Prestigious Alfred P. Sloan Awards for Business Excellence in Workplace Flexibility in 2008 are to be presented to four local businesses-all members of the Aurora Chamber at a General Membership Luncheon Dec. 9.

Selected as winners of the awards and national recognition for leadership in creating a better workplace are The Medical Center of Aurora, Merrick & Company, Arapahoe Douglas County Works! and the Aurora Chamber of Commerce. The companies were selected by the When Work Works national partners: Families and Work Institute, The U.S. Chamber's Institute for a Competitive Workforce and the Twiga Foundation.

"This is quite an honor for these businesses," said Kevin Hougen, Chamber CEO. "It shows that Aurora has some very progressive organizations that are leading the way in the kind of workplace innovation and flexibility that will mark successful businesses in the 21 st century."

The national award recognizes employers who are successfully using workplace flexibility to meet both employer and employee goals.

Speaker for the luncheon is Patricia Kempthorne, founder of the Twiga Foundation, a non-profit corporation dedicated to inspiring, promoting and maintaining a family-consciousness at home, in the workplace and in the community. Kempthorne is also Idaho's former first lady and wife of Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne.

Also on the program for the luncheon are speakers from each of the honored companies who will share some of the innovative approaches they used to win their award.

The luncheon will be held at the Four Points Sheraton at I-25 and Hampden.

"I hope the business community will take advantage of this opportunity--not only to honor their business colleagues--but to hear about trends in the workplace that will help them meet the challenges they face in the years ahead," Hougen said.