The following award winners were announced at The ESOP Association’s 21st Annual Awards Banquet held in Washington, DC on the evening of May 9th.
Congratulations to all of this year’s winners.
For More Information: Amy Gwiazdowski, 202/293-2971, amy@esopassociation.org
The ESOP Association Honors Members for Excellence in Employee Ownership Communications
The ESOP Association is pleased to announce the 2012 winners of the Annual Awards for Communications Excellence (AACE). The AACE Awards are sponsored each year by the Association to recognize the outstanding communications and educational programs of its members. The awards were presented at the Association’s 35th Annual Conference in Washington, DC to companies who have excelled in communicating the ESOP (employee stock ownership plan) and its meaning to employee owners.
AACE Award winners are chosen by a panel of five judges made up of both management and non-management employee owners, each of whom has demonstrated active experience and interest in the field of ESOPs and employee ownership communications. Awards are based on: overall quality and quantity of employee owner education, contributions of employee owners, integration of the ESOP into company culture, frequency of ownership communications, involvement and/or response of employee owners, encouragement of ownership attitudes, clear explanations, creative ideas, graphic design, and technical quality.
The 2012 AACE Award winners are:
Category 1-A, Total Communications Program, 100 or Fewer Employees
Winner: The Onyx Group, Alexandria, VA
Runner Up: Priority Sign, Sheboygan, WI
Category 1-B, Total Communications Program, 101 – 500 Employees
Winner: Van Meter Inc., Waterloo, IA
Runner Up: Mid South Building Supply Inc., Springfield, VA
Category 1-C, Total Communications Program, 501 – 1,000 Employees
Winner: Woodward Communications, Inc., Dubuque, IA
Runner Up: Hot Dog on a Stick, Carlsbad, CA
Category 1-D, Total Communications Program, Over 1,000 Employees
Winner: SRC Holdings Corporation, Springfield, MO
Runner Up: Burns & McDonnell, Kansas City, MO
Category 2-A, Video, 250 or Fewer Employees
Winner: Unique Home Solutions, Indianapolis, IN
Runner Up: Sonnax Industries, Bellows Falls, VT
Category 2-B, Video, Over 250 Employees
Winner: The Cianbro Companies, Pittsfield, ME
Runner Up: Acadian Companies, Lafayette, LA
Category 3-A, Printed Materials, 250 or Fewer Employees
Winner: Cal-Tex Protective Coatings, Schertz, TX
Runner Up: Mid South Building Supply Inc., Springfield, VA
Category 3-B, Printed Materials, Over 250 Employees
Winner: Hot Dog on a Stick, Carlsbad, CA
Runner Up: Forsythe Technology, Inc., Skokie, IL
Category 4-A, Intranet, 250 or Fewer Employees
Winner: Foldcraft Co., Kenyon MN
Category 4-B, Intranet, Over 250 Employees
Winner: DCS Corporation, Lexington Park, MD
Runner Up: Holden Industries, Inc., Deerfield, IL
Category 5-A, ESOP Advertising – Ownership Marketing – General
Winner: Mid South Building Supply Inc., Springfield, VA
Runner Up: Hot Dog on a Stick, Carlsbad, CA
Category 5B, ESOP Advertising – Ownership Marketing – Web Sites
Winner: Burns & McDonnell, Kansas City, MO
Runner Up: Van Meter Inc., Waterloo, IA
Category 6-A, Special Events & Promotions, 1 Outstanding Event, 250 or Fewer Employees
Winner: Vermeer Equipment of Texas, Irving, TX
Runner Up: ComSonics, Inc., Harrisonburg, VA
Category 6-B, Special Events & Promotions, 1 Outstanding Event, Over 250 Employees
Winner: Acadian Companies, Lafayette, LA
Runner Up: Sleep Train, Rocklin, CA
Category 7-A, Special Events, Promotions, Series, 250 or Fewer Employees
Winner: Apache Hose & Belting Co., Inc., Cedar Rapids, IA
Runner Up: Priority Sign, Sheboygan, WI
Category 7-B, Special Events, Promotions, Series, Over 250 Employees
Winner: Dakota Supply Group, Aberdeen, SD
Runner Up: Glatfelter Insurance Group, York, PA
The ESOP Association Announces 2012 Silver ESOP Award Recipients
In April 2012, The ESOP Association presented 49 corporate members of the Association with a Silver ESOP Award to recognize their work in sustaining their ESOP for 25 years or more. All 241 Silver ESOP Award recipients were highlighted at The ESOP Association’s 35th Annual Conference in Washington, DC.
This is the fifth year the Silver ESOP Awards have been presented by the Association. In 2008, 117 corporate members were presented with the first annual Silver ESOP Awards; 2009, 12 members; 2010, 22 members; and in 2011, 41 members were honored. To be named a Silver ESOP Award recipient, a company must be a member of The ESOP Association and have an ESOP in place for 25 years or more.
“It is my pleasure to present these 49 companies with the 2012 Silver ESOP Award for excellence in sustaining their ESOP for 25 years,” said ESOP Association President J. Michael Keeling. “As recent research has shown, employees with employee stock ownership have more sustainable employment and were four times less likely to be laid off during the Great Recession than employees without employee stock ownership. Preserving locally-controlled jobs in today’s global economy is more likely when employees are owners.”
2012 Silver ESOP Award Recipients:
AMSTED Industries, Inc., Chicago, IL
Associated Integrated Marketing, Wichita, KS
Austin Industries, Inc., Dallas, TX
AWC Inc., Baton Rouge, LA
Bay Cities Container Corp, Pico Rivera, CA
Bimba Manufacturing Company, Monee, IL
Bonitz of South Carolina, Inc., Columbia, SC
Braas Company, Eden Prairie, MN
Brookfield Engineering Labs, Inc., Middleboro, MA
Bruckner Truck Sales, Inc., Amarillo, TX
Burns & McDonnell Engineers-Architects, Kansas City, MO
Clyde/West, Inc., Portland, OR
Community Bancshares, Inc., Neosho, MO
Contempora Fabrics, Inc., Lumberton, NC
CPP, Inc., Mountain View, CA
D. L. Evans Bank, Burley, ID
Davis, Gregory & Kyle, Inc., Factoryville, PA
DCS Corporation, Alexandria, VA
DimcoGray Company, Dayton, OH
Edney Distributing Co., Inc., Huron, SD
ELS, Inc., Arlington, VA
FBMC Benefits Management, Tallahassee, FL
Fred Weber, Inc., Maryland Heights, MO
Garland Industries, Inc., Cleveland, OH
The Gazette Company, Cedar Rapids, IA
Glatfelter Insurance Group, York, PA
Gopher Electronics Company, Saint Paul, MN
JBS United, Inc., Sheridan, IN
KAPCO, Brea, CA
Lerch Bates Inc., Littleton, CO
Lincoln Bancorp/Lincoln Savings Bank, Reinbeck, IA
Merchants Bank, South Burlington, VT
Mid-State Consultants, Inc., Nephi, UT
Neil H. Daniels, Inc., Ascutney, VT
New England Biolabs, Inc., Ipswich, MA
Nicholville Telephone Co., Inc., Nicholville, NY
Oxford Construction Company, Albany, GA
Pioneer Power, Inc., Saint Paul, MN
Reell Precision Manufacturing Corp., Saint Paul, MN
RHM Fluid Power, Inc., Westland, MI
Schaedler YESCO, Harrisburg, PA
Sletten, Inc., Great Falls, MT
St. John Holdings, Inc., Radnor, PA
Taggart & Associates, Inc., Boulder, CO
Temperature Systems, Inc., Madison, WI
Trachte Building Systems, Inc., Sun Prairie, WI
Wallace Eannace Associates, Inc., Plainview, NY
Wikoff Color Corporation, Fort Mill, SC
Woodfold-Marco Mfg., Inc., Forest Grove, OR
Randall English of Austin Industries, Inc. Named 2012 Employee Owner of the Year by The ESOP Association
Randall English of Austin Industries, Inc.’s Austin Bridge & Road, located in Irving, Texas, has been named the 2012 Employee Owner of the Year by The ESOP Association. The award was presented at the Association’s 35th Annual Conference in Washington, DC.
Mr. English is a second generation Austin Industries employee owner with a passion for his work and sharing his knowledge with others in the company. That willingness to share his passion extends to the ESOP (employee stock ownership plan) — he uses examples from his own work to explain to fellow employee owners how everything they do affects the bottom line and their personal share in the company’s profits. Mr. English strongly believes in the importance of being efficient and correct in his work and has become good at recognizing areas needing improvement and providing creative solutions to problems. It’s been said that if the name Randall English is mentioned at the company, you’ll hear these words: highly respected, likable, honest, funny, easy-going, energetic, and never quits. With a personal motto of “whatever it takes,” the descriptions are accurate. According to employee owners at Austin Industries, Mr. English gives 100% every day and leads by example.
Austin Industries, Inc. was founded in 1902 by Frank and George Austin to fabricate and install iron truss bridges in Texas and Georgia. Today, Austin Industries, Inc. oversees the operation of three companies — Austin Bridge & Road, Austin Commercial, and Austin Industrial. Austin Industries, Inc. is 100% employee-owned and employs more than 6,000 employee owners. For more information, please visit: http://www.austin-ind.com/.
“Randall is a true leader and a dedicated employee owner of the company. I’m pleased to be able to present him with the 2012 Employee Owner of the Year Award,” said ESOP Association President J. Michael Keeling. “He has helped significantly in creating the ownership culture at Austin Industries by holding himself up as an example to his fellow employee owners.”
Burns & McDonnell Named 2012 ESOP Company of the Year by The ESOP Association
Burns & McDonnell Engineers-Architects, an employee-owned company headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, was named the 2012 ESOP Company of the Year by The ESOP Association. The award was presented at the Association’s 35th Annual Conference in Washington, DC.
Founded in 1898 by Clinton S. Burns and Robert E. McDonnell, Burns & McDonnell is a full-service engineering, architecture, construction, environmental and consulting solutions firm with regional offices across the country. The company celebrated 25 years of employee ownership in 2011 and is a 100% employee owned. The company, and the employee owners, believe employee ownership is what differentiates them from competitors. The company culture is driven by employee ownership and is part of everything they do from branding, advertising, to employee training. For more information on Burns & McDonnell, please visit: http://www.burnsmcd.com/.
Burns & McDonnell is a strong supporter of employee ownership and The ESOP Association. Employee owners of Burns & McDonnell participate in the Association’s Heart of America Chapter, are actively involved in Chapter events, presenting at conferences and seminars, and sharing insights about being a successful ESOP with companies in their area. The employee owners participate in government affairs activities — reaching out to 26 members of Congress to share information on employee ownership and the value of ESOP companies in the last year. The company constantly shares information about the ESOP, holds regular meetings to talk about the ESOP, hosts events for employee owners to share information, and offers educational information to nurture the company’s employee ownership culture.
“I’ve had the pleasure of visiting Burns & McDonnell and it was an amazing experience. I’m thrilled to be able to present the employee owners of Burns & McDonnell with the 2012 ESOP Company of the Year Award,” said ESOP Association President J. Michael Keeling. “The employee owners of Burns & McDonnell strive to make their company stronger each day. The company works to communicate the ESOP concept not only to the employee owners but to the ESOP community at large.”
Indiana Chapter Named 2012 ESOP Chapter of the Year by The ESOP Association
The Indiana Chapter of The ESOP Association was named the 2012 ESOP Chapter of the Year by The ESOP Association. The award was presented at the Association’s 35th Annual Conference in Washington, DC.
The Association’s Indiana Chapter experienced all time highs in meeting attendance over the last year and Chapter members outdid previous work in support of membership development, fundraising for the Association’s affiliated foundation, the Employee Ownership Foundation, and support of the Association’s government relations efforts. The Indiana Chapter was selected from among 18 Association Chapters across the United States for this honor.
“The leaders of the Indiana Chapter provide excellent programming and value to ESOP Association members in their state. I’m proud to honor the Indiana Chapter, and its members, with the 2012 ESOP Chapter of the Year Award for their work to promote employee ownership,” said ESOP Association President J. Michael Keeling.
Steven W. King of Gala Industries, Inc. Named 2012 Chapter Officer of the Year by The ESOP Association
Steven W. King of Gala Industries, Inc., located in Eagle Rock, Virginia, was named the 2012 Chapter Officer of the Year by The ESOP Association. The award was presented at the Association’s 35th Annual Conference in Washington, DC.
Mr. King is the current President of The ESOP Association’s Mid-Atlantic Chapter and has been actively involved with both the Chapter and the Association for several years. He has proven his leadership skills in developing the Chapter’s innovative educational programming, government relations efforts, and membership development. The Mid-Atlantic Chapter includes members in Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia.
“I’m proud to present Steven with the Association’s 2012 Chapter Officer of the Year Award,” said ESOP Association President J. Michael Keeling. “Under Steven’s guidance, the Mid-Atlantic Chapter has brought numerous educational opportunities to our members in the Mid-Atlantic region and we are pleased to honor him for his work in promoting employee ownership.”
Libby Perszyk Kathman, Inc. Wins 2012 Employee Ownership Month Poster Contest
Libby Perszyk Kathman, Inc., an employee-owned company located in Cincinnati, Ohio, has been selected by The ESOP Association as its 2012 Employee Ownership Month Poster Contest Winner. The winning poster design was unveiled at the Association’s 35th Annual Conference in Washington, DC.
Libby Perszyk Kathman, Inc. (LPK), according to the company’s website, is the world’s largest employee-owned brand design agency. Founded in 1919, the company has remained true to its entrepreneurial roots: excellence in our product, leadership in our profession, respect for all individuals and uncompromising integrity in all matters. LPK strongly believes employee ownership is fundamental to the company’s success and that it creates a culture that attracts some of the industry’s best. For more information on LPK, please visit: http://www.lpk.com/.
LPK’s poster was chosen because of the idea it expressed: Succeed as One. The poster will be used by The ESOP Association to promote Employee Ownership Month, which takes place every October and is a celebration of the incredible spirit of employee ownership.
For more information about Employee Ownership Month, please visit: http://www.esopassociation.org/resources/resources_month.asp.
Brian Wurpts of SES Advisors, Inc. Receives 2012 Membership Recruitment Award from The ESOP Association
Brian Wurpts of SES Advisors, Inc., located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was presented with The ESOP Association’s 2012 Membership Recruitment Award for a Professional Member. The award was presented at the Association’s 35th Annual Conference in Washington, DC.
Mr. Wurpts is an active member of The ESOP Association and the Association’s Pennsylvania/Delaware Chapter. He has been involved with the ESOP community for many years and his commitment to employee ownership in evident in the work he does to promote the cause of employee ownership by encouraging ESOP companies to become members of the Association.
“It is my pleasure to present the 2012 Membership Recruitment Award to Brian for the work he has done to promote employee ownership and the Association and its work to new members,” said ESOP Association President J. Michael Keeling.
Andrew Todhunter of KAPCO Named Outstanding Board of Governors Member by The ESOP Association
Andrew Todhunter, President of KAPCO, an employee-owned company located in Brea, California, was named the 2012 Outstanding Board of Governors Member by The ESOP Association. The award was presented at the Association’s 35th Annual Conference in Washington, DC.
Mr. Todhunter is an active member of The ESOP Association’s Board of Governors and has served in numerous volunteer capacities for the Association over the years. He is involved on both the Chapter and National levels and has been actively working to educate the public about employee ownership.
“I am pleased to present Andrew with the 2012 award for Outstanding Board of Governors Member,” said ESOP Association President J. Michael Keeling. “Andrew is a strong advocate for employee ownership and has gone above and beyond in his role as a Board of Governors member.”
Pennsylvania/Delaware Chapter Recognized for Outstanding Membership Development by The ESOP Association
The Pennsylvania/Delaware Chapter of The ESOP Association was recognized for its commitment to membership development at the Association’s 35th Annual Conference in Washington, DC.
The Pennsylvania/Delaware Chapter demonstrated a focused commitment to membership in the last year, and as a result, directly increased membership in the Chapter. The Pennsylvania/Delaware Chapter includes Association members in Pennsylvania and Delaware. The Chapter was selected from among 18 Association Chapters across the United States for this honor.
“I am pleased to present members of the Pennsylvania/Delaware Chapter with the Outstanding Membership Development Award for their demonstrated commitment to increasing membership in The ESOP Association,” said ESOP Association President J. Michael Keeling.
Southwest Chapter Recognized for Outstanding Membership Recruitment by The ESOP Association
The Southwest Chapter of The ESOP Association was recognized for its commitment to membership recruitment at the Association’s 35th Annual Conference in Washington, DC.
Members of the Southwest Chapter met several targets in promotion of employee ownership in the southwest region and increased membership in the Chapter over the last year. The Southwest Chapter was selected from among 18 Association Chapters across the United States for this honor. The Southwest Chapter includes Association members in Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas.
“I’m pleased to present the Outstanding Membership Recruitment Award to members of the Southwest Chapter,” said ESOP Association President J. Michael Keeling. “Over the last year, leaders of the Southwest Chapter worked hard to meet a target prospect goal and to promote the cause of employee ownership among ESOP companies in their Chapter.”
New South Chapter Named Most Improved Chapter by The ESOP Association
The New South Chapter of The ESOP Association was named the Most Improved Chapter at the Association’s 35th Annual Conference in Washington, DC.
The New South Chapter was selected from among 18 Association Chapters across the United States for this honor. The Chapter includes Association members in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee.
“I’m pleased to present the Most Improved Chapter Award to members of the New South Chapter,” said ESOP Association President J. Michael Keeling. “The Chapter is focused on drawing ESOP companies from the region to their meetings and has seen an increase in attendance over the last year. We look forward to seeing great things from the New South Chapter in the coming years.”
Filed under: AACE - Annual Awards for Communications Excellence, Conference Information, TEA Members, 2012 AACE Awards Winners, 2012 Annual Conference in Washington DC, 2012 Award Winners, 2012 Chapter Awards, 2012 Silver ESOP Awards, Employee Owner of the Year, EOM Poster Contest Winner, ESOP Chapter of the Year, ESOP Chapter Officer of the Year, ESOP Company of the Year, Outstanding Board of Governors Member, Professional Member Recruitment Award
Each year, the Employee Ownership Foundation honors the memory of Charles Edmunson, a leader of the employee-ownership community, by awarding scholarships for the training of non-management employees of employee-owned companies. Charles Edmunson dedicated his life to the belief that all employees should be provided an opportunity to own a piece of the company where they work and that each employee owner should be offered the respect and dignity of an owner. Charles believed that education was the cornerstone of this vision. The Charles R. Edmunson Scholarship helps to fulfill his goal by offering non-management employees of employee-owned companies the opportunity to attend motivational and education programs that promote employee ownership and educate about the rights, responsibilities, risks and rewards of employee ownership. For additional information visit: http://www.employeeownershipfoundation.org/edmunson.html.
