City of Dunwoody and Wayne-Sanderson Farms Recognized for Outstanding Commitment to Valued Employees

ATLANTA, GA - June 13, 2024 OneDigital Investment Advisors, an SEC-registered investment adviser and wholly owned subsidiary of OneDigital LLC ("OneDigital"), today announced that its customers, City of Dunwoody and Wayne-Sanderson Farms, have been named the winner of the 2024 PLANSPONSOR Plan Sponsor of the Year in the Government 401(k) $1B and Corporate (401)k >$200MM – $500MM categories.

PLANSPONSOR’s annual Plan Sponsor of the Year award program recognizes retirement plan sponsors that show a commitment to their participants’ financial health and retirement success. The 2024 awards had ten categories to allow for the most accurate comparisons across plan types and sizes. Plan sponsors were judged on the basis of optimal practices specific to their industry in comparison to others.Nominations may be made by providers, advisers, consultants, actuaries, attorneys, third-party administrators, employees or colleagues. Plan sponsors may also nominate themselves.

City of Dunwoody was profiled for its 91 percent participation rate among all employees and 11 percent employer contribution rate for the 401(a) plan and a 50 percent of up to fourteen percent employer contribution rate for the 457(b) plan. The result: a total maximum of 15% employer contributions to the defined contribution plans.

It’s been an honor to work with the City of Dunwoody. I admire the retirement committee’s commitment to think ‘outside the box’ to make an impact on the employee's financial well-being.
— David Griffin, Senior Vice President, OneDigital's Retirement + Wealth

Wayne-Sanderson was profiled for its 93.6 percent participation rate among all employees and 100 percent of up to 4 percent employer contribution rate.

I cannot think of a more well-deserved recipient for this award than Wayne-Sanderson Farms. With 30,000+ employees across the nation, it's an honor to work so closely with a plan sponsor whose leadership is as dedicated to the continued wellbeing of their diverse workforce at Wayne-Sanderson Farms.
— Jason Chepenik, Senior Vice President, OneDigital's Retirement + Wealth

In 2023, Wayne-Sanderson Farms combined three retirement plans following the merger of private company Wayne Farms and public company Sanderson Farms. The plan sponsor for the new enterprise—self-described as “the third largest poultry producer in the nation”—faced a challenge: How could the 401(k) plans come together effectively, especially when their plan designs were significantly different?

“For the plans to be harmonized, employees needed to see the benefits. Coming together, it meant we had to make the plan more appetizing for those who would encounter the most change,” Christy Freeman, Director of Benefits at Wayne-Sanderson Farms. “OneDigital to help with communication and educational sessions throughout the transition and hosted live sessions for employees and their families.”

In addition to this accolade, seven OneDigital Retirement + Wealth customers have received Plan Sponsor of the Year awards from 2012-2021, with an additional four customers receiving finalist designations. Recent Plan Sponsor of the Year award recipients include Members 1st Federal Credit Union (2021), Dealertrack (2016), Searles Valley Minerals (2017), Nu Skin Enterprises (2018), and Centre Lane Partners (2019).

About OneDigital

OneDigital’s team of fierce advocates helps businesses and individuals achieve their aspirations of health, success and financial security. Our insurance, financial services and HR platform provides personalized, tech-enabled solutions for a contemporary work-life experience. Nationally recognized for our culture of caring, OneDigital’s teams enable employers and individuals to do their best work and live their best lives. More than 100,000 employers and millions of individuals rely on our teams for counsel and access to fully integrated worksite products and services and the retirement and wealth management advice provided through OneDigital Investment Advisors. Founded in 2000 and headquartered in Atlanta, OneDigital maintains offices in most major markets across the nation. For more information, visit onedigital.com.

About PLANSPONSOR

PLANSPONSOR, with its reputation for editorial integrity, objectivity, and leadership, is the trusted information and solutions resource for America’s retirement benefits decision makers. With its powerful array of customer-driven marketing programs, PLANSPONSOR offers industry providers an unparalleled ability to reach this influential audience. With all of the changes within the retirement industry, plan sponsors and advisers rely on PLANSPONSOR magazine to help them stay informed of crucial issues and important new innovative solutions.