GOLDEN Employees Receive 2008 NY/NJ ESOP Association Chapter's Company of the Year Award

GOLDEN Employees are Recipients of NY/NJ Company of the Year Award Twice: 2003 & 2008

Employees of Golden Artist Colors, Inc. were recently honored by The ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan) Association with the 2008 NY/NJ ESOP Association Chapter's Company of the Year Award. The marks the second time since the company became employee owned just five short years ago, that this prestigious award has been received. Several GOLDEN employee owners accepted the award at the ESOP Association Conference held in September in Scranton, Penn.

"We were delighted when we heard the news that we had received this recognition again," said Golden Artist Colors' CEO, Mark Golden. "Since becoming employee owned just five short years ago, our ESOP Committee has worked tremendously hard to better educate their co-workers about the importance of being an ESOP company and the real benefits it provides to each and every one of us. This award reinforces the strength of our ESOP program and our employees' dedication to excellence not only in the products we produce, but also in our company values and culture.

The award recognized the company's commitment to employee ownership as evidenced by its involvement with The ESOP Association and its programs, its communication skills with employees, and its commitment to the Vision of The ESOP Association which endorses employee participation, wealth creation and individual dignity and worth.

According to Golden Artist Colors' COO and President, Barbara Schindler, "Since the company's beginning, employees have always been treated as owners. This award recognizes the value of empowering staff in such a positive way."

Founded in 1978, The ESOP Association represents over 1,400 ESOP companies and approximately 1 million employee owners who believe that employee ownership will improve American competitiveness, increase productivity through greater employee participation and strengthen our free enterprise economy. To learn more about The ESOP Association and the benefits in becoming an employee owned company, go to www.esopassociation.org.