AACE Awards2008 And the Winner is

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1 AACE Awards2008 And the Winner is Note: A company may not be a Top Winner more than once each year. They can be a Runner Up Winner & Top Winner or Runner Up Winner in several categories. They cannot win the same top award two years in a row. No such restrictions apply to Runner Up Winners. When a judge s company is in a category being judged, the judge is recused. Category 1-A, Total Communications Program, 100 or fewer employees Winner: Sebago Technics, Inc., Westbrook, ME Sebago Technics scores big with the judges with their Sebago Scoreboard, which is tied into their ESOP. The POSE Program (People Observing Special Efforts) for employee owner recognition is excellent, especially at rewarding creativity. This is a company that demonstrates a balance of company and community events. Note the Outreach Committee Work Plan, a great tool for future members to use and track activities and history. Sebago starts with the simple, easy to read, yet comprehensive ESOP Handbook A Guide to Ownership. There is an employee photo book, a description of their journey to becoming 100% owned (as of April 2007), and a great use of their intranet and web site. Include newsletters, bulletin boards, conferences, brochures, and letters to the state representatives, and excellent, comprehensive and ongoing become the judges adjectives of choice. Runner Up: Worm s Way, Inc., Bloomington, IN Worms Way Group comes up with a very creative introduction by using a cartoon character named Wormie, used in posters, advertising art, and tag lines. Pictures of the ESOP Committee put a face to the company for the owners, a great personal touch. Their newsletter is ESOP focused, with financial information. The catalog features one page dedicated to ESOP, and they weave ESOP throughout the materials (Building ESOP Organically). The CFO comment shows real commitment from upper management. The excellent ESOP University provides freshman, sophomore, junior and senior levels. Vested owners are awarded a plaque. Worms Way employs press releases, pictures and recognition to good advantage. Worms Way uses extensive ESOP advertising with some great articles on environmental gardening. For ESOP fun, there is Halloween dress and decorating, a Scavenger Hunt, Spirit Day, the Hot Seat Event, and Hat and Tie Days. We look forward to seeing a lot more of Wormie in the future.

2 Category 1-B, Total Communications Program, employees Winner: MidSouth Building Supply, Inc., Springfield, VA In a very difficult economy and tough housing market, Mid South Building Supply keeps open book management, with daily sales reports and margin goals. They have ESOP meetings explaining results and use the ESOP to answer employee owner questions. There are lots of interesting events as seen in the photographs, along with certificates, an ESOP Quiz and the summary plan.. Mid South is community oriented, as shown by the cancer fund raiser and the blood drive. An advertisement appeared in the newspaper celebrating Employee Ownership Month. There is also mention of ESOP in the promotional calendar, in the tag line of a marketing card and many other paper materials. Mid South is very good at living the ESOP and getting the word out to the community. Runner Up: Dakota Supply Group, Fargo, ND The Road to Retirement is nothing new to Dakota Supply Group, as for them it comes to life as a board game. And speaking of board their Board of Directors is into rap, with upper management and all levels of staff participating, contributing to this company to make it a Mission Possible. Dakota Supply Group knows the importance of customer satisfaction and employee owner involvement, knowing how the ESOP operates, marketing and company culture, and making the legislature aware of ESOP issues. They also care about community outreach, as evidenced by the care packages to the troops. Note the 99% t-shirt and the Spy Academy. Dakota Supply Group has a good culture and excellent overall program, with some very creative people involved.

3 Category 1-C, Total Communications Program, 501 1,000 employees Winner: Hypertherm, Inc., Hanover, NH Hypertherm has a clear explanation of the value of their stock which is easy to understand. They call themselves Associate Owned, through the HSOP. Check out the Dear HSOP Abby, a take off on Dear Abby. Note the mirror in the center of the trifold standup card. Work Like an Owner, Think Like a Customer gives a good perspective to ownership attitude for Hypertherm. A nice variety of learning tools is provided, including a Jeopardy game, along with other internal communications, including a bulletin board, a newsletter, and a quick reference training Power Point presentation. The trip report from last year s conference is a great way to disseminate information, doing a good job of reporting back to the employee owners, not just to top management. There is a lot of volunteering for community programs and special events, including Family Day. The testimonials are a nice touch and a great way to make the company more personal. Runner Up: Woodward Communications, Inc., Dubuque, IA Woodward Communications sweetens their ESOP with candy, in a promotional way. Even better, they have made an ever-so-creative sausage/cheese logo, a new way to think outside the (pizza) box. They also have a Certificate of Stock, financial information in the newsletter, and an overall nice use of photographs. The employee owners are integrated into their advertising, including the web site, which spreads a lot of ESOP information throughout, showing how important the ESOP is to them. There are many other creative events as well. Communication is Woodward Communication s business and they do it well.

4 Category 1-D, Total Communications Program, 1,001 5,000 employees Winner: Burns & McDonnell Engineers-Architects, Kansas City, MO A sense of pride at Burns & Mac is obvious throughout their materials. They place a high priority on improving the quality of life and moving life forward, working within the company and with clients. The emphasis is strengthened by the essay contest about what the ESOP means to me. They take ownership seriously, as a growth opportunity for employee owners. Burns & McDonnell uses the intranet very well as a training school, with support from excellent printed materials. There is ESOP 101, 102 for new hires, as well as a wealth calculator. The web site features the CEO up front, with information on the ESOP. There is a wellness concern, with an insurance referral program. They present very strong and effective materials, both internal and external. There is an ESOP brochure, benefit statements, a yearbook, a calendar of events, a newsletter, and good use of photographs. The 2007 Year in Review is a great way to pull the company together and learn about all the offices. Their audiovisual component is also well done, incorporating humor into internal issues (the. Burns & Mac doesn t neglect the social side either, with a Founders Day BBQ, a picnic, and a Diversity Day, a holiday emphasizing food and culture. With the United Way, they are the Best Place to Work. Runner Up: American Systems Corporation, Chantilly, VA American Systems employee owners say I can do that I own the company! Their very clever pie-shaped lapel pins reveal whether they are ¼, ½, ¾ or fully vested. They also have Piece of the Pie celebrations. They have taken the piece of the pie theme to a new level. American Systems holds ESOP events throughout the year, especially during Employee Ownership Month, which includes educational games, such as the ESOP Bingo Game, the Potluck/Binge, and a pumpkin carving contest. A parade of giant checks with total distribution for each year is a very effective visual memory. They have a great newsletter, with a real focus on ESOP. A detailed shareholder report is provided. There is also a one page, easy to read ESOP fact sheet. American Systems uses outstanding external ads to promote the ESOP, incorporating the idea of think like an owner into the message.

5 Category 2, Young ESOP Winner: BL Companies, Inc., Meriden, CT As a young ESOP, BL Companies had multiple offices get together to launch the ESOP and report on the State of the Company. The subjects included What does it (the ESOP) mean, how does it work, and who are the players (board, trustees, administration), even producing a new ESOP for Dummies. The many activities included rollout training, a picnic with Q&A, and the forming of a Communications Committee. ESOP Month was very organized and well planned, with some activity almost every day, broken up into fun week, education, outreach, celebration and Halloween. There was also a very creative Photograph Contest. BL Companies has a great base program and a strong foundation. Keep up the good work! Category 3, Audio Visual Winner: Harrell Remodeling, Inc., Mountain View, CA information. Harrell Remodeling is the little company that could. The audiovisual presentation is clearly made by their employee owners, is practical and fun, and built up to announce employee ownership. It delivers a clear ESOP message, how employee owners need to work together to accomplish the end result, to grow the ESOP. This video showcases teamwork, dedication, and a will to never give up. Harrell Remodeling provides some very basic ideas and good Runner Up: Dakota Supply Group, Fargo, ND Willy Wonka lives again at Dakota Supply Group, with great high humor. The employee owners and upper management interact creatively to provide a new plot for Willy Wonka, with clever props and dialogue. There are five people who go through tasks, which are the key elements of success, while also addressing safety issues. They show how the business operates, and the importance of customer satisfaction, ethics and values. The board of directors gets into the spirit with a rap. Ben and the Distribution Company is creative and funny, and the graphic presentation of this video is outstanding.

6 Category 4-A, Printed Materials, 250 or fewer employees Winner: Cisco-Eagle, Inc., Dallas, TX Cisco-Eagle presents a good range of printed educational, external advertisement and special event materials. The external advertising is very animated and easy to follow. Their brochure and advertising contains information about employee owners, and the quality follows through with the newsletter. The financial focus for the employee owners is clear, and the Ask It Basket on their intranet allows for further questions. As further backup, the Cisco- Eagle web site is excellent. Runner Up: Dental Health Services, Long Beach, CA Dental Health Services has done an excellent job of preparing creative and effective communications materials, which target both their employee owners and client/customers. There is a great use of effective, colorful visuals and helpful tips and fun facts. The magnet bearing I (heart) ESOP says it all succinctly. The Dental Digest allows for all offices to be included and feel part of one company. There are a lot of educational materials such as a history of the company, ESOP Facts, and quotes, as well as a Fun Facts Quiz, E-S-O-P information posters and valentine grams. Dental Health Services works hard to send its messages at different levels. Category 4-B, Printed Materials, over 250 employees Winner: Pacific Steel & Recycling, Great Falls, MT Pacific Steel puts out a simple, powerful message, with excellent information presented in unique ways. It starts with the recruiting flyer which is very powerful and highlights the ESOP, and continues with the newsletter which is mailed home to reach the family. (There are also dinner meetings to include the family). The letters from the CFO have a personal touch. There are also letters about health from the CEO which show that they care about the employee owners, as well as rising costs. The Annual Report contains easy to follow information, which is consistent with Pacific Steel s open book financial communications. There is good use of outside advertisements. Finally, look into the mirror marked Employee Owner to get a good comprehension of Pacific Steel s communications. Runner Up: Van Meter Industrial, Cedar Rapids, IA On a Career Page in its external advertising, Van Meter Industrial urges readers to Click here to become an owner. (One of our judges wants to work for them based on their brochure.) For current employee owners, there is a Dream Retirement Day to spark the imagination. The buying, distribution and valuation of stock is communicated. There is a good Fact Sheet, published in the excellent ESOP Edge. All of these printed materials are backed up by a terrific web site with employee owner s pictures and testimonials, a profitability Power Point presentation, and a great poster. Van Meter Industrial also has bragging rights about an article in The Wall Street Journal.

7 Category 5-A, Educational Materials, Print Winner: Foldcraft Company, Kenyon, MN A Foldcraft employee owner can start the day by reading an easy, one page summary on what an employee owner can do each day to impact retirement. Individuals get an Impact Sheet which gives information on their specific job and how it affects the company. Add in the Hot Lab, for hands on training. An Individual Potential Benefits Report is a very powerful and effective tool to get people interested and to understand how saving and producing today affects the future. Much of this information is focused on education and is also in bilingual form. There is also a great tri-fold brochure using pie charts. Runner Up: PBI/Gordon Corporation, Kansas City, MO PBI/Gordon is celebrating its 60 th Year Anniversary, a chance to show their pride in the company history and their ESOP. They provide all kinds of promotional items, all identified as employee owned. They have kept the artists and writers busy providing excellent support for all the different events, such as educational presentations for the staff, an employee owner designed t-shirt contest, a scholarship program, and ways to encourage employee owners to participate in the community. There is a presentation on how to live healthier and how to be more professional in the workplace, a great way to show ownership. Category 5-B, Education Materials, ESOP Intranet Winner: Murray Insurance Associates, Inc., Lancaster, PA Murray Risk Management s Boomerang Effect is a great idea (get back what you give). Their excellent intranet provides an online employee recognition form, a What is an ESOP crossword puzzle, and an educational power point presentation. This comprehensive site has links to The ESOP Association and employee education. There is a good example of an ESOP calculator, explanation of allocation, a vesting schedule and some Alphabet Soup. A great intranet! Runner Up: ComSonics, Inc., Harrisonburg, VA ComSonics intranet is easy to follow, includes photos, history, past events, and information about finances, meetings, and community outreach as well as the employee owner handbook. This is an accessible and great mix of education and fun information, and incorporates their theme of automobiles, with their ESOP on Track program. In the Drivers Ed Program, there are three tracks, Rookie, Road Master and Track Master. Printed information is presented in a classy Owners Manual, such as might be given with a new car. There is also an Owner Spotlight and Owner of the Quarter. ComSonics does it right.

8 Category 6-A, External ESOP Advertising, Print Winner: Brookshire Brothers, Ltd, Lufkin, TX Brookshire Brothers encourages their employee owners to Unlock your ESOP future, and they are constantly reminded (as is the public) that they do own the company. This fact appears on trucks, the corporate sign outside the building, the ESOP flag, bags for groceries and pharmacies, on business cards, stationery and on job advertisements. In anything the public sees, employee ownership can t be missed. This is external advertising at its best. Runner Up: American Systems Corporation, Chantilly, VA the people they meet. American Systems makes good use of external advertising to promote the ESOP. They include ESOP in all their brochures and advertising campaigns. Their theme of I Can Do That I Own the Company lets the public know that they take employee ownership seriously. The employee owners wear their clever piece of pie vesting pins which sparks interest (and questions) from Category 6-B, External ESOP Advertising Website Winner: Van Meter Industrial, Cedar Rapids, IA Van Meter Industrial puts employee ownership on the first page of their web site, with logo and tag line, which gives an idea of just how important they consider ownership. This web site is easy to navigate, with convenient drop-down menus. They provide invitations and applications to apply to be an owner. The changing pictures of the present employee owners on the left banner is a good way to display and recognize employee owners. There is an award article, testimonials, and a link to The ESOP Association. Runner Up: Woodward Communications, Inc., Dubuque, IA Woodward Communications web site clearly proclaims employee ownership on the front page. The ESOP page explains this company s culture of ownership. The ESOP Committee is included here, as well as the other employee owners, each one acknowledged as being important to the Woodward Communications ESOP.

9 Category 7-A, Special Events, Promotions, 250 or fewer employees Winner: Kapco/Valtec, Brea, CA Kapco/Valtec has taken a unique approach by inviting other ESOP companies to a quarterly barbeque during Employee Ownership Month, which involved a charity/donation raffle in which all the companies (LeFeill, Howards Appliances, and Carl Warren) participated. Carl Warren & Company then matched the funds raised. Each company wore their company shirts, brought prizes, ate lots and played fun and educational games. Networking and friendships were established and a good time was had by all. Kapco/Valtec sets an excellent example for a simple but effective creative and cooperative ESOP event. Runner Up: Carl Warren & Company, Placentia, CA Teamwork takes on a whole new meaning at Carl Warren & Company. They have adopted the theme of canoeing, a rather unique concept to encourage coming together as a group. They go from paddles to a whole canoe. The program continued to grow as employee owners had new ideas and enthusiastically contributed to the whole theme. The program was very organized with many activities and everyone getting involved with the dream result all the ESOP paddles moving in the same direction. Category 7-B, Special Events, Promotions, over 250 employees Winner: Carris Reels, Rutland, VT In 2007, Carris Reels had to overcome a fire, which made their becoming 100% owned in January of 2008 especially gratifying. Creative signs were posted along the highway from 60 MPH (i.e. 65% employee owned) to 100 MPH (100% employee owned). As they geared up for this special day, a party was planned to sign the debt payoff, with much celebration (including banners). This event was very well planned and carried out successfully, as would be expected by all the other excellent support materials included with this entry. Congratulations, Carris Reels. Runner Up: Social & Scientific Systems, Inc. Silver Spring, MD Elevator speaking (saying what you have to say about your ESOP before the elevator door closes) rises to a whole new level at Social and Scientific Systems. There it becomes a fun contest to help foster the employee ownership culture. These employee owners make very concise and easy to follow plans. Dignity is intact, however, as this same company efficiently created and organized the Founders Award to acknowledge outstanding employee owners. This was a very professionally carried out dinner and awards ceremony with its own brochure. There are other ongoing outside activities as well, which touch many people with many programs, often planned by the Community Service Committee. These fun events are supported with solid ESOP education and communications efforts.