NAPA, Calif. — Service contract provider AUL Corp. won Gold and Bronze awards in the Employer of the Year category at the third annual Stevie Awards for Great Employers competition, the company announced.

The Stevie Awards for Great Employers program was designed to recognize the world’s best who help to create and drive great places to work. Named for the Greek word meaning “crowned,” the Stevies received more than 550 nominations this year from organizations in 21 nations for consideration in a range of human resources-related categories. AUL Corp. was nominated in the Employer of the Year category for “Other Industries,” for which it won Gold, and in the “Insurance Industry” category, winning Bronze.

“Since AUL’s founding in 1990, we have dedicated ourselves to establishing a culture of excellence, teamwork and integrity,” said AUL President and CEO Jimmy Atkinson. “To be honored by the Stevie Awards, with two wins no less, is a tremendous validation of our hard work and the quality of our people.”

“The reason AUL is the premier vehicle service contract in the United States is simple. AUL fosters a culture where our people come first — a culture of caring,” added Helen Van Deren, the company’s HR manager. “From providing leading benefits packages to encouraging personal time off and enriching professional and educational development, AUL truly believes that thriving employees go above and beyond to ensure a thriving business. These awards are further validation of our core convictions.”