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The Better Business Bureau of New Hampshire will be presenting this prestigious award to three New Hampshire-based companies on Thursday, November 1st, 2007 at the 8th Annual Torch Awards.

The event begins at noon at the Event Center at CR Sparks in Bedford. We are pleased to present Life is good founder Bert Jacobs as this years featured keynote speaker.

The Torch Award is presented to notable NH businesses committed to developing and maintaining exceptionally high standards of ethical business practices in 3 categories:

Small; 10 employees or less
Medium; 11-50 employees
Large; 50 or more employees

Nominations are open to all for-profit businesses operating in the state of NH. Companies do not need to be members of the Better Business Bureau, however, they must have a perfect record with the BBB in order to be considered for this highly-coveted award. The Deadline for nominations is Friday, September 28th, 2007.

About the Torch Awards

The mission of the Better Business Bureau is to promote and foster the highest ethical relationships between businesses and the public through voluntary self-regulation, consumer and business education and service excellence.

In this spirit, the Council of Better Business Bureaus has established an annual awards program in order to gain public recognition for American businesses that maintain a solid commitment to conducting their business practices in an ethical manner. Each year, American companies are selected through a nationwide competition to receive the Torch Award for Marketplace Ethics. While the Award recognizes outstanding American businesses, it also promotes a fair and honorable marketplace for all Americans.

You'll Be In Good Company

Bert Jacobs is the Chief Executive Optimist of Life is good, Inc.®. After graduating from Villanova University in 1987 with a degree in advertising, Bert enjoyed stints as a ski instructor, pizza delivery man, and substitute teacher. He officially launched Life is good with his brother, John, in 1994. An $80 million business based in Boston, the company spreads a fresh outlook on life with its colorful collection of apparel, its quality accessories, and its optimistic cultural hero with the huge smile, Jake. Its products are sold in nearly 5,000 retailers nationwide and in 28 countries.

Despite the degree in advertising, Jacobs has committed the company to spend no money on advertising. Instead, Life is good has made charitable work a central pillar in its company mission. Life is good Festivals help communities come together to feel good and do good. The company donates 100% of festival profits to charities, helping children facing unfair challenges to rediscover joy and connection in their lives. Life is good Festivals have raised major awareness and more than $1.2 million for select children's charities in the past three years, while attracting over 250,000 festival-goers nationwide. Over 25 communities across the country as well as communities in Scotland and Japan will hold Life is good Festivals in 2007.

When Jacobs is not overseeing the business, he enjoys live music, travel and playing Ultimate Frisbee.