2008 Recipients

Enterprise Electrical Services, Inc.

Enterprise Electrical Services, Inc., operating in Albuquerque, has carved a niche for itself in the electrical contractors’ field by specializing in the more obscure low voltage portions of the electrical industry. Their goal is to constantly strive to stay on the cutting edge of electrical innovations and along with a reputation of trustworthiness, integrity and pursuit of excellence have made Enterprise a leader among electrical contractors.

The company was founded in 1985 by Jim Baca. He sold it to a long-term employee, Anthony Gutierrez, in January of 2007. Although there are no written ethical guidelines, an ethical environment flourishes at Enterprise and that culture comes from top management.

A well-liked employee was dismissed from his position after revealing to Anthony Gutierrez that he knew what it would take to win a bid on an upcoming job. The customer wanted Enterprise to get the job so the customer gave the employee inside information in order to win the bid. Instead of taking advantage of the information, the employee was asked to phone the company and tell them Enterprise wouldn’t be submitting a bid.

Enterprise has provided all of the electrical work for the new Albuquerque Studios. While working at the job site, another contractor damaged some very expensive fiber optics materials that had already been installed. In lieu of requiring and waiting for a change order to ensure payment of work to be provided, they took it upon themselves to begin replacing the materials as soon as possible to avoid delaying the entire project. In addition, they recognized a potential problem and took preventative steps by adding metal tubing at no additional cost to Albuquerque Studios in order to increase the life and quality of their work.

This is a company that will do what they say they’re going to do, own up to their mistakes and make painful decisions when it is the ethically correct thing to do. Anthony Gutierrez states that “ethical behavior is a journey not a destination.”

New Mexico Mutual

New Mexico Mutual was created by New Mexico’s state legislature in 1991 to provide stability in the worker’scompensation insurance market. Their goal is to provide insurance coverage at a reasonable price and provide the best possible care to insured workers across our state. NM Mutual is currently the largest provider of worker’s compensation insurance in New Mexico, with special attention to small and medium sized businesses.

Commanding respect and trust from their stakeholders, NM Mutual has a reputation of “talking the talk and walking the walk”. For the most part, credit for this high esteem in the business community comes from their board of directors, who in 2003 made the decision to bring in an entirely new management team to turn the company around financially and culturally. In a relatively short period of time and through the leadership of CEO, Chris Krahling, a management team is in place which constantly reinforces the mission and values of the business and takes a positive lead in community involvement and social responsibility.

Their corporate governance department focuses on three areas: Compliance, Ethics and Corporate Governance. This department has assisted the Board of Directors in redesigning many aspects of NM Mutual’s business practices, including the formation of a new Code of Business Conduct and Code of Ethics for Board Members. They insist on transparency and their financial statements are available on their website.

They are also socially responsible in the state of New Mexico – by involving themselves in community outreach programs, contributions and through corporate volunteerism. Their Community Relations Committee is responsible for allocating their corporate donations. When the devastating flood hit the village of Hatch, NM in August 2006, the Community Relations Committee and the Board of Directors took action, sending volunteers and thousands of dollars of construction materials and other goods to the people of Hatch.

NM Mutual attributes its long-term success to its employees – they are their most valuable asset. Employees have excellent benefits, including access to an Employee Assistance Program and a Work-Life Resources and Referral Service to assist them with legal issues. A new program will be instituted in 2008 in which employees can earn “life-points” and bonuses by participating in activities that promote their health.

NM Mutual is committed to being a good corporate citizen and it works diligently every day to ensure that it keeps that commitment to the citizens of New Mexico.

Stewart Brothers Drilling Company

Stewart Brothers Drilling Company is a family owned and operated business located in Milan, NM. Founded in 1945 by J.H and Roy Stewart, it is currently managed by Steve Stewart. The company drills everything from natural minerals to everyday water wells across the Southwest - in New Mexico, Arizona, Texas, Utah, Nevada, California and Colorado. They currently employ approximately 100 people.

Stewart Brothers is dedicated to its employees, its clients and the Milan community. Quarterly meetings are held to address not only safety issues but team building and life skills. One of the most successful programs they have implemented for employees is what they call “Financial Peace University.” This optional program teaches their employees how to better manage their finances.

They are straightforward when hiring new employees, making sure every potential worker is aware of the physical demands of the job. Strict enforcement of safety standards are mandated and everyday on each individual drill site, a compulsory safety meeting, called a”tailgate”, is held where employees are debriefed on the hazards and issues pertaining to that day’s work.

Stewart Brothers seek to give anyone and everyone an equal chance for success. The company is willing to hire employees who have recently been released from jail. They are committed to giving these employees an opportunity to improve their lives. It doesn’t always work out but Stewart Bros. is willing to take the chance. When hard times or tragedy has struck an employee, the company pulls together. Management’s motto is “family first”. One of Stewart Brothers’ bookkeepers states, “We are always willing to cover for each other during hard times, we take up the slack and we all work a little harder.”

The commitment that management has for caring for their employees, both individually and collectively, is voiced by the employees themselves. That caring extends to others outside the company. A church camp in Ponderosa, NM did not have enough water available for the campers so Stewart Bros. drilled wells for them for free.

Steve Stewart states, “Doing the right thing and being liked are not synonymous.” This company exemplifies the ethical principles of integrity, honesty and caring for others.

Not-For-Profit Organization
Albuquerque Community Foundation

The Albuquerque Community Foundation (ACF) was founded in 1981 and has grown its endowment assets to over $56 million in its 26 years of existence. They have awarded over $18 million in grants in that time frame to hundreds of other non-profit organizations. Grants are distributed in six major fields – human services, health, youth, education, arts and culture, environmental and historical preservation – and those grants stay here in the Albuquerque community.

Although the majority of the public would consider this a noble deed, successfully raising money does not qualify ACF for exceeding ethical practices. What does qualify this organization for exceeding ethical practices is the manner in which it conducts its daily operations.

The Foundation has a written code of conduct in place dealing with confidentiality, conflict of interest, and reporting violations of this code. The foundation has, on several occasions, had to turn away large potential donations because the sources of these donations were ethically questionable.

They also have a “whistle-blower policy” in place, which is unusual for non-profit organizations. This policy is designed to make ACF as transparent as possible to all stakeholders. Employees attend seminars that instill ethical business practices.ACF’s commitment to the community led them to partner with the United Way of Central New Mexico to establish the Center for Non-Profit Excellence so best practices can be taught to all non-profit organizations. They have also worked in close collaboration with the UNM Foundation.

In January 2007, ACF was confirmed to be in compliance with the National Standards for U.S. Community Foundations (similar to the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval, but for community foundations). This is a voluntary program and ACF felt it was imperative to put itself “under the microscope”. The compliance process requires the community foundation to provide documentation of their policies for donor services, investments, grant making and administration. All documentation is then reviewed by a national panel of community experts appointed by the Council of Foundations.
The Foundation enables people with philanthropic interests to easily and effectively support the causes and issues they care about in the community. The Albuquerque Community Foundation - “For good, for ever, a growing community resource.”

PNM Award for Individual Excellence in Ethical Business Practice,
in honor of John Ackerman
Arlene Sanchez

Arlene Sanchez, a native New Mexican, was born and raised in Santa Fe. After graduating from St. Michael’s High School, she received her bachelor’s degree from California State University (Hayward), followed by her MBA from Pepperdine University. She returned to New Mexico in 1994 and currently works for Intel as a Project Manager. In addition to her employment at Intel, Arlene owns and operates (in her spare time) a business brokerage firm called Management Solutions.

When her young daughter was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer, Arlene began thoroughly investigating numerous child cancer research foundations. As a result of this search, she chose to affiliate herself with the St. Baldrick’s Foundation by virtue of their high ethical standards and because they have the highest percentage of donations going to research grants and not to overhead. Arlene was instrumental in bringing them to New Mexico and this all-volunteer group has since raised approximately $375,000 in New Mexico. Sanchez takes her fundraising further by representing Cure Search in Washington D.C. – lobbying for additional funding for childhood cancer research.

Integrity, compassion and the pursuit of excellence exemplifies a way of life for Arlene. Anywhere from Arlene calling attention to a rental car agency that did not charge her for her unfilled gas tank upon returning the rental car, to consciously taking a loss on a fundraising event by declining to accept a sponsorship from an unethical business.

She raises money to find a cure for childhood cancer so other families will not have to suffer with cancer the ways hers did. Sanchez is incredibly focused on finding a cure for cancer and knows raising large amounts of money is necessary. While constantly boosting the morale of St. Baldrick’s volunteers and keeping their spirits and enthusiasm high, she is extremely protective of the affected families and makes sure they are not exploited in any way. In her own business, she is careful to extensively research potential clients to ensure their business policies meet her high ethical standards.

As one of her co-workers states, “Arlene lives and breathes a cause and her values are not switched off when she goes home.” Arlene Sanchez is an example of what others strive to become.