Pension and Other Postretirement Plans

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2011

PENSION AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT PLANS [Abstract]

Pension and Other Postretirement Benefits Disclosure [Text Block]

PENSION AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT PLANS

(A) Defined Benefit Pension Plans

The Company sponsors a qualified defined benefit pension plan covering substantially all employees. The plan provides benefits based on the participants' years of service and compensation. The Company makes annual contributions to the plan that complies with the minimum funding provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 ("ERISA"). On October 19, 2007, the Company's Board of Directors approved an amendment to freeze the Pension Plan as of December 31, 2007. The freeze ceased future benefit accruals to all participants and closed the plan to any new participants. In addition, all participants became immediately 100% vested in their accrued benefits as of that date. Going forward future pension expense is projected to be minimal. Fair values of plan assets and liabilities are measured as of the prior December 31 for each respective year. The following table summarizes the components of net periodic benefit cost.

	Three Months Ended June 30,					Six Months Ended June 30,
	2011			2010		2011		2010
	(In thousands)
Service cost	$	—		—		—		—
Interest cost	258			258		517		517
Expected return on plan assets	(259		)	(259	)	(518	)	(518	)
Amortization of prior service cost	1			1		2		2
Amortization of net loss	126			126		250		250
Net periodic benefit cost	$	126		126		251		251

The Company expects to contribute $406,000 to the plan in 2011. As of June 30, 2011, the Company has contributed $193,000 to the plan.

The Company also sponsors a non-qualified defined benefit plan primarily for senior officers. The plan provides benefits based on the participants' years of service and compensation. The pension obligations and administrative responsibilities of the plan are maintained by a pension administration firm, which is a subsidiary of American National Insurance Company ("ANICO"). ANICO has guaranteed the payment of pension obligations under the plan. However, the Company has a contingent liability with respect to the plan should these entities be unable to meet their obligations under the existing agreements. Also, the Company has a contingent liability with respect to the plan in the event that a plan participant continues employment with the Company beyond age seventy, the aggregate average annual participant salary increases exceed 10% per year, or any additional employees become eligible to participate in the plan. If any of these conditions are met, the Company would be responsible for any additional pension obligations resulting from these items. Amendments were made to the plan to allow an additional employee to participate and to change the benefit formula for the Chairman of the Company. As previously mentioned, these additional obligations are a liability to the Company. Effective December 31, 2004, this plan was frozen with respect to the continued accrual of benefits of the Chairman and the President of the Company in order to comply with law changes under the American Jobs Creation Act of 2004 ("Act").

Effective July 1, 2005, the Company established a second non-qualified defined benefit plan for the benefit of the Chairman of the Company. This plan is intended to provide for post-2004 benefit accruals that mirror and supplement the pre-2005 benefit accruals under the previously discussed non-qualified defined benefit plan, while complying with the requirements of the Act.

Effective November 1, 2005, the Company established a third non-qualified defined benefit plan for the benefit of the President of the Company. This plan is intended to provide for post-2004 benefit accruals that supplement the pre-2005 benefit accruals under the first non-qualified defined benefit plan as previously discussed, while complying with the requirements of the Act.

The following table summarizes the components of net periodic benefit costs for the Chairman and President non-qualified defined benefit plans.

	Three Months Ended June 30,			Six Months Ended June 30,
	2011		2010	2011	2010
	(In thousands)
Service cost	$	13	13	26	26
Interest cost	266		266	532	532
Amortization of prior service cost	129		129	258	258
Amortization of net loss	165		165	329	329
Net periodic benefit cost	$	573	573	1,145	1,145

The Company expects to contribute $2.0 million to these plans in 2011.  As of June 30, 2011, the Company has contributed $0.9 million to the plans.

(B) Defined Benefit Postretirement Plans

The Company sponsors two healthcare plans to provide postretirement benefits to certain fully-vested individuals.  The following summarizes the components of net periodic benefit costs.

	Three Months Ended June 30,			Six Months Ended June 30,
	2011		2010	2011	2010
	(In thousands)
Interest cost	$	38	35	76	69
Amortization of prior service cost	29		25	57	51
Net periodic benefit cost	$	67	60	133	120

The Company expects to contribute minimal amounts to the plan in 2011.