(13) PENSION PLAN AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT BENEFITS

The Company has defined pension and postretirement benefit plans which cover substantially all of the Company’s employees. Net periodic pension and other postretirement benefit costs include the following components for the three-and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2013 and 2012:


	Pension Benefits
	For the three months ended				For the nine months ended
	September 30,				September 30,
	2013		2012		2013		2012
	(in thousands)

Service cost	$	3,447	$	2,736	$	10,342	$	8,207
Interest cost		1,026		1,013		3,078		3,038
Expected return on plan assets		(1,534)		(1,356)		(4,602)		(4,069)
Amortization of prior service cost		25		71		77		214
Amortization of net loss		386		305		1,156		915
Net periodic benefit cost	$	3,350	$	2,769	$	10,051	$	8,305

	Postretirement Benefits
	For the three months ended				For the nine months ended
	September 30,				September 30,
	2013		2012		2013		2012
	(in thousands)

Service cost	$	574	$	458	$	1,722	$	1,374
Interest cost		111		100		331		299
Amortization of transition obligation		–		16		–		48
Amortization of prior service cost		4		4		11		11
Amortization of net loss		30		23		90		69
Net periodic benefit cost	$	719	$	601	$	2,154	$	1,801

As of September 30, 2013, the Company has contributed $9.0 million to the pension plan and $0.1 million to the postretirement benefit plan, and expects to contribute an additional $3.0 million to the pension plan in 2013.

The Company maintains a non-qualified deferred compensation supplemental retirement savings plan (“Non-Qualified Plan”) for certain key employees who may elect to defer and contribute a portion of their compensation, as permitted by the plan. Shares of the Company’s common stock purchased under the terms of the Non-Qualified Plan are presented as treasury stock and totaled 14,625 shares at September 30, 2013 compared to 64,715 shares at December 31, 2012.