On Thursday, May 5, 2005, Gray Plant Mooty was presented with the Minnesota Business Ethics Award (MBEA). This prestigious award is given annually to Minnesota businesses that have exemplified and promoted ethical conduct for the benefit of the workplace, the marketplace, the environment and the community. Upon receiving the award, Bruce Mooty, Managing Officer (pictured with HR Director Jodi Schmidt) said, "Gray Plant Mooty is honored to have received the Minnesota Business Ethics Award. The firm’s commitment to ethics has remained steadfast, since our founding in 1866. From our attorneys, to our paralegals, and staff, ethics is a core value that guides in everything we do. Integrity and ethics are more than just words, they exemplify who we are and what we stand for."

The MBEA is sponsored by the Center for Ethical Business Cultures® at the University of St. Thomas, the Twin Cities Society of Financial Service Professionals® and the Rotary Clubs of Edina and White Bear Lake. The award is presented in three categories: large companies with over 500 employees, medium-sized companies of 100 to 500 employees and small companies of under 100 employees. Entries are judged by preliminary and final panels of ethics experts drawn from business and academia. The MBEA looks at

What you say you stand for,

How you do what you say you stand for, and

How well you do what you say you stand for.

The MBEA judges noted Gray Plant Mooty’s emphasis on values and integrity, including recognition of employees who pay careful attention to client satisfaction and engage as community volunteers.

A business may be nominated by a customer, clients, employee, vendor or a private citizen who is impressed with a company’s demonstration of ethical business conduct. A few previous MBEA recipients have included: Carlson Companies, MedSource Technologies, Inc., HealthPartners, and Medtronic, Inc.