Paramus, N.J., December 9, 2002 —Branch-Smith Printing, Fort Worth, Texas, a corporate member company of the National Association for Printing Leadership (NAPL), was named a recipient of the 2002 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, the nation’s premier award for performance excellence and quality achievement. The announcement was made on Nov. 22, 2002, by President George W. Bush and Commerce Secretary Don Evans. "We are extremely honored to receive this award," said David C. Branch, chairman and chief executive officer of Branch-Smith Inc., and NAPL vice chairman of the Board. "In some ways, the award is actually ‘icing on the cake,’ because our company benefited from the entire application process. It helped us evaluate every aspect of our organization and use the feedback to continually improve. I want to personally thank each member of the dedicated and hard-working Branch-Smith team, whose unwavering efforts to please our customers made this recognition possible." "NAPL extends its most sincere congratulations to David Branch and everyone at Branch-Smith," said I. Gregg Van Wert, NAPL president and CEO. "The high level of performance that this prestigious award recognizes arises from Branch-Smith’s comprehensive, dedicated, and ongoing effort to achieve excellence, and it is greatly deserved. Receiving an award of this caliber brings well-earned recognition to one of printing’s leading companies and helps advance the entire industry." The Branch-Smith Printing Division was selected as the award winner in the small business category, joining Motorola Inc., Commercial Government and Industrial Solutions Sector, Schaumburg, Ill., in the manufacturing category; and SSM Health Care, St. Louis, in the health care category. "The three Baldrige Award winners are role models of world-class excellence, and they have achieved extraordinary results," said Commerce Secretary Evans. "The men and women of these organizations represent the highest ethical standard in public responsibility and corporate stewardship." About Branch-Smith Printing: One of the two divisions within Branch-Smith, Inc., Branch-Smith Printing Division is a fourth-generation family business with 68 employees and projected 2002 sales of more than $10 million. The company has been based in Forth Worth since its inception in 1910.