OLYMPIA – The Association of Washington Business has named 15 companies as recipients of its 2002 Better Workplace Awards.

These awards honor companies for innovations in workplace safety, job training and advancement programs, and benefit and compensation programs.

AWB President Don Brunell and National Association of Manufacturers Executive Committee Chair Arthur D. Wainwright will be on hand to present the awards Thursday, Dec. 12, at the Renaissance Madison Hotel in Seattle.

The 2002 AWB Better Workplace Awards were given to AWB member businesses both small and large. The annual awards program recognizes AWB member companies that go the extra mile to create workplaces that are family-friendly, promote safety and enable employees to achieve their best. In recognizing those outstanding companies, the awards also draw attention to examples of workplace policies that may help other companies identify and develop programs aimed at boosting morale, increasing productivity, improving recruiting and retention, and reducing training costs.

An independent panel of judges chose the winners. Continuous excellence awards are given to companies that have won the award in previous years and have continued doing an excellent job.

The following are the 2002 Better Workplace winners in all categories:

Workplace Safety

	Echo Bay Minerals Co., Kettle River, Republic (Continuous Excellence)
	Canyon Creek Cabinet Co., Monroe (Winner)
	Waste Management, Inc., Kirkland (Winner)
	Fluor Hanford, Inc., Richland (Continuous Excellence)
	The Everett Clinic, Everett (Certificate of Merit)
	Stevens Pass Ski Area, Skykomish (Special Award for Seasonal Employees)

Job Training & Advancement Programs

	Ppi-WA, Inc., Union Gap (Winner)
	The Everett Clinic, Everett (Winner)
	Shields Bag and Printing Co., Yakima (Winner)
	TransAlta Centralia Generation, Centralia (Winner)

Innovative Benefit/Compensation Programs

	Ppi-WA, Inc., Union Gap (Certificate of Merit for Innovative Compensation)
	Underwriters Laboratories Inc., Camas (Winner)
	Metropolitan Mortgage and Securities Co., Spokane (Winner)
	WRQ, Seattle (Continuous Excellence)
	Stevens Pass Ski Area, Skykomish (Special Award for Creating a Better Workplace for Seasonal Employees)

Overall Winners In All Three Categories

	Milgard Windows, Tacoma
	Schweitzer Engineering Labs, Inc., Pullman
	Pacific Seafood, Mukilteo