Neutral Posture CEO Named To International BIFMA Board of Directors

The Leading Women Entrepreneurs of the World™ organization has named Neutral Posture CEO, Rebecca Boenigk, to its prestigious list. Boenigk is among several honorees worldwide that will be fĂȘted at an international awards ceremony and Gala in Sydney, Australia, May 9-13, 2004. This year's list of leading female entrepreneurs includes women from seven different countries, including Australia, India, Bermuda, Japan, the UK, the U.S., Nigeria, Singapore, and Thailand.

Chosen by an International Selection Committee from hundreds of nominees worldwide, these outstanding businesswomen represent nine countries and over $600 million dollars in annual sales. "These women exemplify the true meaning of entrepreneurship and are role models for anyone who yearns to take control of their destiny," said Cheryl Womack, a previous honoree who now owns the Star Group, the exclusive agent for the organization. "They have taken risks, beaten the odds and poured their lives into the growth and development of their communities and these companies. We are pleased to recognize their accomplishments and bring them to the attention of the world at large as well as the business community."

Boenigk's recognition comes less than a year after being featured in the book Nine Lives, by author Mary Cantando. Last year, she was also named one of Office Depot's Outstanding Businesswomen of the Year. Neutral Posture was recently given an Employer Excellence Award by the Texas Federation of Business & Professional Women's Clubs, Inc. (BPW), naming the company one of the top places in Texas for women to work. Previous honors also include recognition from Ernst & Young, Inc. 500, Industry magazine and other organizations.

Boenigk says that receiving international recognition is especially meaningful on the heels of a successful two-year anniversary of the Neutral Posture's Canadian operation. "At a time when we're realizing success in both the U.S. and Canada," she comments, "it's very rewarding to receive an award like this. I'm very proud of Neutral Posture, and of the work we've been able to do to promote supplier diversity and ergonomic wellness. And this is not just an honor for me-it's an honor for Neutral Posture, for my family, and for all the folks that work for these values."

Neutral Posture is the leading manufacture of ergonomic solutions including seating and computer accessories. The company experienced over 15% growth in 2003 while the furniture industry continued to experience negative growth. Due to superb quality and ergonomic features, Neutral Posture continues to be the first choice of numerous Fortune 1000 companies for their seating and accessory needs.

Leading Women Entrepreneurs of the World™ was founded to identify and honor top women entrepreneurs from around the world and heighten public awareness of their impact on the global economy. The first awards were presented in Paris in 1997. Since then, the group has recognized over 280 women business owners from more than 50 countries spanning six continents.

The reason for the adjustability is simple, says Neutral Posture's VP of Engineering, Mark Benden. "Most chairs and stools are designed for the 'average' worker. The problem is, there's no such thing as an average worker. You can come up with a fifty percentile statistic for a male and a female, but in real life, when you look around your office or factory floor, you quickly see that employees come in all sizes and shapes."

Neutral Posture's owner and CEO, Rebecca Boenigk, shares an example of two female employees who are the exact same height and weight. "One may have a longer torso and shorter legs, while the other has longer legs and a shorter torso," she points out. "Or one may have longer arms, or a higher lumbar. Employers will either give them a chair that can be adjusted to fit the employees, or they will expect the employees to fit into the chair they give them. And if they require employees to fit into chairs that don't adjust to support their body, the result will be not only discomfort, but back injuries, neck and shoulder tension, and eventually missed work time and perhaps even a worker's compensation claim."

The company has set its sights on Fortune 500 industrial applications and laboratory facilities. The AbStool™ will debut at Neocon 2003, and will be featured at this year's safety-related trade shows, including those of the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE), the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA), the Human Factors & Ergonomics Society (HFES) and other ergonomics-related forums.