AARP Names Iowa’s Best Company for Older Workers, Offers Job-Seeker Tools for 50+ Workers

Muscatine’s Stanley Consultants Receives Top Honors

Stanley, the only Iowa company in the ranking, comes in eight-best on the list of top businesses for older workers announced this fall.

“We are delighted Stanley Consultants has again been selected for this prestigious honor,” said AARP State Director Bruce Koeppl. “Stanley has proven a leader in its progressive policies and approaches toward older workers.”

Headquartered in Muscatine with offices in Iowa City and Des Moines, Stanley Consultants provides engineering, environmental and construction services worldwide. Phased retirement arrangements that enable employees to reduce work schedules before full retirement, a "time off bank" of donated vacation time which employees can use to care for family members, and a 401(k) plan that the company contributes to—regardless of employee participation—are among the reasons for Stanley Consultants received the AARP award.

"In our profession, expertise combined with experience is more critical in our service to clients than most other factors," said Dale Sweere, Stanley Consultants’ Director of Human Resources. "Our employees age 50 and over bring invaluable knowledge of our company and their areas of expertise to our client service—this gives us a competitive edge."

AARP The Magazine is featuring the 2009 Best Employers in its November-December issue.  For more information on the 2009 Best Employers, including a complete list of best companies, visit www.aarp.org/bestemployers.

Career Help Resources

In addition to recognizing employers for their outstanding older worker policies, AARP offers a number of programs and resources to support opportunities for 50+ workers. Job seekers looking to find companies that value the experience and abilities of 50+ workers can investigate the AARP National Employer Team of companies that are committed to recruiting, hiring and retaining mature workers. Learn more about the National Employer Team companies and the jobs opportunities available. National Employer Team companies post basic information about their organizations, their hiring needs, and some of their benefits. If you're interested in applying, you’ll find a link to that companies' special AARP career page where you'll get more details and instructions on how to apply for available jobs.

For low-income Iowans looking for a job, the AARP Foundation operates the Senior Community Service Employment Programs (SCSEP) in Waterloo, Cedar Rapids, Des Moines and Dubuque. In partnership with the Department of Labor, this program provides civic engagement and employment opportunities for adults age 55 and older looking for employment. In addition to the AARP Foundation, a variety of Iowa agencies including the Iowa Department on Aging, the Area Agencies on Aging, Experience Works and Senior Services of America operate SCSEP programs.

• Find the SCSEP office in your area of the state.
• Find tips and tools for writing a resume, interviewing skills and finding a job.