American Fidelity Assurance Company has been named to Fortune magazine’s list of the 100 Best Companies to Work For in America. It is the first company in Oklahoma City – and only the second in the state – to make the prestigious list.

AFA, the second-largest private, family-owned life insurance company in the United States, was ranked No. 31 in its first attempt to apply for the list. It is the highest-ranked insurance company on the list.

“We are so honored to be the first company in Oklahoma City to make this list, especially when you consider the high quality of some of the companies in the metro area,” said Bill Cameron, AFA Chairman and CEO. “One of our strategic company-wide goals is to be an employer of choice. Making the Fortune list is a sign that we’re on track – that we’re doing things right – but by no means have we arrived. We will continually strive to make our work environment one where our employees want to stay and where everybody else wants to come work.”

AFA was selected for the list after a rigorous application process that included an anonymous employee survey. To create the list, the Great Place to Work Institute surveyed 46,526 randomly selected employees from 304 candidate companies who filled out the opinion survey. Nearly half also gave written comments about their workplaces. Each candidate company also filled out a questionnaire detailing its people policies, practices, and philosophies. Companies were evaluated on both the employee surveys and the company questionnaires, with the employees’ opinions being given two-thirds of the total score.

“Learning is as big as insurance here, where free courses, from time management to Spanish, can be taken on the clock,” writes the magazine about AFA in its issue that hits newsstands Jan. 5. “Ninety-five percent of management is promoted from within the company, and performance bonuses average 15 percent.”

"I congratulate American Fidelity on this tremendous accomplishment,” said Gov. Brad Henry. “Not only does this honor obviously point to the excellence of American Fidelity, but it also reflects on the caliber of Oklahoma businesses. Our state is noted for its skilled, hardworking and loyal workforce, but that loyalty does not spring from a vacuum. A good employee must have a good employer. American Fidelity is a testament to that truth. On behalf of all Oklahomans, I commend American Fidelity Assurance Company on making the Fortune list of the 100 best companies to work for in 2004."

AFA is one of the largest employers in Oklahoma City with nearly 1,400 employees. About 1,000 employees work at its Oklahoma City headquarters, while the rest are spread among 26 locations across the United States. AFA employees often talk about the company’s family atmosphere, a common theme among businesses that make the Fortune list.

“We have a family-type culture here,” said Cameron. “And I like to think that I work with 1,400 extended family members. I’ve worked at American Fidelity since I was 16 in various capacities, and I’ve always been impressed by the culture of caring and support created by the people of AFA. That attitude translates into great service to our customers, and it creates a tremendous place to spend a career. I am truly honored to work with all of our Colleagues.”

American Fidelity was named earlier this year to Computerworld magazine’s list of the “Best Places to Work in IT.” AFA was cited by the publication for its excellent employee training programs and its retention of employees.