Arlington, VA, August 8, 2005 - Ten outstanding businesses have been selected as finalists in the 2005 Better Business Bureau International Torch Award for Marketplace Ethics competition. The winner from each of four categories will be announced on September 19, 2005 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Sponsored by the Council of Better Business Bureaus since 1996, the international award competition is judged by an independent panel of business and ethics experts. More than a thousand businesses compete in local BBB Torch Award competitions each year; with 100 being nominated or qualifying for entry at the international level.
"While this year's finalists vary by size, location and type of business, they each strive to adhere to ethical business practices. Each honoree excels at customer satisfaction, but they also serve their employees, investors, competitors and the communities in which they do business with integrity and distinction," said Ken Hunter, president and CEO of the Council of Better Business Bureaus.
Listed in alphabetical order by size category, the finalists for the 2005 BBB International Torch Award for Marketplace Ethics are as follows:
Category 1 (1,000 or more employees)
Advanced Technology Services, Inc. (Peoria, IL)
Owens & Minor, Inc. (Glen Allen, VA)
Category 2 (100-999 employees)
Air Tractor, Inc. (Olney, TX)
Gentle Giant Moving Company (Somerville, MA)
Category 3 (11-99 employees)
Integrated Project Management Company (Burr Ridge, IL)
Marrokal Construction Company (Lakeside, CA)
Requarth Lumber Company (Dayton, OH)
Category 4 (1-10 employees)
American Career Executives (Phoenix, AZ)
Mike Graham's Heating and Air Conditioning (Burkburnett, TX)
Regency Wallcraft, Inc. (Newark, OH)
"For 10 years the BBB International Torch Award has brought positive attention to the many businesses that do care about maintaining exceptional relations with their customers, employees, competitors and communities. These businesses have discovered the long-term value of excellence, fairness, honesty and trustworthiness in their day-to-day operations," said Tom Ryan, chairman of the Council of Better Business Bureaus and formerly senior vice president-law, general counsel and secretary, The Quaker Oats Company.
About the BBB International Torch Award for Marketplace Ethics:
The Judging: The finalists and award-winning companies were selected by an independent panel of business ethics experts: Dr. Conrad Kasperson, professor, Franklin and Marshall College; Joan Koebernick, owner, Dakota-K Auto Repair & Tire Center in Arlington Heights, IL (winner of the 2000 National Torch Award); and Ronald Miller, formerly president of BBB of Central Ohio, now a senior consultant with the Bureau's Foundation.
Award Criteria: Companies were evaluated against criteria including 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 communities in which they do business; and training and communications programs to assist employees in carrying out established ethics policies.
Previous winners of the International Torch Award are listed on the BBB central Web site at www.bbb.org/BizEthics/winners.asp.
Also to be announced on September 19, 2005 in Las Vegas, are the winners of the inaugural BBB International Student Ethics Award program. This program will honor five high school students who personify high ethics demonstrated through leadership, community service, academic history and overall personal integrity. Each student will receive a scholarship of $2,500 towards his or her college education.
