ATLANTA — Automobile Protection Corporation (APCO), a provider of EasyCare vehicle service contracts and other F&I products, was presented with the Better Business Bureau’s 2009 Torch Award for Community Service in Metro Atlanta, Athens and Northeast Georgia (BBB).

The award, in the category of companies with up to 100 - 500 employees, designates APCO as a "company of excellence."

"APCO/EasyCare has been a BBB Accredited Business for five years, and their focus on the community is exemplary. This is evidenced both at an individual level, where their employees exhibit an unusual level of personal commitment to service, and at the corporate level, where both policies and culture encourage community involvement. We applaud APCO/EasyCare for this commitment to our community," said Fred Elsberry, president & CEO of BBB Serving Metro Atlanta, Athens and Northeast Georgia.

Larry Dorfman, Chairman/CEO of APCO adds, “Corporate citizenship is a natural extension of who we are as people and as an organization. It allows us to improve the lives of others not only through our business practices, but through our corporate initiatives and the collective activism from our individual employees as well. We provide a helping hand not only to our more than two million contract holders, but also to their friends and neighbors in the communities in which they live.”

As part of APCO/EasyCare’s support and encouragement of philanthropic activities at a corporate level they give every employee a paid Community Service Day, to be used with the organization of their choice. In 2008, APCO employees performed over 600 paid community service hours in addition to their extensive off-the-clock participation.

APCO received its award at the BBB Torch Awards luncheon sponsored by the BBB in Atlanta on April 22.