2021 Smart Culture Awards

An adaptive culture can move your business forward

As a co-founder of this event along with Smart Business, I want to extend a sincere congratulations to all of the 2021 honorees in our fifth year of the Smart Culture awards. It is amazing to watch the growth of this community of culture-focused companies we are creating here in Northeast Ohio.
This past year has been a challenging one, to say the least. The pandemic has forced us out of our comfort zones and created obstacles that made us rethink the way we go to market, not just for desire, but for necessity. It has also provided us opportunities that we would have never thought about in the past, like a remote-dominant workforce or embracing the digital transformation of your businesses. In all these cases, one thing that’s been the most important to my business, and hopefully yours, is the increased importance of an adaptive culture.
We all talk about how important our culture is to our everyday business, but nothing has tested the belief of a strong company culture like what we have experienced over the last year. Maintaining a strong culture, especially through challenging times, requires dedication, but now we see how it needs to adapt to this new world of work.
The TalentLaunch Network is also in its fifth year as a nationwide network of independently operated staffing and recruitment companies all tied to one belief — inspiring the world to realize its potential. Our local Northeast Ohio-based companies include Alliance Solutions Group, Alliance Industrial Solutions, Alliance Search Solutions, Artemis (our IT brand), and Alliance Healthcare Solutions, which launched in late 2020.
As we move into our fifth year of the Smart Culture Conference, I am so proud to see this event continue with new ideas to build a culture that is flexible and believed by all. Now, more than ever, I hope you will embrace the power of your culture as we navigate these uncertain times. Congratulations to all. ●
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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Smart Culture Honorees

 
 

 

President: Elizabeth Voudouris

Business Volunteers Unlimited practices what it preaches. Volunteerism makes employees feel engaged in their community and with their coworkers, and BVU breeds an environment of collaboration that builds through internal and external projects and volunteerism. During the pandemic, it has combated eroding culture through thoughtful meetings and cross-departmental synergies, and its staff members are communicating more than ever. And the pandemic hasn’t halted learning, either as BVU staff take advantage of free online resources to hone skills.
Led by President Elizabeth Voudouris, BVU’s work has never been more important, as people feel disconnected in their homes, away from friends and colleagues, and the organization works to connect them. Business volunteers who typically found an outlet in group done-in-day projects are connecting more personally to nonprofits in need.
Early in the pandemic, BVU established a Health and Safety Committee, which has led the way forward. All members of the staff have an opportunity to lead. BVU also makes sure every voice is heard and regularly surveys staff, with leadership setting safe boundaries while pushing initiatives forward.
Today, BVU staff’s regular meetings include reports from all departments and kudos for a job well done. Its strong culture comes from its strong staff, which has innovated its practices to create stronger bonds. Constant communication and updates help keep everyone swimming in the same direction. ●
 

 

CEO: Teresa Lindsey

Led by CEO Teresa Lindsey, the culture at Channel Products underpins the foundation of the company’s success.
To reinforce the culture, the company employs a communication campaign featuring:

• Channel University, a training and personal development effort intended to create a culture of expert leadership and thrilling customer service
• Channel One, a team-building and corporate responsibility endeavor to encourage collaboration
• Channel Me, a rewards and recognition program aligning the goals and strength of the company and employees to advance the needs of customers
• Channel Cares, an effort supporting good works, random acts of kindness and civic responsibility in the communities where employees live and work
• Healthy Obsessions, Channel Products’ corporate wellness program, designed to provide opportunities and information that lead to good health

In addition, Channel’s new corporate headquarters building is equipped with technology, conveniences and features intended to help maintain its competitive advantage as one of the best places to work in Northeast Ohio.
And through the pandemic, the company has sustained its culture by allowing people to have the autonomy, authority and resources to do their work, stepping up electronic communication and not sacrificing customer communication. ●
 
 

 

CEO: Len Komoroski

Guiding the Cleveland Cavaliers organization and the Rock Family of Companies are the “ISMS” that represent who the organization is.
As Yogi Berra said, “You can see a lot just by looking.” Keep your head up. Look. Be curious. Stay awake. Notice what is actually around you. Everything starts with awareness. The power of future growth, innovations and success is in the thousands of eyeballs looking and seeing what’s around.
Led by CEO Len Komoroski, the organization’s mission is a never-ending quest to find a better way for every process and everything it touches. If it’s good, it wants to make it great. If it’s great, then take it to an even higher level. Don’t settle for less. In fact, don’t settle at all. “Finding a better way” is a key responsibility for every team member.
Leadership believes it’s critically important to live the culture of yes. Not every idea, question, suggestion or recommendation will ultimately be met with yes, but leaders respond with the mindset of first saying yes. Saying no is easier, but team members live in the land of growth, possibilities, ideas, innovation, positive impact and results. So it’s always yes before no, and no only when all of the potential of yes has been exhausted. ●
 

 
 

President and CEO: Tomislav Mihaljevic

Cleveland Clinic is a global leader and a model of health care for the future. As a truly integrated health care delivery system, it provides collaborative, multidisciplinary care, supported with cutting-edge research and technology.
Its vision is to become the best place to receive health care anywhere, and the best place to work in health care. As it doubles the number of patients served by 2024, everything it does and every place it is located will bear the unmistakable stamp of One Cleveland Clinic, with the same quality, experience and care priorities.
The organization is working to become the best place to work in health care for its 70,000 caregivers worldwide by:

• Implementing a new maternity and paternal leave policy offering more time off
• Recording the highest engagement survey percentile, increasing from the 70th percentile in 2019 to the 81st percentile in 2020 — 85 percent of caregivers would recommend Cleveland Clinic
• Creating the first chief caregiver officer position
• Implementing hero huddles and announcing its 2020 Hero Award individual and team recipients
• Keeping caregivers safe with personal protective equipment and policies
• Keeping caregivers whole through employment, with no layoffs or pay cuts
• Supporting 3,000 caregivers through a caregiver hardship fund and 75,000 meals delivered through its Caregiver Support Team ●

 

 

CEO: Brian Zimmerman

For over 100 years, Cleveland Metroparks’ mission has been rooted in three core pillars: conservation, education and recreation. The park district’s mission is inherently tied to the surrounding community, and the park’s successes have direct benefits — environmentally, socially and economically — to the region.
While this mission has stood strong as a guiding principle, the development of core values was an important next step to elevate and cultivate an organizational culture that thrives around the mission. Best practices were taken into account, and staff had a hand in shaping what would become the final organizational core values, expressing what was most important to them and what, through their work, the organization stood for. An internal survey established employee priorities on values and beliefs. Once a set list of values was selected and defined, employee focus groups helped finalize which values were essential to executing the mission.
In 2018, Cleveland Metroparks, led by CEO Brian Zimmerman, launched an engagement plan to measure and strengthen employee engagement. The results highlighted that employees overall feel deeply connected to the mission, creating a sense of purpose in their commitment to quality work. Through this process, the organization learned that engagement does not have to be complex or complicated. It’s about being aware of what your employees need to be successful and managing with these needs in mind. ●
 

 

CEO: Lee Friedman

College Now has created a culture where people want to work, through the organization’s mission, vision and values, use of internal communications and personal and professional team member development.
College Now has created a culture focused on helping students of all ages achieve their postsecondary dreams. Its mission is to increase postsecondary educational attainment through college and career access, advising, financial aid counseling and scholarship and retention services. It envisions a future in which everyone has the support to successfully complete their postsecondary education to lead more satisfying and productive lives and contribute to the region’s economic vitality.
The organization has also created a culture where people want to work by providing personal and professional team member development. And every year, College Now, led by CEO Lee Friedman, employs a new class of AmeriCorps members to serve students through in-school advising and working with the Mentoring and the Adult Programs and Services team.
College Now’s culture of support and common alignment to the mission, vision and values remind staff their work is important. They know they are supported and that everyone is united in the common goal of helping students. The organization’s success depends on the ability to work together and remain united in the vision, serving more than 31,000 students each year. ●
 

 

Founder: Jeffrey Jones

Consolidus is committed to creating a company where people want to work and are empowered to do their best work. Its mission, vision and values play a key role in creating a workplace of engagement, empowerment and performance.
Its vision is ambitious yet achievable and reflects its commitment to its customers, which attracts a specific caliber of professional who want to play a key role in a lofty effort to be the leading and fastest-growing branded merchandise management company in the United States and the top provider of custom branded products in its programs/markets.
With Jeffrey Jones at the helm, Consolidus’ mission indicates its role in the new digital economy and ability to offer staff positive and progressive careers in the new frontier. The company’s customer- and market-focused business model allows it to realistically expect to be the top service provider by offering unique value and tailored solutions, which results in consistent positive customer feedback, energizing and empowering the team.
Finally, the company’s values provide a clear code of conduct and a framework for empowering its team.

• We embrace diversity.
• We champion new technology.
• We are service oriented.
• We prioritize growth.
• We value transparency and accountability.
• We are committed to excellence and continual improvement.
• We seek to collaborate.
• We infuse our work with passion. ●

 

President: Kirk Zehnder

At Earnest Machine, the company’s culture is at the center of its business.
One of the first and most important steps to drive success was to create company values that employees can easily relate and adhere to — putting the customer first in the decision-making process, doing what you say you will do, treating customers, suppliers and each other with respect, and embracing change and learning. The values are used as a guidepost for behavior, change and decision-making, creating a clear path toward success and teamwork.
At Earnest Machine, each employee is a leader, and the business doesn’t rely on title or hierarchy for each person to have a huge impact, says President Kirk Zehnder. Ideas and concerns can be brought to the table by anyone at any time. The business is a team of leaders who respect each other and each other’s thoughts and talents.
Earnest Machine’s success is a direct result of its culture. If someone makes a mistake, they have a “hug the cactus” moment, owning it, making it right with the customer and then fixing what went wrong. Employees are empowered to do what they need to do to create the best customer experience, and the culture allows them to focus on continuous improvement, creating goals and initiatives based on how improvement will push the business forward. ●
 

President and CEO: Brett Lindsey

Everstream’s success comes from having engaged, happy team members, because it is impossible to have happy customers if the people providing the service don’t exude happiness during each interaction.
The company, led by President and CEO Brett Lindsey, believes in having a culture of integrity, corporate transparency and open communication with both customers and team members. Similarly, Everstream’s “No A**hole Policy” embraces the company’s pull-no-punches approach. Collaborate, communicate and get the job done — it’s as simple as that. Because employee engagement and peer-based recognition are core aspects of having happy people, Everstream utilizes Bonus.ly, an online portal and application where employees can give public praise and points to team members, who then cash out points for gift cards, to PayPal or to make charitable contributions.
Throughout the pandemic, Everstream has worked hard to maintain its sense of culture. To bring water cooler chat to its new virtual office space, it instituted Everstream “channels” on Teams to give employees forums to talk about nonwork-related topics. The company has shifted its traditional happy hours and team lunches to virtual happy hours and boxed, grab-and-go lunches. Instead of the usual potluck or holiday-themed events, team members participated in grade school and senior yearbook pictures. The company also shared its love of food with a cookbook of employees’ favorite family cultural recipes. ●
 

President and CEO: Dale Wollschleger, R.Ph.

While the ExactCare mission, vision and core values guide the decision-making and strategic direction of the organization, it is the company’s purpose that shapes the culture — a culture of putting patients first.
Its purpose — The ExactCare Patient Promise — serves not only as a guiding principle but as a reminder to employees of the meaningful work they do, work that is both rewarding and that simultaneously drives passion and fulfillment. With President and CEO Dale Wollschleger at the helm, ExactCare empowers employees to live The Patient Promise by:

• Building an employee recognition program with The Patient Promise at core, where employees are encouraged to submit recognition of their colleagues for living the core values day in and day out
• Naming a monthly Patient Promise winner, recognizing someone who exhibits the core values and goes above and beyond to deliver on the Patient Promise. Finalists are determined by the total number of recognitions an employee receives that month.
• Promoting The ExactCare Patient Promise in its daily newsletter, on televisions and on posters throughout its facilities and other internal communications
• Highlighting patient success stories and testimonials in newsletters and social media
• Communicating strategic and growth initiatives and how they align with the Patient Promise in electronic or video messages from the executive team ●

 

President and CEO: Mike Ode

Foundation Software and Payroll4Construction.com’s culture stems directly from the beliefs of its founder, President and CEO Mike Ode. His aspiration was to create an environment where employees feel appreciated and want to come to work. The efforts he has made from the formation of the company continue to have an impact on the culture and success of the workplace.
Culture is critical. When employees feel trusted and appreciated and have opportunities for growth, both personally and professionally, they are much more likely to stay engaged with their work and remain with their employer. Happy employees lead to happy clients, and if that cycle continues, so does the success of both companies. By treating clients like part of the family, Foundation Software and Payroll4Construction.com have ensured client loyalty and a growing client base.
A key structure to retaining a small-company feel is a tight-knit culture among peers. The goal is easy, relaxed collaborations between teams and departments. As meetings became virtual, employees began having fun with digital backgrounds, showcasing their personalities.
The company wants employees to build lasting relationships with co-workers. While physically distant, Microsoft Teams has ensured employees chat throughout the day, just as if they were stopping by their cubes. Staying connected contributes to both a boost in productivity and the continuation of the culture’s family feel. ●
 

President and CEO: Bill Priemer

At Hyland, people want to come to work every day. It’s not only about the work but about the people and showing up and working hard for them. The company’s culture makes it easy to balance a hard work ethic with a thriving home and personal life. Without Hyland’s culture, President and CEO Bill Priemer believes the company’s retention rate would drop significantly.
During the pandemic, Hyland has responded to increased employee interest in virtual training and education through quarantine by providing more opportunities. It did not cancel any programming but instead fully converted it to virtual, with interactive experiences that offer equal impact and experience to its global workforce. It saw a huge spike in professional development utilization in its online resource library, with 300 to 400 percent completions in work-from-home education, self-help and career development.
Leadership received guidance on how to meet employees where they are, giving employees the support they needed to adjust their working and personal lives at their own pace. As part of that support, employees receive a monthly supplement toward their internet bill, as well as a one-time furniture stipend for workspaces for Hyland’s growing remote workforce.
Hyland has always taken a lead role in ensuring employees are informed, supported and listened to, and these practices continue as the pandemic brings new challenges every day. ●
 

 

CEO: Sam Falletta

Incept’s culture is driven by the commitment to its purpose by leadership and the company’s employees. Each and every day, they strive to build their clients, partners and employees up into the best possible version of themselves.
Led by CEO Sam Falletta, the company’s culture is based on its core values, created from the letters in the company’s name. It has defined its core values as:

• Integrity
• Never settle
• Compassion
• Everyone’s a customer
• Present
• Tenacious

To ensure it keeps its values top of mind, every meeting at Incept, from leadership to Conversational Marketing Expert huddles, ends with each person sharing how someone on the team has been living one of the company’s values. Each shout-out keeps the team focused on its greater purpose.
Incept engages employees through social media and last year added a private Facebook group for them to interact with each other. From job questions to inspirational quotes, employees use the group for community. It has taken on an entirely new meaning since March 2020, when the company shifted the entire organization to virtual within 14 days.
In addition, its #RelationshipsMatter campaign helps team members get to know colleagues they may not have known on a personal level before. In each video, an employee shared two truths and a lie about themselves, and viewers guess which statements the lie. ●
 

CEO: Jordan Rackie

At Keyfactor, culture is as important as the award-winning cybersecurity software it creates. It has created a culture where employees become advocates for the company and demonstrate that advocacy every day.
Its core values serve as a compass and a business differentiator, reaffirming commitments to customers, colleagues and employees, and are a driving force behind its daily efforts and its teams’ focus to achieve results. Everything it does is done with world-class security, trust and teamwork. Its core values are:

• Customers are core.
• Trust is paramount.
• Teams make it happen.
• Deliver with agility.
• Innovation never stops, it only accelerates.
• United by respect.

In 2019, led by CEO Jordan Rackie, Keyfactor implemented the monthly Keyfactor Key Contributor Award to encourage employees to push boundaries and exceed expectations. Employees nominate someone they feel best demonstrates Keyfactor’s core values, and that person receives a plaque, a $100 gift card and paid travel to the company’s Spain offices for four nights.
Other factors contributing to a great culture include a matching 401(k) plan, untracked personal time off, expanded paid parental leave, health benefits with premiums covered 100 percent, company-wide days off every second Friday of the month and reimbursable wellness expenses. ●
 

 

President and CEO: Jeff Beck

Leaf Home Solutions (LHS) has adapted seamlessly to a work-from-home model during this global pandemic, thanks to the technology platforms it already had in place. Communication is paramount when in-person meetings aren’t possible, so LHS utilizes software and videoconferencing to communicate with co-workers and hold meetings.
Led by President and CEO Jeff Beck, LHS provides a unique environment in which team members can develop personally and professionally. From its recruiting process to retention, it understands how to find and keep the best of the best. LHS also partners with recruiting channels for veterans and has dedicated efforts to give transitioning service members a chance to continue their journey.
LHS invests in its employees’ health and wellness by providing cost-free health insurance and provides exercise incentives with a gym reimbursement option. The company also offers a rewards platform through BenefitHub, where employees can get discounts on everything from rental cars to cable subscriptions.
In addition, employees in the field vie for Customer Experience Awards. The Top 10 monthly award acknowledges the field team that scores highest in customer satisfaction, and the Quarterly Gold Leaf Certification is given to those who exemplify a high level of service for three or more consecutive months. ●
 

 

President and CEO: Ethan Karp

Everything the Manufacturing Advocacy and Growth Network does stems from its engagement with and commitment to its mission to grow manufacturing in Northeast Ohio and from it values — client focus, teams, relationships, personal development and continuous improvement. Questions asked during hiring reflect the organization’s desire to find team members who reflect similar commitment to the mission and values.
Feedback always circles back to MAGNET values. Values Day, which became a virtual Values Week during COVID-19, offers values-based professional development and team-building activities.

• Client focus: Manufacturers turn to MAGNET for support and clients return time and again with new projects because of their enduring relationships with MAGNET.
• Personal development: Employee create a personal and professional development plan frequently discuss it with their supervisors to check on progress and identify how to best move them forward.
• Continuous improvement: MAGNET prides itself on a feedback methodology and iterative work process to help its team constantly strive to improve.
• Team: MAGNET encourages a work-life balance that includes frequent team-building activities, remote work and flexible schedules.
• Relationships: The small touches are often the ones people remember most, and the MAGNET team keeps that front of mind with random present giving, birthday celebrations, and meals together (pre- and post-COVID).●

 

President and CEO: Todd Leebow

Majestic Steel USA’s mission is to create a majestic experience for all. For its associates, that means a culture driven by values and results.
The company’s vision is to continue to refine, innovate and improve every day to maintain the Majestic Difference. This mindset differentiates it from other players in the industry by emphasizing modern technology, leveraging tools to help Majestic and its customers’ businesses run more efficiently and continue to build.
The company’s core values are at the heart of its business. The acronym TICKETS — trust, integrity, continuous improvement, knowledge, enthusiasm, togetherness and safety — is at the heart of the Majestic Difference. Trust means team members communicate openly. The company expect associates will work openly with team members and showcase the integrity that the Majestic brand was built around. Members of the team are continuously looking for ways to improve, inside and outside of the workplace.
The company, with President and CEO Todd Leebow at the helm, wants associates to continue to succeed and gain the knowledge that will allow them to learn, teach and grow. Majestic also wants to make sure people are pursuing goals with enthusiasm and passion. By working together and focusing on the “we” instead of the “I,” the company strongly believes it can achieve its short- and long-term goals. ●
 

 

President and CEO: Tony Mercurio

Whether in the workplace or working virtually, the culture at National Interstate Insurance can be easily identified, and it remains a large engagement factor for its employees.
National Interstate works to create an environment for employees to live their best lives through meaningful work and a culture that supports, engages and empowers everyone. Communication is key, and there are many avenues in which communication is practiced and encouraged. To provide transparency, President and CEO Tony Mercurio offers bimonthly all-company meetings, where he shares the status of the business, the highs and lows, and challenges and wins. And while COVID-19 has impacted the schedule for 2020, the company remains focused on communication, providing updates not only to its response to the virus but the highlights and challenges of the business. Mercurio’s motivational messaging gives hope during unknown times and brings a sense of normalcy to a disruptive time.
National Interstate provides support not only for the professional growth and fulfillment of employees but for personal opportunities, as well. Professionally, the company encourages educational development by offering a generous education reimbursement. Employees can pursue higher education degrees, industry- and job-specific designations, and attend conferences. And monetary incentives help keep employees motivated to achieve their goals. ●
 

 

President and CEO: Chris Adams

Park Place Technologies encourages employees to do their jobs better through regular performance reviews and annual merit increases. The performance review process is a great time for managers to show appreciation and give employees feedback.
Park Place has a quarterly town hall that is aired at all offices around the globe, which allows leadership to engage with employees and keep them informed on current and future plans. This transparency allows employees to buy into the direction of Park Place and empowers them to contribute to the vision the leadership team has set out for the organization.
Led by President and CEO Chris Adams, Park Place produces podcasts that give employees the latest information in an easy-to-access form and operates an intranet that offers daily content connecting departments globally with news, employee milestones, contests and other ways to connect and engage.
In addition, a leadership development program enables employees to share and apply ideas to their current and future leadership roles, learning skills that aid in promotion and mobility throughout the company, and a tuition reimbursement program gives employees the opportunity to gain knowledge through certifications, seminars, training programs and continuing education.
To keep employees healthy, Park Place’s Wellness Committee hosts wellness challenges, offering activities that create a sense of comradery and healthy competition. ●
 

CEO: Umberto P. Fedeli

The success of The Fedeli Group is not only a function of what it does, but also why it does it. For the company and its employees, life is about contributing and making a difference. The Fedeli Group believes everyone has a unique opportunity to touch lives in ways that make a difference, far exceeding the company’s core business.
This mission — its why — is what it means to deliver The Fedeli Experience. Consistent delivery of exceptional results is a function of culture and people, which is the blueprint for the company’s success. It believes a strong culture aligns everyone around a common mission, vision and values.
The Fedeli Group’s culture is built upon a foundation of integrity, empathy, accountability, humility and authenticity. Building and sustaining that culture requires disciplined thought and action. It is what its people do, not just what they say, that matters, and associates understand what each aspect of the culture means, and the behaviors that exemplify each.
The Fedeli Group has developed resources, defined pathways for recognition and feedback, and approaches to encourage ongoing engagement. The Blueprint for Success provides a foundation of understanding of the culture and expectations of the disciplined thoughts and actions that support its values and achievement of its mission. In addition, CEO Umberto Fedeli’s Life Lessons provide valuable perspectives on life topics. ●
 

Chairman, president and CEO: Eric Schnur

The Lubrizol Corp. is continuously working to create a company-wide culture in which its employees are accountable, engaged and included. It strives to provide a safe, enriching and engaging work environment that cultivates opportunities for growth and development through:

• Policies that protect human rights, employee health and safety, that promote equal employment and advancement opportunities, and that ensure a respectful and productive work environment
• Benefits and resources that support, celebrate and inspire employees, while allowing them to maintain a healthy work-life balance
• Early career opportunities that attract quality entry-level candidates and developing a talented workforce
• Leadership development programs that empower current and future leaders to create a successful future for Lubrizol

Chairman, President and CEO Eric Schnur led the company in efforts to enhance recruiting and hiring efforts to ensure candidates have a clear understanding of Lubrizol’s culture and aspirations. These include globally standardized hiring, employee onboarding and development programs that ensure alignment between employees’ career objectives and the company’s cultural beliefs.
Lubrizol’s cultural beliefs also form the “how” of performance reviews, and modeling the beliefs is a key criteria to determining high-potential talent and promotions. ●
 

 

Co-CEOs: Stewart Kohl and Béla Szigethy

The Riverside Co. strongly believes that culture sets the tone for how employees and prospective employees view the firm. The company’s values can be boiled down to following the Golden Rule.
This tone is set from the top with Co-CEOs Stewart Kohl and Béla Szigethy, who founded a firm that did business in a way that would make them proud and allow them to leave great references in their wake. In its biggest global office in Cleveland, The Riverside Co. attracts top talent by offering strong pay and benefits, but a positive underlying strong culture is the key to finding and retaining the best possible people.
The company’s culture is brought to life through an entrepreneurial workplace where warmth, freedom of expression, diversity of ideas and backgrounds, and humor are welcomed. The Riverside Co. has grown a lot since it was founded at a kitchen table in 1988, but its core values have remained steadfast.
Its values are who the company is, but they also serve its core mission of delivering value to investors exceptionally well. Its leaders have learned that treating others how you want to be treated makes for a strong business foundation and attracts excellent employees, inspires entrepreneurs to partner with the company for growth and helps compel investors to trust it with their funds. ●
 

President: Sean Kennedy

TRG’s mission is to make technology simple, helping customers accelerate projects, drive application success, improve employee and customer experience and maximize ROI. The company expects each of its employees to embody its core values and gives each person a framed plaque to keep at their desk as a constant reminder of what matters most.

• Character, integrity, trust. TRG conducts all interactions with character, integrity and trust and keeps its commitments.
• Customer driven. The company’s solutions are 100 percent focused on the customer. It make decisions with one question in mind: What is best for the customer?
• Innovative and relentless. The company is relentless in its drive to find new, innovative ways to solve customers’ problems and help them achieve their goals.
• Passion for winning together. Employees are competitive and love winning together, for the benefit of all, and will always seek an approach where everyone wins.
• Employee-centric culture. The company takes exceptional care of its employees and their families, embracing each employee’s strengths to maximize results.

In addition, TRG is very active on social media, and posts are split between branding/thought leadership and employee experience/recruiting. The company highlights its employees, culture, and job openings and each week posts an employee spotlight. ●
 

President and CEO: Bill Cosgrove

Union Home Mortgage Corp.’s more than 1,400 partners nationwide are driven by a deep belief in the dream of making homeownership accessible to everyone. As traditional banks have pulled away from home lending, independent mortgage bankers have become some of the nation’s leading providers of government home loan programs.
Led by President and CEO Bill Cosgrove, UHM goes the extra mile for every customer, providing an unmatched personalized experience. Its motto, “Promises Kept,” extends to interactions with its customers and to each other. Every partner lives by the shared values of the 10 guidelines that outline the basis for the world-class culture. The values in the code of conduct are:

• Accountability. Be engaged and passionate. Your fellow partners are counting on you.
• Fun. Have fun, but get it done on time.
• Commitment. Each partner must be committed to growth, productivity and execution.
• Competition. Competitive edge, sales training, coaching and accountability for all
• Research. Research before you react.
• Positivity. Everyone is responsible for creating and maintaining a positive work environment.
• Communication. Over-communicate.
• Raving fans. Create raving fans of customers, Realtors, brokers and fellow partners.
• Professionalism. Be professional and respect fellow partners.
• Promises kept. Live by the company’s slogan. ●

 

President and CEO: Jodi Berg

The foundational leadership, passion and commitment that founder William Grover “Papa” Barnard brought to Vitamix in 1921 is alive and well today as the family-owned company enters its 100th anniversary year.
Throughout the company’s history — especially during times of major transition and transformation — clear values, the Vitamix CORE (Family, Customers, Quality, Integrity and Teamwork) — have guided decisions and helped Vitamix stay true to its roots. These values are supported by dedicated leadership that is open to change and committed to growth within the organization.
Over the past several years, Vitamix has put more emphasis on collaboration and teamwork across cross-functional teams to ensure the business is working together toward organizational goals and eliminate silos across the company. The company put a focus on specific and strategic organization-wide goals and built cross-functional teams to focus on initiatives aligned with the goals to build partnership and collaboration across teams.
In addition, Vitamix knows that it is not enough to live its mission, vision and values within its walls. The company feels a deep responsibility to use its CORE to positively impact its community. Vitamix has a guiding principle of passionately believing in making the world a better place, and its business objectives include benefiting the community. ●