Rutherfoord Announces Greenhouse Gas Reduction Goal.

GHG Reduction Goal is the Latest Step by this Insurance Industry EPA Climate Leader

WASHINGTON -- Rutherfoord, one of the nation's top 50 insurance brokers, announced today its greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction goal as part of its ongoing commitment to the Environmental Protection Agency's

Rutherfoord was recognized with more than 100 other U. S. companies at the fifth annual meeting of the Climate Leaders, held March 22 and 23 in Washington, D.C., where they also announced GHG reduction strategies and initiatives.

"Rutherfoord pledges to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 7 percent per fulltime equivalent employee from 2006 to 2012," said Stephen J. Myers, Rutherfoord's Vice President and Environmental Risk Management Practice Leader. "This goal correlates best to our energy usage, both facility-based as well as business travel, which is a significant component of our total emissions and a segment we have chosen to include," said Myers.

Climate Leaders is an EPA industry-government partnership that works with companies to develop long-term comprehensive climate change strategies. Partners set corporate-wide GHG reduction goals and monitor their progress. By reporting data to the EPA, partners create a lasting record of their accomplishments. They also identify themselves as corporate environmental leaders and strategically position themselves as climate change policy continues to unfold.

"Our Climate Leaders partners are demonstrating corporate climate change leadership by embracing energy efficiency, green power, and technological innovation as sound business investments," said EPA Deputy Administrator Marcus Peacock. "Many of the nation's leading companies are working aggressively with EPA to lower their greenhouse gas emissions in ways that advance President Bush's climate change strategy."

According to Thomas D. Rutherfoord, Jr., chairman of Rutherfoord, the company intends to lead by example, as it did last fall when it became the first U.S. insurance broker to go carbon neutral.

"This reduction goal is just the next step," said Rutherfoord. "We intend to continue our carbon neutrality program during this period."

Rutherfoord's carbon footprint was determined by Rutherfoord's environmental management subsidiary, Faulkner & Flynn. Faulkner & Flynn will make technical recommendations and track progress toward meeting the goal and will provide similar services to Rutherfoord's clients. Rutherfoord will be working with other leaders in the insurance industry in developing services and products to respond to climate change risks.

As a growing service company, Rutherfoord is committed to reducing its carbon footprint while helping our clients deal with the risks associated with this important emerging issue.

About Rutherfoord

From its founding in 1916 in Roanoke, Va., Rutherfoord has grown to become the 44th largest insurance broker in the nation, according to Business Insurance, a weekly news magazine for business executives. The company has been chosen as the risk management insurer for the events surrounding Jamestown 2007, America's 400th anniversary.

For more about Rutherfoord, please visit www.rutherfoord.com