LIVONIA, Mich., Sept. 10 - Valassis: For the second year, Crain's Detroit Business and IRI Consultants to Management have named Valassis among the top 10 "Best Places to Work in Southeast Michigan.'' "It's great to be recognized for our best practices and we continuously review our programs to meet the needs of our employees,'' said Marcia Hyde, Valassis Vice President of Human Resources and the Communications Center. "After all, our employees are our greatest asset. They are key to helping us meet all of our objectives. We hire very talented people, challenge them to provide great service to our customers and reward them for doing an exceptional job.This recognition is reflective of the caliber of the 1,300 employees we have throughout North America.'' This is the second time Crain's and IRI have teamed up to offer a "Best Places'' list. Valassis also was named to the inaugural list in 1999. This year, more than 1,500 companies were invited to participate. Companies then completed an in-depth questionnaire that reviewed best practices in nine categories: compensation, organizational performance, work schedules, communication, quality of work-life, benefits, working conditions, retirement- related benefits and individual growth. Next, IRI staff made on-site visits to 29 finalists. Crain's and IRI narrowed the field further and announced 10 winners and 10 runners-up at an awards ceremony at the Detroit Marriott Renaissance Center on Thursday, September 6, 2001. They do not rank the top 10 winners. Helping our employees achieve a balance between their professional and personal lives is important, said Alan F. Schultz, Valassis Chairman, President and CEO, because if people are happy in their personal lives, it improves their overall performance. "We provide our clients with proven and effective marketing solutions to help them achieve their objectives and optimize their relationships with consumers,'' he said. "This is our mission, which we achieve through the efforts of our employees. Working together effectively means continued growth for our business, increased shareholder value and exceptional career development for our employees. It's a win for all of us.'' Valassis was recognized for quality of work-life and benefits programs. Special attention was paid to the company's life/balance and training programs. In addition to the Crain's list of the "Best Places to Work in Southeast Michigan,'' Valassis has been named to the "100 Best Places to Work'' by both Fortune and Working Mother magazines and Mademoiselle magazine's "Top 25 Places to Work.'' Crain's will feature the "Best Places to Work in Southeast Michigan in a special edition, released on September 10, 2001.