APH News & Press
Local Businesses Team Up to Win National Award
News Release: Louisville, Kentucky, February 21, 2000
The American Printing House for the Blind (APH), a local employer specializing in the manufacture of educational and workplace products for blind and visually impaired people, was recently recognized with an award from Pensions and Investments (P&I) Magazine. After starting a new 401-(K) plan through PNC Bank, APH received first place in P&I's annual competition, taking top honors under the category of initial education for a retirement plan with less than 1000 participants.
As trustee of the approximately 235 employee plan, PNC Bank was responsible for educating the employees as to the importance of adequate retirement planning, as well as the specifics of their plan's features and investment options.
"When companies implement a new retirement plan, it can sometimes be a painful or confusing process," said Kristi Grimm, Employee Education Consultant for PNC Bank. "My job is to help make the new plan's features and benefits as clear as possible for the employees. Typically, we provide employees with both written materials and live seminars to educate them as to the benefits of their plan. The challenge for PNC with American Printing House for the Blind is that a number of their employees are hearing or visually impaired."
That's where American Printing House stepped in. Working closely with PNC, Bill Beavin, CFO of American Printing House, took care of getting all of the educational materials translated into braille and/or recorded on audiotape. At the live seminars Grimm delivered, a sign language interpreter accompanied her.
"While it might seem like common sense," Grimm remarked, "not all retirement plan sponsors are willing to go the extra mile in a situation like this. Ultimately, it is the employees' financial security that's put in jeopardy when investment education is absent or inferior. Beavin and his staff demonstrated a genuine concern for their employees. PNC is proud to partner with an organization truly committed to retirement planning education."
Beavin and Grimm traveled to New York City in January to accept the award at the national Pensions & Investment Conference held at the New York Hilton & Towers in Manhattan.
The American Printing House for the Blind, founded in 1858, is the oldest organization of its kind in the United States and the world's largest not-for-profit company that creates educational, workplace and life-style products and services for blind or visually impaired people.
Contact Roberta Williams, Public Relations Specialist, for more information. Telephone: 1 -800-223-1839 or (502) 895-2405; e-mail: rwilliams@aph.org or Amy Byrd, PNC Bank, at 1-412-762-2445.