8:57 a.m., Jan. 28, 2009----Terri Kelly, the president and chief executive officer of W. L. Gore & Associates, will give the keynote address at the Delaware Quest for Excellence and Delaware Quality Award Luncheon on Thursday, Feb. 5. The event will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at John M. Clayton Hall on the University of Delaware campus in Newark.

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University of Delaware President Patrick Harker will give welcoming remarks. Participants will hear presentations on best practices by the 2008 recipients of the Delaware Quality Award in honor of W. L. (Bill) Gore and a 2007 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award winner.

The Delaware Quest for Excellence will culminate in the Delaware Quality Award luncheon. Gov. Jack Markell has been invited to present the Gore Award of Excellence, the highest-level quality award in the state, to State of Delaware's Division of Corporations and the Speakman Company and the Delaware Quality Commitment Award to Bayhealth Child Care and Early Learning Center.

The Delaware Quality Award was established in 1992 as a public-private partnership to promote and recognize performance excellence throughout the state. The top Delaware award honors W. L. (Bill) Gore for his effort in promoting excellence, innovation, and a positive working environment at the company that bears his name, W. L. Gore & Associates.

As one of 37 state award programs based on the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, Delaware Quality Award applicants are evaluated rigorously by an independent board of examiners in seven areas: leadership; strategic planning; customer and market focus; measurement, analysis and knowledge management; workforce focus; process management; and results.

Keynote speaker Terri Kelly is president and chief executive officer of W.L. Gore & Associates and a University of Delaware graduate. Her leadership abilities have driven her success in a company known for its non-hierarchical “lattice” structure. At Gore, associates become leaders based on their ability to gain the respect of their peers and to attract followers.

Kelly earned the title of president and CEO in 2005 -- one of the few titles within the enterprise -- following a peer-driven selection process.

An optional afternoon workshop on using the Baldrige Criteria to drive performance excellence will be offered from 2-5 p.m. following the luncheon.

University of Delaware faculty and staff may register for the Delaware Quest and Award Luncheon at the sponsorship discounted rate of $105 per person for the full program or $75 for the luncheon only.

For a detailed schedule and registration information, visit this Web site, call (302) 571-5239, or send e-mail to [corradin@udel.edu].

The Delaware Quest for Excellence is sponsored by the Delaware Quality Award, a program administered by the University of Delaware's Division of Professional and Continuing Studies.