Two GOLDEN Employees Recognized for Commitment to Quality
GOLDEN Employees Honored by the ESOP Association and the Certification Board of the American Society for Quality

–––-- Columbus, NY, January 14, 2008

Two employees of Golden Artist Colors, Inc. were recently honored by two very different organizations: the ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan) Association and the Certification Board of the American Society for Quality.  Lori Wilson, Application Specialist, received the 2008 NY/NJ ESOP Association Chapter’s Employee Owner of the Year Runner-up Award.  Jack Roque, Process Engineer & Six Sigma Black Belt, completed the requirements to be named ASQ-Certified Manager of Quality/Organizational Excellence from the Certification Board of the American Society for Quality.

“We were delighted when we heard the news that we had received the 2008 NY/NJ ESOP Company of the Year Award, so when we found out about Lori’s recognition it was even more exciting,” said Golden Artist Colors’ CEO, Mark Golden.  “Since becoming employee owned just five short years ago, Lori’s dedication on our ESOP Committee to better educate co-workers about the importance of being an ESOP company and the real benefits it provides to each and every one of us has been truly amazing.  It was nice to see all of her hard work get recognized.” 

The ESOP Association 2008 NY/NJ Employee Owner of the Year Runner-up Award recognized Wilson’s active involvement in the company’s ESOP Committee as well as her leadership skills in educating employees about employee ownership.  The ESOP Association also considered her overall contribution as a “good” citizen in the company during the selection process.

In order to sit for the ASQ certification examination, Roque was required to possess 10 years of on-the-job experience in one or more of the following areas: Leadership, Change Management, Strategic Plan Development, Quality Systems, Supply Chain Management & Customer Relationship Management.  In addition, a minimum of five years of this experience had to be in a decision-making position defined as the authority to define, execute or control projects/processes and be responsible for the outcome.

According to Golden Artist Colors’ COO and President, Barbara Schindler, “Jack brings a tremendous amount of process knowledge and experience to our company and this certification that he’s worked so hard for will take us to the next level.  We’re excited and ready to learn more about quality improvement and the positive effects it will have on our business.”

Founded in 1978, The ESOP Association represents over 1,400 ESOP companies and approximately 1 million employee owners who believe that employee ownership will improve American competitiveness, increase productivity through greater employee participation and strengthen our free enterprise economy.  To learn more about The ESOP Association and the benefits in becoming an employee owned company, go to www.esopassociation.org.

The American Society for Quality (ASQ) is the world's leading authority on quality.  With more than 100,000 individual and organizational members, this professional association advances learning, quality improvement, and knowledge exchange to improve business results, and to create better workplaces and communities worldwide.  To learn more about ASQ and its importance in business, go to www.asq.org.
About Golden Artist Colors, Inc.

Founded in 1980 by the Golden family, Golden Artist Colors, Inc. began producing acrylic paint as a result of conversations with artists who needed new materials to help them explore more innovative ways of working with acrylic.  Now a global brand, GOLDEN acrylics continue to extend the boundaries of painting through quality, innovative products born of a constant dialogue with artists, which drive the company’s innovation.  Located in its recently expanded 100,000-square-foot facility in rural Columbus, N.Y., GOLDEN’s 130 employees are committed to producing materials that encourage exploration of form and concept, while assuring archival integrity.  For more information about Golden Artist Colors, Inc. and its comprehensive product offering, call 1-800-959-6543 or visit the company’s Web site at goldenpaints.com.