NU Online News Service, April 3, 3:37 p.m.EDT

Even as some insurance industry bonuses draw criticism, JackWindolf, the chief executive officer of Bollinger InsuranceSolutions brokerage, is drawing national acclaim for dishing out$1,000 to all 434 company employees from his own pocket.

A note with the bonus checks that went out on St. Patrick's Daydescribed the payments as the "Bollinger economic mini stimuluspackage," and since news of his action has spread Mr. Windolf saidhe has received about 2,000 "overwhelmingly positive" e-mails.

In addition there have been favorable reports on every majortelevision network with NBC spotlighting him as a person who is"Making A Difference."

Interviewed prior to his meeting with a CNN television crewtoday at his Short Hills, N.J. headquarters, Mr. Windolf musedthat, perhaps if his action "could be repeated thousands of timesit could help the economy."

Reaction has been so overwhelming, he thinks because reports ofhis move "came in the midst of all this bad [economic] news."

Mr. Windolf related that he put the surprise March bonus in theworks last year when Bollinger arranged to sell a 51 percentinterest to another company, and the agreement included $500,000 indeferred compensation for the CEO. Mr. Windolf arranged forcontract language that provided he could direct the cash to otheremployees.

Bollinger, he said, "has always shared with employees andemployees get a bonus at year end." The firm, he explained gaveownership to all employees, "so when we sold out every employeebenefitted in a big way.

"We've always shared our success and with the economy like itis…" he remarked. Mr. Windolf took note of the acrimony that hasfollowed the payments to executives at taxpayer-supported AmericanInternational Group.

"Bonuses are becoming a pejorative. I'm trying to put it in agood light," he said, and joked that Congress might now pursue theBollinger bonus money the way it has gone after the AIG $160million payments.

For his company, Mr. Windolf said, there has already been apayback for his payout. He told how one of the firm's producers,who had been trying unsuccessfully for months to reach a customerwas able to get an appointment today. The client after hearing newsof the Bollinger bonuses said "that's the kind of company we wantto do business with," explained Mr. Windolf.

"I know I'm going to be paid back here in many different ways,"he said, and noted that customers who e-mailed, said it made themfeel good to hear what the firm had done.

In giving the money Mr. Windolf said he had encouraged employeesto indulge themselves with a luxury, but "as it turns out, peopleare spending money on necessities," like repairs to a car theirdaughter smashed up or fixups to their home that they haddelayed.

Some others, he said, were taking trips. "Now that's the kind ofthing I had in mind," he said.