2013 indiana's top workplaces

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onnection and direction.When it comes to workplace satisfaction in Central

Indiana, they are the two most important factors whendetermining the region’s top employers.

Of the 20 questions that WorkplaceDynamics askednearly 23,000 area workers this year, the six that deal with connection(employees feeling they are appreciated and doing somethingmeaning-ful) anddirection (employeesbeingemotionally bought intowhat the or-ganization is striving to achieve) had the highest level of importance.

The survey statement “I believe thiscompany isgoing in therightdirection”had the highest “importance value” forarea employees.

“I do believe that people in seniorpositions have responsibility to set theoverall direction,” said MonarchBeverage Co. Inc. CEO Phil Terry, theleadership awardwinner among super-visors at large companies. “But thenyou find great people, you put them inthe right job, and then you figure outhow to help.

“You have to make people under-stand that they’re appreciated,” hesaid. “To theextentyoucan,youwant togive themasmuchpurpose as possible.Make them feel that this is more thanjust a paycheck.”

This year 119 companies participat-ed in the annual Top Workplacessurvey, up 21 from last year. Ten busi-nesses, including No. 1 large company

Barnes&Thornburg,werenameda topworkplace for a fifth consecutive time.Twenty-five companies that participat-ed for the first time were selected as atop workplace, and three of thosefirst-time participants made it into thetop five in their respective category.

“We are delighted to see the numberof companies participating in our TopWorkplaces program continue togrow,” said WorkplaceDynamics CEODoug Claffey. “We expect that in yearstocomemanymorecompanieswillpar-ticipate in this important survey thatprovides a deep internal look at whatdrives employee engagement andcompany productivity.”

In polling more than 5.4 million peo-ple since the company was founded in2006, WorkplaceDynamics has learnedthat pay, benefits and training are lessimportant than the factors related toconnection, direction and execution(the company having a high perfor-mance culture). Being “bought in” towhat theorganization isdoingresults inhigh levels of employee engagementand satisfaction.

In 2008, WorkplaceDynamics creat-edavirtual fundof these“organization-ally healthy” companies, and since thattime the fund has outperformed theS&P 500 index by 48 percent, thecompany said.

Based on results from Central Indi-ana’s workforce this year, Workplace-Dynamics created a local index of thetop five employers with the highest

level of overall employee engagement.Small companies Covenant ChristianHigh School and product developerIndesign LLC led the list, followed byhuman-service provider Opportunitiesfor Positive Growth, Hilton Indianapo-lis Hotel & Suites, and law firm HallRender Killian Heath & Lyman.

Both Covenant Christian andIndesign ranked in the top five in eachof the three categories of connection,direction and execution.

“The thing that defines Covenant isthat we believe that we are writing ourstory,” said Kyle Hopkins, who teachessenior English at the school. “Our storyhas been written partially, but eachperson that is a part of this place is partof a story that’s being written.

“We don’t knowwhere it’s going. Wedon’t see the end of it. And I think that’swhatgivesusourdirectionandpurposebecause we each feel like we are a partof it. I’ve never heard of a workplacehaving that sortofphilosophy,especial-ly a school.”

At Indesign, an engineering designfirm on the city’s northeast side,workers have a strong sense of connec-tion, not onlywith the companybut alsowith its clients. Workers will tell youthat they are not just in the business ofcreating new products; they are alsohelping dreams come true for others.

One particular story stands out.In 2008, Drew Ann Long began a

journey to create a shopping cart forspecial needs children. The Alabamawoman’s daughter, Caroline, suffersfrom multiple disabilities. As Carolinegrewolder, grocery shoppingbecameafrustrating task for Long, who had tomaneuver both a traditional shoppingcart and a wheelchair.

Long hired the engineers atIndesign, and with their help“Caroline’s Cart” has become a reality.

“Our team just jumped at the oppor-tunity to help this woman,” said RonKern, Indesign’s director of technicalmarketing. “The cart enabled her tobring her daughter, who wouldn’t fitinto a standard grocery cart, with heralong on a shopping trip. How cool isthat to be helping out someone likethat?”

IntheLOOP

By Michael L. JacksonThe Indianapolis Star

This publication is a product of The Indianapolis Star, a Gannett company. Additional content alsois available online at www.indystar.com/topworkplaces.

President and publisherKaren Crotchfelt

ContentWriter: Michael L. JacksonEditors: Eric Dick, Leigh Hedger(317) 444-6077

AdvertisingBill Platt, Advertising sales manager(317) [email protected]

WHOMADE THELIST?The No. 1 large company,Barnes & Thornburg,repeats taking top honors inits category this year.

The No. 1 midsizecompany, Hall RenderKillian Heath & Lyman, isthe first company tomaintain a No. 1 ranking forthree consecutive years.

The No. 1 small company,Harry & Izzy’s, moved upfrom 13th in 2011 and sixthlast year.

Profiles of the top fivecompanies in each categorybegin on Page T3. Thecomplete list is on Page T11.

DETERMININGTHE TOPWORKPLACES

Of the 755 Central Indianaemployers invited byWorkplaceDynamics ofExton, Pa., to participate inthe Top Workplaces survey,119 took part. The solerequirement was that theorganization employ at least50 people. Companies couldbe public, private, nonprofitor governmental.

Of the 40,768 employeesof the participating compa-nies, 36,273 received surveysand 22,981 responded to20 statements covering areassuch as company values,leadership, management,benefits, pay, growth oppor-tunities, appreciation, reten-tion and work/life balance.

Large workplaces of 400or more employees had 16participants. Midsizecompanies of 150 to 399employees had 27 partici-pants. Small companies with149 or fewer employees had55 participants.

CREDITS

Top employers invite workers to help shape company’s future

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Ask employees at Barnes & Thorn-burgLLPwhythey love their job,andtheanswer is very likely to be “because ofthe people I work with.”

Sure, thebenefits, goodpayandperksof the job wouldmake anyworker at thelaw firmhappy. But it’s the genuine careand concern for employees and oneanother that gets talked about most.

“This is one of the most welcoming,accommodating, accepting environ-ments I’ve ever been in, both from awork (and personal) perspective,” saidBrian Weir-Harden, a fifth-year asso-ciate. “There are a lot of great peoplehere. It runs the spectrum as far as thetype of people you encounter.”

That environment is just one of themany reasons Barnes & Thornburg heldonto itsspotas theNo.1largecompanytowork for in Central Indiana. Barnes &Thornburg is just one of two large com-panies to be recognized in each of thefive years that WorkplaceDynamics hasbeen conducting its survey locally. Com-munity Health Network is the other.

Of the 75 companies that have beennamed a top place to work since 2009,Barnes & Thornburg is the only compa-ny to place in the top five each year. Andit’s the third time the company has beenranked first.

“At Barnes, there is a focus on asso-ciates taking the opportunity to crafttheir own careers,” said Weir-Harden,who started his career at Barnes &Thornburg infinance, insolvencyandre-structuringandnowpracticeswhite-col-lar crime litigation. “The firm and allthose involved have been very suppor-tive of that transition.”

Legal secretary Marcia Meyer hasbeen with Barnes & Thornburg for thepast nine years. She, too, has seen thefirm’s commitment to making sureemployees are happy in the area wherethey are working.

“They care about what your work re-lationship iswithyour attorneys orpara-legals, and if it’s not goingwell, theywilltry tomakeabetter fit,” saidMeyer,whohas worked for two other law firmsduringhernearly 30-year career. “Tomethat’s unheard of compared to what Iexperienced before.

“They want you to want to come towork. So they really do go above and

beyond there.”Barnes & Thornburg is committed to

the growth and development of itswork-ers,providingmultipleavenuesforasso-ciates and employees to learn. In fact,when compared to last year, the state-

ment“Iget theformal trainingIwant formy career” saw the most improvementin the survey.

Associates are given an allowance topursue educational opportunities out-side of the company. Seminars and attor-ney presentations are commonplace.And this year Barnes & Thornburg in-vested in firmwide membership in thePractisingLawInstitute forall legal per-sonnel.PLIholdsseminarsandwebcastsin many legal areas, as well as provideson-demand learning through audio andvideo downloads, CDs and DVDs.

“A lot is offered here,” Weir-Hardensaid of the educational opportunities. “Idon’t think I’ve ever exhausted my edu-cation fund, and I feel like I’ve donesome pretty neat things.”

The caring atmosphere that employ-ees talk about within the companyextends beyond the walls of Barnes &Thornburg, too. A Care Center Commit-tee puts together year-round fundrais-ers to support theWheelerMission Cen-ter for Women & Children. During thepast 14 years the committee has raised$175,000 for the shelter and given hoursand hours of volunteer service.

“One of the things that I really likeabout working here is the generosity ofpeople, both the staff and the attorneys,”said Linda Stevens, a 21-year companyveteran. “It seems like so many peopleare involved. Barnes & Thornburg isverysupportiveofus.They’rehelpingusto make a difference for people.”

Barnes & Thornburg LLP

Employee Linda Stevens enjoys the firm’s benefit for the Wheeler Center for Women & Children. FRANK ESPICH / THE STAR

BOTTOM LINEFounded: 1982.Headquarters: Indianapolis.Description: One of the 100 largest lawfirms in the nation, with more than 50dedicated practice areas.Locations: 12.Employees: 1,049, including490 in Indianapolis.Website: www.btlaw.com.

NO. 1 | LARGE COMPANIES


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In announcingERMCOInc.’s back-to-back recognition as one of Central Indi-ana’s top workplaces last year, companyVice President GregGossett boldly stat-ed: “Wewill take all of this input serious-ly and will use it to make ourselves aneven better company.”

Call Gossett a man of his word.After finishing seventh and third in

the midsize category in 2011 and 2012,respectively, the electrical contractornot only jumped into the large companycategory this year but also moved up aspot to No. 2.

“Everywhere we can get feedback onourcompany, if there’s away thatwecanmake ourselves better,we take that veryseriously,” ERMCO President DarrellGossett said.

It’s that type of attitude that alsogarnered ERMCO this year’s specialaward for training.

Whether it’s through mentoring pro-grams, off-site classes or programs pro-vided through its ERMCO Institute, thefocusof thecompanyisoneducatingem-ployees. If such efforts can help thembecome better workers, or just betterpeople, ERMCO goes out of the way tomake it happen.

“It’s ingrained in our culture that peo-ple don’t want to just continue doingwhat they’re doing today,” DarrellGossett said. “With technology our jobsare changing constantly, and we need tostayaheadof thecompetition,stayaheadof the industry.

“If there’s something out there that’sgoing tomakeusbetter,weneed to knowabout it first.Weneed tobe trainedearli-erandbetter thananybodyelseout therebecause that’s what our customersexpect.”

Employees who are going to becomesupervisors must go through a leader-ship awareness class in which they aretaught not just how to do things but also

why ERMCO does them.“We want to help them become lead-

ers,” Greg Gossett said. “And we wantthem to understand the philosophybehind what we do and why.”

In an attempt to keep ideas freshwhile sharing industry best practices,ERMCOhaspartneredwith10othernon-competing, privately owned electricalcontractors from across the country toformtheElectricRoundtable.Thegroup

holdsdiscussions throughout theyearonevery facet of the business, from healthand safety to accounting and purchas-ing.

But ERMCO is not just a companyfocused on growth and well-trainedemployees. Seniormanagementmakesaconcerted effort to make sure the com-pany retains the family feel that per-meated the atmosphere when EdwardGossett founded it in 1962.

“They make it a point to make sureeach employee knows that family comesfirst,” project manager Luke Jacksonsaid. “It’s a family-oriented company, soit stems from that aspect andgoes down-hill. So family always comes first. Andbecause it’s an enjoyable place to work,there’s not a lot of stress.”

ERMCO Inc.

Apprentices Tyler Roberts, John Hostetterand Rick Rowekamp work on a project.KELLY WILKINSON / THE STAR

BOTTOM LINEFounded: 1962.Headquarters: Indianapolis.Description: Electrical and low voltagesystems contractor.Locations: Two.Employees: 431.Special award: Training.Website: www.ermco.com.



No one would call Kristen Lampkin’sjob undemanding.

Butasarecruiter forMonarchBever-age Co. Inc., that role is certainly madeeasier by the fact that she gets to sell po-tential employees on one of the area’sconsistently ranked top places to work.

After consecutive years in the No. 4position among large companies, thewholesale alcoholic beverage distribu-tormovedupone spot this year, andCEOPhil Terry took home the leadershipaward.

“You can make a list of the benefitsand see how those things can affectmorale and satisfactionwithwork,” saidTerry,whohasbeenCEOof thecompanyfor 22 years. “But I think all the data onmanagement tells you there are otherthings that are much more importantthan all that. You want all that. But themore important thing is culture.

“Whatdoes it feel like toworkhere?Is

it frustrating to work here, or do peoplegenerally have a level of satisfactionwith their life and their career? We dofocus on those less measurable aspectsof what makes a good workplace.”

At Monarch, it’s a culture focused onpersonal and professional growthwheremanagers are tasked with ensuring em-ployees can answer yes to each of six

critical questions:» Do I know what is expected of me?» Have I been given the resources,

training and knowledge needed for myjob?

» Am I given the chance to do what Ido best?

» In the last seven days have Ireceived recognition?

» Doesmymanager care aboutme asa person?

» Does my manager care about mydevelopment?

“We have a philosophy that the front-line manager is the most important per-son in determining whether employeesare satisfied or frustrated,” Terry said.“If amanager can get his or her employ-ees to say yes to those questions, weknow we’ve got a good manager. Andwe’ve got a good working environmentfor our employees.”

Terry describes his managementstyle as “servant leadership,” and it wason display in December following a day-after-Christmas blizzard that essentiallyshut down the city. With one less day togetmerchandise out in time for the busyNew Year’s holiday, Terry was amongmanywho ditched their traditional rolesto ensuremerchantswouldhavestockedshelves.

“Just that complete giving of himselfgives comfort to the employees thatwe’re in great handswith our leadershipteam,” said Terry Williamson, thedirector of logistics.

Monarch Beverage Co. Inc.

Monarch Beverage CEO Phil Terry saysworkplace culture matters most.FRANK ESPICH / THE STAR

BOTTOM LINEFounded: 1947.Headquarters: Indianapolis.Description: Wholesale alcoholicbeverage distributor.Locations: One.Employees: 650, including 550in Central Indiana.Special award: Leadership.Website: www.monarch-beverage.com.



Thanks to our dedicated staff of clinicians,technologists, researchers, informaticsinnovators, and solution sales and serviceexperts for making FDB one of Indianapolis’sTopWorkplaces. Every day our talentedand impressive employees turn drug datainto drug knowledge used by millions ofhealthcare decision makers throughout theworld.

Visit our website at fdbhealth.com for thelatest information on job opportunities, oremail Human Resources at [email protected].

IN SOMEWORKPLACES YOU TAKE ORDERS.IN THIS ONE, WEWRITE HISTORY.

IS-6050626

The best technologies and facilities, the most advanced

processes and evidence-based practices—yes, they play

an important role in putting exceptional health care

within reach for everyone. But themost important element

is people, a team of professionals with a passion for

enhancing the health and well-being of patients and

communities. For a team this extraordinary, this isn’t just

a workplace—it’s a place to follow life’s calling.

eCommunity.com

Turning a Job into aMission

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Leslie Deitchman still fondly remem-bers the summer that a Schwan’s deliv-ery driver thought she was running achildren’s day-care center.

It was the mid-1990s, and Deitchmanandherhusband,Jim,hadrecentlystart-ed Tendercare Home Health Services.Deitchman and her small staff wereworking from her home with all of theirchildren running around (17 total) whenthe driver approached her.

“The Schwan’s van pulled up, and thedriver said, ‘I can get you a free freezer.… You’re running a day care, aren’tyou?’ ” Deitchman recalled. “I told him,‘We’renotrunningadaycare,but I’ll stilltake that freezer.’ ”

From those humble beginnings Ten-dercarehasgrown intooneof the largestprivatehome-healthagencies in Indiana,employing 430 people. For Deitchman,who began her career as a registerednurse, the growth still shocks her.

“We still look at each other and say,‘What?We’vegot a real companyhere,’ ”she said.

Tendercare is one of three first-timeparticipants in the annual survey ofCen-tral Indiana workplaces to crack the topfive in its respective category. It’s also

the winner of this year’s special awardfor direction.

“I think Tendercare has been on theright direction foryears andyears,” saidinformation technology specialist BethGorman, whose mother worked withDeitchman during those yearly years.“It’s not about the bottom line. It’s notabout the money. It’s about the patientsand the employees.”

Because Tendercare takes care ofclients in theirhomes, it allowsforaflex-iblework schedule, an area inwhich em-ployeeshadhighpraise for thecompany.

Whether theywork three12-hour days, atraditional 40-hour week or just theweekends, the schedule at Tendercareallows employees to find the rightbalance between their professional andpersonal lives.

“There’s balance between family andwork,” said Denise Rusler, who startedat Tendercare as a field nurse and is nowits director of nursing. “You have to put(your kids) in day care.Wework tomeettheir family’s needs. They send us aschedule when they can work, and weschedule them. The philosophy hasalways been family first.”

Every Christmas, Tendercare holds ahuge party for staff and patients. Lastyear, more than 900 people attended thegathering at the Ritz Charles in Carmel.

“We just alwayswanted to be the bestandhaveagoodreputationandtakegoodcare of everyone,” Deitchman said. “Wehave the reputation of being veryservice oriented and doing whatever ittakes to meet the patients’ needs.Because of that we keep growing.”

Tendercare Home Health Services

CEO Leslie Deitchman, nurse AnnHumphrey and frequent visitor Kyrillos“Karl” Rezk, 3. MICHELLE PEMBERTON / THE STAR

BOTTOM LINEFounded: 1994.Headquarters: Indianapolis.Description: Private homehealth-care agency.Locations: One.Employees: 430.Special award: Direction.Website: www.tchhs.net.



When Dr. Mark Keen took over assuperintendent ofWestfieldWashingtonSchools in 1997, it was a four-schoolsystem serving a couple of thousandstudents.

Today there are nine schools, 6,200students and 832 employees — thelargest employer in Westfield. And forthe first time, it has been voted one ofCentral Indiana’s top places to work.

“The key to what we have here is astructured interviewprocess that identi-fies staff members who are highlyfocused on students and not them-selves,” Keen said. “I think when youidentify people who will basically moveheaven and earth to help kids, they havea common interest, and they’re also pre-disposed to working together.

“I think the key to anyhealthy organi-zation is the fact that everyone works

togetherandgetsalongandhas thesameoutlook. We’ve never varied from that.”

Keen’s viewpoint is simple: Teachersshouldn’t be told how to run their class-rooms.

His goal as superintendent, he says, isto select good people and support whatthey do. Teachers are allowed to beprocess-oriented, not program-oriented.They’re given an expected outcome andallowed toworkwithothers to achieve it.

“We do our best to find talented andskilled top-notch employees, and thenwe let them do their jobs,” said ChrisBaldwin, executive director of humanresources and a former Westfield

elementary school principal.Eric Rauch certainly feels that trust

and freedom. Rauch has taught biologyat Westfield High School for the pastfour years.

“The amount of support that we getfrom all of our administration is para-mount and always present in our schoolsatWWS,”Rauch said. “I knowas a teach-er if it is what is best for the profoundlearning of our students, then it issupportedandencouragedbytheadmin-istrative team.”

Two years ago Westfield opened ahealth and wellness clinic at the middleschool. Employeeswhovisit the clinicdonot pay a copay or deductible and canhave some of their prescriptions filledfor free. And in 2005, the school systemopened a fee-based child-care programto retain young staff members.

“People want to come here,” Keensaid. “Our people in the schools here areour best recruiters.”

Westfield Washington Schools

Biology teacher Eric Rauch credits theadministration for allowing academicfreedom. KELLY WILKINSON / THE STAR

BOTTOM LINEFounded: 1964.Headquarters: Westfield.Description: K-12 public schoolsystem.Locations: One (Nine schools: sixelementary, one intermediate, onemiddle school, one high school).Employees: 832.Website: www.wws.k12.in.us.



TopWorkplaces• 2009 • 2010• 2011 • 2012

Great People Yield Great Resultswww.meyer-najem.com

The sky isthe limit!

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The folks at Hall Render KillianHeath&Lyman P.C. will have to be care-ful how they celebrate this year’s No. 1ranking among midsize companies. Af-ter all, formerNBAcoachPatRileydoeshold the trademark on “Three-peat.”

In the brief history of measuringworkplace satisfaction in Central Indi-ana and choosing the area’s top work-places, Hall Render is the first companyto maintain a No. 1 ranking for threeconsecutive years.

John Ryan, the law firm’s presidentand managing partner, says its corevalues—excellence in thewholeperson,caring relationships, loyalty, quality ser-vice, integrity and respect—explain notonly the foundation for Hall Render’sbusiness success but also the reason forthe firmbeing consistently voted amongthe best places to work.

When senior litigation paralegal JohnMyers joined the ranks in May of 2001,he had an opportunity to meet the manresponsible for laying the foundation ofthose principles: founder William S.Hall.

“He called me in to have lunch withhim one day, at the time hewas probably91, and he just kind of went through hishistoryandhowblessedandfortunatehewas to have incredible people aroundhim that allowed this firm to be built,”Myers said. “The key he focused on wasthe relationships he had built along theway and how those relationships forgedtheworkwe’d do. As I continued toworkfor Hall Render I could see it was true,that people bought into that philosophy.

“It didn’t matter if you were the per-son answering the phones, a paralegal, alawyer, a secretary,” he said. “Whoeveryouwere,wewereallpartofa teamforg-ing that relationshipwith the clients thatwe served.When you see that authentic-ity in a large group of people, it makesyou want to stay.”

Ryan, who earned the leadershipaward among midsize businesses lastyear, echoes Myers’ sentiment. He says

that no matter the job title, everyemployee is valued and their contribu-tions are highly appreciated.

Employees feel thegratitude. In addi-tion to itsNo.1ranking,HallRender alsoreceived this year’s special award forappreciation.

“I do feel genuinely appreciatedworking at Hall Render,” said TraceyJohns, an IT procurement and deploy-ment specialist. “Mymanageranddirec-tor do a great job at expressing theirappreciation for the dedication and hardwork I put in each and every day.

“Hall Rendermakes you feel like youarepart of a family, not just an employeeat a large company. Hall Render hasbeen a true blessing to me and my

family.”The family feel was on display in

March as some employees wore “Pinkfor Pam” T-shirts in honor of a legalassistant who was recently diagnosedwithcancer.Andtrueto itsmissionstate-ment,whichcalls forbalance in respectsto work and family, staff members areable to adjust their daily start times tomeet their personal needs outside of theoffice.

“I think the philosophy that holdstrue, and I think this camefromMr.Hall,too, if you’re a good husband, if you’re agood father, if you serve your communi-ty, that’s going to spill over to your worklife,” Myers said. “Hall Render hasallowedmetobethedadthat Iwant tobe,

the husband that I want to be. It’sbeen a great environment and a greatarrangement.”

Hall Render Killian Heath & Lyman P.C.

Michelle Bodem takes a photo of Stacy Hanefeld, Terra Madsen and Angela Fox at Hall Render Killian Heath & Lyman as they all wearT-shirts to support a co-worker dealing with cancer. KELLY WILKINSON / THE STAR

BOTTOM LINEFounded: 1967.Headquarters: Indianapolis.Company description: A full-servicelaw firm specializing in health law.Locations: Detroit area, Milwaukee,Louisville, Ky., and Indianapolis.Employees: 348, including 229 inCentral Indiana.Special award: Appreciation.Website: www.hallrender.com.

NO. 1 | MIDSIZE COMPANIES


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After four consecutive years as beingrecognized as one of the top small com-panies in Central Indiana, Opportunitiesfor Positive Growth landed with a bangin the midsize category this year.

The growth wasn’t necessarilyplanned by co-founder and CEO GailKahl. It turnsoutshe justhadahard timesaying no.

As service providers for individualswith developmental disabilities, compa-nies such as Opportunities for PositiveGrowth have seen an influx in clientssince mid-2007. When the Fort WayneState Developmental Center closed inApril of that year, Indiana no longer hadany large public institutions to servethose with disabilities.

With the focus now on providing

services in homeor in small community-based settings, Opportunities forPositive Growth has been able to

positively impact the lives of moreindividuals each year.

It remains a topworkplacebecauseofthe continued flexibility it gives itsworkers and the appreciation it showsfor them.BothcomefromKahl,whoalsowas honored with the leadership awardin the midsize company category.

Most schedules are driven by the

needs and goals of the individual anemployee is working with, which meansno two days are alike, and employeeshave the freedom to juggle both theirpersonal and professional lives.

“They’re not going to be having uspunch a clock or put our thumb on somekind of pad or just check in or anything,”said Gina Schenk, executive director ofbehavior support. “They want us to behappy in our personal and family life,andtheyknowwe’llbehappy inourworklife.”

Although employees could point outnumerousways they feel appreciated ona daily basis, there is perhaps no greatershow of gratitude than the implementa-tion of an employee stock ownershipplan in 2010.

“That tomeshowstheyappreciate theworkwe do,” said Laura Collins, a directsupport professional.

Opportunities for Positive Growth

Andy Panayides (left) works with CameronHeld of Fishers during a music therapysession. CHARLIE NYE / THE STAR

BOTTOM LINEFounded: 2001.Headquarters: Fishers.Description: Provides services forindividuals with developmentaldisabilities.Locations: Three.Employees: 180.Special award: Leadership.Website: www.opgrowth.com.



In the ultra-competitive DowntownIndianapolis hotel industry, Jeff Sweetunderstands how important it is toprovide a guest experience that willlikely result in repeat business.

As the general manager of the332-room Hilton Indianapolis Hotel &Suites, Sweet has worked tirelessly todevelop a culture in which employeesare highly trained and motivated andexudepositiveattitudeswithco-workersand customers.

When he arrived as the general man-ager of the hotel in May of 2004, Sweetknew that creating an environment inwhich associates were not alwayslooking for the next pay raise from acompetitor would be key to maintaininga consistent level of service that wouldearn customer loyalty.

“You can sell all day and bring cus-tomers into your hotel, but if you don’thave the right employees to servicethoseguests, you’re in theconstant cycle

of replacing business versus keepingbusiness and servicing the same guestsover and over,” said Sweet, who said heinterviews every employee. “Nothing isbetter in our business than having thesame associates service the sameguestsmonth in and month out because theybegin to foster their own relationships.”

In addition to back-to-back top-fiverankings amongmidsize companies, theHilton also took home this year’sClued-inSeniorManagement award.ForSweet and his staff, that starts with adaily 9 a.m. meeting that includes alldepartments of the hotel. Managersdiscuss challenges from the previousday, potential issues that might bepending for the current day and whatareas may still need follow-up.

Other issues, such as employee

birthdays and anniversaries, what VIPsmay be arriving, and what groups arestaying at the hotel also are shared.That information then cascades downfrom senior management to pre-shiftmeetings with hourly employees.

“Everybody is getting that opportuni-ty for an ‘information share’ first thingin their shift,” Sweet said, “and it doesn’tmatter what time you report to work,they happen.”

Employees of theHilton also rank thecompany highly on career training.Kisha Stone started at the hotel twoyears ago as a server before moving onto become a banquet captain and, later,the catering and sales coordinator.

“Theywerewilling to teachmewhat Ineededtoknowasaserverandthenpushme to advance to the position I’m in,”said Stone, who studied in the tourism,conventions and event management de-partment at Indiana University-PurdueUniversity Indianapolis. “And that’severybody — from the servers that Istarted with to the banquet captains toeveryone in the sales department.”

Hilton Indianapolis Hotel & Suites

Kisha Stone says training on the job hashelped her advance in her career.KELLY WILKINSON / THE STAR

BOTTOM LINEFounded: 2004.Headquarters: Boston.Description: Full-service, 332-roomhotel in Downtown Indianapolis.Locations: One.Employees: 160 in Central Indiana.Special award: Clued-in SeniorManagement.Website: www.indianapolishilton.com.



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Brebeuf Jesuit would like to thank itsdedicated faculty and staff for votingus a Top Workplace while helpingform Men and Women for Others.

2801 W. 86th Street | Indianapolis, IN 46268317.524.7050 | www.brebeuf.org

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For the fourth time in five years,Insights Consulting Inc. has been in thetop six among Central Indiana midsizecompanies.

Every time it has happened, founderand CEO Kelly Hartman is sure of onething: It’s not because of the paycheckher employees receive.

As a service provider for individualswith developmental disabilities, trau-maticbrain injuries andautism, Insightsis nearly100percent fundedbystate andfederal dollars through Medicaid. Hart-man’s average employee makes lessthan $11 an hour.

“We have a pretty tough job,” Hart-man said. “We work with a sector of thesociety that a lot of people would choosenot to work with. So the fact I have anemployee who makes less than povertylevel in Marion County and is thatthrilled to work here, I think it’s huge asan employer that we have that kind of

relationship with our employees thatthey put us in a position of recognition.”

Whether it’s hearing an individualspeak for the first timeorhelpingpeopledevelop skills to hold a job, that thrill forworkers at Insights comes frommakinga difference in people’s lives.

“If someone isn’t doing it for the loveof teaching somebody new skills, thenthis really isn’t the profession for them,”said Mike Massie, a quality outcomescoordinator who has known Hartmansince the late 1980s. “That’s where ourgreatest joy comes from.”

Although Insights employees canwork in sometimes-stressful situations,they report very little frustration in theworkplace. From team-building exer-cises to Hartman’s quarterly open-doorday (a timewhen employees can come to

her office and talk),Hartmanhas soughtto keep the lines of communication openand stress to a minimum.

What she can’t give to her employeesin terms of salary, Hartman seeks tomakeupfor inotherareas.Thecompanyworks hard to ensure that some employ-ees can take extended time off to visitfamily in other countries. Shemaywritea note of gratitude to an employee andenclose a gift card for gas. She recogniz-es employees at an anniversary break-fast and holds an annual Christmasparty.

“I love working here,” Ericka Pink-ston said. “She makes sure she looks outfor her employees.”

It’s a culture that has helped fosterdouble-digit growth each of the pastseven years.

“I have amazing people who workhere,” Hartman said. “When you havepeople who are really committed to thevalueof focusingonpeople’scapabilitiesand really changing lives, that’s a goodgig.”

Insights Consulting Inc.

Jeff Davies (right) and Kim Rowland (left)help client Mark Masden shoot pool duringa day’s outing. CHARLIE NYE / THE STAR

BOTTOM LINEFounded: 1996.Headquarters: Indianapolis.Description: Provides support forindividuals with developmentaldisabilities, traumatic brain injury andautism spectrum disorders.Locations: One.Employees: 248.Website: www.insightsonline.net.



When the results were tallied fromlast year’s annual Top Workplacessurvey of Central Indiana employers,Orchard Software Corp. found itselfamong the honorees for the second time.

But after taking a look at the employ-ee feedback, senior management at theCarmel-based software developer knewthere was room to improve.

The first order of business was toincrease opportunities for the manage-ment team to update and interact withemployees at companywide gatheringsand within individual departments.

“This helped the company to improvelines of communication throughout theorganization,” Executive Vice PresidentHenry Oglesby said. “The company alsoestablished a set of focused goals for theyear, not solely focusing on profit andloss but also on job satisfaction andcreating workplace improvements.”

The focus on improved communica-tion, increased training opportunitiesand the needs of employees helped fuelthe biggest jump in the rankings amongCentral Indiana employers that partici-pated last year. Ranked 23rd among

small companies in 2012, Orchardclimbed into the top five amongmidsizecompanies for 2013.

“Ifyouhaveaquestionorwant toedu-cate yourself on something, someone isalways available and willing to help,”said BrianKelly, a lead projectmanagerwho has been with the company for twoyears. “This tone is set from upperman-agement and filters down to everyone.Every day, the doors are always open forC-level executives and director staff to

chat. The experience and depth ofknowledge from executives and direc-tors is a huge resource.”

Workers also praise the company’slaid-back environment and the potentialfor professional growth and careeradvancement.

“Atmosphere is what sets OrchardSoftware apart from other companies,”said Ryan Cash, an accounting assistantwho was hired into the company’s earlytalent and development program. Theprogram allows Cash to gain exposureand experience in every department ofOrchard. In May, he’ll join the salesdepartment.

“In most cases, I would have to find anew company to work for to gain salesexperience,” he said. “Instead, Orchardoffers the opportunity to move aroundwithin the company. It is set up in such away that you could potentially work inaccounting, sales, operations and devel-opment and never have to leave thecompany.”

Orchard Software Corp.

Workers enjoy pizza during OrchardSoftware’s quarterly employee serviceawards. D. KEVIN ELLIOTT / FOR THE STAR

BOTTOM LINEFounded: 1993.Headquarters: Carmel.Description: Develops, markets, installsand supports software informationsystems for clinical laboratories.Locations: One.Employees: 151.Website: www.orchardsoft.com.



Honesty Integrity Trust Flexibility Reliability Respect

About UsFamily-owned and operated since 1994, TendercareHome Health Services is one of the largestprivate home healthcare agencies in Indiana. Ourcommitment to individualized, high-quality homehealthcare has made it possible to build trust-basedrelationships with individuals and families that spanyears.

ServicesProviding exceptional home healthcare is a24/7 commitment. Our comprehensiveprofessional services for adults and children include:! Specialized, in-home nursing care by Registered

Nurses (RNs) and Licensed Practical Nurses(LPNs)

! Physical therapy! Occupational therapy! Speech therapy! Home health aide services! Select Durable Medical Equipment (DME)

and supplies (Tendercare is a licensed DMEcompany)

~ Serving All Generations! ~

(317) 251-0700 | 6308 Rucker Road Suite D, Indianapolis, IN 46220 | For career opportunities, check us out online!

Honored to bea TopWork Place

in Indianapolis.

Sincerely...Thank you!

Blessed to have suchoutstanding employees whofeel more like family. Thankyou to our dedicated staff foranother year of hard work andexcellence in home care.

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Treated with respect.Genuine care and concern for the

employees.Ownerswhocareaboutworkerhappi-

ness.Those may not be phrases that some

people associate with the restaurantindustry. But they are the hallmarks of aphilosophy that has propelled theDown-town location of Harry & Izzy’s to thisyear’s No. 1 ranking among smallbusinesses.

“We run it like family,” said operatingpartner Jeff Smith, a 28-year restaurantveteran. “We’re tough on results but fairwith people.”

For Harry & Izzy’s, it’s the third con-secutive time it has been recognized as atop place to work. It debuted at 13th in2011 and moved up to sixth last year.Smith has used the employee feedbacktofindareasfor improvement.Lastyear,it receivedthespecialawardforcommu-nication.

The idea to get involved in the TopWorkplaces survey came from hostessTeree Bosso, who admits it took a littlepersuading that first year.

“It’s not that we don’t feel like a res-taurant, but we’re very well taken careof,” said Bosso, who has been with therestaurant for 51⁄2 years. “I think the peo-plehere thinkabout thismore than just arestaurant job, but rather it’s a career.”

For managers there’s a wellness pro-gramandfreehealthscreenings thatcanresult in lower insurance premiums. Allemployeesareentitled toaweekofvaca-tion after 1,400 hours of service. There’san annual Christmas party and bonus,and last year each employee received anadditional bonus following Super BowlXLVI.

Employees also know there is oppor-tunity for career advancement. Four ofthe fivemanagersat theDowntown loca-tion started as hourly employees, andfourmanagersat theNortheastsideIndi-anapolis location got their start workingDowntown.

“We want people who want this as acareer,” Smith said. “If you let us knowyour interests, your aspirations, it’s real-lyour jobsas leaders togetyouthere.Wetruly do have some of the best people in

Indianapolisworking forHarry& Izzy’s.We always have someone who’s ready tobe trained for the next opportunity.”

As the sister restaurant to the worldfamous St. Elmo Steak House, Harry &Izzy’s entered the crowded Downtownrestaurant market with instant credibil-ity. But it’s the staff and their relation-ships with the customers that has fueleda yearly 20-percent growth in sales.

Employees are empowered to makedecisions for guests without manage-ment involvement. Smith likes to saythat smart management knows when tostay out of theway, andemployees agreethat they’re not micromanaged.

“It’s customers’ needs first,” bartend-er Barbie Gale said. “If we tell the cus-tomer yes,management backs us up.Wedon’t have very many people who ask tospeak to amanager, and if they do, it’s tosing our praises. And that’s a greatthing.”

“You’rebetterservedasmanagementto try and understand why an employeedid what they did rather than asking,‘What were you thinking?’ ” Smith said.“You’d be surprised what you learn.”

In an industry in which the averageannual turnover rate is 75 percent,Harry& Izzy’s canboast that 32 of its125employees have been with the companysince the doors opened in April 2007.

Themanagement teamdoes it by cre-ating a culture in which it’s not just thepaycheck that theemployeescareabout.“Somebody will always pay your peoplemore money,” Smith noted.

Employees are given annual reviewsinwhich goals are set. Birthdays are cel-ebratedwith freshly baked cookies. Andon a recent night after closing, roughly30 staff gathered with guests in the barto produce its version of the popular“Harlem Shake” video that has becomeone of the latest crazes on YouTube.

“There’s a lot of laughter that goes onhere,” Smith said. “I really believe peo-pleneedtobe loose. I lovewhatIdo,andIhope it shows toeveryone. I comehere tohave fun. There’s no reason you can’thave fun while you work. You have to beprofessional about it, but you still canhavefun.Andwehavea lotof funaroundhere.”

Harry & Izzy’s

Operating partner Jeff Smith says the Downtown restaurant is run like a family. MATT DETRICH / THE STAR

BOTTOM LINEFounded: 2007.Headquarters: Indianapolis.Company description: UpscaleAmerican grill.Locations: Three (only the Downtownlocation participated in this year’ssurvey).Employees: 125 (Downtown only).Website: www.harryandizzys.com.

NO. 1 | SMALL COMPANIES


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The lobby of Fishers constructionfirmMeyerNajemisfilledwith industryaccolades. In February, for the secondtime in five years, the Indiana Subcon-tractors Association named it Contrac-tor of the Year for firms under $100 mil-lion in annual revenue.

Alongside those awards and othersfor safety and projects of the year sits agrowing collection of Top Workplacehonors. The company has been in the top10 of small companies in Indiana for thepast fiveyears, and infourof thoseyearsit has finished first or second.

“We don’t make a conscious effort tobe on the list,” said Andrew Habel, asenior project manager who has beenwith the company nine years. “It’s justthe culture we have.”

It’s a culture in which practical jokesare the norm and Fridays after work are

spent hanging out at a local restauranthaving drinks and catching up.

AWorkLifeBalancecommitteeplansemployee events throughout the year.From group outings to see the Indiana

Ice and Indianapolis Indians to monthlycompany barbecues in the parking lot atheadquarters to wine and beer tastings,the emphasis is on creating an environ-ment in which employees and their fam-ilies can gather and bond while leavingbehind the stresses of the workplace.

“It’s enjoying to come to work to aplacewhere you’re friendswith people,”

Habel said.This year Meyer Najem also was

given the special award for new ideas.All of the company’s field supervisors,project managers and executives useiPads to streamline project documenta-tion using cloud computing.

“Our culture allows for innovativethinking,” said senior project managerAdam Filler. “You’re pushed to excel.The group as awhole ismotivated.Moti-vated for growth.Motivated to bebest inclass. Ultimately it’s the employees andculture thatallowfor thatcreative think-ing to occur. It’ not stifled by ‘this is theway we’re going to do it’ attitude.”

Added Michael Mattingly, who doespre-construction cost estimates: “Thereis a strong level of trust within each oth-er. There’s a strong level of responsibil-ity, aswell.AndI think thecompanydoesa real good job of allocating the rightpeople for those roles. And in turn itproduces an exciting place to work.”

Meyer Najem

Andrew Habel, Mike Mattingly and AdamFiller are seen with one of Meyer Najem’sawards. ROBERT SCHEER / THE STAR

BOTTOM LINEFounded: 1987.Headquarters: Fishers.Description: A construction-manage-ment firm specializing in health-carefacilities, schools, churches and com-mercial buildings.Locations: One.Number of employees: 61.Special award: New Ideas.Website: www.meyer-najem.com.



If youcouldbuild anorganizationonasingle word, at Covenant Christian HighSchool it would be community.

Whether it’swithin theconfinesof theschool or in the neighboring area, thesmall, private high school on Indianapo-lis’Westsideprides itself onbeinga rela-tionship-driven institution.

“When we say Covenant ChristianHigh School, we make that a verb andsay ‘We covenant with parents and fam-ilies’ in that we want to build a relation-shipwith them,” saidAndyGoodwin, theschool’s principal and CEO. “We justdon’t want to provide a service to themacademically.”

Teachers at the 325-student schoolsay theyare free tobecreativeandfocuson teaching, while Goodwin says theschool is focused on hiring teacherswhoarepassionate about a subject andwants

them to be free and enthusiastic.He also notes that the school encour-

ages new programming, whether it’suntriedcurriculumor improvingwhat isalready in place.

“I call thisplaceaplaceofbecoming,”said Goodwin, who joined Covenant as aSpanish teacher in 1997 and started animmersion program in the subject.“There is an encouragement for an inde-pendent spirit. If youcancomeupwith ithere and think you can sustain it andhave a good plan for it, you can kind ofrunwith it.And I think that’s exciting fora lot of people.”

It’s anenvironment thatkeepsformer

students coming back as adults lookingfor jobs. Three former students aremembers of the 25-person faculty, andGoodwin recently saw four Covenantalumni apply for a single position.A1999graduate of the school serves on itsboard.

The school also encourages “ongoingsparks with the surrounding communi-ty”with its annual “GoneServin’ ”dayofcommunity service. On the final Fridayof each April, the school cancels classesfor a day. Students and staff spend ithelping others, doing a host of tasks,whether landscaping, painting or baby-sitting.

“We feel like service begins withrelationship building and is paramountto service,” Goodwin said.

“It’s a lot of fun to watch their eyesopen as they consider service in a struc-turedway,buta funway, andbeyond justsomebody putting a rake in their handsand saying, ‘Do this for eight hours.’ ”

Covenant Christian High School

Andy Goodwin, principal of CovenantChristian High School, encourages anindependent spirit. JOE VITTI / THE STAR

BOTTOM LINEFounded: 1995.Headquarters: Indianapolis.Company profile: Privateprimary/secondary school providingChrist-centered education.Locations: One.Number of employees: 53.Website: www.covenantchristian.org.



Our associates arepassionately committedto providing outstanding

service to ourLong Term Carepolicyholders.

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Engineering excellence.At Indesign LLC that’smore than just

the company motto. It’s how the compa-ny is building its work environment, too.

In 1996, rather than follow their jobsto New Jersey, 34 engineers at Bell Labsdecided to create something new inIndianapolis. Seventeen years later, the69-person electronic-products develop-er has more than 100 clients, fromstartups to Fortune 100 companies. Italso has been named a top place to workin Central Indiana for the third consec-utive year.

“Wewanted tomake this a good placeto work. We wanted to make this a placewherewewould all be happy towork forthe rest of our careers,” said KathyRima, an executive vice president andoneof the original 34 company founders.“We wanted to make it a place that was

going to be sustaining.”Indesign is employee owned, with no

one person owning more than 5 percentof the company. After sixmonths of ser-vice, employees can buy up to five unitsof thecompany,witha25-unitmaximum.The ideawas tocreateadistributedown-ership model that prevented the presi-dent of the company from owningsignificantly more than the newest hire.

“A company for all of us,” Rima callsit.

That structure also helps foster anatmosphere in which meeting clientneeds, not jockeying for fancy titles, isthe No. 1 priority.

“Every engineer has adirect relation-ship with the client,” software engineerMichael Sorensen said, “soyouget to seeand hear the excitement that they havewhen they get the finished product. Youget a connection with the client, andthat’s what gives you the ownership thatwhat you’re doing has purpose.”

When they’re not working, Indesignemployees are highly engaged in com-munity service. The company pays em-ployees for half of their time when theyare participating in company-sponsoredvolunteer activities. Whether it’s men-toringor tutoringstudentsatanearbyel-ementary school or delivering lunchesthrough Meals on Wheels, employeeswho give back to the community cancount half of their service toward their

workweek.Stop by Indesign in the summer, and

you might see an ice cream cart in thehalls. It’s just one of the many ways thecompany’s “FunTeam”engages employ-ees both in and outside the workplace.

“In terms of serving your customers,ifyouremployeesarehappy, thatcarriesover in the work they do for theirclients,” saidRonKern, director of tech-nicalmarketing. “Themorewe can keepouremployeeshappywhile they’rehere,the more time they’re going to spendhere and thus everybody benefits,including our customers. You might aswell do something you enjoy.”

Indesign LLC

Engineers Russell Willmot and DebbieGreen work in the radio frequency test lab.CHARLIE NYE / THE STAR

BOTTOM LINEFounded: 1996.Headquarters: Indianapolis.Company profile: Designs anddevelops electronic products forconsumer, medical, computer,communications, military, industrialand transportation markets.Locations: One.Number of employees: 69.Website: www.indesign-llc.com.



TOPWORKPLACES 2013 LISTThese are the companiesrecognized by the 2013 TopWorkplaces employee survey,which was conducted byWorkplaceDynamics.More about the companieslisted here is available onlineat www.indystar.com/top-workplaces.

TOP LARGECOMPANIES1. Barnes & Thornburg LLP.2. ERMCO Inc.3. Monarch Beverage Co. Inc.4. Tendercare Home HealthServices.5. Westfield WashingtonSchools.6. RCI.7. Ice Miller LLP.8. FedEx.9. Charles Schwab.10. St. Vincent AndersonRegional Hospital.11. Fifth Third Bank.12. Decatur County MemorialHospital.13. Celadon Group Inc.14. Community HealthNetwork.15. Center Grove CommunitySchool Corp.

TOP MIDSIZECOMPANIES1. Hall Render KillianHeath & Lyman P.C.2. Opportunities for PositiveGrowth.3. Hilton IndianapolisHotel & Suites.4. Insights Consulting Inc.5. Orchard Software Corp.6. Royal United Mortgage.7. Key Benefit Administrators.8. Fusion Alliance Inc.9. Krieg DeVault LLP.10. Bank of America MerrillLynch.11. Stonegate MortgageCorp.12. ATI Physical Therapy.13. Bose McKinney & EvansLLP.14. Ernst & Young LLP.15. Crowe Horwath.16. Indiana OrthopaedicHospital.17. Noble of Indiana.18. Deloitte.19. OrthoIndy.20. Williams Comfort Air.

TOP SMALLCOMPANIES1. Harry & Izzy’s.2. Meyer Najem.

3. Covenant Christian HighSchool.4. Indesign LLC.5. Vasey Commercial Heating& Air Conditioning.6. Comcast Spotlight.7. FCCI Insurance Group.8. Dawes FretzinDermatology Group.9. Proportion-Air Inc.10. Wessler Engineering.11. RE/MAX Ability Plus.12. Cannon IV Inc.13. WestPoint FinancialGroup.14. Finance Center FederalCredit.15. 360 Services.16. CommunicationsProducts Inc.17 Lewis Wagner LLP.18. SHIP.19. Indiana Hemophilia andThrombosis Center.20. The Container Store.21. August MackEnvironmental Inc.22. Sogeti.23. Sun King Brewing Co.24. Nyhart.25. Aerotek Inc.26. Terry Lee Honda.27. Cohen & Malad.28. Option Six, Division of GPStrategies.29. Kronos.30. Total Quality Logistics.31. Northview Church.32. First Databank.33. enVista.34. YourEncore Inc.35. Express EmploymentProfessionals.36. Unique Home Solutions.37. Plymate Inc.38. Brebeuf JesuitPreparatory School.39. LeadJen.40. Haggard & StockingAssociates Inc.

SPECIAL AWARDSThese awards were based onstandout scores for specificsurvey statements. Employeesrated criteria — such as “Ihave confidence in the leaderof this company” — on aseven-point scale fromstrongly disagree to stronglyagree.LEADERSHIPCriteriaI have confidence in theleader of this company.WinnersLarge: Phil Terry, MonarchBeverage Co. Inc.Midsize: Gail Kahl, Opportu-

nities for Positive Growth.Small: Michael Crafton,360 Services.DIRECTIONCriteria: I believe thiscompany is going in the rightdirection.Winner: Tendercare HomeHealth Services.MANAGERSCriteria: My manager helpsme learn and grow. Mymanager makes it easier todo my job well. My managercares about my concerns.Winner: Charles Schwab.NEW IDEASCriteria: New ideas areencouraged at this company.Winner: Meyer Najem.DOERSCriteria: At this company, wedo things efficiently and well.Winner: Vasey CommercialHeating & Air Conditioning.MEANINGFULNESSCriteria: My job makes mefeel like I am part ofsomething meaningful.Winner: Cohen & Malad.ETHICSCriteria: This companyoperates by strong valuesand ethics.Winner: CommunicationsProducts Inc.CLUED-IN SENIOR MAN-AGEMENTCriteria: Senior managersunderstand what is reallyhappening at this company.Winner: Hilton IndianapolisHotel & Suites.COMMUNICATIONCriteria: I feel well-informedabout important decisions atthis company.Winner: RCI.APPRECIATIONCriteria: I feel genuinelyappreciated at this company.Winner: Hall Render KillianHeath & Lyman P.C.WORK/LIFE FLEXIBILITYCriteria: I have the flexibilityI need to balance my workand personal life.Winner: Key BenefitsAdministrators.TRAININGCriteria: I get the formaltraining I want for my career.Winner: ERMCO Inc.BENEFITSCriteria: My benefitspackage is good comparedto others in this industry.Winner: Comcast Spotlight.

Pay your workers a fair wage.Make sure they are well-trained.Show them respect.Then let them do their jobs.Sometimes that simple formula is all

it takes tomake a company a great placeto work.

That seems to be the case at VaseyCommercial Heating & Air Condition-ing, a first-timeparticipant in the annualTop Workplaces survey. The Zionsville-based contractor also was given theDoersspecialawardforbeinghighlyrat-ed by its employees for doing thingsefficiently and well.

“We’re a very relaxed company,” saidTom Slagle, Vasey’s vice president andgeneral manager. “(Owner) Bill Vaseyhas instilled in us to treat your peoplewell and be open to their personalneeds.”

For Vasey technicians, the efficiencyin the field stems from computer-basedtrackingofacustomer’scontractandthe

types of services required. Equipmenton-site is also labeled. The steps relievejob-site uncertainty because the proc-esses followed are clear and consistent.

Vasey appoints what it calls a “pri-mary tech” to each contract, meaning

the same technician services the samecustomer over and over.

“Over time that leads to employeesatisfactionbecause theybuilda rapportand theyknowwhat’s expectedof them,”Chief Financial Officer David Sheffieldsaid. “It’s also beneficial to the customerbecause they know that familiar face.The technician becomes the face ofVasey.”

In 1997 Vasey became Central Indi-ana’s only Linc Service contractor. Lincprovides Vasey with software programsand training for its managers and tech-

nicians. Sales have grown steadily sincebecoming a Linc franchisee.

“It’s really allowed us to focus and beproactive instead of reactive,” Slaglesaid. “Once we bought in, the companystarted becoming a lot more efficient.”

In theultimate showof respect forhisemployees, owner Bill Vasey begantransferring ownership of the companyto them in 2004 through an employeestock-ownership plan. That first year hesold 30 percent of the company, thenfollowedupwithanadditional18percentin 2007. Employees are fully vested inthe plan after five years.

It’s a rewarding company benefit.Average employee tenure is more than14 years.

“The better we do as a company themore value your stock is going to beworth,” sales manager Roger Mooneysaid. “The technician that is the face forVasey, it’s inhisbest interest forhisbackpocket to make that customer smile. Hegets a paycheck like everyone else, butnow he has extra incentive. And we’reseeing the benefits.”

Vasey Commercial Heating & Air Conditioning

Ron Anderson and Brandon Horn inspect aheating and cooling system of a localbusiness. DOUG MCSCHOOLER / FOR THE STAR

BOTTOM LINEFounded: 1977.Headquarters: Zionsville.Description: Heating, ventilation andair conditioning contractor.Locations: One.Number of employees: 63.Special award: Doers.Website: www.vasey.biz.



ATLANTA CHICAGO DELAWARE INDIANA LOS ANGELESMICHIGAN MINNEAPOL IS OHIO WASHINGTON, D.C .

Fired up.We are excited to once again be named asone of Central Indiana’s Top Workplaces.Many thanks to our staff and lawyers whomade 2012 a great year. Two qualitiesset us apart: our passion for what wedo and the pride we take in helpingour clients achieve their business goals.

btlaw.com

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WHAT MAKES OUR EMPLOYEES SO HAPPY TO COME TO WORK?

Could it be our commitment to the community causes important toour employees? Is it the mile-high sundaes at our Annual Ice CreamSocial? Or maybe it’s the way we start each day together with acup of coffee and a team huddle?

We know that what makes us a Top Workplace is as unique andindividual as each of our employees. That’s why we are alwaystrying new things and asking our employees to tell us how we’redoing.

Fifth Third Bank is proud to be recognized as a Top Workplace byour employees four years in a row. Rest assured we’re doing all wecan to make it five.

Fifth Third Bank. Member FDIC. Equal Opportunity Employer.

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