CHICAGO (September 28, 1999) The Profit Sharing/ 401(k) Council of America (PSCA) recognized outstanding communication and investment education programs in 401(k) plans through their annual Signature Awards. The Signature Awards are designed to encourage quality plan education by identifying successful practices and sharing them with others in the plan community. The winners were announced last week in San Diego at PSCA's 52nd Annual Idea Exchange for 401(k) and Profit Sharing Plan Sponsors. The primary objectives of the Signature Awards are: - To reward and encourage excellence in profit sharing and 401(k) plan communication and investment education
- To encourage the sharing of communication ideas
- To provide a means of outside, objective recognition of companies' efforts
Increasing emphasis on results measurements
"Results measurement is becoming increasingly important in the implementation of education programs," says PSCA President David Wray. "Companies need to know whether their efforts have paid off." To help entrants measure their program's success, PSCA provided an optional "measuring results worksheet." Although completion of the worksheet was optional, over half the entrants submitted it with their entry. "To gauge effectiveness, it is necessary to identify specific goals and take a snapshot of conditions before the program begins," says Betty Meredith, President of Discover Learning and Chair of PSCA's Communication and Education Committee. "That provides the baseline from which to later determine what worked and what didn't. Our worksheet was intended to help entrants identify and benchmark the qualitative or quantitative information necessary to demonstrate the program's effectiveness." The following are this year's Signature Award winners: Best of Show K-Mart
Sponsored by: Prudential Investments
Introducing Plan Design/Administrative Changes First Place
K-Mart
Sponsored by: Prudential Investments Second Place
State of Oklahoma
Sponsored by: T. Rowe Price Third Place
Beckman Coulter
Sponsored by: T. Rowe Price Honorable Mention
Pipe Fitters' Association
Sponsored by: MassMutual Retirement Services
Complete Campaign First Place
Lorillard Tobacco Company
Sponsored by: T. Rowe Price Second Place
Toys 'R' Us
Sponsored by: American Express Retirement Services Third Place (tie)
Mohawk Carpet
Sponsored by: Scudder Kemper Investments Third Place (tie)
Waste Management
Sponsored by: State Street Global Advisors Honorable Mention
Phelps Dodge Corporation
Sponsored by: JP Morgan/American Century Retirement Plan Services Honorable Mention
Progressive Corporation
Sponsored by: American Express Trust
Asset Allocation First Place
Leo Burnett
Sponsored by: T. Rowe Price Second Place
Cascade Technologies
Sponsored by: 401(k) Planning Group Third Place (tie)
Federal Mogul
Sponsored by: State Street Global Advisors Third Place (tie)
Plumbers and Steamfitters Local #47 of Northwest Pennsylvania
Sponsored by: PNC Bank Third Place (tie)
Washtenaw County
Sponsored by: Scudder Kemper Investments
Increasing Participation First Place
Costco Wholesale
Sponsored by: T. Rowe Price Second Place
AlphaNet Solutions
Sponsored by: Prudential Investments Third Place (tie)
Centurion Industries, Inc.
Sponsored by: SunTrust Bank, Inc. Third Place (tie)
The Roof Center, Inc.
Sponsored by: Prudential Investments
Financial Planning First Place
Houston Firefighters' Relief & Retirement Fund
Sponsored by: Decker & Associates, Inc. Second Place
Orange County Water District
Sponsored by: Union Bank of California |