LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas (May 9, 2011) – Ellen Galinsky, president and co-founder of Families and Work Institute, presented the keynote address at the eighth annual Governor’s Work-Life Balance Award luncheon. The event, held Monday, May 9, at the Peabody Hotel in Little Rock, recognized Arkansas companies for their creative approaches in developing programs to promote a healthy balance between work and family issues.

“Research has shown that companies that recognize and support the needs of their employees have a more productive workforce,” Governor Mike Beebe said. “I applaud these companies for finding innovative ways – many of which are low-cost– to help their employees find a balance between the demands of the workplace and the demands on the home front. They are proof that sometimes a little creativity can go a long way in retaining skilled employees.”

Through the Families and Work Institute, Ms. Galinsky co-directed the “National Study of the Changing Workforce,” the most comprehensive nationally representative study of the U.S. workforce and “When Work Works,” a project on workplace flexibility and effectiveness funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. She has written more than 40 books and reports – as well as more than 100 articles in academic journals, books and magazines – on work-life issues in the business community. Her most recent book Mind in the Making, The Seven Essential Life Skills Every Child Needs, discusses research on critical skills that help children reach their full potential. Ms. Galinsky held a book signing immediately after the luncheon.

Cross, Gunter, Witherspoon, & Galchus, a law firm based in Little Rock, was named a Work-Life Ambassador at this year’s event. Ambassadors share their expertise and success stories with other Arkansas employers in an effort to assist them with their work-life balance issues. Bank of the Ozarks in Little Rock was named a Mature Worker Ambassador.

Other award winners were:

Small Company:

Arkansas Power Electronics International, Inc., Fayetteville

Medium Company – For Profit:
Transamerica Worksite Marketing, Little Rock

Large Company – For Profit:
Science Applications International Corporation

Medium Company – Nonprofit:
Arkansas Educational Television Network, Conway

Large Company – Nonprofit:
University of Arkansas Fayetteville, Fayetteville

Spotlight Winners:
Central Flying Service, Inc.
Winrock International
Hutchinson Financial, Inc.
Southwestern Energy Company
Vestcom International

Mature Worker Winners:

Arkansas Educational Television Network, Conway
White County Medical Center, Searcy
St. Vincent Health System, Little Rock

Partners in the initiative are Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families, Arkansas Business Publishing Group, Arkansas Child Care Resource and Referral Network, Arkansas Economic Development Commission, Arkansas Department of Health, Arkansas Department of Higher Education, Arkansas Department of Human Services/Division of Child Care and Early Childhood Education, Arkansas Head Start Collaboration Office, DHS/Division of County Operations, Arkansas Department of Career Education, Arkansas Early Childhood Commission, Arkansas Society of Human Resource Managers, Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce/Associated Industries of Arkansas, Arkansas State University, and the Arkansas Department of Workforce Services.