Mountain View, CA — October 18, 2006 — Thoits Insurance Service, Inc. has been named ESOP Company of the Year by The ESOP Association’s California/Western States Chapter.  The award was presented at the Chapter Conference meeting on September 29, 2006 in Scottsdale, AZ.  The Mountain View based company beat out several fellow ESOP companies for this coveted award.  The ESOP Association is the national trade association for companies with employee stock ownership plans (ESOP) and the leading voice in America for employee ownership.

An ESOP for 30 years, Thoits Insurance Service, Inc. is one of the largest ESOP insurance brokerages in the United States specializing in property and liability programs, risk management, workers’ compensation, and retirement plan services.

“Our ESOP has become something bigger, more than just a recruiting tool or a retirement plan.  It has permeated every aspect of our culture,” said Karen Aasen, HR Director for Thoits Insurance Service, Inc.  “It makes us better corporate citizens and better citizens in general.”

The ESOP structure is part of the company’s environment and culture.  The employee owners enjoy working together, united in their vision of success for the agency.  Several employees, including the HR Director and CEO, are actively involved in promoting the cause of ESOPs and employee ownership across the country.

Thoits Insurance Service, Inc., founded in 1891, is one of the largest employee-owned insurance brokerages in the United States. Its dynamic service teams comprise eighty exceptionally knowledgeable and caring professionals dedicated to their clients' needs.

The ESOP Association is a national non-profit organization with 18 local chapters, serving approximately 2,400 ESOP companies and professionals with a commitment to ESOPs and employee ownership, and companies considering the implementation of an ESOP.  For more information, www.esopassociation.org.

About Thoits
Established in 1891, Thoits Insurance is a regional California insurance brokerage, employee benefits and risk management consulting firm owned by its employees. Thoits serves the needs of the Bay Area’s peninsula and Silicon Valley by determining risks in all areas of business and protecting its clients against these risks.

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