We put AIG's Worst Company in American 2009 award in the mail today. Here is the congratulatory letter that accompanied their prize:

The Consumerist
101 Truman Ave
Yonkers, NY 10703

70 Pine St,
New York, NY 10005

Dear AIG:

Congratulations! You are the 2009 grand champion in The Consumerist's Worst Company in America contest. In NCAA-style ladder vote-off, you bested 15 other contenders. Comcast, Ticketmaster, Walmart, Citibank, Chrysler, Target, Peanut Corporation of America, HP, T-Mobile, Best Buy, Timewarner Cable, Apple, Verizon, Sprint, Home Depot, AT&T, Chase, Sears, General Motors, United Airlines, US Airways, Capital One, DirecTV and Bank of America, they all lay quivering in your wake, much like our 401(k)s.

In anointing you supreme victor, Consumerist readers cited such achievements of yours as "wrecking the whole economy," and "costing the American tax payer untold billions," and noted both your "greed" and "chutzpah." Considering how influential AIG has been in the events of the past year, I can think of no one more deserving than you to receive our prestigious Worst Company in America Award, the Golden Poo. Please consider displaying it in your booth at your next secret tradeshow.

On behalf of the entire staff at and readers of Consumerist.com, I salute you.

Sincerely,

Ben Popken
Co-Executive Editor
The Consumerist