Arlington, VA, July 20, 2000 - Twenty-four outstanding businesses from 13 states have been selected as finalists in the 2000 Better Business Bureau National Torch Award for Marketplace Ethics competition.
Sponsored by the Council of Better Business Bureaus, the national award competition is judged by an independent panel of business and ethics experts. More than 2,000 businesses compete in local BBB Torch Award competitions each year, with 100 being nominated or qualifying for entry at the national level. The winner for each size category of the National Torch Award will be announced on September 25, 2000 in conjunction with the Annual Assembly of Better Business Bureaus.
"The judges this year noted that each finalist merited recognition for demonstrating a solid commitment to adhering to honest sales and business practices, the pursuit of total customer satisfaction, upholding fair competition in the marketplace, and achieving top quality in their product or service. Equally important were the companies' strong recognition of the valuable role played by employees, and their many contributions to the communities in which they do business," said Ken Hunter, president and CEO of the Council of Better Business Bureaus, the umbrella organization for the nation's 132 Better Business Bureaus (BBBs).
Listed in alphabetical order by size category, the finalists for the 2000 BBB National Torch Award for Marketplace Ethics are as follows:
Category I (1,000 or more employees)
CDW Computer Centers, Inc. (Vernon Hills, IL)
GuideOne Insurance (West Des Moines, IA)
Spherion, formerly Interim Personnel (Richmond, VA)
Stewart & Stevenson Power, Inc. (Lubbock, TX subsidiary; corporation based in Houston, TX)
United Supermarkets Lubbock, TX)
Category II (100-999 employees)
Commerce Bank & Trust (Topeka, KS)
John Hine Pontiac Mazda Dodge (San Diego, CA)
Raba-Kistner Consultants (SW), Inc. (El Paso, TX)
Roel Construction Co. (San Diego, CA)
Times Record News (Wichita Falls, TX)
Category III (11-99 employees)
Adams Pest Control (Alexandria, LA)
Airline International, Inc. (El Paso, TX)
ASI Hastings, Inc. (El Cajon, CA)
Brester Construction, Inc. (Lincoln, NE)
Campbell's Nurseries (Lincoln, NE)
Carter Ryley Thomas (Richmond, VA)
Critter Camp (Canyon, TX)
Dakota K Auto Repair (Arlington Heights, IL)
Emler Group, Inc. (Louisville, KY)
Roe Motors GM (Grants Pass, OR)
Category IV (1-10 employees)
Ann & Denny Bishop Realtor Group (Wichita Falls, TX)
Carter's Heating & Air Conditioning (Lenoir, NC)
Delcambre's Ragin Cajun Restaurant (Seattle, WA)
Stephen C. Gidley, Inc. (Darien, CT)
Although the finalists hail from different geographic regions and represent different industries, they share a common attribute: they've discovered the long-term value of excellence, fairness, honesty and trustworthiness in their day-to-day operations.
"Each finalist is proof that an outstanding reputation in the marketplace leads to long-term success. Businesses that do the right thing have a competitive advantage. They elicit the steadfast loyalty of their customers, employees, suppliers and vendors, and surrounding communities, which in turn boosts sales of their service or product," said Calvin J. Collier, chair of the Council of Better Business Bureaus and senior vice president and general counsel/corporate affairs, Kraft Foods, Inc.
Collier noted that this year's competition was particularly noteworthy. "We're celebrating the fifth anniversary of the BBB National Marketplace Ethics Award, and we've added a new size category to permit recognition of a growing category of businesses - those with 10 or fewer employees," he said.
About the BBB National Torch Award for Marketplace Ethics:
The Judging: The award-winning companies were selected by an independent panel of business ethics experts: Robert Abt, president, Abt Electronics (1998 National Torch Award Honorable Mention Winner); Allen Beatty, retired senior vice president, Bureau Network Division, Council of Better Business Bureaus; Kathleen Calligan, president, Better Business Bureau of Middle Tennessee; Laura Nash, director, Institute for Values-Centered Leadership, Harvard Divinity School, and Dr. John Yost, business professor, Bradley University.
Award Criteria: Companies were evaluated against criteria that included commitment to and demonstration of ethical practices in the marketplace; high standards of behavior toward customers, employees, suppliers, shareholders and communities; truthfulness and accuracy of advertising and sales practices; ethical reputation among industry peers and in communities in which they do business; long-term value of ethics policies to shareholders, customers and employees; and training and communications programs to assist employees in carrying out established ethics policies.
Previous Recipients: The Council of Better Business Bureaus established the Better Business Bureau Torch Award for Marketplace Ethics in 1996. Previous award winners include: Sony Electronics Inc. of Park Ridge, NJ, Dollar General Corporation of Nashville, TN, Praxair, Inc. of Danbury, CT, and IBM Corporation, Inc. of Armonk, NY (large size companies); Certified Transmission Rebuilders, Inc., of Omaha, NE, Jordan's Furniture of Avon, MA, Highlights for Children, Inc. of Columbus, OH and Neil Kelly Company of Portland, OR (medium size companies); and, E. E. Ward Transfer & Storage of Columbus, OH, Cuglewski, Timko, & Associates, D.D.S., Inc. of Parma, OH, Fletcher Communications of Waco, TX and Automation Systems International, Inc. of Longview, TX (small size companies).
