WORKHARD. PLAY HARD.

Transcription

S
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Work hard.
Play hard.
Pages BPTW 1–24 >
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BPTW-2 Hartford Business Journal • March 24, 2014
www.HartfordBusiness.com
Introduction
Best Places To Work In CT 2014
Ranked #1
Large Company Category
page
4
Striking the work-life balance
C
ongratulations to all our winners, and welcome to the 2014 edition of Hartford Business
Journal’s Best Places to Work in Connecticut.
You will notice many of the companies honored on this year’s list were winners last year,
including both No. 1 companies: Consigli Construction and Qualdigm. That isn’t surprising
because once a company strikes that culture where in people want to work, they maintain
that culture for years and years.
This year, more than any other, the winners emphasized the importance of striking
that perfect work-life balance for employees. They let their workers utilize flexible hours,
remote offices, liberal time-off policies, and open-door relationships with bosses.
The winners, though, made sure they made played a role in employees’ down time, too.
The offerings ranged from work with nonprofits, to company outings, to reward events,
to annual banquets, to office Olympics. Even while helping them strike a perfect work-life
balance, companies made sure workers had fun while at the office, too.
The selection of these winners follows a rigorous process detailed below measuring
a wide array of company-sponsored benefits and takes the pulse of employees with an
in-depth and detailed survey.
The following companies were the best of the best. They have the culture where
employees stay and succeed. They work hard. They play hard.
– Brad Kane, Managing Editor
Ranked #1
Small /Medium Company Category
page
5
The List:
page
20
The List:
Small / Medium Company Category
page
21
How the ranking process works:
Now in its ninth year, the Best Places to Work in Connecticut program was
created by the Hartford Business Journal and Best Companies Group to identify
and recognize best places to work in the state of Connecticut. The program is
managed by Best Companies Group, a third-party research firm that manages
similar programs all over the United States and in Canada.
The Best Places to Work in Connecticut program was open to all public or
privately-held organizations, either for-profit or not-for-profit. To be eligible for
consideration, companies must have had a total of 15 or more employees working
in the state of Connecticut. Companies with headquarters in another state, but
with 15 or more employees working in Connecticut, were also eligible. Participation in this program required organizations to go through a workplace assessment process, which included surveying their employees, as well as taking an
inventory of the company benefits, policies and offerings. The information was
processed and analyzed by Best Companies Group and then used to determine
the Best Places to Work in Connecticut.
All participating companies went through a two-part workplace assessment process. Part one of the assessment (worth 25 percent of the evaluation)
This special edition produced by:
consisted of a employer questionnaire about benefits, policies, practices, and
other general information. Part two of the assessment (75 percent of the evaluation) consisted of a 72-question, confidential employee engagement and
satisfaction survey. This comprehensive, two-part assessment allowed the
workplace experts at Best Companies Group to perform an in-depth analysis
of each company’s strengths and weaknesses and ultimately determine which
companies deserved to make the list. Susan Springer, Best Companies Group
Director of Workplace Assessments, managed the overall analysis process.
Companies received the in-depth employee feedback report, which showed
the percent of positive responses for each of the 72 questions, along with the
percent of positive responses within seven demographic categories (gender, age,
ethnicity, duration of employment, full- or part-time status, job role, and department). Companies received state benchmarking reports in which they could compare themselves against list-making companies and all participating companies.
More information about Best Companies Group is available at www.
BestCompaniesGroup.com. Information on the Best Places to Work in Connecticut program can be found at www.bestplacestoworkinct.com.
Hartford Business Journal (ISSN 1083-5245) is
published weekly, 53 x per year including three special
issues — one in September, one in November and one
in December — by New England Business Media LLC,
15 Lewis Street, Suite 200, Hartford CT 06103.
Periodicals postage paid at Hartford, CT.
Tel: (860) 236-9998 • Fax (860) 570-2493
Copyright 2014. All rights reserved.
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March 24, 2014 • Hartford Business Journal BPTW-3
Ranked #1
Winner
Consigli builds on family legacy
By John A. Lahtinen
Special to the Hartford Business Journal
T
he people at Consigli Construction are
extremely proud of their family-owned
business heritage.
Originally founded in 1905 as a masonry
contractor, Consigli has grown from its roots
as a well-respected local contractor to a leading construction manager and general contractor serving academic, healthcare, institutional, corporate, life sciences, landmark
restoration, and federal clients across New
England and New York.
In its second century of operation, the
company is now run by the fourth generation
of family ownership — President Anthony
Consigli and Vice President Matthew Consigli. With more than 625 employees including
71 new hires in 2013, the company generated
nearly $645 million of revenue in 2013 and is
projecting to reach $700 million this year.
Cynthia Croxford, project administrator
in Consigli’s Project Management Department and office manager in the Connecticut office for the past three years, said the
company not only supported her and gave
her the opportunity to change career paths
when she was hired, but Consigli believes
strongly in pulling its workforce from different job markets to provide diversity in
perspective and approach.
“In my previous career, I was a paralegal
in a law firm,” Croxford says. “Consigli saw
(Above) Consigli employees celebrate at last year’s Best Places to Work in Connecticut awards, where
the company also won first place. (Below) The company puts together a hockey team each year for
employees to compete. (Left) Consigli employees attend a gala for the Wadsworth Athenaeum
Museum of Art, one of the construction firm’s clients.
an opportunity in me to add a staff member
to the team that has a different view of the
world. They are not shy to take a chance on
a person that they feel will be a good fit on
their team.”
Croxford said what sets Consigli apart is
the company’s understanding that acknowledgement of hard work is the way to promote
the best performance out of an employee.
“If there is room for improvement, that is
communicated professionally and clearly,”
Croxford said. “There is no mystery as to
what is expected from employees – the bar
is set high – but the tools to succeed are well
within reach.”
Hand-in-hand with its commitment to
building great buildings, Consigli is equally
committed to building great people. This
commitment will be a huge focus in 2014.
Consigli University offers more than
5,500 hours of training through more than
130 classes, teaching both soft skills such as
communication, business writing, and negotiation, as well as technical subjects such
as OSHA Certification and safety protocol,
estimating, project management, software
training, and LEED certification classes. If a
subject isn’t offered in-house, employees can
take advantage of the company’s tuition reimbursement program for job-related classes
outside of the office.
Always looking for ways to bring
increased value, last year Consigli began an
initiative throughout the company based on
the principles of lean construction. This philosophy helps the company design and build
more efficiently by focusing on improving on
activities that add value and eliminating ones
that don’t.
Internally, Consigli holds a yearly off-site
retreat for all employees to discuss measurements and metrics from the previous
year and plans for the future. Employees are
asked to provide feedback on what could
be done differently to make clients happier
and make Consigli a better company. At the
annual gathering, awards are given to honor
employee achievements and the projects that
represent the very best of what Consigli has
built that year.
In addition to annual awards, the company regularly posts articles on its intranet
that highlight employee promotions, performance, achievements, significant life events,
and new hires.
Ron Perry, a project manager for almost
two years, said each and every team member at Consigli has the same passion for
excellence.
“It is as if we are brothers and sisters, not
co-workers,” Perry said. “We don’t want to let
our family down.”
Perry said in potential team members, he
looks for passion, work ethic, and the sense
that the right things should be done.
“It’s important if you are going to take
on any challenge, that you just love and
have faith in what you are doing,” Perry
said. “Culture, relationships, beliefs, attitudes, and goals are not just words, they
are a religion.”
●
▶▶ “It is as if we are
brothers and sisters,
not co-workers.
We don’t want to let
our family down.”
– Ron Perry, project manager at Consigli
Ranked #1
Winner
Small/Medium Company Category
Qualidigm continues focus on culture
By Karen Sackowitz
E
ven after a changeover in the executive
ranks, Qualidigm continues its emphasis on culture.
“When I came on board, I wanted to learn
about the existing culture. To gather information, we solicited feedback, surveyed the
staff, and ran a cultural survey,” said Tim
Elwell, who took the reigns as president and
CEO in April. “The results showed a clan-like
culture, meaning employees really care about
each other. It also showed that their ability to
learn and adapt is quite high.”
All of this bodes well, Elwell said, with the
new vision for the organization. While much of
the work at the health care consulting firm is
performed in the interest of government contracts, a new emphasis is being put on commercial work in an effort to fund efforts overall.
“For some, it is a different mindset to
think competitively and put together a sales
document; it’s an interesting process to go
through,” Elwell said. “We’re trying to create
an atmosphere of stewardship. We want individuals to do the right thing not because they
are told to by a superior, but because they
know it is in the best interest of the company.
It’s a much more empowering approach.”
Consulting Director
Michelle Pandolfi has
been with the company
for 11 years and said the
transition has been introduced with extensive
input from the staff.
“Tom works to maintain what makes Qualidigm Qualidigm, while
moving in the direction
we need to move as a
business,” Pandolfi said.
“The value and representation offered employees
here is phenomenal.”
Pandolfi said the collaborative effort of the
staff is also one of the organization’s greatest strengths.
“Everyone works as a team. There is no
saying ‘No, that’s your job’ or ‘That’s my job,’”
she said. “Everyone pitches in, and you can
always count on someone to be there for you,
whether you need to stay late to work on a
project or if you are out sick and need someone to pick up your work for you.”
Elwell said promoting an autocracy, more
of an entrepreneurial culture, is what drives
employees to think past the day-to-day and
drive toward the greater big picture.
“Everyone has a responsibility to evaluate
their own work process here. If you feel you
are underutilized, find something additional
that interests you within the company. Seek
it out and learn about it,” Elwell said. “When
you come to work, bring ideas. Challenge the
way we do things.”
Active involvement includes the company’s community-based efforts, said Anne
Elwell, vice president of community relations
“We get every employee invested, understanding why we do what we do,” said Anne
Elwell. “There are so many worthy causes to
get behind. We ask our employees to write
down who they would like to work with, and
then narrow it down to three or four events.”
(Above) Qualidigm participated in the 2013 Walk to End Alzheimer’s and was the top corporate fund
raiser for the Hartford walk. (Left) Celebrating the company’s 30th anniversary in November, Qualidigm
employees gathered enjoy a catered lunch and for the presentation of employee anniversary
certificates by CEO Tim Elwell. (Below) Employee awards include the Big Cheese award where workers
receive an actual chunk of cheese.
Recent employee-driven community campaigns involve the Walk to End Alzheimer’s,
for which the Qualidigm team was a top
fundraiser for Hartford County, and involvement in the Wounded Warrior Project to
help empower wounded military service
members.
“We solicit votes on our community projects because when we get behind something,
we do it 100 percent. It’s not just going to be
a brochure in the kitchen,” Anne Elwell said.
“We actively get behind our causes.”
Tim Elwell said as the company becomes
more competitive in the market place and as
employees embrace a stewardship model, the
hope is to migrate the company toward more
collaborative partnerships throughout New
England.
“The culture of New England is unique,
and the new processes we’re putting in place
help everyone,” he said. “The hope is to create
an innovation center around best practices.”
The future seems bright for the organization’s expanding plans, especially with a
consistently satisfied and fully engaged staff
behind the efforts.
“It’s like a family here,” said Pandolfi. “It’s
easy to work hard for people who have your
back and people you genuinely like.”
●
▶▶ “It’s like a family here. It’s easy to work hard
for people who have your back and people
you genuinely like.”
– Michelle Pandolfi, consulting director at Qualdigm
Ranked #2
Winner
Edward Jones caters to employees’ needs
By Ken Liebeskind
S
t. Louis financial services firm
Edwards Jones — with 60 branches in
Connecticut — attracts and maintains
talent by being flexible with employees and
their needs.
Marty McMahon, the advisor who heads
the Edward Jones Windsor office, said the
company’s willingness to work around their
employees’s lifestyles led him to join Edward
Jones 15 years ago.
“When I was making a career change I was
in branch banking and there were strict hours
to be there when the customers were there,”
McMahon said. “I had a 7-year-old son with
Asperger’s syndrome who had special needs,
and there were a lot of demands on my time.
“I had to go to planning sessions at school
and doctor appointments, he added. “At
Edward Jones, I was allowed to adjust my
schedule to meet my family needs. It meant
the world to me. I put in a lot of hours during
my first years. I worked hard, but I could take
care of my family.”
Cheryl Ranney, the Enfield advisor in
Enfield, came to Edward Jones 15 years ago
because it offered more stability than the
bank she was working for at the time.
“I was working in a bank as a financial services consultant, and it was in the process of
a merger,” Ranney said. “It would have been
the second merger, and every time it merges
your future is unsure. At Edward Jones, I was
able to open an office in the area I chose and
concentrate on serving my clients.”
The experience was so good that Ranney
helped her military veteran son get a job with
Edward Jones in Virginia.
“My oldest son was in the Navy, and when
his enlistment was up, he was looking for a
career,” Ranney said. “I thought he’d make
a great Edward Jones advisor. He’s smart
and caring, and Edward Jones likes to hire
ex-military.
“He wanted to live in the Chesapeake Bay
area of Virginia, so he went to Williamsburg
seven years ago and established an Edward
Jones office there, she added.
Advisors enjoy working at Edward Jones
because of its local service model said Jeff
Burdick, the Edward Jones regional leader
for Connecticut. It hires advisors and administrators and allows them to open offices in
locations they choose.
“It’s a great place to work because we
identify where we want to work, so there are
no commutes,” Burdick said.
The company’s goal is to provide personal
investment services for clients.
“We sit down with a five-step process,”
Burdick said. “We talk to clients about where
they are now, what is their current snapshot, we talk about their financial goals and
dreams, where they want to go in the future,
Jeff Burdick, the Edward Jones regional leader for Connecticut
and what they have to do to get there. We take
a holistic approach to investments and retirement planning.”
The company specializes in long-term
investment opportunities for seasoned
investors, including municipal, government
and corporate bonds, mutual funds, common
stocks, and tax-advantaged securities.
Ranney said Edward Jones employees
work well together and share a common
philosophy.
“Everyone who works for the firm has the
same values; we’re like an extended family,”
she said. “We’re all focused on the client who
sits in front of us, and our goal is to serve the
client like a well-tuned machine.”
Another key benefit to working at Edward
Jones is the money.
“There’s
unlimited
compensation,”
Burdick said. “We receive profitability bonuses three times a year based on the overall firm
and the particular branch.”
Edward Jones has received numerous
recognitions for employee satisfaction, from
Fortune Magazine, WealthManagement.com,
J.D. Power and Associates, Training magazine and SmartMoney.
Burdick said there are 60 Edward Jones
branch offices in Connecticut, and the company is looking to expand.
“We’ll add another 40 locations in Connecticut,” he said.
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Ranked #2
Winner
Adams & Knight emphasizes creativity, respect
By Alexander Soule
A
Adams & Knight has an employee think tank where team members brainstorm ideas.
“AKTV Counter Talk” videos regularly in
which employees discuss their strategies on
various campaigns while seated at the counter — it gives equal billing to its employees,
including their personal interests (in her own
online profile, Adams confesses a weakness
for theater and the movies, which in January
spurred her first visit to the Sundance Film
Festival in Utah).
For Pangakis, Adams & Knight has set the
bar very high as far as expectations of any
employer for the rest of her career.
“Honestly, you notice right when you
walk in the door that we have a little bit of
a different culture and approach,” Pangakis
said. “We’re laid back and we’re fun and we’re
creative, because that’s the basis of what we
do here, but we’re also all about the results.
Day-to-day, walking around, it’s people having brainstorms — images and creative and
taglines and photos, Post-its up on the wall ...
It’s a great feeling.”
●
Matthew J. Wagner Fine Photography
dams & Knight is not in a business
known for serving up subtleties.
For a testament, take a peek at its
award-winning advertising work for clients
like Hartford HealthCare, Mystic Seaport,
and the Council for Disability Awareness.
However, there is a nuanced message in
the full-scale diner that greets visitors to the
ad agency’s offices in Avon: in a marketing
world gone increasingly virtual, face-to-face
collaboration remains at the top of the menu.
That is the case at lunch (employees eat
free at the diner) and throughout the day
as strategists, account managers, programmers, social media specialists, and creatives
team up on various campaigns.
For Jill Adams, who launched the agency
25 years ago with Bill Knight, underpinning
that collaborative spirit is a culture of respect.
“It has to do with energized employees
who are passionate about the work they are
doing and the impact they are having on clients and their organizations,” Adams said.
“It’s about feeling that this is a place where
their ideas are heard; where they’re making a
difference; where they can accomplish something together that they couldn’t do alone.”
Brian McClear was working on his own,
freelancing as an illustrator to produce
concept storyboards for TV spots, when he
joined Adams & Knight nearly two decades
ago as one of the first five employees.
“It’s funny — even when we were in a
much smaller building, we had a little twobooth diner,” said McClear, who today is
senior vice president of marketing technology. “Though we didn’t have a full-size diner,
there was always this kind of idea of the
sense of collaboration, the sense of working
with people. It was always there.
“Even though so many things have
changed over the 17 years I’ve been here,
that little bit has remained unchanged — the
focus on the employees, the focus on providing a great environment to work, and that
sense of collaboration,” McClear said. “That
sense has carried through over the years
even as we have grown.”
Adams & Knight continues to hire, with
new employees including Emily Pangakis,
who parlayed an internship into a full-time
job last summer after graduating from
UConn, focusing on public relations components of marketing campaigns.
If the entrance diner is the most striking
visual element in the building, there are many
other design elements intended to unleash
outside-the-box thinking, Pangakis said,
including interiors that eschew straight lines
and a liberal peppering of iconic logos from
bygone days.
While Adams & Knight plays up its diner
in virtual marketing — for instance, it posts
Weddings at Belle Terrace
“Our wedding was more than we could have ever imagined. The venue—stunning, the food—
amazing, the staff—absolute professionals. And everything did go just as planned and looked
exactly as we hoped. Our guests raved about the venue and especially the food. The food is
above and beyond anything you have ever seen at a wedding or large reception. Engaged
couples out there, check out Belle Terrace! You will not be disappointed!”
– A Happy Bride & Groom
1 Nod Road, Avon, CT 06001
860.404.5051
avonbelleterrace.com
A Riverhouse Property.
Ranked #3
Winner
At Hinckley Allen, it’s all about teamwork
By John A. Lahtinen
L
aw firm Hinckley Allen enjoyed revenue
of nearly $90 million in 2013, a 10 percent increase over the previous year.
Managing Partner Marc Crisafulli said
the people at Hinckley Allen – all 316 of them
across six offices – make all the difference.
“We are driven to provide value to our clients and to deliver results for them,” said Crisafulli. “Our lawyers look to build long-term,
intimate relationships with our clients and
take great pride and joy in helping our clients
to achieve their objectives.”
For Crisafulli, watching the firm evolve
from a more traditional law model toward a
business-focused, team-oriented operation
has been the ultimate reward. The firm has
offices in Hartford, Boston, New York City,
Providence, Albany, and Concord, N.H.
“We believe in our people and invest in
their futures,” Crisafulli said. “It is wonderful
to see the combined, positive effects of adding great people while seeing the growth and
development in our existing people.”
In addition to bringing 60 new employees
on board last year, Hinckley Allen has been
involved in some major substantial projects.
The firm successfully represented The
Associated Press and reporter, Jack Gillum,
in their efforts to make public the 911 tapes
from the Newtown school shooting tragedy.
Hinckley Allen also represents Glastonbury’s
Rockville Financial in its merger with United
Financial Bancorp, Inc. of West Springfield,
Mass., which will create the largest community bank headquartered in the HartfordSpringfield market with $4.8 billion in assets
and more than 50 branches.
Crisafulli travels to each Hinckley Allen
office to speak with people about how things
are going, what they need to be successful,
to provide advice or suggestions he may have
for them.
“I love the people at Hinckley Allen,”
Crisafulli said. “We have a dedicated staff
that truly cares about our firm and our clients. They work well together and always find
a way to get the job done and get it done well. I
want to do everything I can to make the firm,
and each person in it, successful.”
When recruiting, the firm looks for people
with different backgrounds and experiences
to create a diverse group with varying perspectives. Most importantly, the firm looks
for talented people who fit in with the Hinckley Allen culture and are driven to be part of
that culture.
In addition to holding monthly socials to
encourage people to take a break and spend
time together, the firm is very focused on
the health and wellness of its employees.
This includes offering wellness seminars,
providing free fitness center access, having
fruit delivered to the office, and paying for
Hinckley Allen employees volunteering during a pledge drive at CPTV.
employees to participate in the Weight Watchers at Work Program.
Hinckley Allen is very involved in the communities it serves, supporting more than 100
community service initiatives. Employees in
the Hartford office formed a group called HAS
To Help, which organizes regular community
services projects such as volunteering at a
soup kitchen and putting together backpacks
full of nutritious food for children who would
otherwise have little to eat.
“You will not find a better team atmosphere anywhere,” said Megan McCormack,
the firm’s director of administration and
human resources. “Employees at Hinckley
Allen enjoy working collaboratively to tackle
problems and improve performance. We work
hard to maintain an environment in which
employees become personally committed the
goals of the firm and to each other.”
McCormack, who has been with Hinckley Allen for 11 years, said witnessing the
firm’s growth firsthand has been extremely
rewarding.
“I am proud of the accomplishments that
the firm has made and even more proud to
have played a role,” McCormack said. “In a
tricky economy, it is exciting to be a growing
firm that has the ability to hire people to work
in high quality and interesting jobs.”
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Winner
Winner
For SMC Partners,
it’s a game of sprints
SMC Partners had 27 employees and their family members participate in the Bay Path College Carpe
Diem 5K Dash.
By Alexander Soule
A
fter a 15-year hiatus to raise her children, Mary Degnan wanted one thing
above all else in reentering the consulting industry – to feel productive and
know she was adding value.
At SMC Partners, the Southbury resident
got just that: on day two, she found herself
dispatched on her first client assignment with
the firm.
Since then, Degnan has come to realize
she also got her No. 2 criterion: a firm that
rewards productivity with flextime for family needs.
“I want to feel every day I’m going to work
and I’m adding value to something,” Degnan
said. “Although I want to feel that way and
that’s very important to me, my family is
the most important thing to me. I need to
work for a company that respects that, that
respects my value system, and will accommodate me in that regard.”
Accommodating is not typically a word
one attaches to the consulting industry and
its deadline-oriented pressures, particularly at a firm with SMC’s focus: health care.
Degnan joined the Hartford firm last September, in the homestretch of the push to enact
federal health reform.
Launched by Accenture alumnus Scott
Cleary in 2007 on the eve of the economic
collapse, SMC grew throughout the recession thanks to its focus on implementing
health care processes. The mother of all
implementations emerged in 2010, after
President Obama signed the Affordable
Care Act.
During the feverish stretch up through
this past September, the worst element for
SMC staff was the uncertainty.
“We had an Oct. 1 deadline to be operational, and there were still unanswered
questions,” said Cleary, company president
and chief servant. “We couldn’t finish our
programming until (government agencies)
gave us the specs.”
All the while, SMC was staffing up to handle the workload, adding industry veterans
like Degnan as well as junior-level analysts
with little or no experience.
If SMC’s profile thrilled Degnan, Cleary is
quick to note that not all recent college graduates jump at the chance to start a consulting
career in Hartford.
“That’s a tough one for us, and we have
made some real inroads in this past year,”
Cleary said. “Here we are, a tiny little company in Hartford, competing against big firms
like Accenture and many others in places like
New York City and Boston. Why on earth
would you come to Hartford, Conn. to take
a job with SMC?
“What we talk about is the nature of the
work, the flexibility, and the teaching that
you’re going to get,” he said.
New arrivals get four weeks vacation,
competitive compensation, and a 401(k) plan.
SMC picks up the full premiums on the health
savings accounts it offers, while chipping in
$1,500 to defray any deductibles.
A positive attitude and a willing ear may
be the most important attributes Cleary has
demonstrated running SMC, said Kevin Stefanski, who has been with the firm since its
inception.
Consultants spend their careers parachuting into other companies, Stefanski
said, some of which may not share the same
ethos. That can be particularly formidable on
extended assignments in which the consultant is serving in a staff-augmentation role
– essentially on one’s own among strangers.
“It’s more challenging to keep that culture
with your firm,” Stefanski said. “You’re just
boots on the ground in another organization.”
Add to that the rigorous timetables
against which consultants deliver, and maintaining interpersonal connections becomes
paramount.
“It’s a game of sprints,” Cleary said. “We
don’t mind really putting the pedal to the
metal, working really hard to help a client
get a new system implemented by a deadline,
or get a new capability off the ground. But
then, maybe we can rest a little bit – recharge
our batteries, do some internal things, and
get ready for the next sprint, or the next push
at a client.”
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Meet the Winners
#4 COCC
#5 Citrin
#6 Skanska
Cooperman and
Company LLP
C
COCC CEO Richard Leone honors employees at a quarterly luncheon.
itrin Cooperman’s Norwalk office is a leading provider
of accounting and consulting services to businesses in
Fairfield County and across the state, offering a full suite
of client solutions including assurance, tax, valuation, business advisory, and forensic support services. Mark L. Fagan,
managing partner, said supporting employees’ professional
goals through mentoring and leadership programs is key to
the firm’s success. Encouraging a healthy work/life balance,
charitable initiatives, and even the opportunity for a onemonth sabbatical are part of the appeal.
C
OCC, a provider of industry-leading complete technology
services to banks and credit unions, is a mutual company
offering a high level of customer service for its shareholders.
COCC works to empower clients by giving them a voice in
determining their technology future, insisting on open communication, sharing best practices, and involving clients in
COCC’s strategic initiatives.
“This is an exciting time to work at the company,” said
COCC President and CEO Richard Leone. “There is a great
deal of activity and change happening. During 2013 we
renovated our future home: a state-of-the-art four-story,
71,000-square-foot building where our executive, client support, systems, development and sales and marketing divisions will be housed starting in January 2014. We are so
thrilled to once again be named one of Connecticut’s Best
Places to Work.”
Staff in Citrin’s Connecticut office volunteering at Citrin Cooperman
Cares, the company’s annual day of service.
Skanska employees sign a steel beam, honoring the company’s
contribution to construction.
S
kanska USA is one of the largest, most financially sound
construction and development companies in the country,
serving a broad range of industries including healthcare, government, and energy. Skanska is committed to a healthy work
environment. The company takes pride in its work and is guided by five core values: zero accidents, zero ethical breaches,
zero losses, zero environmental incidents, and zero defects.
Skanska aims to create a culture that empowers all
employees to prevent accidents so they get home safely to
their families each and every day. At Skanska, a culture of
inclusion so everyone feels respected, valued, and able to do
their best work. The firm recruits a diverse workforce and
has a successful track record involving minority and womenowned subcontractors.
Skanska prides itself on being a thought leader in green
building and provides employees with opportunities to reduce
environmental impact. The Green Auto Benefit encourages
employees to purchase fuel-efficient vehicles and the Commuter Program encourages use of public transportation.
What makes us one
of Connecticut’s Best
Places to Work?
Our people
At Skanska we don’t just build hospitals and educational facilities. We build careers.
We’re proud to provide our employees with opportunities to grow, prosper and
take on exciting challenges every day.
usa.skanska.com/careers
Meet the Winners
#7 ICON
#8 Burns &
International, Inc.
#9 Bearingstar
McDonnell
Insurance
B
The ICON team at the Stamford Boys & Girls Club’s RFR 5K Race
in May.
I
CON International is a specialized finance company. For
almost 30 years, the company has focused exclusively on
corporate barter transactions to help companies restore
value to underperforming assets and to fund corporate
expenses. Every transaction is designed to deliver maximum
value for clients. By working closely with clients to address
new business challenges as they occur, ICON’s experienced
team has pioneered many of the corporate barter innovations
that have become standard industry practice.
The firm caters to employees by offering employee bonuses, having a gym at the office everyone can use, offering dress
down days, involving them in the community through the
Stamford Boys & Girls Club and sponsoring the club’s 5K run
each year, participating in various sports leagues throughout
the year, and even offering paternity leave for fathers who
have or adopt children.
urns & McDonnell provides engineering, architecture,
construction, environmental, and consulting services to
clients throughout North America and abroad. The team of
more than 4,300 engineers, architects, scientists, planners,
estimators, economists, technicians, and other professionals
work together with one goal in mind – to make clients successful. Founded in 1898, Burns & McDonnell is 100 percent
employee-owned and has been named to Hartford Business
Journal’s Best Places to Work in Connecticut list for the past
three years. The company prides itself on its employee ownership culture and the difference it makes in everything the firm
does. It not only changes the way Burns thinks, it changes
the way Burns’ employees work, enhancing credibility in the
industries served.
Burns employees participate in the annual Bike MS event to aid
people with multiple sclerosis.
Bearingstar awards a $50,000 check for the !MPACT charity, which
tries to eliminate accidents caused by inexperienced drivers.
B
earingstar Insurance Agency, honored for the fourth consecutive year, is a member of the Arbella Insurance Group
that specializes in risk identification and protection for Connecticut businesses, families, and individuals. Expert agents
at 11 locations across the state work to find the right protection for clients’ home, auto, or commercial insurance needs.
Bearingstar is one of the top places to work because of its
commitment to community and teamwork. Employees value
how approachable the management team is, right up to the
company president. Bearingstar created communication and
focus groups to seek input from staff at all levels when making company-wide decisions. Bearingstar supports a number
of local charitable groups – including !MPACT and the Connecticut Association of Schools – and gives employees opportunities to volunteer. The company is truly committed to the
success and happiness of its 85 employees.
See the forest. See the trees.
As accounting professionals, it’s no surprise that we take a lot of pride in reconciling the
smallest details for our clients. But it’s just as important to see the big picture. We take the
time to get to know our clients and understand each business, its goals, its opportunities and
its threats. We think this makes us a little different. Our clients tell us it makes us better.
Federman, Lally & Remis – Not Your Typical Bean Counters.
231 Farmington Avenue, Farmington, CT 06032 | 860-678-7100 | www.flrcpa.com
Meet the Winners
#10 Bingham
McCutchen LLP
#11 American Eagle
#12 Kforce Inc
Federal Credit Union
A
Bingham insures to make its reception area friendly and
accomodating to guests.
B
ingham McCutchen LLP is an international law firm with
14 offices spanning the U.S., Europe, and Asia. The firm
focuses on financial services, litigation, and corporate work
for clients that range from financial institutions and global
corporations to government agencies, academic institutions,
and individual entrepreneurs. One of the firm’s hallmarks is
a strong workplace culture. The unique environment is frequently a tipping point in the decision to choose Bingham.
In every client outreach, every recruiting opportunity, every
internal celebration, the lawyers and staff take pride in the
fact that they can tout our impressive work, steady leadership, great benefits, inclusive culture, charitable work, and
the feeling of camaraderie that fills the halls. Bingham attract
employees — and clients — based on the firm’s character as
well as its momentum.
merican Eagle Federal Credit Union is member-owned,
not-for-profit financial services cooperative that is currently the largest community credit union in Connecticut
with more than 102,000 members and $1.4 billion dollars in
assets. The credit union was founded in 1935 and operates 17
branches in central Connecticut. Credit union membership
is open to people who live, work, worship, or attend school in
Hartford, Middlesex, or Tolland Counties.
American Eagle Federal Credit Union is committed to
improving the quality of life for those in the communities they
serve. The credit union has a history of community involvement in the categories of education and youth, basic human
needs, and community development.
Employees of AEFCU love working for the company
because it’s like being part of a big family. Even though it
has grown over the past few years, employees enjoy getting
together at company events throughout the year.
Employees on stage, enjoying refreshments following the allemployee annual meeting on Feb. 26th at the Bushnell in Hartford.
Employees gather at the Kforce office in October.
K
force is a professional staffing and solutions firm specializing in the areas of finance & accounting staffing, healthcare staffing & solutions , technology staffing, government
solutions, and outsourcing solutions.
Headquartered in Tampa, Kforce has matched job seekers
and employers since 1962. The company provides staffing services and innovative solutions through more than 60 offices
located throughout the United States and one in the Philippines. Kforce is dedicated to being the firm most respected
by those it serves.
The firm believes Great People = Great Results.
By understanding what drives specialty industries, becoming involved in communities on a professional and personal
basis, following a disciplined process of identifying quality
candidates, partnering with employers to understand their core
business and employment requirements, and delivering exceptional service, Kforce achieve great results for all concerned.
The company’s Connecticut offices are in Hartford, Shelton, and Stamford and specialize in accounting & finance,
and technology.
CONGRATULATIONS.
YOU’VE EARNED ADMIRATION
AND RESPECT.
As a proud supporter of the community, we
know the importance of recognizing people who
accomplish something that truly matters.
Improving the quality, safety and cost-effectiveness
of healthcare through transformational change.
Congratulations to all of Connecticut’s Best Places
to Work Honorees!
Peter Novak
General Agent
Charter Oak Insurance and Financial Services
76 Batterson Park Road
Farmington, CT 06032
860-674-1800
pnovak@financialguide.com
www.charteroakfinancial.com
LIFE INSURANCE + RETIREMENT/401(K) PLAN SERVICES
DISABILITY INCOME INSURANCE + LONG TERM CARE INSURANCE + ANNUITIES
MassMutual Financial Group refers to Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Co.
(MassMutual), its affiliated companies and sales representatives. Insurance products
issued by MassMutual (Springfield, MA 01111) and its subsidiaries, C.M. Life Insurance
Co. and MML Bay State Life Insurance Co. (Enfield, CT 06082). CRN201501-167769
Qualidigm is honored to be recognized
as one of the Best Places to Work in
Connecticut for the second year in a row.
Congratulations to all the finalists in this
year’s program!
1290 Silas Deane Highway, Suite 4A
Wethersfield, CT 06109
860.632.2008
Visit www.qualidigm.org to learn more about our healthcare consulting services.
Meet the Winners
#13 Stew Leonard’s
#14 Goodwin
#15 Benchmark
oodwin College’s core mission says the institution “educates a culturally diverse student population in an environment that builds bridges between education, commerce,
and community.” The college strives to be a vibrant educational community that embraces college, high school, and
early childhood learners in ways that guide them toward their
true potential and meaningful careers. Everyone including a
lead administrator, a long-time faculty member, an academic
advisor, or one of Goodwin’s many other employees, at the
end of each day they know that their work matters. From
the admissions officer who greets an applicant pursuing a
long-cherished degree to the teacher who sees the light bulb
go on when a student makes a connection to a new concept,
employees working at Goodwin play a part in success stories
every day.
Benchmark employees have fun with residents, such as letting them
throw pies during special appreciation events.
College
Senior Living
G
Stew Leonard’s holds Team Member Appreciation Day.
F
amily-owned farm fresh food grocer Stew Leonard’s began
as a small dairy store founded in Norwalk in 1969 with just
seven employees. Since that time, the company has grown to
become a nearly $400 million business with more than 2,000
team members across four stores, including more than 1,300
team members based at the three Connecticut stores. Stew
Leonard’s employs twice as many people per square foot as
the average food retailer and provides at least 50 hours of
training per year for full-time team members. Plus, advantages like Stew’s comprehensive benefits plan, extensive onsite medical screenings, and competitive pay package, which
includes profit sharing, helps to attract and retain some of
the very best talent in the business. Notably, 81 percent of the
management team from across the entire company has been
grown internally, and 31 percent Team Members have a family
member working at Stew’s.
A
Goodwin College gathers all its employees at its East Hartford campus.
t Benchmark Senior Living communities, every day is fun
and meaningful for residents and associates. Benchmark
Senior Living is committed to setting the standard of excellence in senior housing. Benchmark develops, owns, and
manages senior living communities in the Northeast, with
17 communities in Connecticut that include independent living, assisted living, memory care, and continuing care retirement communities. In addition to being a company that offers
growth, a strong benefits program, and The One Company
Fund that was designed to help associates in time of crisis
or unexpected hardship — Benchmark Senior Living is truly
family taking care of family. Associates are caring and compassionate people that are able to make a difference in the
lives of seniors and their families every single day.
Congratulations
Best Places to Work Winners!
tectonarchitects.com
Meet the Winners
#4 Fiduciary
Investment Advisors V
Fiduciary Investment Advisor employees participate at community
service day at Camp Courant.
F
iduciary Investment Advisors is an investment advisory
consulting firm providing consulting services to retirement plans (both corporate and municipal), endowments and
foundations, and high-net-worth families.
FIA is truly team-oriented, and no individual’s contribution goes unnoticed. FIA celebrates success every step of the
way, with free office lunches in honor of new client relationships, commemoration of employee anniversaries, a yearly
FIA anniversary celebration, as well as annual summer outings and holiday parties.
The firm acknowledges success by giving back to the community, participating in numerous events every year to raise
money for charity, such as the Spring Polar Plunge and the
Hartford Marathon. FIA’s Community Service Committee
sponsors programs throughout the year to contribute, both
financially and physically, to various local organizations.
With a focus on celebrating success, recognizing achievement, and giving back to community, FIA is truly a great place
to work.
#5 VLink Inc.
Link Inc. specializes in providing high value information technology talent resources for staff augmentation,
project support, and overall technology workforce solutions.
The service offerings include temporary consulting contract,
contract-to-hire, direct hire search, and fixed-price project
solutions.
VLink Inc. was established in 1999 and employs more than
150 consultants and support staff in the United States. The
company’s core business is focused on supporting clients’
information-technology contract staffing requirements, IT
staff augmentation, and project support for software development using Microsoft and IBM technologies.
For employees, the company emphasizes work-life balance with remote working capabilities and an annual holiday
party with quarterly team gatherings.
#6 Connecticut
Economic Resource
Center, Inc.
The CERC team at their annual event Celebrate CT!, which recognizes top economic development projects, programs, and leaders.
T
VLink held a special celebration to honor its new offices in South
Windsor.
he Connecticut Economic Resource Center, Inc. (CERC)
is a nonprofit corporation and public-private partnership
that provides clients with objective research, marketing, and
economic development services. Its mission is to provide
services consistent with state strategies, leveraging Connecticut’s unique advantages as a premier business location.
Through accomplished, professional staff, commitment to
customer service, and connection to a network of strategic partners, CERC has earned a reputation for excellence
in Connecticut’s economic development community. CERC
celebrated its 20th anniversary as a corporation last year, and
most staff members have been employed there for more than
half of that time. Its outstanding culture is a reflection of dedicated employees, and the diverse talents that each employee
brings to the company.
American Eagle Federal Credit Union is proud
to be one of Hartford Business Journal’s
Best Places to Work in Connecticut
for the third year in a row.
Bloomfield • Cromwell • East Hartford • Enfield • Farmington • Glastonbury • Manchester
Newington (Coming soon) • Plainville • South Windsor • Southington • Vernon • West Hartford
800.842.0145, ext. 5101 • americaneagle.org
Federally insured by the
National Credit Union Administration
Meet the Winners
#7 Prometheus
Research, LLC
Prometheans playing with the company’s new 3D printer.
P
rometheus Research’s mission is to help research institutions, healthcare organizations, and funding agencies
turn their data into a value-generating asset. Prometheus
offers integrated data management services, expert consulting, and software customization to deliver sensible solutions powered by their adaptable, web-based technology.
Prometheus’ unique combination of technical skill and deep
domain knowledge make them an ideal partner for building
centralized data repositories, supporting multidisciplinary
collaborations, and securely sharing sensitive data.
Prometheus Research prides itself on engaging in work
that is meaningful, and employees enjoy collaborating with
others who view their work as an opportunity to make the
world a better, smarter place. The environment is open,
informal, and, by the company’s own admission, nerdy. The
firm is dedicated to learning and to professional growth, and
Prometheus consistently looks for opportunities to increase
responsibilities to match abilities.
#8 Pullman &
F
#9 Primacy
Comley, LLC
ounded in 1919, Pullman & Comley has earned a reputation as one of the preeminent providers of legal services
in New England, serving clients throughout Connecticut,
the Northeast, and internationally. For more than 90 years,
Pullman & Comley has continued to grow and adapt to meet
clients’ changing needs, whether they are a small entrepreneurial firm, a mid-sized company, or a large established
organization.
The company employees are close and trusted partners to
clients, committed to providing the highest levels of service
and value through hard work, innovative thinking and delivering real results. The firm believes when clients are successful, it is successful.
For its employees, every year Pullman hosts an Animosity
Bowl, where partners and associates square off in a football
game. The law firm also hosts monthly Lunch n’ Learn meetings and strives to keep the small firm family atmosphere
while expanding its business.
Members of Pullman & Comley’s Diversity Committee at Celebrating
Diversity in the Greater Bridgeport Business Community event.
Celebrating the end of the year at the annual Primacy Bowl holiday
party at Laurel Lanes in Plainville.
P
rimacy is a full-service, award-winning digital agency that
helps mid-to-large size companies leverage interactive
channels to improve their financial and organizational performance. The company is known for creating digital experiences with meaningful impact.
Primacy combines lead-agency thinking with digital
acumen to deliver measurable, actionable results. Its core
strengths are in strategic, creative, technical, and interactive marketing services. The company serves a wide range
of local, regional, and global organizations from a variety of
vertical industries including financial services, health, education, consumer and manufacturing. What sets Primacy apart
from other digital agencies is that it never loses sight of the
fact that clients are paramount to success.
For employees, the company offers onsite wellness activities, flu clinics, career development and training. One of the
more unusual employee benefits is Primary’s organic garden
that includes a chicken coop that all employees participate in.
Bearingstar Insurance
is proud to be one of
Hartford Business Journal’s
Best Places to Work in Connecticut,
for the fourth year in a row.
W W W. B E A R I N G S TA R . C O M
Meet the Winners
#10 ADNET
Technologies, LLC A
ADNET employees wave their hands in the air because they care so
much about serving clients.
A
DNET Technologies, LLC, is an information-technology
and business advisory firm serving clients throughout the
greater New England and New York region. Founded in 1991,
ADNET’s mission is to become a trusted partner to clients,
supporting their growth and transformation.
ADNET works hard and plays hard; the team of dedicated
professionals is passionate about serving clients and celebrating success. Throughout the year, ADNET and its employees
are proud to donate time, resources, and financial assistance
to a wide variety of local charities that provide much-needed
support to the community.
“To learn that our policies and systems meet some of the
highest standards in our market, and more importantly, that
our employees deem us worthy to hold such a high honor is
an achievement we are truly proud of,” said Executive Vice
President Christopher J. Luise. “We are grateful to everyone
on our team for making ADNET such a great place to work.”
#11 IMCORP
#12 Media
Partnership Corp.
fter 19 years of business, IMCORP maintains a startup
feel combined with the excitement of a rapidly-growing global company. Recognized as UConn’s Top Startup
Company in 2012, IMCORP is also an INC 5000 Honor Roll
inductee for fastest growing firms in the United States for
five years running. IMCORP is ranked as the fastest growing private engineering firm in New England, fueled by its
employees’ commitment to innovation and technological
leadership. IMCORP has maintained the record growth
through a commitment to career development and continuous learning. The constantly growing work force enjoys
both opportunities to travel the country and headquarter
perks such as basketball, billiards, ping-pong, team walks,
and summer barbecues. Blending the fun environment of a
university startup with a strong service culture, IMCORP’s
employees enjoy the excitement of rapid growth with the
stability of sound professional management.
The Media Partnership Corp. team gathers at the company’s offices.
M
IMCORP employees enjoying a company picnic.
edia Partnership Corp. optimizes media solutions, ranging from mobile apps and social media to cable networks
and mailings. The success of clients including Aetna, L’Oreal,
and Fujifilm are testimony to how well the company’s people
people do it.
Employees take part in a host of fun and meaningful
events, including an annual inter-agency dodgeball tournament that promotes teamwork and healthy competition, and
the Caring About Cancer committee, which raises funds and
support for cancer-related charitable activities. The company
host breakfasts, holiday parties, and raffles, as well as quarterly themed happy hours (St. Patrick’s Day, Cinco de Mayo)
and a Decorate Your Space contest that spans themes like
summertime fun and holidays.
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ROOTS RUN DEEP
That’s why we’re proud to once again be named
a Best Place to Work in Connecticut.
Burns & McDonnell… improving the quality
of life in New England for more than 60 years.
it’s in print
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203-284-8590
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Engineering, Architecture, Construction, Environmental and Consulting Solutions
Meet the Winners
#13 Dur-A-Flex, Inc.
Dur-A-Flex at its Science Matters event, stimulating young minds
through exploration and discovery.
D
ur-A-Flex, Inc. is a privately-held, leading manufacturer
of quality epoxy, urethane, methyl methacrylate, and colored aggregates offering a complete line of high performance
polymer flooring and wall systems. The versatile seamless
applications provide improved safety, minimal downtime,
and easy maintenance to all industries.
Dur-A-Flex employs 98 nationwide, with 81 owners based
at company headquarters in East Hartford. Dur-A-Flex is a
great place to work primarily because of the company’s culture and the work ethic of its owners. Owners who take a
vested interest in the success of the company are rewarded
generously through company trips, an on-site gym and exercise program, bi-weekly massages, lunches, and themed
events. Dur-A-Flex owners are challenged to continuously
learn through the internal DAF University as well as external training. Owners give back by donating time and money
for the better of the communities in which they reside. The
camaraderie among owners is unparalleled.
O
#14 OFI
FI serves the education, healthcare, corporate, and
government arenas and takes pride in partnering with
clients to establish strong, long-term relationships. Herman
Miller, OFI’s signature line, is a global leader in sustainable
office products and inspires the company’s own green friendly office.
Founded in 1968, OFI is the region’s leading provider of
interior environments and creates clean, productive, and
inspiring spaces. Experts offer a full range of professional
services including design support, project coordination,
installation, refurbishing, and repair.
OFI encourages employees to grow their careers, get
things done, and have fun. The company prides itself on
using internal resources to maintain outstanding employee
morale and hosts a summer picnic, holiday gatherings, and
other social events throughout the year. Employees are also
encouraged to give back to the community and maintain a
productive work-life balance.
OFI employees gather at the company’s offices in May.
#15 Clarity Software
Solutions, Inc.
Clarity won the fastest growing software company honor at the
Marcum Tech Top 40 Awards in Connecticut.
C
larity Software Solutions, Inc. assists clients to optimize
customer relationships by enhancing flexibility and control over their document management and communications
delivery. Clarity serves various health insurance organizations around the country. Clarity’s custom solutions are built
within secure web-based technology, are easy to use and
allow a single communication to be published to any media
type – print, web, mobile or email.
Clarity just moved to a new state-of-the-art facility in
Guilford, where the company offers employees free coffee
and candy. Employees receive profit-sharing, and Clarity
puts on multiple events each year, including summer picnics,
lunches, and a year-end party. To keep its commitment to sustainability, Clarity keeps non-disposable utensils and plates
in its lunchrooms, has a recycling program, and uses motionsensored lighting to cut energy use.
#16 Mountainside #17 Travel Insured
Treatment Center
#18 WORX
International
T
Mountainside employees gather on the company’s porch at its
Canaan headquarters.
ravel Insured International is one of the leading travel
insurance providers, offering the highest quality worldwide travel insurance protection since 1994. Located in East
Hartford, the company offers an array of travel insurance protection benefits including emergency assistance and evacuation, trip cancellation and trip interruption protection, medical insurance, baggage insurance, airline ticket protection,
and more. Travel Insured maintains a network of more than
5,000 travel agents, tour operators, and specialty travel providers as well as provides 24/7 insurance assistance. Travel
Insured has been named a Best Place to Work in Connecticut
for three consecutive years and strives to maintain a positive,
open, and family-friendly atmosphere for all employees.
M
ountainside, a drug and alcoholism rehabilitation facility
located on 60 acres in Canaan, is nationally recognized
for the effectiveness of its addiction treatment programs.
“We strive to not only provide the absolute best rehabilitative care to our clients, but also make it a central goal to
create an engaging and rewarding workplace for all of our
employees by providing a positive work environment, excellent benefits, and ongoing training and development,” said
Nancy Degree, vice president of human resources.
To achieve its mission of providing an unsurpassed treatment experience for its clients, Mountainside relies on dedicated employees with the same vision of excellence. Ensuring
employees’ needs are met is central to Mountainside’s success. Employees praise the company’s generous compensation package, as well as its culture of open communication
and opportunity.
In 2014, Mountainside continues to expand services to clients and will complete construction on a new detox center,
extended care facilities as well as an outpatient and family
wellness centers.
WORX hosts an annual network night, where more than 150 colleagues, clients, community leaders and business contacts get a
unique chance to have fun and talk collaborative opportunities.
W
The Travel Insured team ran in the Warrior Dash in Thompson this
past September.
ORX is a nationally recognized branding, digital, and
marketing firm. Organizations come to WORX to solve
two big issues at once: how to define an ownable business
position, and how to generate revenue from it. Since managing multiple agencies is often a recipe for lost time and money,
organizations partner with WORX for single-source branding,
digital, and marketing solutions. Unlike many agencies who
tend to focus on visual communications, WORX does the heavy
lifting — building strategies and content not only for marketing but also for sales, operations, employee communications,
and community outreach.
This unique perspective — executed by an integrated
team of business strategists, creatives, and technologists —
is leveraged by a diverse set of companies around the corner
and corporations around the globe.
What makes WORX a great place to work is the palpable
energy — a unique sense of team collaboration — that helps
both employees and client partners truly grow.
Meet the Winners
#19 Capital
#20 Cooperative
Workforce Partners
Systems, Inc.
C
The Capital Workforce Partners team has an annual biking and
walking event to promote development among each other.
A
s North Central Connecticut’s workforce investment
board, Capital Workforce Partners is represented by a
consortium of 37 chief elected officials in the region, a volunteer 46 member board with more than 50 percent private
sector business leaders, and 45-person staff committed
to the development of workforce talent in our region. The
staff members are strategic and innovative in their thinking
and approaches, to prepare youth and adults to have skills
demanded by today’s businesses. Capital Workforce Partners
promotes and invests in youth and future workforce solutions, identifies and supports the development of sustainable
career paths for adults, assists employers helping them grow
and remain competitive, and convenes key partners to support the region’s job creation efforts. Whether it is through
the CTWorks Career Centers, Jobs Funnel, Mortgage Crisis
Job Training Program, Step Up wage incentive program, or
others, it’s all about jobs for people and people for jobs.
ooperative Systems is a leading information-technology
services provider with offices in Hartford and Boston.
Last November, the Coopsys team celebrated 20 years of
forward thinking IT, proving the Coopsys employee-centric
culture is good for business.
Sure, there are arcade games in the break room, and lots
of fun outings to enjoy, like bowling and cooking competitions, but the perks are not what drives the Coopsys team
to perform at their best every day. It’s about being part of
a collective energy and making meaningful contributions.
Cooperative Systems excels at creating a culture where
employees feel purposeful, connected, challenged, and
valued. Each member of the team is essential — the team
gels. The absence of one is a detriment to all. Taking a
proactive approach to creating a happy workplace and
committing to innovative improvements is what makes
Cooperative Systems a great place to work. Happy employees equal happy customers.
Cooperative Systems holds an Iron Chef Challenge for employees to
work together and compete against each other.
Shout it OUT!
Offer congratulations to
the winners, say why your
company is a great place
to work, and share these
stories and the digital edition
through Hartford Business
Journal’s social media,
including @HartfordBiz and
@HBJEvents on Twitter.
Visit www.HartfordBusiness.com/bptw
for links to winner profiles, the digital
edition and event photos!
As a national firm, we
have never lost sight
of our loyalty and
commitment to the
community in our
backyard. With our
deep expertise and
diverse skill-set, we
are able to provide
the local business
www.marcumllp.com
community with a
variety of services to
help them achieve
success.
Discover the
Difference
AS SUR AN C E I TA X I AD VISOR Y
International Member of Leading Edge Alliance
The List
The best places to work in Connecticut, large category
(List rankings based on employee survey and assessment conducted by Best Companies Group in Harrisburg PA..)
(200 or more U.S. employees)
Rank
Company
# Employees in
U.S.
# Employees in CT
Industry
Participated in 2013
Danielle Riley
Human Resources Manager
508-458-0547
driley@consigli.com
760
30
Construction
Y
Marty McMahon
Financial Advisor
860-688-0881
marty.mcmahon@edwardjones.com
35,353
124
Financial services
Y
Primary Contact
1
Consigli Construction Co., Inc.
100 Allyn St.
Hartford, CT 06103
860-741-9850; www.consigli.com
2
Edward Jones
Multiple Connecticut Locations
NA, CT NA
NA; www.edwardjones.com
3
Hinckley Allen (1)
20 Church St.
Hartford, CT 06103
860-725-6200; www.hinckleyallen.com
Jennifer O'Toole
Office Administrator
860-331-2684
jotoole@hinckleyallen.com
319
68
Legal
Y
4
COCC
100 Executive Blvd.
Southington, CT 06489
860-678-0444; www.cocc.com
Steve Guglietta
Communications
& Training Manager
860-674-5364
steve.guglietta@cocc.com
385
363
Technology - financial data
processing and related services
Y
5
Citrin Cooperman and Co. LLP
37 North Ave.
Norwalk, CT 06851
203-847-4068; www.citrincooperman.com
Jacqueline Weinstein
Human Resources Assistant
212-697-1000 ext. 1585
jweinstein@citrincooperman.com
502
24
Accounting - consulting
Y
6
Skanska
545 Long Wharf Dr., 6th Flr.
New Haven, CT 06511
203-859-7700; www.usa.skanska.com
Debbie Roman
Office Mananger
203-859-7707
debbie.roman@skanska.com
8,300
28
Construction
N
7
Icon International Inc.
107 Elm St., 15th Fl.
Stamford, CT 06902
203-328-2300; www.icon-intl.com
Robin Farrar
Human Resources Coordinator
203-328-2633
rfarrar@iconinternational.com
205
205
Financial services - corporate barter
transactions
Y
8
Burns & McDonnell
108 Leigus Rd., Ste. 1100
Wallingford, CT 06492
203-284-8590; www.burnsmcd.com
Jason Dunn
Human Resources Generalist
203-949-2338
jmdunn@burnsmcd.com
4,058
97
Engineering - consulting
Y
9
Bearingstar Insurance (2)
828 Sullivan Ave.
South Windsor, CT 06074 (3)
860-648-0307; www.bearingstar.com
Chris Carter
Human Resources Manager
& Agency Relations
617-328-2649
chris.carter@arbella.com
990
85
Insurance - non-healthcare
Y
Beth Chambers
Director of Communications
212-705-7177
beth.chambers@bingham.com
1,538
63
Legal
Y
Susan Bushnik
Vice President, Human Resources
860-568-2020
susan.b@aefcu.com
276
276
Credit Union
Y
Nadine Cedro
Field Director
860-291-6807
NCedro@Kforce.com
2,410
42
Staffing
Y
10
Bingham McCutchen LLP
1 State St.
Hartford, CT 06103
860-240-2700; www.bingham.com
11
American Eagle Federal Credit Union
417 Main St.
East Hartford, CT 06118 (3)
860-568-2020; www.americaneagle.org
12
Kforce Inc.
111 Founders Plz., Ste. 1501
East Hartford (4), CT 06108
860-291-6800; www.kforce.com
13
Stew Leonard's
100 Westport Ave.
Norwalk, CT 06851 (4)
203-847-7214; www.stewleonards.com
Karen Mazako
203-750-6517
kmazako@stewleonards.com
2,001
1,342
Retail - food
Y
14
Goodwin College
1 Riverside Dr.
East Hartford, CT 06118
860-528-4111; www.goodwin.edu
Alison Bonney
Executive Assistant to Provost/CFO
860-727-6761
abonney@goodwin.edu
377
377
Education
Y
15
Benchmark Senior Living
432 Buckland Rd.
South Windsor, CT 06074 (3)
860-281-2498;
www.benchmarkseniorliving.com
Timothy Reilly
781-489-7108
treilly@benchmarkquality.com
4,235
1,714
Healthcare - provider, senior care
Y
Source: Individual companies.
Note: This survey process and ranking were managed by the Best Companies Group in Harrisburg, PA. A two-part assessment was used, including an employer questionnaire and an employee survey. The scores were combined to determine the final ranking.
(1) Formerly Hinckley, Allen & Snyder LLP.
(2) A member of the Arbella Insurance Group.
(3) With other locations across CT.
(4) With two other locations in CT.
—Compiled by Brad Kane, Roger Magnus, and Heide Martin.
The List
The best places to work In Connecticut, small/medium category
(List rankings based on employee survey and assessment conducted by Best Companies Group in Harrisburg PA..)
(15-199 U.S. employees)
Rank
Company
# Employees in
U.S.
# Employees in CT
Industry
Participated in 2013
Joanne Draper
860-613-3696
jdraper@qualidigm.org
50
43
Non-profit - healthcare quality improvement
consultants
Y
Edgardo Rossetti
Public Relations Program Manager
860-676-2300
edgardo.rossetti@adamsknight.com
57
57
Digital marketing/advertising/public relations/
social media
N
Patty Matthews
Marketing Manager
860-240-5600
pmatthews@gosmcpartners.com
40
40
Consulting - health care, health insurance,
social services
N
Primary Contact
1
QUALIDIGM
1290 Silas Deane Hwy., Ste. 4A
Wethersfield, CT 06109
860-613-3696; www.qualidigm.org
2
Adams & Knight Inc.
80 Avon Meadow Ln.
Avon, CT 06001
860-676-2300; www.adamsknight.com
3
SMC Partners, LLC
10 Columbus Blvd., 2nd floor
Hartford, CT 06106
860-240-5600; www.gosmcpartners.com
4
Fiduciary Investment Advisors
100 Northfield Dr., 4th Flr.
Windsor, CT 06095
860-683-1187; www.fiallc.com
Kristen Klaus
Marketing Consultant
860-697-7457
kklaus@fiallc.com
40
40
Financial services - investment consulting
Y
5
VLink Inc.
701 John Fitch Blvd.
South Windsor, CT 06074
860-247-1400; www.vlinkinfo.com
Michael Mueller
Senior Vice President,
Sales & Operations
860-247-1400 x115
michael.mueller@vlinkinfo.com
116
38
Technology - IT staffing and software
consulting
Y
6
Connecticut Economic Resource Center Inc.
805 Brook St., Bldg. 4
Rocky Hill, CT 06067
860-571-7136; www.cerc.com
Gretchen Deans
Director of Administration
860-571-7174
gdeans@cerc.com
15
15
Non-profit - economic development services
N
7
Prometheus Research LLC
55 Church St., Ste. 700
New Haven, CT 06510
800-693-9057 ; www.prometheusresearch.com
Cheryl Liane Stephenson
Business Manager
203-672-5849
cheryl@prometheusresearch.com
28
21
Technology - bioinformatics
Y
8
Pullman & Comley LLC
850 Main St., 8th Fl.
Bridgeport, CT 06604
203-330-2000; www.pullcom.com
Shirley Veillette
Human Resources Coordinator
203-330-2006
sveillette@pullcom.com
160
160
Legal
Y
9
Primacy
1577 New Britain Ave.
860-679-9332; www.theprimacy.com
Debra Peterson
& Organizational Development
860-404-3359
Deb.Peterson@theprimacy.com
84
84
Advertising/public relations/marketing
Y
Faith Antion
Marketing Manager
860-409-1703
fantion@thinkADNET.com
41
41
Technology - IT support
N
Marcia Guzy
Director, Human Resources
& Accounting Manager
860-783-8142
marcia.guzy@imcorp.com
70
70
Engineering - cable management
Y
Danielle Dorter
Senior Vice President
& Director Human Resources
212-907-7043
ddorter@idmediaww.com
22
20
N
Edward Cullen
Chief Financial Officer
860-282-4141
ECullen@dur-a-flex.com
92
74
Manufacturing - commercial & industrial
flooring
N
Joanna Kress
Marketing Coordinator
860-257-5352
jkress@myofi.com
40
38
Furniture/office environments
Y
Amy Dickman
Director of Human Resources
203-453-3999
careers@clarityssi.com
63
63
Software - health insurance document
management
N
10
ADNET Technologies LLC
312 Farmington Ave.
860-409-1700; www.thinkADNET.com
11
IMCORP
50 Utopia Rd.
Manchester, CT 06042
860-783-8000; www.imcorp.com
12
Media Partnership Corp.
800 Connecticut Ave., 3rd Flr.
Norwalk, CT 06854
203-855-6711; www.mediapartnership.com
13
Dur-A-Flex Inc.
95 Goodwin St.
860-528-9838; www.dur-a-flex.com
14
OFI
28 Garfield St.
Newington, CT 06111
860-257-5352; www.myofi.com
15
Clarity Software Solutions Inc.
92 Wall St., Ste. 1
Madison, CT 06443
203-453-3999; www.clarityssi.com
16
Mountainside Treatment Center
187 South Canaan Rd.
Canaan, CT 06018
860-824-1397; www.mountainside.com
Nancy Degree
860-362-5011
nancy.degree@mountainside.com
73
73
Human Services - provider - substance abuse
treatment center
Y
17
Travel Insured International
52-S Oakland Ave.
800-243-3174; www.travelinsured.com
Bernadette Bolton
Cultural & Corporate Trainer
800-243-3174 x209
bbolton@travelinsured.com
91
84
Insurance - non-healthcare
Y
18
WORX
18 Waterbury Rd.
Prospect, CT 06712
203-758-3311; www.worxbranding.com
Grant Copeland
President
203-758-3311
gcopeland@worxbranding.com
18
18
N
19
Capital Workforce Partners
1 Union Pl.
Hartford, CT 06103
860-522-1111; www.capitalworkforce.org
Helen Bergin
Human Resource Specialist
860-899-3482
hbergin@capitalworkforce.org
45
45
Services - workforce training
N
20
Cooperative Systems Inc.
80 Lamberton Rd.
Windsor, CT 06095
860-523-1000; www.coopsys.com
Scott Spatz
Vice President, Sales &
Administration
860-768-3004
sspatz@coopsys.com
22
21
Technology - IT services provider
N
Source: Individual companies.
Note: This survey process and ranking were managed by the Best Companies Group in Harrisburg, PA. A two-part assessment was used, including an employer questionnaire and an employee survey. The scores were combined to determine the final ranking. Note: This
survey process and ranking were managed by the Best Companies Group in Harrisburg, Pa. A two-part assessment was used, including an employer questionnaire and an employee survey. The scores were combined to determine the final ranking.
—Compiled by Brad Kane, Roger Magnus, and Heide Martin.
Focus: Repeat Winners
BPTW vets share dedication to team, culture
By John A. Lahtinen
F
rom holiday dinners to awards to
tuition reimbursement, the companies
named to the Best Places to Work list
often share some common practices.
But, the names that appear on the list on
a regular basis — the repeat winners — take
things a step further to tae care of and recognize the efforts of their employees, and they
do so year in and year out.
Of the 35 winners of this year’s Hartford
Business Journal’s Best Places to Work, 21
were winners last year. That includes a repeat
by Qualdigm in the No. 1 spot for the small and
medium employer category and Consigli Construction repeating as the No. 1 large employer.
“As an employee, I have been made to feel
that what I do and what I contribute matters
and is noticed,” said Cynthia Croxford, project administrator in Consigli’s project management department.
Culture is important at Hartford law firm
Pullman & Comley. Chairman Tim Shearin
said the culture is integral to the way Pullman’s 161 employees work.
Pullman placed sixth on last year’s list
and placed eighth this year.
“Our success has always been built by
every member of our firm where each of us
takes great pride in teamwork and respect in
working with each other, for our clients and
in giving back to our communities,” Shearin
said. “We are bound together by more than just
economic ties. We are bound together because
we truly enjoy one another’s company. And,
because of that, the firm
has and always will support its employees and
their concerns.”
This year, two of
Pullman’s lawyers started the LGBT Section of
the Connecticut Bar
Tim Shearin,
Association. The firm’s
Pullman chairman
diversity
committee
arranged for employees
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to spend Martin Luther King Day painting an
emergency shelter in Bridgeport. Through
dress-down Fridays, Pullman raised tens of
thousands of dollars from employee contributions to spend on charitable causes and
community foundations.
“Involve your employees in decisionmaking,” Shearin says. “Let them know how
valuable and important their ideas are. If they
have great ideas, give them the OK to run with
them and be certain to give them credit.”
Stew Leonard’s, which placed 13th in
the large company category both last and
this year, has 1,249 team members working
in three Connecticut
stores. The company
made 329 hires in 2013.
“We try to recognize
our team members’
hard work and dedication through things
like profit sharing, SunDan Papermaster,
day premium pay, and
Bingham managgreat healthcare bening partner in
efits,” said Jill Leonard
Hartford
Tavello, vice president
of culture and communication at Stew Leonard’s.
Store managers often reward team members for a job well done with Moo Notes,
special notes of recognition that entitle the
team member to a free lunch. Last year, Stew
Leonard’s gave out more than $25,000 in free
lunches in Connecticut. “To make sure our team members have
time for their families, we offer flexible
schedules so that they can attend things like
their children’s sporting events, recitals, and
doctors’ appointments,”
Tavello said.
At
Bingham
McCutchen in Hartford,
the firm takes steps
to help its 60 employees professionally and
personally. Bingham
Jill Leonard Tavello,
placed 14th in the large
VP of culture at
company category last
Stew Leonard’s
year and improved to
10th place this year.
“One of the hallmarks of our firm is a
strong workplace culture,” said Dan Papermaster, managing partner of Bingham’s Hartford office. “We consider ourselves a learning
organization, preparing our people for a constantly evolving legal industry.”
Bingham’s Learning & Development
Department regularly hosts training sessions
for lawyers, and each of the firm’s practice
areas offers comprehensive in-house legal
training typically led by experienced partners, all of which are coordinated to provide
bar-required continuing education credit.
Bingham has adopted several measures
— including a part-time policy for lawyers
and staff, back-up child care, and a sharedleave program where employees can donate
unused sick and vacation time – to help its
employees to not only function at the highest
level of the profession but also devote time
and energy to their personal live.
“We consistently hear from candidates
that what sold them on Bingham was the
people they met with and the feeling they had
interviewing here,” Papermaster said. “It is
the same with our legal work. We provide our
lawyers with training and resources, but they
are consistently in demand because of their
reliability, cross-office collaboration with

colleagues, and consistent attitudes.”
Pu
b l i s h i n g
Ju
n e
, 2014
|
in Pr
i n t
a n d
On
l i n e
Be a Part of Doing Business
in Connecticut.
Overview:
D
oing Business in Connecticut is an annual glossy four
color magazine in print and digital format showcasing
Connecticut’s many economic development opportunities,
and the attributes that make Connecticut a special place to
work, live and play.
Doing Business in Connecticut will examine the many
advantages Connecticut offers companies to grow their
operations in the state and highlight why Connecticut is
in a prime position to attract new business. Doing Business
in Connecticut is designed to provide government officials,
presidents, CEOs, owners, and top level executives an
overview of resources.
Content to include:
■
Growth industries and industry clusters
■ Key
employment sectors
■ The
leaders and innovators making a difference
■ Connecticut
■ And
Facts and Figures
More
Distribution Plan:
Founding Partners:
Doing Business in Connecticut will be published in print,
as well as available online! It will be distributed statewide,
nationally and internationally to targeted audiences,
through a variety of partners and outlets. 30,000 copies will
be produced and distributed over a year long period. The
online version will be refreshed throughout the year.
Founding Partners:
Participation Opportunities:
Presenting / Founding Sponsorships
Sector Sponsorships
Research Sponsorships
Company Profiles
Advertising
A Publication Of:
For more information contact
Donna Collins, Associate Publisher
at 860-236-9998 ext. 121.
Or dcollins@HartfordBusiness.com
Publication Date: June, 2014
Reservation Deadline: April 30, 2014
Our People Make It Possible. Our staff of experienced and knowledgeable professionals are ready to help your company and its employees reach their re�rement goals. Whether you’re looking for pension and actuarial consul�ng, re�rement plan services and advice, or investment advisory and wealth management, we have all the resources you need under one roof.
we have the all the resources you need under one roof. Leverage our experience. Contact us today. Congratula�ons to the 2014 Best Places to Work in CT award winners. Pensions Re�rement Plan Services Investment Advisory Wealth Management hhconsultants.com | 860.521.8400 Investment advice is offered through Hooker & Holcombe Investment Advisors, Inc. (HHIA), an SEC Registered Investment Adviser.

WORKHARD. PLAY HARD.

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