(Oklahoma City, OK) - American Fidelity Assurance Company (AFA) was named today to FORTUNE magazine's "100 Best Companies to Work For" list for the fifth straight year. It is the top-ranking Oklahoma company at No. 24 on the list. The full list and related stories appear in the Feb. 4 issue of FORTUNE, available on newsstands Jan. 28 and at www.fortune.com today. (Jan. 22)

AFA, one of the largest private, family-owned life insurance companies in the United States, also scored well in the average annual bonus given to Colleagues and in the number of women who work at the company.

"Being an employer of choice is one of our strategic initiatives and has helped us create a unique company culture. Our Colleagues' loyalty and support can be credited for American Fidelity becoming the company we are today," said AFA CEO Bill Cameron. "We appreciate the recognition of the hard work we do and the great contribution by our Colleagues in making AFA a nationally recognized great place to work."

AFA was selected for the list after a rigorous application process that included an anonymous employee survey. "The 100 Best Companies to Work For" list is compiled for FORTUNE based on two criteria: an evaluation of the policies and culture of each company, and the opinions of the company's employees. The latter is given more weight; two-thirds of the total score comes from employee responses to a 57-question survey which goes to a minimum of 400 randomly selected employees from each company. More than 100,000 employees from 446 companies participated in the survey this year. It asks about things such as attitudes towards management, job satisfaction, and camaraderie within the organization. The remaining one-third of the score is based on an evaluation of each company's demographic makeup, pay and benefits programs, and culture. Companies are scored in four areas: credibility (communication to employees), respect (opportunities and benefits), fairness (compensation, diversity), and pride/camaraderie (philanthropy, celebrations).

American Fidelity ranked No. 7 among the top 100 companies in terms of largest annual cash bonus given to salaried employees. The company is No. 5 among companies that allow their employees to telecommute or work from home at least 20 percent of the time. About 30 percent of American Fidelity Colleagues telecommute regularly.

"I commend American Fidelity and its strong workforce for maintaining one of the nation's best work environments," says Governor Brad Henry. "Making the list for the fifth straight year is a testament to their commitment at all levels, and it also brings a national spotlight to Oklahoma's business community. Our business leaders understand the importance of a good work environment and a relationship of mutual respect between employers and employees. It is my pleasure to congratulate American Fidelity on this tremendous recognition."

Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett also applauded the company for its contributions to the city.

"American Fidelity has established itself as one of the premier companies in the country," said Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett. "Inclusion on this prestigious list for the past five years has solidified their national reputation and has garnered recognition for the strong workforce that we have here in our community and throughout the state. I am so proud that American Fidelity calls Oklahoma City its home."

A driving factor for the FORTUNE magazine list this year is that these companies excel in creating jobs. The 100 companies on the 2008 list added 67,000 employees to their payrolls in the past year and employ a total of nearly 1.6 million employees; up 16% from the number employed by companies comprising last year's list.

To pick the "100 Best Companies to Work for", FORTUNE works with Robert Levering and Milton Moskowitz of the Great Place to Work Institute to conduct the most extensive employee survey in corporate America. Of some 1,500 firms that were contacted, 406 companies participated in this year's survey. Nearly 100,000 employees at those companies responded to a 57-question survey created by the Great Place to Work Institute, a global research and consulting firm with offices in 30 countries. Most of the company's score (two-thirds) is based on the results of the survey, which is sent to a minimum of 400 randomly selected employees from each company. The survey asks questions related to their attitudes about the management's credibility, job satisfaction and camaraderie. The other third of the scoring is based on the company's responses to the Institute's Culture Audit, which includes detailed questions about pay and benefit programs and a series of open-ended questions about hiring practices, methods of internal communications, training, recognition programs and diversity efforts, etc. After evaluations are completed, if news about a company comes to light that may significantly damage employees' faith in management, that company may be excluded from the list.

Any company that is at least seven years old with more the 1,000 U.S. employees is eligible. The deadline for applying for next year's list is March 31, 2008. For an online nomination form, go to www.greatplacetowork.com.

It again has proven a banner year for American Fidelity as it continues to gain national recognition for its workplace culture. American Fidelity was again ranked on Computerworld magazine's list of the "Best Places to Work in IT" being cited by the publication for its excellent employee training programs and its retention of employees. AFA was also named to Training Magazine's 2007 Top 100 list.

AFA is one of the largest employers in Oklahoma City with more than 1,500 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.

About American Fidelity Assurance Company
American Fidelity Assurance Company is a third-generation, family-owned organization providing insurance products and financial services to education employees, trade association members and companies throughout the United States and across the globe. Founded in 1960, it has grown to become one of the largest private, family-owned life and health insurance companies in the United States. Headquartered in Oklahoma City, American Fidelity has more than 1,500 employees in 26 locations across the nation. It was named to Fortune magazine's 2008 list of the 100 Best Companies to Work for in America for the fifth straight year and also is on Computerworld magazine's list of the "Best Places to Work in IT." In addition, it has been ranked by Training Magazine as one of the Top 125 Companies in America for employee training. Since 1982, American Fidelity has been rated "A+" (Superior) by A.M. Best Company, one of the nation's leading insurance rating services.