What the judges say about The Principal 10 Best Companies for Employee Financial Security

A distinguished panel of business leaders and benefits experts recently selected The Principal® 10 Best Companies for Employee Financial Security-2005 from more than 500 growing businesses nominated for recognition. The judges praised this year’s winners for maintaining a strong commitment to their employees’ long-term financial security by preserving core medical, retirement and risk protection benefits despite cost pressures. Judges also acclaimed the winners for innovation in offering wellness programs, one-on-one benefit guidance and do-it-for me retirement savings options.

“I was struck by how many companies are still making a commitment to providing a traditional pension plan and helping their retirees with medical expenses. The generosity, diversity and richness of these programs seems to transcend employer size.”
~Nevin Adams, editor in chief - Plan Sponsor Magazine, Plansponsor.com

“We’re definitely seeing that employers are under more pressure this year to retrench employee benefits so the companies that made it to The Principal 10 Best list are really in a class by themselves. They are taking a different course. They are investing in their employees.”
~Karen Ignani, president & CEO, America’s Health Insurance Plans

“It is always very hard to select the 10 Best companies because there are so many entries from companies that provide good benefits. The winners stand out from the group. The Principal 10 Best program shows the world that in fact there are a lot of companies that are trying very hard to take care of their employees beyond just wages.”
~Deborah J. Lucas, PhD., Household International professor of finance, Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University

“The judges talked about how difficult it is for companies to continue to have a wide variety of benefits because they are getting so expensive. Despite that challenge, the companies selected this year to The Principal 10 Best were still offering opportunities for wealth preservation and financial security by offering good medical, good life insurance, good short-term disability and good retirement plans.”
~Susan Reece, vice president of strategic development, Leupold & Stevens, winner The Principal 10 Best Companies-2004

“We’re seeing innovations like trying to get employees more involved in decisions about benefit packages and putting increasing emphasis on wellness programs, a way to communicate the importance of wellness and reward employees for staying well.”
~Corey Rosen, executive director, National Center for Employee Ownership

“In an age where much of what we read about is that everything is getting worse, what The Principal 10 Best Companies are showing is that you can in fact be more careful and do it better. Companies are continuing an orientation toward protecting their workers against financial risk.”
~ Dallas Salisbury, president and CEO, Employee Benefit Research Institute

“It is wonderful to see companies that have the commitment these companies show. They are really trying to do the right thing with their workforce. They are good examples for the rest of American business.”
~ David Wray, president of the Profit Sharing/401(k) Council of America (PSCA)