, included:

Solectron Corporation, which provides a wide variety of electronics design and manufacturing services to original equipment manufacturers. The company recycles 94 percent of its materials and has reduced its hazardous wastes and chemical emissions.

Merrill Lynch Credit Corporation, which provides home financing, personal credit and investment and business financing. As a result of the company's focus on quality management and performance excellence, net income increased 100 percent from 1994 to 1996 -- exceeding the industry average.

Xerox Business Services, which provides document outsourcing services and consulting, including on- site management of mailrooms and print shops as well as creation, production and management of documents. Xerox's commitment to total quality, both by its employees and the entire organization, has resulted in $1.5 billion in revenue.

President Clinton's Bold Economic Strategy Helps Companies Benefit From New EconomyThe President's three part economic strategy has put in place policies which have allowed these companies to prosper. The President reduced the federal budget deficit by 92 percent since 1992 and in August signed the Balanced Budget Act. Now the economy is the strongest its been in a generation. Under President Clinton the U.S. signed over 200 trade agreements and we are now the number one exporter in the world. And the President secured historic investments in our people -- opening the doors of college to all Americans willing to work for the opportunity.

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