The cream of Hong Kong`s talents gathered at the Head Office of the Hong Kong Management Association on Wednesday, 12 April 2000 for the Final Judging of the annual HKMA Quality Award which is regarded as one of the most prestigious business awards in the local territory. After detailed discussion, the Panel of Judges and the Board of Examiners decided to award one overall winner and two Certificates of Merit. The results will be announced at a Press Conference to be held on Friday, 23 June at the Grand Hyatt Hotel.

This year, around 100 companies have shown keen interest in entering the Award and among them 19 submissions were received.

The participating companies/organizations then underwent a series of assessment process including an initial screening, an assessment on final submission write-up and a 30-minute presentation plus a question and answer session before the Board of Examiners. Site visits to the finalists were also conducted by the Board of Examiners to verify claims made in submissions of shortlisted entries. A final judging was then held to decide the winners of the Award.

Dr T Y Lee, Chairman of the Board of Examiners, was delighted with the enthusiasm of the participating companies and their commitment to Total Quality Management (TQM).

"The search for QUALITY has become the single most important force leading to success and growth of organizations in both national and international markets in the new Millennium. The organizations which will succeed are those that can maintain a dedication to quality in each and every organizational function," said Dr Lee.

The Association introduced the annual Quality Award in 1991 to give recognition to those companies in Hong Kong which have made a lasting commitment to quality and also to provide an opportunity for companies to share with one another their experience in Total Quality Management.

The Award this year is co-sponsored by American Express International, Inc; Bank of China, Hong Kong Branch; Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd; COSCO (Hong Kong) Group Ltd; Glorious Sun Enterprises Ltd; The Hong Kong and China Gas Co Ltd; The Hong Kong Jockey Club; Hong Kong L P Gas (Holdings) Ltd; Island Shangri-La, Hong Kong; The Kowloon Motor Bus Co (1933) Ltd; Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation; McDonald`s Restaurants (Hong Kong) Ltd and Xerox (Hong Kong) Ltd. Media sponsors of the Award are Asia Television Ltd and South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd.

Past winners of the Award include Xerox (Hong Kong) Ltd (1991), Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group (1992), Integrated Solutions Ltd (1994), Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation (1995), Island Shangri-La, Hong Kong (1997), MTR Corporation (1998), McDonald`s Restaurants (Hong Kong) Ltd (1998), Glorious Sun Enterprises Ltd (1999) and The Hong Kong and China Gas Co Ltd (1999).

The Award`s Panel of Judges include Mr Giovanni Angelini, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts; Mr Feng Xiao Ping, Director and Chief Executive Officer, Asia Television Ltd; Dr The Hon David K P Li JP, Chairman & Chief Executive, The Bank of East Asia Ltd; Mr Liang Xiaoting, First Deputy General Manager, Bank of China, Hong Kong Branch; Mr Banio Mok, Managing Director, Xerox (Hong Kong) Ltd; Mr John Steward, Vice President and General Manager, Hong Kong, American Express International, Inc; and Dr Lawrence Wong, Chief Executive, The Hong Kong Jockey Club.

The Board of Examiners comprise Dr T Y Lee (Chairman), Director, Technology Support Centre, The University of Hong Kong; Mr Y K Chan, Safety and Quality Development Manager, MTR Corporation; Mr Stephen Lee, Senior Quality Assurance Manager, Retail Banking Division, Hang Seng Bank; Mr Sidney Leung, Assistant Vice President, Private Trust Services, HSBC Republic; Mr Francis Tsui, Director - Operations Support, Xerox (China) Ltd; Mr I S Wink, Group Quality Systems Manager, Gammon Construction Ltd; and Mr Isaac Yeung, Superior Quality Service Programme Manager, The Hong Kong and China Gas Co Ltd.

Members of Organizing Committee include Dr Lawrence Wong (Chairman), Chief Executive, The Hong Kong Jockey Club; Mr William Au, Vice President, Marketing and Sales Division, Asia Television Ltd; Mr Alfred W K Chan, Managing Director, The Hong Kong and China Gas Co Ltd; Mrs Sally Chow, Assistant General Manager, South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd; Mr Howie Ng, Chief Executive, Hong Kong Quality Assurance Agency; Mr David Turnbull, Deputy Chairman and Chief Executive, Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd; and Ms Lily Wan, Director, Public Affairs and Communications, East Asia, American Express International, Inc.

For information on the Award, please contact Ms Teresa Lee on 2774 8511 or Miss Helen Li on 2774 8547 or you may visit the website of the Association: www.hkma.org.hk.

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Issued by The Hong Kong Management Association on 15 April 2000
For press enquiries, please call Ms Titania Woo on 2526 6516/7392 3505


Photo: The 2000 HKMA Quality Award Panel of Judges (seated) and Board of Examiners

(front row from left: Mr Banio Mok, Mr Giovanni Angelini, Dr Lawrence Wong, Dr The Hon David K P Li, Mr Steve Loo, Mr Liang Xiaoting, Mr John Steward)

(back row from left: Mr I S Wink, Mr Stephen Lee, Mr Isaac Yeung, Dr T Y Lee, Mr Sidney Leung, Mr Y K Chan)