Kimball Electronics Wins Governor’s Workplace Safety Award

Kimball Electronics Group, Inc., a subsidiary of Kimball International, Inc. (NASDAQ: KBALB), announced today that the company has been selected as a 2009 winner of the Indiana Governor’s Workplace Safety Awards (GWSA) in the Partnerships Category. Kimball’s “Early Intervention and Prevention Program”, developed in partnership with Advanced Rehabilitation, Inc. (ARI) won the award for its ergonomic injury prevention and work-safe training plan. The results over a two year period were considered outstanding for decreasing injuries and workers’ compensation costs.

The award was presented to the Company’s Kimball Electronics-Jasper (KEJ) facility, which employs roughly 600 people over three shifts, five days per week. The two-year initiative was a component of the facility’s continuous safety improvement program, proving to be instrumental in maintaining the facility’s OSHA VPP-STAR designation.

Additional safety and health benefits resulting from the partnership include a significant decrease in injuries that require medical treatment, workers compensation costs, and work-related complaints. Morale of employees has been positively impacted as they can take an active ownership role in reporting and solving problem issues.

At the core of this safety practice and activity program is a weekly onsite visit from ARI, providing employees with direct access to an ARI therapist. Employees can discuss symptoms or problems relating to performance of their job tasks, regardless of whether the precipitating factors are work or non-work related. One major initiative developed for Kimball by ARI was a five-minute pre-work exercise program. In developing the stretching program, an ARI therapist came into the plant, viewed the various types of work performed and customized a stretch routine for each area. ARI provides a written report following each visit.

Kimball chose to work with Advanced Rehabilitation, Inc. based on previous experience KEJ’s Employee Health & Safety Manager had with the company. ARI had the expertise in ergonomics, injury prevention and rehabilitation. The goal was to put in place a program that would help employees immediately when a problem arose. Supervisors were given authority to contact ARI when they knew of someone who needed help.

Employees are an integral part of the Early Intervention and Prevention program. When an employee experiences early symptoms of a musculoskeletal problem, i.e., discomfort with performance of their job, whether the causative factors are work or non-work related, they participate through interaction with an ARI therapist. The employee is engaged in the solution working with the therapist to identify the physical stressors of the job and ergonomic modifications to relieve them. As a result, employees now bring attention to challenges in other areas, further identifying additional opportunities for ergonomic enhancement and injury prevention before problems arise. KEJ’s goal is to achieve zero injuries in the facility.

The Central Indiana Chapter of ASSE and the Indiana Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with the Indiana Department of Labor, presented the 2009 Governor’s Workplace Safety Awards during the Indiana Safety and Health Conference. These awards recognize the most innovative safety and health initiatives among Indiana’s workplaces. Applicants must show a strong commitment to worker safety and health. Specific award categories for general industry and construction (general, residential, and specialty contractors) are: Innovations, Education/Outreach – External, Education/Outreach – Internal, and Partnerships.

Kimball’s outstanding safety record is well known among inspectors and regulators. The Federal Government and the State of Indiana have previously honored four Kimball International facilities since 2000 by awarding the OSHA “STAR” Award under the Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) in recognition of outstanding safety programs. Kimball International became the first Indiana-based company to have a VPP STAR workplace, and other Kimball facilities actively plan to pursue VPP STAR certification as well. Strong employee involvement in safety is one reason Kimball International was honored in 2006 by Occupational Hazards magazine, when a Kimball facility was named one of the “10 Safest Companies in America”.

About Advanced Rehabilitation, Inc. (ARI):

Advanced Rehabilitation, Inc. has been providing physical therapy services since 1988, helping thousands of clients return to full, active lives and careers. ARI is a therapist-owned and operated private practice, a family oriented company with emphasis on orthopedics, work injury management and injury prevention. ARI’s five convenient locations in southern Indiana offer flexible scheduling for clients and business partners.

To learn more about Advanced Rehabilitation’s services, visit their website at: www.arirehab.com

About Kimball Electronics:

Kimball Electronics Group is a global Top-20 contract electronic manufacturing services (EMS) company that specializes in durable electronics for the medical, automotive, industrial, and public safety markets. Kimball Electronics Group is well recognized by customers and industry trade publications for its excellent quality, reliability and innovative service. Kimball Electronics Group has manufacturing operations in the U.S., Mexico, Thailand, Poland, Wales, and China. Kimball Electronics Group is a business unit of Kimball International, a $1.4 billion publicly held company headquartered in Jasper, Indiana.

To learn more about Kimball Electronics Group, visit our website at: www.kegroup.com

About Kimball International:

Recognized with a reputation for excellence, Kimball International is committed to a high performance culture that values personal and organizational commitment to quality, reliability, value, speed, and ethical behavior. Kimball employees know they are part of a corporate culture that builds success for Customers while enabling employees to share in the Company’s success through personal, professional and financial growth.

Kimball International, Inc. provides a variety of products from its two business segments: the Electronic Manufacturing Services segment and the Furniture segment. The Electronic Manufacturing Services segment provides engineering and manufacturing services which utilize common production and support capabilities to a variety of industries globally. The Furniture segment provides furniture for the office and hospitality industries, sold under the Company’s family of brand names.

To learn more about Kimball International, Inc., visit the Company’s website on the Internet at: www.kimball.com

“Kimball International … We Build Success!”