MERRIMACK, N.H.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 19, 2005--On the boardroom table of GT Equipment Technologies in Merrimack, NH, where many company meetings take place, sits a jam-sized jar with money in it. It's a "disturbance fee" jar, which collects a dollar from any officer, employee or visitor if they disturb a meeting underway in the room. The disturbance can be a cell phone ringing, tardiness to a meeting, behavior that distracts, or any unnecessary disruption. There are no exceptions. On the jar it reads, "all meetings and attendees will benefit if this jar remains empty." It didn't.

$60 found its way into the jar in 2005. The most common disturbances were ringing cell phones and tardiness, based on whose watch was used to tell time. After a member of management matched the $60, two GT employees took the money and went shopping for toys that were then added to the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve "Toys For Tots" collection box in the company's lobby.

This has worked so well that GT President, Tom Zarrella, suggests other companies put "disturbance fee" jars on their board and conference room tables and designate the money for needy children at Christmas. Said Zarrella: "The jar has the effect of making meetings timely, more efficient and more productive. However, given the human penchant for disturbance, we know we'll have money to buy toys at Christmas."

GT Equipment Technologies, Inc. and its division, GT Solar Technologies, is privately held and an industry leader in the design and manufacture of semi-custom specialty equipment for the photovoltaic and semiconductor industries. For more information, go to www.gtequipment.com. GT was named the 2005 "Environmental Exporter of the Year" by the U.S. Export-Import Bank in Washington, DC.

Copyright Business Wire 2005

GT Equipment Technologies

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