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NEWS RELEASE

Embry-Riddle, World’s Leader in Aviation/Aerospace Education, Honored as Top 25 Employer for Working Families

Embry-Riddle Ranks Among Best Central Florida Employers for Fourth Straight Year

Daytona Beach, Fla., Aug. 4, 2008 -- Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University has been named one of Central Florida’s Top 25 Companies for Working Families, its first time to make the Top 25 and its fourth straight year on the Top 100 list. The ranking, which is compiled annually by the Orlando Sentinel, was announced at the Top 100 Awards Luncheon held Friday, Aug. 1, at Universal Orlando’s Royal Pacific Resort.

The Top 100 employers are chosen for this honor on the basis of their family-related benefits, work environment, communication network, and training opportunities. The Top 25 list is composed of a select group of 25 family-friendly companies that have 249 employees or fewer, and 25 companies that have 250 employees or more. Embry-Riddle, the global leader in aviation/aerospace education, has 2,000 full-time employees worldwide, 1,255 of them in Central Florida.

Of Embry-Riddle’s newer benefits, the four-day summer workweek is the most popular among employees and their families.

“This is the second year we’ve offered a shortened workweek, and we hope to continue it in the future,” said Irene McReynolds, Embry-Riddle’s vice president of human resources. “With the high cost of fuel, driving to campus 13 fewer days means more money in employees’ wallets, and, needless to say, they love having the extra time to spend with their families.”

Giving employees paid time off to relax with their families is one of the top priorities at Embry-Riddle. Days off each year include 11 holidays, the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day, and up to 36 days of personal leave. Employees can carry a balance of up to 240 hours of personal leave; any additional hours accrued can be rolled over into the employee’s disability leave pool for possible future use.

Embry-Riddle is in the vanguard when it comes to expanding benefits in new directions. Under a group program launched in the last year, employees can look after their “other members of the family” and save money by enrolling with Veterinary Pet Insurance/DVM Insurance Agency (VPI), the nation’s oldest and largest provider of health insurance for pets. The VPI pet insurance policy covers medical problems and conditions related to illnesses and accidents in dogs, cats, and many other pets, treated by any licensed veterinarian of the employee’s choice. An additional optional plan assists dog and cat owners with the cost of regular routine care, with no deductibles.

Another new benefit is the Golden Eagle program, which rewards faculty and staff who’ve given Embry-Riddle 20 or more years of service. These employees are entitled to free parking on campus and discounts for attractions, hotels, and car rentals. In addition, 20-year employees receive free admission to most home sporting events and to campus recreational facilities. Upon leaving Embry-Riddle, Golden Eagle retirees can continue to use the recreational facilities, and their Intranet and email accounts remain active for campus announcements and library access. Some features of this program also apply to spouses.

One of the most popular benefits that’s been in place for many years, McReynolds said, is " free tuition for credit courses and a 25 percent waiver for flight lab fees.”

That benefit gives employees and their families access to a world-class education with a broad selection of more than 30 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in aviation/aerospace, engineering, business, and related high-tech fields. Embry-Riddle’s aerospace engineering program is the largest in the nation and is ranked No. 1 in the nation among schools without doctorate programs by U.S. News & World Report. Embry-Riddle’s undergraduate aeronautical science (professional pilot) program is also the largest in the nation.

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, the world’s largest, fully accredited university specializing in aviation and aerospace, offers degree programs in its colleges of Arts and Sciences, Aviation, Business, and Engineering. The university educates more than 34,000 students annually in undergraduate and graduate programs at residential campuses in Prescott, Ariz., and Daytona Beach, Fla., through the Worldwide Campus at more than 130 campus centers in the United States, Europe, Canada, and the Middle East, and through online learning. For more information, visit www.embryriddle.edu.

© Copyright 2008 Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. All rights reserved.

Administrative Offices: 600 South Clyde Morris Blvd., Daytona Beach, FL 32114