Inc. Magazine announces 2nd annual Hire Power Awar

New York, July 11, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Inc . Magazine and Bank of America Merrill Lynch are proud to recognize American companies that have greatly increased their workforces.  Inc.'s Hire Power Awards celebrates private companies on the forefront of American job creation, giving these businesses the recognition they deserve.

Applications are now accepted, at no fee, until August 1, at www.inc.com/hire-power . Verification documents and late applications will be accepted until August 15 ^th .   Awards and lists include a national Top 100 and Top 10 rankings by industry, region, and revenue categories.  Winning companies will be celebrated in Inc.  Magazine's November issue and on Inc.com.   

Eric Schurenberg, Editor-in-Chief of Inc., attests, "No company goes into business simply to create jobs. Jobs are a by-product of success and growth--and historically, America's fastest-growing employers and most important job creators have been entrepreneurs. At Inc. we have been writing about and advising entrepreneurs for more than 30 years, and it only makes sense that Inc. would be the first to pay tribute to company founders not just for their business prowess but also for their immense contribution to the welfare of U.S. workers and the vitality of the U.S. economy.  The Hire Power Awards are the only awards that single out job creators. We think it is a recognition that is long overdue."

"At Bank of America Merrill Lynch, we are proud to serve companies of all sizes," said George Smith, Head of Business Banking.  "When businesses expand, either by capacity or geography, they need the right talent.  And given the challenges in recent years, it's important to recognize those companies that have helped make a difference. That's why we are excited to sponsor the Hire Power Awards program with Inc." 

Eligibility

The Inc. Hire Power Award is for US-based, private companies (both for profit and non-profit). Companies must have been founded in 2011 or earlier and have employed at least 10 full-time US-based employees as of December 31, 2012. Companies must complete the Employee Verification Report. Top award finalists may also be asked to provide their 2012 EEO Employer Information Report.

Award categories include most jobs created in the US, most jobs created by state, most jobs created by industry, highest employee growth percentage, and highest employee growth by revenue category (under $2MM, $2-5MM , $5-10MM, $10-20MM, $20-50MM, $50-100MM, $100-500MM $500MM-$1B, $1B+ ). Companies featured in Inc .'s November issue represent the top tier winners for the Higher Power Award and a complete list of the winners can be found on www.Inc.com .

About Inc .

Founded in 1979 and acquired in 2005 by Mansueto Ventures, Inc . is the only major brand dedicated exclusively to owners and managers of growing private companies, with the aim to deliver real solutions for today's innovative company builders.  Total monthly audience reach for the brand has grown significantly from 2,000,000 in 2010 to over 6,000,000 today.  For more information, visit www.inc.com .

About Bank of America Merrill Lynch  
Bank of America Merrill Lynch is one of the world's largest financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small- and middle-market businesses and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk management products and services. The company provides unmatched convenience in the United States, serving approximately 57 million consumer and small business relationships with approximately 5,700 retail banking offices and approximately 17,250 ATMs and award-winning online banking with 30 million active users. Bank of America Merrill Lynch is among the world's leading wealth management companies and is a global leader in corporate and investment banking and trading across a broad range of asset classes, serving corporations, governments, institutions and individuals around the world. Bank of America Merrill Lynch offers industry-leading support to approximately 4 million small business owners through a suite of innovative, easy-to-use online products and services.  For more information, visit:  http://corp.bankofamerica.com/business/smb .

"Bank of America Merrill Lynch" is the marketing name for the global banking and global markets businesses of Bank of America Corporation. Lending, derivatives, and other commercial banking activities are performed globally by banking affiliates of Bank of America Corporation, including Bank of America, N.A., member FDIC. Securities, strategic advisory, and other investment banking activities are performed globally by investment banking affiliates of Bank of America Corporation ("Investment Banking Affiliates"), including, in the United States, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated and Merrill Lynch Professional Clearing Corp., all of which are registered broker‑dealers and members of  FINRA  and  SIPC , and, in other jurisdictions, by locally registered entities. Investment products offered by Investment Banking Affiliates: Are Not FDIC Insured * May Lose Value * Are Not Bank Guaranteed.

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