Dear fellow Arkansans.

Growing up with a mom who worked extremely hard, at home and as a waitress, I know firsthand the difficulty she had in trying to balance the demands of work and family. Add to that the ballooning costs of medical care, and maintaining that balance can seem insurmountable. Today, our employees still have responsibilities to their immediate family members. Often, the needs of adult children must be considered, as well as the care of older loved ones or those with debilitating illnesses. And many of us have the added interests of involvement in community and civic activities.

With the demands on today's families in mind, I am pleased to celebrate this year's winners of the Governor's Work-Life Balance Awards. Companies like those being recognized provide incredible strength to their employees and, in turn, help to promote a better future for the families of our state. They exemplify excellence in their mission to recognize and support the needs of their employees. Company leaders have taken the additional step of instituting policies and providing solid benefits. These enable workers to enjoy a more empowering sense of loyalty to their companies as well as peace of mind as they juggle the many demands on their time.

Please join me in celebrating the work and innovation of the businesses presented here, while also examining ways we all can work toward enhancing our companies, whose success flourishes with that of our workers. It is their success, on the job and at home, that makes us all stronger Arkansans.

Congratulations to each of the outstanding winners of the Governor's Work-Life Balance Awards. On behalf of the people of Arkansas, thank you and best wishes for continued success.

Sincerely,

MIKE BEEBE, GOVERNOR