SC Johnson finished in the top spot in the AARP's latest national ranking of the best employers for workers 50 and older.

Racine-based SCJ topped the AARP Best Employers for Workers Over 50 list.

Last year SCJ made the list at No. 21. This is the seventh year that AARP has issued its rankings.

AARP, a name derived from the former American Association of Retired Persons, said SCJ and others on the list "are demonstrating that enlightened policies toward 50-plus employees make good business sense."

Among other practices, SCJ, which manufactures consumer packaged goods, was selected for offering a range of flexible work arrangements that enable workers to balance their professional and personal lives.

"Receiving AARP's top ranking is truly a special honor and a testament to SC Johnson's culture of integrity, respect and inclusion for all people," SCJ Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Fisk Johnson said in a news release.

AARP said the company provides generous health benefits including an on-site medical center and various wellness, fitness and recreation programs; an on-site education program that provides lifelong learning and college credits; and paid sabbaticals to experienced employees. The company also offers comprehensive financial benefits and retirement planning tools.

Another Wisconsin company, Mercy Health System of Janesville, ranked second on the list after being ranked first in 2006.

ACUITY, a Sheboygan firm, ranked 16th.

Sondergaard Electric has new owners

RACINE - Gary and Linda Sondergaard have taken over Sondergaard Electric, 2616 Wexford Road.

Gary Sondergaard is the third-generation owner of the firm started in 1955 by Christ and Edward Sondergaard.

The firm does all types of residential wiring and commercial electrical wiring. For more information call (262) 456-4832.

Lecture series offered

STURTEVANT - Business owners, entrepreneurs or anyone interested is invited to the fall Entrepreneurial Brown Bag lecture series which started recently.

Brown Bag lectures are offered by Gateway Technical College at the Center for Advanced Technology and Innovation, 2320 Renaissance Blvd., on Wednesdays. They will be followed by the Tool-Box Series about two weeks later offered by the Small Business Development Center to provide technical assistance focusing on the most recent Brown Bag topic.

The Brown Bag lectures are free, and the Toolbox series sessions cost $25 per session or $100 for the entire series. Both series will be held at CATI.

The lecture series will be held noon to 1 p.m. one Wednesday a month through December. The Toolbox series will be held about two weeks after each lecture.

The schedule:

n The Toolbox series follow-up to the marketing lecture - 6-9 p.m. Oct. 2;

n Oct. 17 - Intellectual property - patents, trademark and copyright, presented by attorney Jill Mengesha. The Toolbox series follow-up will be 6-9 p.m. Nov. 1.

n Nov. 21 - QuickBooks 2007 and payroll, presented by Shelly Jensen, Heather Schmidt and Rainie Ernst, Clifton Gunderson, Kenosha.

n The Toolbox series follow-up will be 6-9 p.m. Dec. 3.

n Dec. 12 - Employment taxes, presented by Kathie Seliga of DeMatthew and Seliga Accounting, Racine. The Toolbox series follow-up will be 6-9 p.m. Dec. 20.

For more information on the Brown Bag series, contact Therese Fellner at (262) 898-7524, and for the Toolbox series, Deneine Powell at (262) 898-7414.

Journal Times staff