American Fidelity Assurance Company ranks No. 46 on FORTUNE magazine's list of the "100 Best Companies to Work For" in America for 2009. No stranger to the list, AFA starts the year off right with its sixth straight appearance.

"Making the list is quite an honor," said CEO Bill Cameron. "But, it is much more than that. This is an extension of our strategic initiative to be an employer of choice. All of our efforts help us support a unique corporate culture with an eye toward providing for more than just success in business, but also fostering a positive work environment. We greatly appreciate the national acknowledgement of these efforts and fully believe our Colleagues deserve much of the credit."

AFA's selection came after a rigorous two-part application process, consisting of an evaluation of the company's policies, practices and philosophies as well as an anonymous employee survey. A random sample of at least 400 employees completes the 57-question survey, which accounts for two-thirds of a company's total score.

More than 81,000 employees from 353 companies participated in this year's survey process. Common themes for the survey questions include job satisfaction, attitudes towards management and camaraderie within the organization.

The remaining one-third of the score is based on a company's responses to the Great Place to Work Institute's Culture Audit, which includes detailed questions about demographic makeup, pay and benefits programs as well as open-ended questions on everything from cultural philosophies to compensation practices.

In addition to the overall ranking, AFA garnered further recognition in other categories, including being ranked No. 10 in percentage of telecommuters (34% of Colleagues), No. 21 in the percentage of female employees (67% of Colleagues) and No. 18 on the Small Companies list.

AFA is one of the largest private, family-owned life and health insurance companies in the United States. Proud to be among the prevalent employers in Oklahoma City, AFA is home to nearly 1,400 employees, with approximately 1,000 located at our Oklahoma City headquarters and others spanning 26 locations across the United States.

American Fidelity is proud of this honor which enhances what has become a fortunate tradition, following past appearances on the "100 Best Places to Work For" in America list in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008!