Press Release
November 1, 1995

The ASQC Customer-Supplier Division and the Quality Audit Division
are discussing the merits of a merger. At a meeting in August
1995, Officers from both groups agreed to form a closer working
relationship and to continue merger discussions.

The ultimate decision will be made by the members of both
Divisions. According to Charlie Robinson, current chair of the
Quality Audit Division, "We believe this is worth pursuing. Our
job as Officers is now to convince our members that a marriage
will be in their best interests." The earliest this could happen
would be July of 1997.

In the interim, each party will become better acquainted with the
other. This will be accomplished through newsletters, conferences,
and normal professional networking. "There is a great deal we both
have in common," said Chuck Miller, the current Customer-Supplier
Division Chair. "We must communicate those common areas to our
members."

The challenge of any merger will be to retain the present identity
of each group while promoting an exchange of knowledge from
outside these current identities. It should be noted that both
groups started from the same seed planted in the Northeast about
15 years ago.

The Quality Audit Division, about 15,000 members strong, promotes
the application of auditing as an improvements tool in internal,
external, and registration applications. The Customer-Supplier
Division, about 5,000 members strong, promotes improved supplier
performance and increased customer satisfaction through the
application of quality concepts and technologies. Combined, they
would become the second-largest Division of the American Society
for Quality Control.

For further information, contact

Dennis R. Arter, Quality Audit Division
Columbia Audit Resources
6951 W Grandridge, Kennewick, WA 99336
509/783-0377, fax/783-1115, darter@mcimail.com

or

Richard A. Gould, Customer Supplier Division
Western Digital Corporation
8105 Irvine Center Dr, Irvine, CA 92718
714/932-6479, fax/932-5633, gould_r@a1.wdc.com