Spotlight: H.F. Ahmanson to Reward Employees With Payout

H.F. Ahmanson & Co. is giving more than 4,000 employees a special payout totaling nearly $3 million as thanks for helping the nation’s No. 2 thrift beat its performance goal of 15% return on equity for 1997. The premiums, which average slightly less than $400, will go to all part-time and full-time employees who worked the entire year and are not already in regular bonus programs. Irwindale-based Ahmanson employs 9,000. The result came despite a failed hostile bid for rival Great Western Financial Corp.