Handleman Company Wins Cool Places to Work Award

Handleman Company Wins Cool Places to Work Award

TROY, Mich., Sept. 9 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Handleman Company (NYSE:HDL) (http://www.handleman.com/ ) has been named one of 60 "Cool Places to Work" in Michigan in a first-of-its-kind competition jointly held by Crain's Detroit Business and the Grand Rapids Business Journal.

Selection was based both on employee nominations and on numerical scores on a survey conducted by the American Society of Employers, a membership organization that collects workplace data and offers training in human resource issues.

More than 400 people nominated their employers and executives at 205 companies completed an online survey. The nominations and surveys were used to provide an objective benchmark of how companies handled work/life initiatives, talent management, organizational communication, total rewards, corporate citizenship and leadership, work environment and recruitment activities.

The 60 companies selected have "created work environments that attract and retain quality workers, especially young workers," Crain's Publisher Mary Kramer said. "It's very clear that employees prize a workplace that recognizes a balance between work and life, as well as one that offers training and opportunities to advance."

Stephen Strome, Handleman Company chairman and CEO said Handleman was gratified by the selection. "We strive to supply a work environment that provides work/life balance and allows our employees opportunities to advance their careers. Our goal is to recruit and retain quality personnel."

Mark Albrecht, Handleman Company senior vice president of human resources and organizational development added, "Our culture is made up of outstanding employees that live the company values allowing us to create customers for our customers. We are extremely proud of this recognition that reconfirms our desire to be an employer of choice."

The Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Growth also promoted the competition to support Governor Granholm's "Cool Cities" initiatives and Michigan's First Gentleman, Daniel Granholm Mulhern, will host an awards luncheon on September 15th in Detroit to honor the companies.

About Handleman Company

Handleman Company is a category manager and distributor of prerecorded music to mass merchants in the United States, United Kingdom and Canada. As a category manager, the Company manages a broad assortment of titles to optimize sales and inventory productivity in retail stores and also provides direct-to- store shipments, marketing and in-store merchandising.

Source: Handleman Company

CONTACT: Handleman Company: Greg Mize, Vice President, Investor Relations of Handleman Company, +1-248-362-4400, Ext. 211; or Media Relations: David Bassett, +1-248-855-6777, Ext. 132, for Handleman Company

Web site: http://www.handleman.com/

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