AUL Retirement Services earns another national award for Eddie Bauer plan conversion
Case exemplifies value of custom communications program in engaging employees and driving plan objectives
Contact:
Jim Gavin, Media Relations Manager
(317) 285-4168 or jim.gavin@oneamerica.com
For Immediate Release:
Indianapolis (March 16, 2011) – American United Life Insurance Company® (AUL), a OneAmerica company, was awarded the first place 2011 “Eddy Award” from Pensions & Investments magazine in the conversion category. The award is the sixth national honor given to AUL and Eddie Bauer for their 2009 education and enrollment campaign to encourage Eddie Bauer employees to participate in the company’s new AUL 401(k) plan. AUL collaborated with Eddie Bauer and its advisor Lockton Investment Advisors to customize employee communications, including a unique plan website (www.eddiebauer401k.com), to help transition from Eddie Bauer’s former retirement plan.
“It was important to engage Eddie Bauer associates in a new 401(k) plan that was being built just for them,” said Bill Yoerger, senior vice president for AUL Retirement Services. “By uniquely designing and branding a plan that reflected Eddie Bauer’s own company culture, we met the ultimate objective of helping employees make informed choices about preparing for their future.”
The look and feel of the employee-facing plan materials were designed to complement Eddie Bauer’s other corporate branded materials, reflecting active lifestyles, hiking, camping and mountain climbing. Key objectives of the campaign included increasing enrollment and encouraging rollovers from the former plan. Within two and a half months, the conversion efforts and communications campaign had more than tripled its original $10 million contribution goal and had seen an increase of approximately 200 participants in the plan.
Additionally, the campaign supported Eddie Bauer’s mission of becoming a more paperless environment that would help them reach remote associates.
The award was presented this week at Pensions & Investments East Coast Defined Contribution conference. Last year, AUL and Eddie Bauer received the Gold Signature Award from the Profit Sharing/401(k) Council of America (PSCA) and four 2010 Communicator Awards from the International Academy of the Visual Arts (IAVA), all for the same campaign.
About AUL
American United Life Insurance Company® (AUL) is the founding member of OneAmerica® and is focused on providing a strong portfolio of products for individuals, families and small businesses. AUL uses a national network of experienced professionals utilizing an extensive menu of financial products, including life insurance, annuities and employee benefit plan products. The company helps consumers prepare for tomorrow by helping to protect their financial futures.
About AUL Retirement Services
American United Life Insurance Company® (AUL) is the founding member of OneAmerica® and offers a wide range of products and services for retirement plans of individuals and employers. As a leader in the retirement services industry, AUL provides local service through a national network of experienced professionals focusing on the 401(k), 403(b) and 457 markets.
About OneAmerica
OneAmerica Financial Partners, Inc., is headquartered in Indianapolis, IN. The companies of OneAmerica® can trace their solid foundations back more than 130 years in the insurance and financial services marketplace.
OneAmerica’s nationwide network of companies offers a variety of products to serve the financial needs of their policyholders and other clients. These products include retirement plan products and services; individual life insurance, annuities, long-term care solutions and employee benefit plan products. The goal of OneAmerica is to blend the strengths of each company to achieve greater collective results.
The products of the OneAmerica companies are distributed through a network of employees, agents, brokers and other distribution sources that are committed to increasing value to our policyholders by helping them prepare to meet their financial goals.
Non-registered group annuity contracts are issued by AUL, One American Square, Indianapolis, IN 46206, (800) 249-6269.
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