Reflective Images is Recognized As One Of Santa Fe's Top Five Businesses

For It's Outstanding Product and Radical Business Model Based Upon The Circle

Santa Fe, NM: June 9, 2006

Reflective Images Inc, a designer jewelry company, is one of five Santa Fe companies honored for its outstanding product and business practices by the City Counsel and Mayor of Santa Fe. The company manufactures contemporary 18K gold over sterling jewelry based on contemporary interpretations of ancient European tribal motifs. They are the only company in the world producing a line of exceptionally fashionable knot work jewelry that integrates southwestern jewelry fabrication techniques with imported hand woven chains.

Like the motifs on their pieces, which symbolize the interconnectedness of life, the structure of the company is based the maximizing the creative power based on the circle. Most businesses are based on a hierarchical pyramidal structure. While the pyramid's main objective is to drive profits to those at the top, the circle objective is to generate benefit for the employees and the entire community through fair and equitable exchange. The president of the company is writing a book, The Circle Manifesto, on the unique management philosophy that has been part of the company's success.

Employee investment in success is so high that the owners are able to annually take buying trips, leaving the company for up to seven weeks at a time without any problems. Employee turnover at the over ten years is extremely low. The owners, who view generosity as the best business practice, have base salaries less than twice their lowest paid employee. They have had ten straight years of double digit growth.

This prestigious award was determined by panel of judges who graded each company on the following six factors:

Wages and Benefits: Reflective Images entry level pay is 30% higher than Santa Fe's progressing "living wage," which is one of the most progressive in the country. Employees, after a year of work, receive a 6% company contribution to their own IRA. Fifty percent of medical benefits are covered. Year end bonuses average over 5% of annual salary. Three weeks of vacation, sick pay and national holidays are offered as well. A wellness benefit matches employee funds up to $75 per month for fitness or any wellness activity.

Working Conditions: All employees work on flex time. Decisions are often made on consensus. The workshop itself is beautifully spacious with art on the walls. The office's general energy is emotionally supportive. All are respected and decision making is not top down or bottom up, by dynamically creative and circular.

Job creation: The Company added two jobs in 2004 and two jobs in 2005. It was awarded a grant for manufacturing jobs creation from the New Mexico Economic Development Department. The company added two part time positions in 2006.

Charitable contributions: The Company regularly donates items to auctions and contributes to a variety of non-profits. This year, the company is focusing on four local nonprofits. When someone purchases a piece of jewelry and mentions any of these organizations, the company will donate 10% of the sale to that cause.

Diversity in the work place: The owners, who have traveled widely throughout the world, view cultural diversity as strength. The companies' eleven full time employees come from four different countries. The employees are multi-racial and come from a wide diversity of economic and racial backgrounds.

Reflective Images was founded in 1995 and now employs eleven people. The company is known for its contemporary Celtic line, which is hand fabricated by its own jewelers, using traditional techniques first developed in the Southwest. The jewelry line is completely unique. No one in the world is producing contemporary Celtic design like this company.

The company markets their work directly to jewelry stores and galleries nationally, as well as to premium and incentive companies. Their website receives on average two to three thousand independent visits a day.

The company's principals are a husband and wife team. Marc Choyt handles the business, marketing and website development. Helen Chantler is the lead designer and manages the production team.

"It is a great honor to receive this award and I credit Helen's designing and also our employees-they produce outstanding jewelry which they back by excellent customer service," said Marc Choyt. "What we have done is shown that a circle based business founded on generosity, humanism and altruism works. Plus, we have a good time together. There's a lot of joking around. Helen and I would not have it any other way."

To learn more about the company or to see the jewelry they design and fabricate, visit their top rated Celtic Jewelry website, www.celticjewelry.com. Contact Marc Choyt: Tel: 505-988-7393 Ext. 12 or reflective@cybermesa.com