Press release

A First for Pratt & Whitney Canada: A Million Dollars for Centraide

LONGUEUIL, QUEBEC--(CCNMatthews - Dec. 2, 2005) - The 5,000 employees of Pratt & Whitney Canada (P&WC) collected the record amount of one million dollars during the latest Centraide of Greater Montreal campaign, beating their $825,000 target. Alain M. Bellemare, President of P&WC, handed over a cheque for $1,003,098 to Michele Thibodeau-DeGuire, President and Executive Director of Centraide, at a ceremony that took place this morning.

"P&WC employees have been raising funds for 25 consecutive years. Over one million dollars this year, this reflects their incredible generosity, said Alain M. Bellemare. I am so proud of our employees' efforts to help less fortunate members of our society."

This year's average contribution per employee was $242, which is the highest the P&WC campaign has ever recorded. The participation rate was 72 percent and a record number of 204 "leader" donors (i.e. who contributed $1,000 or more) participated in this year's campaign.

P&WC's Centraide committee led the company's campaign activities by promoting a host of fundraising initiatives. Campaign manager Yves Mercure highlighted this when he said: "We organized a number of activities this year which proved to be very popular with employees and helped us beat our target. There was a talent show, the traditional spaghetti lunch and several draws, among others. Several prizes were also awarded to employees who contributed via payroll deductions."

Pratt & Whitney Canada, based in Longueuil, Quebec, is a world leader in the design, manufacture and service of aircraft engines powering business, general aviation and regional aircraft, and helicopters. The company also offers auxiliary power units and industrial gas turbines. United Technologies, based in Hartford, Conn., is a diversified company providing high technology products and services to the global aerospace and commercial building industries.

Photo and caption available on the CCN Web site.

Pratt & Whitney Canada
Annick Laberge
(450) 647-4113
(450) 647-7251 (FAX)
annick.laberge@pwc.ca
www.pwc.ca