Sara Lee Food and Beverage Receives State Award for Outstanding Safety and Health Record
Company Achieves Nearly Eight Years Without a Lost Time Accident

Contact: Lori Donlan (517) 373-9280

Agency: Licensing and Regulatory Affairs

February 15, 2006 – The Sara Lee Food and Beverage Traverse City facility received the CET Platinum Award today from the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA) for an outstanding safety and health record.  The MIOSHA program is part of the Michigan Department of Labor & Economic Growth (DLEG).

Sara Lee Food and Beverage has logged an unprecedented nine million work hours and nearly eight years without a lost time accident!  This is the first Platinum Award presented by MIOSHA in almost four years.

MIOSHA Director Doug Kalinowski presented the award to Randy Tucker, Plant Manager; Neal Jones, President & Business Agent, Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers & Grain Millers International Union, Local 81; and the Joint Safety Committee. 

“It is a distinct honor to present the Platinum Award to one of Traverse City’s outstanding corporate citizens,” said Kalinowski.  “Your record of nearly eight years and nine million work hours without a lost time accident is an astounding success!  Your commitment is proof that focusing on safety up front is a sound business decision.”

The MIOSHA Consultation Education and Training (CET) Division recognizes the safety and health achievements of Michigan employers and employees through CET Awards, which are based on excellent safety and health performance.  The CET Platinum Award recognizes an outstanding safety record of 250,000 - 7,500,000 continuous hours worked without days away from work based on the employer’s size and type of business.

“This award truly represents the commitment that every single Traverse City employee has toward their personal safety and that of their co-workers.  It is a remarkable achievement! This clearly demonstrates the high level of manufacturing competence that exists in the Traverse City plant,” said Tucker.

The award presentation is part of the company’s annual Service Awards Banquet.  This year's banquet recognized Sara Lee employees who celebrated 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 and 35 years of service during calendar year 2005.  A review of their "class of 2005" revealed a combined service of 1,775 years.  Representatives from Sara Lee Food and Beverage Headquarters Supply Chain, local plant management, and Traverse City plant Safety Committee members participated in the event.

Greg Appleton, Vice President-Safety and Environmental for Sara Lee Food and Beverage Supply Chain relayed his congratulations:  “Safety has been a core value for all Sara Lee Facilities. The Traverse City Plant is no exception. The recognition of the plant’s receipt of the CET Platinum Award reflects the hard work of all the employees.  Best wishes and enjoy your celebration.”

Sara Lee’s outstanding safety and health record came from several areas, including:  significant employer commitment; an active safety and health committee; a written and implemented safety and health program; hazard identification and corrective action; and regular safety and health training.  They also use outside consultants, including the CET Division of the MIOSHA program.

The core members of the Joint Safety Committee include:  Mike Myers, Chief Steward and Process Support Specialist, Shipping/Receiving; Dan Bristol, Local 81, Vice President and Master Mechanic; Bob Besore, Local 81, Member at Large and Process Support Specialist, Production Maintenance; Scott Pryde, Environmental/PSM Manager; Charlie Kinzel, PE, Electrical Controls Engineer; Bob Allen, Maintenance Manager; Bill Pratt, Technical Services Manager; and Suzi Anderton, Environmental Health & Safety Manager.

With 620 employees, the Traverse City plant manufactures frozen baked and unbaked pies, premium HiPies®, unbaked pie shells, cream and meringue-topped pies, parfait dessert cups, quiche, and unbaked cheese cakes.  They purchase over 39 million pounds of flour, and their most popular pie flavors are apple and cherry – where they use around 22 million pounds of apples and 7.3 million pounds of cherries.

Sara Lee Food & Beverage is the leading North American retail food division of Sara Lee Corporation (NYSE: SLE). Based in Downers Grove, Ill., SLF&B develops and sells many of the world's favorite high-quality baked goods, meats and coffee.  Leading brands and products include Sara Lee fresh breads, frozen desserts and deli meats, Hillshire Farm lunchmeats, Jimmy Dean sausage and breakfast foods, Ball Park franks and the Senseo single-serve coffee system that uses the Douwe Egberts brand of European-style premium coffee.