Businesses Awarded for Excellence at Chamber Conference Lancaster, PA (May 18, 2000) – Lancaster General Hospital and HealthGuard were the top award recipients at the region’s most prestigious business awards ceremony, The Lancaster Chamber of Commerce & Industry’s 2000 Business Excellence Conference, on May 18. Eight other Pennsylvania businesses were also honored with awards at the conference, which was held at the American Music Theatre in Lancaster. The Lancaster Chamber’s Performance Excellence Awards are the only awards in the region based on the criteria of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award Program. Because there is currently no statewide Baldrige-based award in Pennsylvania, The Chamber opened up competition to businesses throughout the state this year. Eight out of the ten award recipients were Lancaster County businesses and organizations. Recipients earned awards on three levels: Achievement Award, Leadership Award and Excellence Award. The Excellence Award honors the highest achievement in performance excellence. The Leadership Award recognizes significant progress in quality improvement. The Achievement Award is bestowed upon an organization that demonstrates a serious commitment to customer focus and improvement. HealthGuard and Lancaster General Hospital earned the highest honor, the Performance Excellence Award. HealthGuard is a managed care organization servicing employer groups, employees and their dependents, Medicare beneficiaries and providers throughout the region. Lancaster General Hospital is a 463 bed not-for-profit located in Lancaster City. Lancaster General Hospital has received designation as a Top 100 Hospital in America for three consecutive years. Earning the Leadership Awards this year were Dostalik ET AL Management Consultants, Horst Group, National Bearings Company and RETTEW Associates, Inc. Achievement Award recipients included Diversified Data Services Call Center, Inc., G.E. Richards, Inc., Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, Engineering District 1-0, and Pennsylvania Department of Transportation – Safety Administration. Awards were presented by Dr. Harry S. Hertz, director of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award Program. Dr. Thomas Connellan, author of the popular "Knock Your Socks Off Service" series and, more recently, "Inside the Magic Kingdom: Seven Keys to Disney’s Success," highlighted the conference as keynote speaker. Through lessons and experiences of such service masters as Federal Express, Marriott and Disney, Dr. Connellan taught the audience how to create an environment that embraces changes, retains customers and energizes staff.