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Three Illinois Based Companies Named AARP Best Employer for Workers over 50; Awards Dinner and National Conference to be Held in ChicagoCHICAGO --(Business Wire)-- Aug. 31, 2005 -- If today's employers expect to recruit and retain a skilled and experienced workforce, they should pay attention to companies who are ahead of the curve in providing exemplary policies and practices for a mature workforce. This year, AARP will recognize 50 employers as the 2005 Best Employers for Workers over 50. They offer some of the best policies and practices like phased retirement, generous 401(k) company contributions, flextime, job sharing, telecommuting and compressed schedules. AARP will host an awards dinner in Chicago to recognize Best Employer for Workers over 50 on September 22 at the Drake Hotel. Illinois boasts of three employers who were named to this prestigious list: for a third consecutive year Deere & Company based in Moline, IL; for a second year in a row Centegra Health System based in Woodstock, IL and also for a second year Zurich North America Commercial based in Schaumburg, IL. Examples of Illinois employer best policies and practices include: Centegra Health System's unique Alumni Nurse program that utilizes retired nurses to fill shortages in the healthcare workforce and Zurich's program for employees who are eligible to retire can choose to collect their retirement and continue to consult with the company on a part time or full time basis. "This year's Best Employers set high standards for practices toward older workers at a time when the value of these employees is often underestimated," Ralph Yaniz, State Director for AARP Illinois. "It is in their self-interest, as well as enlightened policy, to emphasize retention and recruitment of the 50 plus worker as America's workforce ages in the years ahead." Many of the honorees excelled in several categories scrutinized by the panel of judges, including recruitment practices, continuing opportunities for advancement, flexible work schedules, and benefits for current and retired employees. "We value all of our Associates at Centegra Health System but especially recognize the contribution of our more experienced staff, particularly those over age 50," noted Michael S. Eesley, President and CEO at Centegra. "We have made retention a strategic goal for the organization and are continually exploring innovative ways to utilize the talents and skills of our mature workforce." On September 23, the day following the Best Employers Dinner, AARP, Mercer and the Financial Times will sponsor "Business Solutions for an Aging Society" conference focusing on the best practices employers should adopt for an aging workforce. For more information on the conference visit www.aarp.org/businesssolution. AARP, now in the fifth year of recognizing Best Employers is releasing highlights from research conducted over the past 5 years about mature worker, including top five concerns of employers about older workers and the top five realities known by ahead of the curve employers; top five reasons many 50 plus workers won't retire; top five advantages of older workers; and the top five states where the most Best Employers have been based. (Charts are included.) AARP has a new award category, named after former AARP Executive Director Bernard E. Nash for Innovation recognizes three employers with exemplary practices in recruitment, flexible work opportunities and rehiring of retirees. They are: First Horizon National Corporation (flexible work options); Pepco Holdings Inc. (retiree work opportunities); and Carondelet Health Network (recruitment). AARP invites employers to apply for AARP's Best Employer award by submitting an application describing their practices and policies toward older workers. A consulting firm provides a preliminary rating of the applicants, then a panel of nine expert judges evaluates the applications, and their rankings, along with the consultant's evaluations, lead to the final ratings This year 145 applications were received and the complete list of 50 awardees follows this release. AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization that helps people 50+ have independence, choice and control in ways that are beneficial and affordable to them and society as a whole. We produce AARP The Magazine, published bimonthly; AARP Bulletin, our monthly newspaper; AARP Segunda Juventud, our bimonthly magazine in Spanish and English; NRTA Live & Learn, our quarterly newsletter for 50 + educators; and our website, www.aarp.org. AARP Foundation is an affiliated charity that provides security, protection, and empowerment to older persons in need with support from thousands of volunteers, donors, and sponsors. We have staffed offices in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands -0- *T 2005 AARP BEST EMPLOYERS FOR WORKERS OVER 50 1 Stanley Consultants, Inc. (Muscatine, IA) 2 Scripps Health (San Diego, CA) 3 Bon Secours Richmond Health System (Richmond, VA) 4 Deere & Company (Moline, IL) 5 Cornell University (Ithaca, NY) 6 Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Cambridge, MA) 7 First Horizon National Corporation (Memphis, TN) 8 Brevard Public Schools (Viera, FL) 9 Yale-New Haven Hospital (New Haven, CT) 10 Lee Memorial Health System (Fort Myers, FL) 11 Mercy Health System (Janesville, WI) 12 The Principal Financial Group (Des Moine, IA) 13 SSM Health Care (St. Louis, MO) 14 Lincoln Financial Group (Philadelphia, PA) 15 Beaumont Hospitals (Southfield, MI) 16 Loudoun Healthcare, Inc. (Leesburg, VA) 17 Pepco Holdings, Inc. (Washington, DC) 18 Virginia Commonwealth University (Richmond, VA) 19 Saint Barnabas Health Care System (West Orange, NJ) 20 The Aerospace Corporation (El Segundo, CA) 21 Kelly Services, Inc. (Troy, MI) 22 Oakwood Healthcare System Inc. (Dearborn, MI) 23 Michelin North America (Greenville, SC) 24 Centegra Health System (Woodstock, IL) 25 Cinergy Corp. (Cincinnati, OH) 26 Scottsdale Healthcare (Scottsdale, AZ) 27 The YMCA of Greater Rochester (Rochester, NY) 28 University of Colorado Hospital Authority (Denver, CO) 29 Cabell Huntington Hospital (Huntington, WV) 30 Pitney Bowes, Inc. (Stamford, CT) 31 Carondelet Health Network (Tucson, AZ) 32 Securian Financial Group, Inc. (St. Paul, MN) 33 Hoffmann-La Roche Inc. (Nutley, NJ) 34 NASD (Rockville, MD) 35 Inova Health System (Falls Church, VA) 36 Whirlpool Corporation (Benton Harbor, MI) 37 St. Mary's Medical Center (Huntington, WV) 38 Mitretek Systems (Falls Church, VA) 39 Volkswagen of America, Inc. (Auburn Hills, MI) 40 Pinnacol Assurance (Denver, CO) 41 Busch Entertainment Corporation (Clayton, MO) 42 Zurich North America (Schaumburg, IL) 43 West Virginia University Hospitals (Morgantown, WV) 44 SAS (Cary, NC) 45 Ochsner Clinic Foundation (New Orleans, LA) 46 Girl Scouts, San Diego - Imperial Council, Inc. (San Diego, CA) 47 University Physicians Healthcare (Tucson, AZ) 48 University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center (Houston, TX) 49 Henry Ford Health System (Detroit, MI) 50 The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. (Hartford, CT) *T |
