Plan Sponsors Shine During PSCA’s 2007 Signature Awards

M.A. Mortenson Company and AAA Cooper Transportation win Best of Show awards

PSCA has had a lot to celebrate in 2007. Not only is 2007 the organization’s 60th anniversary, but this year was the most successful year for Signature Awards yet! PSCA Signature Awards honor excellence in profit sharing and 401(k) plan communication and education. Winners of this year’s Signature Awards were announced at a special ceremony at PSCA’s 60th Annual National Profit Sharing and 401(k) Conference and Exhibition on September 25, 2007 at the Westin Mission Hills Resort and Spa in Rancho Mirage, California. 

This year, two companies received the prestigious Best of Show award. M.A. Mortenson Company received the award for Small Companies (fewer than 4,000 employees). M.A. Mortenson, sponsored by Wells Fargo Institutional Trust Services and The Richfield Companies, LLC, is a diversified construction organization offering services in general contracting, construction management, and project development headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. In additional to their Best in Show honor, Mortenson also received a gold award in the 401(k) Day category. 

To reach their employees, Mortenson created a unique campaign that reflected the construction industry. Communication materials followed the theme, “Extreme Financial Makeover: Mortenson Edition,” which were a reflection of the popular home renovation show, “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.” Mortenson’s goal was to help team member improve their overall financial health and make room for retirement saving. The campaign results illustrate the success of the communication tools. Attendance at employee meetings rose to 79 percent. Plan participation increased by 7 percent, and the average deferral rate increased from 7.1 percent to 8.4 percent. 

AAA Cooper Transportation received the Best in Show award for Large Companies (more than 4,000 employees). AAA Cooper, sponsored by Charles Schwab, is a family-owned regional trucking firm based in Dothan, Alabama. In addition to the Best in Show award, AAA Cooper also received a gold award in the categories of Complete Campaign — Large Company and Increasing Deferrals — Large Company. 

Using the theme, “Traveling Down the Road to Retirement,” AAA Cooper created a series of enrollment and continuing education presentations, postcards, posters, giveaways, and interactive time-clock messages. The materials contained images of interstate road signs that helped illustrate the theme. AAA Cooper’s creative theme was relevant to its employees and created a buzz among the workforce. The campaign produced significant results. Plan participation rose to 82 percent, and the average deferral rate increased from 4.5 percent to 6.2 percent. 

Both M.A. Mortenson and AAA Cooper showed excellence in developing creative solutions to communication challenges and using innovative approaches to educate plan participants. 

PSCA also celebrates the continued success of the Signature Awards program. This year more than 300 entries were submitted for the competition, which was the largest yet. PSCA also received immense support from its member volunteers. A distinguished judging panel of business leaders and employee benefit communication experts chose the 2007 winners based on how companies design, manage, and provide profit sharing and 401(k) plan communication and investment education to plan participants. Signature Awards judges carefully review how effective the campaign was at achieving its goals. PSCA’s generous volunteer base contributes significantly to the continued success of the Signature Awards program. 

PSCA Signature Awards also provide companies a unique learning opportunity through the annual Signature Awards Magazine. Winners are listed in the magazine along with an article that describes the details of the companies’ campaigns and their specific results. Other member companies receive this magazine and can apply the winning techniques to their own defined contribution plans. Attendants of the National Conference, as well as PSCA members, received a copy of the Signature Awards Magazine.

Best of Show — Large Company AAA Cooper Transportation — Sponsored by Union Bank of California; Blue Communications

Best of Show — Small Company M.A. Mortenson Company — Sponsored by Wells Fargo Institutional Trust Services and The Richfield Companies, LLC

Asset Allocation – Small Company
Gold: Ball Horticultural Company
Sponsored by: Charles Schwab

Silver: Komatsu America Corporation
Sponsored by: Union Bank of California

Bronze: Heritage Valley Health System
Sponsored by: Retirement Resources

Honorable Mention: Metso USA, Inc.
Sponsored by: Wachovia Retirement Services

Asset Allocation – Large Company
Gold: McDonald’s Corporation
Sponsored by: Hewitt Associates

Silver: FedEx Corporation
Sponsored by: The Vanguard Group

Bronze: RR Donnelley
Sponsored by: The 401(k) Company

Communication to Plan Sponsors
Gold: JPMorgan Retirement Plan Services 

Silver: Fidelity Investments 

Bronze: Charles Schwab 

Honorable Mention: Fidelity Investments

Complete Campaign – Small Company
Gold: Ball Horticultural Company 
Sponsored by: Charles Schwab

Silver: Komatsu America Corporation
Sponsored by: Union Bank of California

Bronze: Perkins Coie LLP
Sponsored by: The Vanguard Group

Complete Campaign – Large Company
Gold: AAA Cooper Transportation
Sponsored by: Charles Schwab

Silver: Trinity Health
Sponsored by: Diversified Investment Advisors

Bronze: Williams-Sonoma, Inc.
Sponsored by: Charles Schwab

Honorable Mention: Forest Laboratories, Inc.
Sponsored by: JPMorgan Retirement Plan Services

Plan Conversion – Small Company
Gold: Orbital Sciences Corporation
Sponsored by: T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc.

Silver: IPSCO Enterprises, Inc.
Sponsored by: T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc.

Bronze: Heritage Valley Health System
Sponsored by: Retirement Resources

Honorable Mention: Savage
Sponsored by: The 401(k) Company

Plan Conversion – Large Company
Gold: Bemis Company
Sponsored by: JPMorgan Retirement Plan Services

Silver: RR Donnelley
Sponsored by: The 401(k) Company

Bronze: American Electric Power
Sponsored by: JPMorgan Retirement Plan Services

Generic Participant Education
Gold: Principal Financial Group

Silver: Fidelity Investments

Bronze: MassMutual Financial Group

Increasing Deferrals – Small Company
Gold: J.F. Shea Company, Inc.
Sponsored by: MassMutual Financial Group

Silver: Advanced Energy Industries, Inc.
Sponsored by: Securian Retirement

Bronze: Heritage Valley Health System
Sponsored by: Retirement Resources

Increasing Deferrals – Large Company
Gold: AAA Cooper Transportation
Sponsored by: Charles Schwab

Silver: Sovereign Bancorp, Inc.
Sponsored by: Charles Schwab

Bronze: Parsons Corporation
Sponsored by: Wells Fargo Institutional Trust Services

Honorable Mention: Quiksilver
Sponsored by: Great-West Retirement Services

Increasing Participation – Small Company
Gold: Ball Horticultural Company
Sponsored by: Charles Schwab

Silver: Greener & Swanson Enterprises, Inc.
Sponsored by: Regions Bank

Bronze: Monster Worldwide
Sponsored by: Charles Schwab

Increasing Participation – Large Company
Gold: Williams-Sonoma, Inc.
Sponsored by: Charles Schwab

Silver: Sunbelt Rentals, Inc.
Sponsored by: Principal Financial Group

Bronze: Sovereign Bancorp, Inc.
Sponsored by: Charles Schwab

Language and Cultural Diversity
Gold: Los Angeles Country Club
Sponsored by: Buenfuturo, LLC

Silver: Ball Horticultural Company
Sponsored by: Charles Schwab

Plan Design Changes
Gold: JELD-WEN, Inc.
Sponsored by: Charles Schwab

Silver: Ateeco, Inc.
Sponsored by: MassMutual Financial Group

Bronze: Starwood
Sponsored by: CitiStreet

Retirement Readiness
Gold: California Public Employees’ Retirement System
Sponsored by: Financial Finesse, Inc.

Silver: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America
Sponsored by: Fidelity Investments

Bronze: M. A. Mortenson Company
Sponsored by: The Richfield Companies, LLC

Roth 401(k)
Gold: Bloomberg L.P.
Sponsored by: The 401(k) Company

Silver: State of North Carolina
Sponsored by: Prudential Retirement Services

Bronze: DWS Scudder
Sponsored by: DWS Scudder

Train-the-Trainer/Advocacy Programs
Gold: Williams-Sonoma, Inc.
Sponsored by: Charles Schwab

Silver: Jack in the Box Inc.
Sponsored by: Charles Schwab

Bronze: Omni Hotels
Sponsored by: Wells Fargo Institutional Trust Services

401(k) Day
Gold: M. A. Mortenson Company
Sponsored by: Wells Fargo Institutional Trust Services

Silver: American Eagle Outfitters
Sponsored by: Sun Life Retirement Services

Bronze: Sovereign Bancorp, Inc.
Sponsored by: Charles Schwab

Honorable Mention: CoBank, ACB
Sponsored by: Merrill Lynch

PSCA would like to say a special thank you to all of the participants in this year’s Signature Awards competition. The large number of exceptional communication and education programs entered in this year’s awards truly shows that the companies that designed and implemented these programs are the gems of the defined contribution industry. We applaud the Signature Awards entrants on their effort to promote awareness of the benefits of employer-sponsored defined contribution plans. Their support and effort contribute to making profit sharing and 401(k) plans the premier retirement savings plans in America. We are pleased to see so many companies and sponsors donating their time and effort to improving the defined contribution system and to making retirement dreams become reality for millions of Americans. Congratulations to all the entrants of the 2007 Signature Awards!