[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 150 (Thursday, December 7, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2152]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   HONORING LOS ALAMOS NATIONAL BANK

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. TOM UDALL

                             of new mexico

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, December 7, 2000

  Mr. UDALL of New Mexico. Mr. Speaker, last month Los Alamos National 
Bank was presented the prominent Baldridge Award. This superior bank 
deserves congressional recognition as well.
  I share an extreme sense of pride in knowing that one of New Mexico's 
own, and a business in my Third Congressional District, has received 
this highly coveted and prestigious recognition. What makes this award 
so special is that it represents excellence in every aspect. Quality 
improvement is an evolutionary process, and those businesses and 
organizations that commit themselves to this endeavor are investing not 
only in themselves, but in those they serve. Los Alamos National Bank 
by virtue of your involvement in quality New Mexico, deserve to be 
applauded for seeking out the knowledge and training to raise the bar 
for your customers, your clients, my constituents and our community.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to submit for the Record this article for 
the New Mexican recognizing the Los Alamos National Bank. I would also 
urge all my colleagues to congratulate the fine employees of this 
establishment.

            Los Alamos Bank Wins Prestigious National Award

                             (By Bob Quick)

       A very unbanklike cheer resounded in Los Alamos National 
     Bank this week when employees learned the bank was one of 
     four winners nationwide of the prestigious 2000 Malcom 
     Baldrige National Quality Award.
       The bank, which has 167 employees and assets of $660 
     million, won in the small-business category. LANB has offices 
     in Los Alamos, White Rock and Santa Fe.
       It was the first time a bank has won the award, according 
     to a statement from the U.S. Commerce Department. The 
     department and the White House officially released 
     information about the award Tuesday.
       ``I heard there was a loud cheer throughout the building'' 
     when news of the award reached employees, said Steve Wells, 
     president of LANB. ``We were extremely happy for our people 
     and for our community and for New Mexico. We know we have 
     high standards to live up to now. We have to make sure we're 
     worthy of our crown.''
       ``The Malcom Baldrige National Quality Award recognizes 
     organizations that play a major role in energizing our 
     nation's economy, competitiveness and quality of life,'' 
     President Bill Clinton said in a statement from the White 
     House. ``If we are going to keep our economy growing and our 
     country moving forward, we need as a nation to follow the 
     example of Baldrige winners.''
       Congress established the Malcom Baldrige National Quality 
     Award, named after a former secretary of commerce, in 1987 to 
     enhance the competitiveness of U.S. businesses by promoting 
     quality awareness, according to the statement.
       Since 1988, only 41 organizations have received the award. 
     The National Institute of Standards manages the program.
       The award is given to businesses that have shown 
     achievements and improvements in the areas of leadership, 
     strategic planning, customer and market focus, information 
     and analysis, human-resource focus, process-management and 
     business results, the Commerce Department statement said.
       ``We would have felt great if we had lost the Baldrige 
     award,'' Wells said. ``It's like making it to the Super Bowl 
     in our opinion.''
       The bank won the award for a number of quality and 
     business-performance achievements, according to the statement 
     from the White House.
       One of them was domination of its market area. The bank 
     since 1998 filed 80 percent of all mortgage loans in Los 
     Alamos County and 9 percent of such loans in Santa Fe County. 
     The bank opened its Santa Fe branch in mid-1999 and already 
     has $115 million in assets, Wells said.
       And in a survey, 80 percent of the bank's customers said 
     they were ``very satisfied'' with the service they received, 
     the statement said.
       During the Cerro Grande fire that ravaged Los Alamos 
     earlier this year, destroying hundreds of homes, the bank 
     moved its entire operation overnight to its Santa Fe branch.
       As a result, services was not interrupted.
       Following the fire, the bank offered zero-percent interest 
     to anyone in the community affected by the fire.
       It also eliminated overdraft charges and late fees, the 
     statement said.
       Wells said the bank was particularly proud of its 
     efficiency ratio, which is a proportion the bank uses to 
     measure employee productivity.
       A lower number is better. LANB's efficiency ratio is 49 
     percent, while the best of its competitors have ratios above 
     60 percent, the statement said.
       ``One of the ways we will survive as an independent 
     community bank is our ability to compete with the 
     supraregional and supranational banks,'' Wells said. ``We've 
     got to be able to compete with the Wal-Marts of the world.''
       The bank's efficiency ratio, he continued, ``is a 
     tremendous accomplishment by our people, our systems and our 
     technology. There's no productivity without hard work.''
       Other achievements of the bank included high employee 
     satisfaction and low employee turnover, thanks in part to a 
     stock-ownership plan and an employee profit-sharing plan.
       LANB in 1999 received Quality New Mexico's highest award, 
     the Zia Award. In 1997 and 1998, the bank received the 
     organization's Roadrunner Award.
       Quality New Mexico ``is the one that encouraged us to 
     stretch ourselves to see how we would come out against the 
     best in the country,'' Wells said.
       The three other Baldrige Award winners were Dana Corp.-
     Spicer Driveshaft Division in Toledo, Ohio (manufacturing); 
     Karlee Co. Inc., Garland, Texas (manufacturing); and 
     Operations Management International Greenwood Village, Colo. 
     (service).

     

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