News Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
November 16, 2005

Distinguished Lincoln Awards to honor exceptional organizations

The Lincoln Foundation has awarded the following organizations the 2005 Lincoln Silver Award for Progress Towards Excellence for demonstrating sound and notable continuous improvement processes. The organizations are as follows: Caterpillar Inc., Wheel Loader & Excavator Division – Aurora; City of St. Charles – St. Charles; Freeport School District #145 – Freeport; Memorial Health System – Springfield; Methodist Medical Center of Illinois – Peoria; Pekin Memorial Hospital – Pekin; Robert Bosch, Automotive Aftermarket Division – Broadview; Sarah Bush Lincoln Health System – Mattoon; and St. Francis Hospital & Health Center – Blue Island.

Five additional Illinois organizations have been awarded the 2005 Lincoln Bronze Award for Commitment to Excellence for their earnest efforts to adopt and apply continuous improvement principles. These organizations include: Delta Dental of Illinois – Lisle; Division of Child Support Enforcement, Illinois Department of Healthcare & Family Services – State of Illinois; Greenville Regional Hospital – Greenville; Kaskaskia College – Centralia; St. James Hospital & Health Centers – Chicago Heights.

"This years group of recipients represent a variety of outstanding organizations that are leading the way to improving the environment and lives of the people of Illinois," says Paul G. Kuchuris, Jr., President and CEO of The Lincoln Foundation. "They represent people who are committed to continuously improving their organizations through a well structured and proven framework. They are demonstrating that using the Lincoln criteria, organizations can ensure that our state will continue to create and maintain great jobs and build a bright future for Illinois. We are proud to honor them and to be a part of their success."

Award recipients will be formally honored at The Lincoln Foundation for Performance Excellence Recognition Ceremony, hosted by Michael J. Birck, Chairman Tellabs, Inc., held at 5:00 p.m. on December 8, 2005 at Tellabs, Inc. in Naperville. The Lincoln Foundation will also honor Walter Reilly, Vice President Human Resources and Corporate Services, ELKAY Manufacturing Company with the 2005 Excellence in Leadership Award at the event. Christy Stephenson, President and CEO, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, Hamilton, 2004 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award Recipient, will present the keynote address. Dave Savini, CBS 2 Chicago, is scheduled to emcee the event.

The Lincoln Foundation for Performance Excellence is a not-for-profit organization based by both private and public funding that assists Illinois organizations continuously improve their performance by encouraging, developing and highlighting excellence among all five sectors of the economy: industry, service, health care, education, and government. Each year a select Lincoln Board of Examiners review and assess award applications in seven areas (leadership, strategic planning, customer and market focus, information and analysis, human resource focus, process management and results) and a Panel of Judges determined which applicants have earned recognition. For more information on how your organization can benefit from The Lincoln Foundation or to attend the Recognition Ceremony, call 630-637-1595 or visit our website at http://www.lincolnaward.org.