DALLAS – May 22, 2007 – The SouthWest Benefits Association, a regional, non-profit established to foster relationships and support the educational growth of professionals in employee benefits, awarded Safety-Kleen Systems and the Oklahoma Employees Benefits Council with its Second Annual Best of Class Benefits Solution Awards. Honorable mention awards were also presented to Continental Airlines and HEB Grocery Company. Recently presented at SWBA’s 32nd Annual Conference attended by approximately 340 benefits professionals, the awards acknowledge and reward employee benefits professionals for their efforts to solve retirement and health benefits challenges in a challenging corporate environment.
Safety-Kleen Systems, the leading oil recycling and re-refining parts cleaner and industrial waste management services company in North America, was awarded the Best Retirement Benefits Solution for development of its retirement program. The focus of the program was to offer a best practice retirement savings plan for its employees and to dramatically increase participation in the plan. By implementing personalized communications, employee meetings and education, auto-enrollment for new hires, and a stronger company match, participation in the program has increased from less than 50 percent to almost 75 percent.
“Safety-Kleen is proud of the strong partnership we’ve developed with Prudential Retirement over the last two years,” said Toby Todd, vice president, Total Rewards & HR Services for Safety-Kleen Systems. “The results of this program are very positive and it’s rewarding to see a significantly higher number of our employees successfully engaged in saving for retirement.”
The State of Oklahoma’s Employees Benefits Council was selected for Best Health Benefits Solution for its wellness mentoring program – OKHealth. The goal of OKHealth is to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes complications among state employees by giving them the tools to help them feel better and improve their health. OKHealth is a comprehensive program that includes: exercise training, proper nutrition, weight and stress management and smoking cessation.
“There is no easy button or magic bullet,” said Nancy Haller, manager, State Wellness Program, Employee Benefits Council. “It’s about changing your lifestyle. While it might take several years to see a return on investment, this program will save in health care costs as employees become healthier, happier and more productive.”
ABOUT SWBA
Founded in 1975, the SouthWest Benefits Association is a regional, non-profit organization designed to foster relationships and support the educational growth of professionals in employee benefits. Members represent a wide range of specialties, including corporate human resources, benefit plan administration, financial management, investment counseling, third party administration, law, accounting, actuarial, and consulting. Through an annual schedule of professional educational conferences and workshops, SWBA provides its members the opportunity for discussion of a wide range of issues confronting professionals in the complex and increasingly regulated field of employee benefits.