COLUMBUS, Ga., June 30 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Aflac was selected as a top employer for Information Technology professionals by IDG's Computerworld magazine. The leading insurer ranked Number 34 on the 15th annual Best Places to Work in IT listing. In the publication's July edition Aflac's flexible work schedule and work/life balance for employees was cited as a determining factor in continuing its nine-year run on the coveted list.

"It is an honor to have a reputation as an employer of choice for IT professionals," said Gerald Shields, senior vice president, CIO. "Aflac's IT team is committed to being leaders in innovation because we understand the added value that technology can bring to our sales force's ability to perform their jobs while providing quality service to our customers. We are proud of the critical role we have within the organization."

This year, businesses completed a comprehensive questionnaire regarding company offerings in categories such as benefits, diversity, career development, training and retention. In addition, Computerworld conducts extensive surveys of IT workers, and their responses factor heavily in determining the rankings.

"Being among the Best Places to Work in IT means crafting a blend of employee advantages that includes the potential for flexible hours, competitive pay, excellent benefits, a supportive leadership environment, opportunities for ongoing training and advancement, and ultimately, the feeling that you'd like to stay with the company a long, long time," said Scot Finnie, editor in chief of Computerworld.

Aflac's IT department developed SmartApp(TM) software, a laptop computer system designed to enable its sales associates to electronically transmit policy applications for same-day processing. Currently, this technology is a part of the permanent research collection at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. Today, Aflac's innovation still continues as the company's IT creates technology that allows its agents to receive real-time updates to better serve their customers. Earlier this month, CIO magazine recognized Aflac's paramount innovation in information technology during its annual CIO 100 symposium and awards listing.

About Computerworld

Computerworld is the leading source of technology news and information for IT influencers worldwide. Computerworld's award-winning Web site ( www.computerworld.com ), weekly publication, focused conference series and custom research form the hub of the world's largest (40 edition) global IT media network. In the past five years alone, Computerworld has won more than 100 awards, including Folio Magazine's 2006 Gold EDDIE Award for the best technology/computing magazine, the 2004 and 2006 Magazine of the Year Award, and 2006 Best Overall Web Publication from the American Society of Business Publication Editors (ASBPE). In addition, in 2007 Computerworld's then editor in chief, Don Tennant, received the prestigious Timothy White Award from American Business Media. Computerworld leads the industry with an online audience of over 2 million unique, monthly visitors and a print audience of 1,222,000 readers each week (IntelliQuest CIMS Spring 2007).

About Aflac

For more than 50 years, Aflac products have given policyholders the opportunity to direct cash where it is needed most when a life-interrupting medical event causes financial challenges. Aflac is the number one provider of guaranteed-renewable insurance in the United States and the number one insurance company in terms of individual insurance policies in force in Japan. Its insurance products provide protection to more than 40 million people worldwide. Aflac has been included in Fortune magazine's listing of America's Most Admired Companies for seven years and in Fortune magazine's list of the 100 Best Companies to Work For in America for ten consecutive years. Aflac also has been recognized three times by both Fortune magazine's listing of the Top 50 Employers for Minorities and Working Mother magazine's listing of the 100 Best Companies for Working Mothers. Aflac Incorporated is a Fortune 500 company listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol AFL. To find out more about Aflac, visit aflac.com.

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