2002 Recipients

French Mortuary

“Service Assured, Integrity Guaranteed” is the motto French Mortuary has followed each and every day since its inception in 1907. But French Mortuary doesn’t just pay lip service to their motto. In fact, it’s their commitment to the motto that affords them their excellent reputation in the community.

French Mortuary has been family-owned and operated for 95 years. From the beginning, the French family has understood the stressful work their employees have chosen. Therefore, the French family makes their cabin available to employees to take time for rest and relaxation with their own families.

Employees are introduced to the importance of high ethical standards beginning with the interview process. Employees are also required to take Life Appreciation Training, a process that broadens workers horizons beyond just “doing a job.”

French Mortuary believes in honesty and respect for the families they serve. This is easily characterized by just one of the services they offer: Infants are always buried at no charge to the family. Service is assured to their clients through their payment plans and cultural sensitivity. Chester French, the company’s founder, was known for his integrity and fairness in serving families of all income levels. Helping families arrange services that are sensitive to their own faith also allows for dignity in the dying process.

Chester French Stewart took over French Mortuary from his grandfather in 1966. Today, French Mortuary is still adhering to the same motto, “Service Assured, Integrity Guaranteed.” Stewart uses their payment policy as an example, “I have concern that a family with limited resources couldn’t come to French Mortuary. Every director in our organization has the right to give a basic casket, at no charge. I don’t want monet to be a barrier.”

Atkinson & Co, LTD

Atkinson & Co, LTD. has earned a reputation for responsible service in New Mexico for over 30 years by providing quality practice management and client service coupled with dedicated community involvement.

Atkinson & Co, LTD. Emphasizes ethics as a key to providing quality service to their clients. Employees are trained in ethical reasoning principles and are encouraged to discuss ethical issues with their supervisors. In fact, peer review committees and other national organizations have recognized their quality practice management and ethical business practices more than a dozen times in recent years.

Their philanthropic position in the community is widely recognized. Atkinson & Co, LTD. prides itself in planting seed to help other organizations grow into innovative and creative partners in the community. They go above and beyond to provide reduced-rate or no-cost services to not-for-profit organizations.

Employees are also committed to treating each other by the golden rule. Recently, for example, one employee was diagnosed with cancer and co-workers donated their vacation days to this employee for medical treatment. Company policies are also supportive of balancing family responsibilities with professional objectives. The company has received the Vanguard Award, recognizing their innovative employment practices and support of women in the workplace.

Atkinson’s managing partner, Henry South, says, “Reputations are hard won and easily lost.” Therefore, he says, they hold ethical business practices in high regard, “The ethics decision is first. The economics decision is second.”

Standard Machine Company

Standard Machine Company began in 1989 as a one-man contract machine shop focusing on precision machining services to both government and private industry. Under founder Kevin Ball’s leadership, the company incorporated and expanded in size and capabilities, adding room for larger and more sophisticated machine tools along with welding and fabrication department. Today, Standard Machine Company has 17 employees and offers services to customers nationwide.

From the beginning, Standard Machine Company emphasized the importance of a safe working environment while providing the highest quality service to its customers. The company stands out in the crowd when it comes to safety. They work hard to exceed OSHA requirements, and Ball regularly invites OSHA representatives to inspect the shop and make suggestions for improvement to ensure the safety, health, and well0being of their employees.

Ball says he treats his employees with respect and appreciation and in turn expects his employees to treat customers with the same level of appreciation and respect. For example, when health insurance premiums recently increased, Standard Machine Company absorbed the cost rather than passing the cost on to the employees. Standard Machine Company also makes their business lawyer available to employees for legal advice at no charge.

Customers of Standard Machine Company are treated with the same care and respect as employees. Managers are trained to point out errors to suppliers that might have benefited Standard Machine Company in the short run. But Standard’s goals are higher, and they manage to satisfy every customer, no matter what the cost.

Ball says, “We treat our vendors and customers and competitors with respect. I think that’s our biggest asset because our customers know we keep our word.”

ACCION New Mexico

“Give a man a fish and he eats for a day; teach him to fish and he eats for a lifetime.” This maxim represents well what ACCION New Mexico is all about. Their core mission is helping budding entrepreneurs gain access to business credit. More importantly, they provide training to small business owners that allows them the opportunity to become self sufficient.

ACCION New Mexico, founded in 1994, has financed nearly 1,000 businesses in New Mexico with loans totaling more than $3.5 million. Well over half of the loans issued by ACCION are given to low-income borrowers, women and minorities. ACCION New Mexico prides itself on the ability to provide these loans through vital partnerships with area lending institutions. Collaborating banks often help process the loan information and hand over loan checks right from bank branch offices.

Employees of ACCION are taught to provide confidentiality and respect to each and every client. They are trained in ethical self-conduct and behavior which allows them to become partners with the clients they serve.

Loan officers help their clients think clearly about the next business steps by offering advice and understanding. As one client put it, “I know how ethical and hard working I am, but it didn’t look like it on paper. ACCION took time to hear the whole story.”

PNM Award for Individual Excellence in Ethical Business Practice,
in Honor of John Ackerman
Donald “Duffy” Swan

Donald “Duffy” Swan has been a key business leader in New Mexico for many years. As an executive and vice president for USWEST, Duffy first earned a reputation for always “doing the right thing.” Duffy began his career with USWEST while still in college. He worked his way up the corporate ladder by handling his business and personal affairs with the utmost ethical responsibility.
Over the years, Duffy has involved himself in many public and charitable efforts. His principles have guided him to help make decisions with these organizations that are right rather than expedient or cost cutting. For example, his efforts with the Golden Apple Foundation have enhanced education in the state by helping educators receive professional development. Duffy knows that by helping educators receive professional development he is ultimately benefiting the development of New Mexico’s youth.
Upon retiring from USWEST, Duffy decided he wasn’t quite finished with his career. The last five years have been spent consulting with several organizations, volunteering as chairman of the Golden Apple Foundation, and taking responsibility of President of the UNM Foundation. More recently, he became New Mexico Vice President of Government Relations for VALOR Telecomm, LLC.
A life-long resident of Albuquerque, Duffy graduated from Sandia High School in 1963 and the University of New Mexico in 1968. He is married to his high school sweetheart Jean Ann Murphy. Together, they have two daughters and five grandchildren.
Duffy explains his personal ethics to be “like a piece of glass that everyone can see through, having no hidden agendas.” Throughout his life, Duffy Swan’s commitment to ethical practice has been transparent, consistently working to help organizations “do the right thing