Columbus CEO - 2024 Top Workplaces

EXCEPTIONAL EMPLOYERS

Our 2024 Top Workplaces winners feature organizations of all types and sizes, including for-profit, nonprofit and government. Learn who the 85 honorees are and how they work to cultivate environments where employees thrive.

Oakwood is proud to be the largest multifamily property management company in Central Ohio, managing over 12,000 units. For more than 50 years, Oakwood’s apartments have featured unique layouts, spacious interiors, unbeatable amenities, immaculate grounds, and friendly staff. Visit Us Online to Learn

2 COMPANIES 1 PHILOSOPHY PEOPLE FIRST

Thank you to our employees who voted our companies as Top Workplaces.

Our people carry on the Worthington Industries legacy as Worthington Enterprises and Worthington Steel. Visit our websites to explore career opportunities.

HMethodology

ow do you judge the quality of a workplace? Ask the experts: the employees.

For the 12th year, employee survey firm Energage has partnered with Columbus CEO to determine the top places to work in Central Ohio. It’s not a popularity contest, and not everyone gets a blue ribbon. A select few are honored based on a scientific survey process.

Energage administers an employee survey that covers 24 factors and takes just a few minutes to complete. The survey asks employees to offer feedback about such things as pay and benefits, direction, leadership, meaningfulness and appreciation. Energage crunches the feedback data and scores companies based on the responses.

There is no cost to participate in Top Workplaces and no obligation to purchase any product or service. For 2024, 2,570 organizations were invited to survey their

employees, and 148 agreed to do so. Based on the survey feedback, 85 have earned recognition as Top Workplaces in the Columbus region.

“Being honored with a Top Workplaces award is a distinctive mark of excellence, setting companies apart in a recognizable way,” says Eric Rubino, Energage’s CEO. “Top Workplaces embody the highest standards, and this award, rooted in authentic employee feedback, is a point of immense pride for company leaders.”

The program is open to any employer with 50 or more employees in Central Ohio. Survey results are valid only if at least 35 percent of employees respond; employers with fewer than 85 employees have a higher response threshold, requiring responses from at least 30 employees. Employers earn Top Workplaces recognition if their aggregated employee feedback score exceeds national benchmarks.

Employers are grouped into similar sizes to best compare similar employee experiences. Energage has established those benchmarks based on feedback from about 30 million employees over 18 years. Participants are ranked within those size groups based on the strength of the survey feedback.

There are a few reasons why you might not find a particular company on the list. Perhaps the organization chose not to participate. Or, the employee survey feedback might not have been strong enough to merit recognition. It also might not have been large enough to meet participation standards, or not enough employees responded.

Energage runs tests on survey feedback and in some cases may choose to disqualify organizations, for example, if a high number of employees said they felt pressured into answering positively.

To participate in the 2025 Top Workplaces awards, or for more information about the program, go to the nomination page at columbusceo.com/nominate.

–Bob Helbig, Energage

These 85 organizations are the 2024 Top Workplaces. They are listed by their rankings, which were determined by Columbus CEO research partner Energage, in three size categories based on the number of Columbus region employees. Data is current as of employee surveys from late 2023.

(125 TO 349 EMPLOYEES)

LARGE ORGANIZATIONS (350 OR MORE EMPLOYEES)

MIDSIZE

Special Awards

16 Winners Earn Special Awards

The recipients of these 14 Special Awards were chosen based on standout scores for employee responses to specific survey statements. Employees rate these statements on a seven-point scale, from strongly disagree to strongly agree.

LEADERSHIP

I have confidence in the leader of this company.

Large

Midsize

Small

Mike Fitzpatrick

Elford

Julie Erwin Rinaldi Syntero

Kathy Keeney

Boss Gal Beauty Bar

DIRECTION

I believe this company is going in the right direction.

DHL Supply Chain North America

MANAGERS

My manager helps me learn and grow. My manager cares about my concerns.

Total Quality Logistics – TQL

NEW IDEAS

New ideas are encouraged at this company.

Arvo Tech DOERS

At this company, we do things efficiently and well.

S-S Bendure & Hartwig

MEANINGFULNESS

My job makes me feel like I am part of something meaningful.

Make-A-Wish Ohio, Kentucky & Indiana

VALUES

This company operates by strong values.

Renier Construction Corp.

CLUED-IN SENIOR MANAGEMENT

Senior managers understand what is really happening at this company.

Daugherty Business Solutions

COMMUNICATION

I feel well-informed about important decisions at this company.

Leading EDJE

APPRECIATION

I feel genuinely appreciated at this company.

Worthington Industries

WORK/LIFE FLEXIBILITY

I have the flexibility I need to balance my work and personal life.

Transportation Research Center Inc.

TRAINING

I get the formal training I want for my career.

Keller Williams Consultants Realty

BENEFITS

My benefits package is good compared to others in this industry.

PITT OHIO

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AWARD

New to Columbus CEO’s Top Workplaces for 2024, this award recognizes the positive impact an organization has on the community at large: My employer is socially responsible in the community.

Dawson

Engaged Employees

How four of this year’s Top Workplaces winners—including a 12-timer and a newcomer— strive to create cultures that support workers and customers.

By KATY SMITH

Brian Reynolds, trained as an architect, worked as a consultant with Renier Construction Corp. for years. He loved doing business with the design-build company serving many auto dealerships. Projects were carried out fairly and on time, and he found the people positive and helpful.

So when Renier founder and chairman Bill Heifner asked Reynolds to join the company as his successor, Reynolds jumped at the chance. He became Renier’s president and CEO a year later, in 2020. He says the job is just what he’d hoped for: the chance to lead a team of people continually focused on doing the next right thing.

It seems a simple maxim that the best workplaces are positive ones. They foster employee engagement by sticking to a set of tried-and-true practices, such as uniting around a common mission, listening to team feedback and honoring employees’ needs outside work.

The best employers score high on 24 so-called “positivity” measures included in the annual Top Workplaces survey. Employees share anonymous feedback, and themes emerge to paint a picture of life inside the organizations. This year, these three positivity measures showed the biggest gains over last year among participating companies: work-life balance, “clued-in employees” (a communication metric) and values.

Here’s a look at how some of this year’s Top Workplaces—Renier, Advocate RCM, Transportation Research Center Inc., and Worthington Steel and Worthington Enterprises (formerly Worthington

ABOVE: Employees work on a sound test at Transportation Research Center Inc.

Industries)—drive outstanding culture by engaging employees.

Doing the Next Right Thing

The Renier commitment to doing the right thing is evidenced by the 63-person staff’s responses to this year’s Top Workplaces survey. The company is a first-time winner and also received the Special Award for Values because so many team members responded positively to

the statement, “This company operates by strong values.”

The win is affirmation of Renier’s emphasis on four core values since its founding in 1980, Reynolds says. They are: integrity, relationships matter, help first and driven by excellence.

“Integrity is the bedrock of our identity,” Reynolds says. “Bill Heifner could tell you a great story about how he learned that concept from his dad, who owned

LEFT: Renier Construction Corp. employees check work performed on a job site.

BELOW: Worthington employees volunteering at the Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens.. COURTESY RENIER CONSTRUCTION CORP. COURTESY

a sporting goods store. Integrity is doing the right thing, even when no one’s watching—and even when doing the wrong thing is easier or cheaper.”

Long term, doing the right thing builds relationships, which is crucial to a company’s success, Reynolds says. Renier prizes its multigenerational relationships with family-owned auto dealerships. “A lot of these partners have become authentic friends, not just clients,” he says.

Renier sets itself apart by prioritizing transparency and making the process of building a dealership as clear and predictable as possible. “We are averse to change orders. Our whole process is designed to eliminate surprises and change orders. That’s kind of unusual in the construction industry,” Reynolds says.

Before he joined Renier, Reynolds says the company’s help-first mentality made it a wonderful business partner to his architecture practice. “I could call anyone here, and they would answer the phone. If I had a question or needed help with something, they would stop what they were doing, and they would help me. That continues to be such a big part of the culture at Renier.”

Clearly Communicating Values

When the board of 12-time Top Workplaces winner Worthington Industries decided to split the company

in two, there were a lot of questions— understandably. Its tenured workforce of more than 9,000 would become two workforces of roughly half that number each, with new management for half the business. The publicly traded company founded in 1955 by John H. McConnell, who also founded the Columbus Blue Jackets, transformed as of Dec. 1 into Worthington Steel and Worthington Enterprises, both publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange.

Worthington Enterprises (NYSE: WOR) is a diversified metals designer and manufacturer with 5,000 employees, 1,120 of them in Central Ohio. Its leader is President and CEO Andy Rose, who was at the helm of Worthington Industries at the time of the split.

Worthington Steel (NYSE:WS) makes its business in carbon flat-roll steel processing, electrical steel laminations and custom-welded solutions, with 4,600 employees, 670 of them in Central Ohio. Its new President and CEO Geoff Gilmore is anything but new to the company—he worked at Worthington Industries for

25 years before being promoted to lead Worthington Steel.

The two companies recorded $4.9 billion in revenue in fiscal 2023 as Worthington Industries. They’re still very much together in a number of ways. They have headquarters next door to each another on West Old Wilson Bridge Road. And their company values are identical.

“Mr. Mac [as John H. McConnell was called] put down on paper what we call our philosophy back in the 1960s,” Rose says. “We believe people are our most important asset, and we’re a Golden Rule company,” Rose says. “That doesn’t mean we don’t work hard and challenge people, but we do it in a nice way.”

The Worthington philosophy and culture are nonnegotiable for both companies, Gilmore says. A lot changed with the split. Employees who had worked alongside one another for decades ended up in different companies that each have their own marketing, finance and human resources divisions. Still, “we wanted to be crystal clear that our culture would live on after the separation. It speaks

ABOVE: Team Renier at American Heart Association Field Day

RIGHT: Renier built the corporate headquarters for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing in Zionsville, Indiana.

volumes that 99 percent of the new leadership team at Steel were Worthington Industries employees,” Gilmore says.

Internal employee engagement surveys before and after the separation bear witness to the cohesive culture, too: Scores did not drop during the process, Rose says. “We have a lot of trust with our employees,” he says. “We did a lot communicating to them about why we were doing this and that it would be beneficial for all of our employees.”

Flexibility to Have a Life Outside Work

Like many businesses, the staff at Advocate RCM (which stands for Revenue Cycle Management) worked in the office full time for its entire 22-year existence. That all changed in March 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the world.

Almost overnight, the medical billing and office support company that works primarily with radiology practices was able to shift its operations to a remote setup, thanks to the work of its dedicated technology team. “It was a heavy lift, obviously. But we were able to do it quickly,” says Advocate CEO Todd Walker. “The experience taught us there is a different way we can do business. We found it’s not as important to have people sitting within your four walls of bricks and mortar if

we give them the tools they need.” The company supports work-from-home employees with full computer kits and big screens for their home offices.

The switch has created a culture at Advocate where employees feel they can do their jobs and care for their families without having to sacrifice one for the other, Walker says.

Remote work has had other advantages: Advocate can hire people who live far from its Dublin headquarters. It now has 376 employees in 26 states, with 174 in Central Ohio.

Employees from across Advocate mentioned flexibility in their comments on the Top Workplaces survey for 2024. “I love my job because by having a flexible start and end time, I can more easily make time for appointments, family obligations and personal matters,” said one.

“I love that my job gives me the flexibility to work from home and make up any hours I missed without using PTO,” said another respondent.

While most of Advocate’s workforce is not based in the office, there are some jobs that require manual, paper-based processes and live physician signatures, necessitating a hybrid arrangement. And some employees prefer to work in the office most of the time. “Personally, I have always felt that we needed to make work as flexible as possible to meet our employees’ personal needs,” Walker says. “Some people might have impediments to being able to work full time, and if we give them flexibility, maybe that opens the door for them.”

Advocate was acquired by Dallas-based Ventra Health, a larger company providing similar services, in early 2024.

RIGHT: Advocate RCM has donated more than 100 toys to Toys for Tots in the last two years for its annual holiday charity drive.

BELOW: The CEOs of Worthington Enterprises and Worthington Steel shake hands on the first official business day for both companies. Pictured (from left): Andy Rose and Geoff Gilmore.

Leaders Who Actually Want to Field Questions

East Liberty-based Transportation Research Center Inc. also received praise from employees regarding work-life balance—so much so that it won the Special Award for Work/Life Flexibility.

The independent mobility testing service provider for automotive companies, governments, trade associations and educational institutions makes its home on a 4,500-acre campus, and much of its work is hands-on. But the roughly 450 employees can take advantage of differing work styles according to their needs. While people performing vehicle testing work in-person, research and administrative employees may work remotely.

No matter the arrangement, TRC has the same emphasis for all staff: their health and happiness. Evidence of that is the company’s recent expansion of its paid-leave offerings. “The decisions that are made on a daily basis are really focused on the health of our employees, mental and physical,” says Allison Kendor, chief people officer. “Work-life

balance has been a huge priority as long as I’ve been here.”

Founded in 1974 as a state of Ohio agency, TRC leases land owned by Honda and operates as an affiliated entity of Ohio State University. The 501(c)(3) nonprofit had revenue of $64.8 million in 2023 from a diverse, confidential client roster.

The culture that respects and honors staff members’ time and health also values their opinions. CEO Brett Roubinek routinely encourages the team to “bubble up” any thoughts, concerns or questions. “He is a very strong advocate of always asking questions, and each time we get together with employees, he’s always saying bubble it up, ask questions,” Kendor says. “He truly drives an open-door policy at TRC.”

The organization’s culture is intentional, she says. A culture task force from departments and levels across TRC meets regularly, and one of its recent initiatives is creating an environment of psychological safety. “We want to make sure we’re really taking the time to check in and listen to and follow up on what employees are saying,” Kendor says.

As an engineering and testing firm tasked with providing solutions, collaboration and creativity are TRC’s most powerful tools. With a foundation of psychological safety, great ideas can come forth without fear of being labeled as “crazy,” she says.

Katy Smith is a freelance writer.

An employee tests a tire at Transportation Research Center Inc.

Investing in Employees

DHL Supply Chain North America’s certification and leadership programs boost engagement and retention.

By KATY SMITH

Photos by TIM JOHNSON

During the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, DHL Supply Chain North America’s team faced big obstacles when distribution centers were shut down and global freight shipping came to a standstill. In the years that have followed, DHL has leveraged innovative team thinking to make supply chains more sustainable and more resilient even while processing historic increases in shipping volume as e-commerce ballooned.

“When COVID struck and the world went into lockdown in March of 2020, we went to work, supply chain kept going. We were part of so many things that were necessary during that time, like the distribution of vaccine and other health care products, to consumer goods and basics

“You feel pretty good when you wake up knowing you shipped a medical device for someone’s surgery or diapers to a child in need.”

like groceries,” says Tom Fogerty, senior vice president of human resources for DHL Supply Chain North America.

Employees found the essential nature of the work rewarding, and “we’ve seen our applicant pipelines grow steadily because the awareness of supply chain is now driving people’s interest in us,” he says.

DHL Supply Chain North America landed a spot on the Top Workplaces list for the second time since 2021. It seems fitting that a logistics company also won the Special Award for Direction thanks to the high number of employees who responded positively to the statement, “I believe this company is going in the right direction.”

of its business, Sureddin says.

DHL Supply Chain North America is part of the global DHL Group headquartered in Bonn, Germany.

Purposeful Engagement

A few years ago, DHL created a program that culminates in certification as a supply chain specialist. The foundational course is taught to every associate, educating them on the importance of supply chain and the role they play. “When people understand their purpose in an organization, it drives so much greater engagement,” Fogerty says.

Business: Contract logistics

Based: Westerville

Founded: 1969

CEO: Scott Sureddin

Total U.S. employees: 51,000+

Central Ohio employees: 4,500+

Annual revenue: Would not disclose

That’s partly the result of a deliberate corporate effort to help team members recognize how their daily work helps people and makes the world a better place. “You feel pretty good when you wake up knowing you shipped a medical device for someone’s surgery or diapers to a child in need,” says Scott Sureddin, the company’s CEO.

With more than 51,000 employees— more than 4,500 of them in Central Ohio— DHL is the largest third-party logistics company in North America. It delivers goods for many other companies across nearly every part of the economy, whether it be consumer products, automotive, chemical, energy or technology. That diversity is the strength

In essence, the company is establishing supply chain as a career destination, he says. “If you think back, it wasn’t that many years ago that when you talked about supply chain, a lot of times you would get a bit of a blank stare from people because they really didn’t understand the term,” he says. “The pandemic really opened people’s eyes to the importance of supply chain and the global economy. And that’s where our opportunity really began to shine.”

The company’s certified curriculum also includes its Supervisory Academy, where front-line managers spend 18 months expanding their technical skills and participating in leadership training. These are the types of investments that help create an

DHL employees (from left): Julian Giraldo, Tavaneli Chrismond, Andrea Dingess, Tom Fogerty, Rosanna Medina and Terrail Jackson at a DHL Supply Chain North America warehouse near Rickenbacker International Airport.

SCOTT SUREDDIN, CEO of DHL Supply Chain North America

experienced, tenured workforce, Fogerty says. During a time of historically low unemployment rates, the company continues to see larger applicant pipelines and increased retention rates.

By necessity, the majority of DHL’s employees have in-person, hands-on jobs. Because it functions as a critical link in the economy, operations run first, second and third shifts and on weekends and holidays.

Administrative workers report to offices, where they work on a hybrid basis, mostly on-site but with the ability to work from home when needed. Workers are not mandated to be in the office for a specified number of days a week, Fogerty says. “We’ve been successful in creating a hybrid environment that is really managed by the individual and their manager. It’s more about, ‘Are we able to execute and get done the work that needs to be done? Are we there to support our folks in the field that are working day in and day out inside our facilities and traveling the roadways of our country?’ ”

Belonging has become a focus for the company in recent years, too. Employee

resource groups for veterans, LGBTQ+, people of color and women in supply chain give co-workers a venue to gather, support one another and educate the broader workforce about their experiences. DHL also created a diversity and inclusion curriculum around unconscious bias and taking leadership to the next level in a diverse workspace.

Overcoming Challenges

Ohio plays a significant role for DHL Supply Chain North America, with its strategic location within one day’s service to 60 percent of the United States. The

company has 6,200 employees in the state across 59 sites, including 800 at the company’s headquarters in Westerville. Overall, it has 523 operating sites in the U.S. and Canada and 161 million square feet of distribution center space.

In 2023, customer needs changed, leading to the closure of a Groveport warehouse and 264 layoffs. The company prioritized finding spots for workers who wanted to stay with DHL. Most of those employees landed jobs with other Central Ohio sites, including 23 of 25 managers. Of the 240 hourly employees who worked in Groveport, about 80 percent continued with the company locally.

“We long ago recognized that people have a choice on where they spend their careers,” Sureddin says. “And so our emphasis has always been understanding that we are a people business first. Without a strong foundation of talent, we couldn’t be the provider of choice and the investment of choice for our customers. So it really begins and ends with our people.”

Katy Smith is a freelance writer.

Andrea Dingess inputs and sorts packages.

Team-First Mentality

Daugherty Business Solutions’ top-down focus on values and employees nurtures business results.

By KATY SMITH

For Ron Daugherty, building a $330 million technology consulting business from scratch came down to one simple focus: people.

When he founded Daugherty Business Solutions nearly 40 years ago in St. Louis, he wasn’t sure where technology would go, and probably didn’t envision artificial intelligence or cloud computing. But he was sure of two things: He wanted to build the company around a set of core values, and he wanted to invest in people. “It’s really necessary to have a vision for what you’re building, and I believe that our teammates, our people, are the building blocks of our vision,” Daugherty says. “It’s so easy to get lost if you’re just chasing money. But if you have a set of core values and a strong culture that you’re committed to, that guides you through the good times and bad.”

Daugherty Business Solutions

daugherty.com

Business: Technology consulting and advisory services

Based: St. Louis

Founded: 1985

President and CEO: Ron Daugherty

Total employees: 1,703

Central Ohio employees: 126

Central Ohio leader: John Reedy

2023 revenue: $330 million

“If you have a set of core values and a strong culture that you’re committed to, that guides you through the good times and bad.”

The strategy, apparently, has worked. Without taking any outside investments, Daugherty has grown to about 1,700 employees, including 126 in Columbus. It has 75 Fortune 500 clients. And the team’s enthusiasm for their employer has earned Daugherty a spot on the Top Workplaces list two years in a row. This year, it also won a Special Award: Clued-in Senior Management.

It’s an honor Daugherty, who sings and plays harmonica in the company band, takes to heart. The president and CEO prioritizes staying approachable and accessible to staff with open office hours and in-person gatherings since the team is mostly remote. “Transparency, communication, listening and caring,” is how he describes his leadership style.

“I’ve never seen a CEO with open office hours on Fridays, where you can just call and ask him anything you want,” says John Reedy, the company’s senior product manager and Central Ohio leader.

Tone from the Top

Daugherty hits all the points as an employer of choice with competitive pay and great benefits, Reedy says. But what

sets the company apart is the supportive environment cultivated by its leadership team. “It really starts with our CEO, Ron, and him doing what he says he’s going to do and cascading his values throughout the organization,” Reedy says.

Leadership at all levels maintains an open-door policy. And when it’s necessary to communicate difficult news about company changes or layoffs, the leaders accept accountability, Reedy says. When the news is good, “they’re the first ones to pass out all the credit, and they take none of it for themselves.”

Career development is encouraged and mapped out for the team. “They make it very clear if you want to get promoted, here’s the checklist of things you need to do,” he says.

As a single dad, Reedy is grateful to have landed a consulting position where he doesn’t have to travel. Daugherty says that was an intentional choice on the part of management. “We stay regionally focused because we want our team to have a positive quality of life,” he says. “If you’re on the road constantly, that’s not good for most people.”

Daugherty Business Solutions’ summer picnic

RON DAUGHERTY, president and CEO of Daugherty Business Solutions

Culture of Access

Artificial intelligence, from generative AI and large language models to advanced analytics and machine learning, is the future of business, and Daugherty wants his company to be first in line to master the technologies. The business is working with a major airline, for example, to significantly decrease boarding times using generative AI.

Being able to choose the technologies they work with, and sometimes even client assignments, is one of the big pluses of being on the Daugherty team, Reedy says. Options to learn and advance are plentiful, he adds.

That philosophy extends to people who aren’t yet on the team. Daugherty created Daugherty University to train individuals without formal experience in technology for careers with the company. “Ron always says, ‘We can teach you the tech and the trade or the role, but we can’t teach a great attitude or a solid work ethic,’ ” Reedy says.

Daugherty also founded Access Point, a nonprofit that pairs high

school students with mentors and tech apprenticeships.

Support System

Employee resource groups at Daugherty foster belonging and inclusion, Reedy says. There are groups for LGBTQ Pride, veterans, the Black Consultant Network, mental health and health and wellness.

“Some of us sit at our desks all day alone, so we’ll turn on our cameras and do stretches together as a team,” Reedy says. “We support each other by talking about how many steps we can get in during the week.” Since joining the company, Reedy has lost 65 pounds. “My mental health obviously has been through the roof,” he says.

The Daugherty team loves getting together in person. In Columbus, that includes Great Strides Walks for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, monthly happy hours, weekly virtual lunches, retirement celebrations and holiday parties. For the 2023 winter holiday party, the team went bowling and collected donations for Toys for Tots.

Daugherty says building such a culture

is his life’s work. And he doesn’t want it to end with him. He has ambitions to triple revenue to $1 billion a year by dramatically growing the sales organization. Then, he wants to transition the company to employee ownership.

“The team that got us here is going to own the business,” he says. “It’s not the most lucrative exit strategy, but it’s the most satisfying for me. It’s my great hope Daugherty Business Solutions will leave our key stakeholders—teammates, clients and the communities we touch— better because it was here.”

A holiday party for Daugherty Business Solutions

Katy Smith is a freelance writer.

Serving Small Business

Arvo Tech helps companies leverage tax incentive programs.

By LAURA NEWPOFF

Photos by TIM JOHNSON

n 2012, Brent Johnson hired Terracina Maxwell to lead a tax credit incentives program for Columbus-based accounting firm Clarus Partners, where he served as managing partner. Her hire made his management team more effective and differentiated the firm from its competitors.

After two years, the new incentive program was going so well the duo decided to spin it out into its own company, founded as Clarus Solutions and known today as Arvo Tech. At its core, the company is dedicated to helping businesses claim employment tax credits. (Arvo means “value” or “worth” in Finnish.)

Since its founding, Arvo Tech has grown into a 48-employee business and has worked with employers in all 50 states. Altogether, Arvo’s clients hire more than 300,000 people each year. The firm has

helped them claim more than $575 million in tax credits through two programs: the COVID-era Employee Retention Tax Credit and the Work Opportunity Tax Credit.

“We saw an opportunity to help small businesses be able to take advantage of tax credits that large businesses were taking advantage of,” says Maxwell, who serves as Arvo’s president. “These smaller firms are under-resourced and, once you show them how this process improves their cash flow, they are such grateful clients.”

Arvo Tech is a first-time Top Workplaces winner and also won the Special Award for New Ideas.

its tax credit platform syncs with existing payroll and applicant tracking systems to streamline the claims process. “A big part of this was to make the technology piece simple and build it in such a way small business owners can understand,” Maxwell says. “That takes away a barrier that would prevent someone from participating in these tax credit programs.”

Many clients use the money they receive to add employees, including a Michigan staffing business that launched an initiative to hire veterans.

Business: Assists clients with employment tax credit programs

Based: Columbus

Founded: 2014

Top executives: Terracina Maxwell, co-founder and president; Brent Johnson,co-founder

Total employees: 48

Central Ohio employees: 41

Annual revenue: Would not disclose Arvo Tech

Integrating Technology

Johnson and Maxwell both have large accounting firm experience, having worked at Deloitte and Ernst & Young, respectively. Collectively, the team they’ve built has more than 150 years of tax experience, which they use to help customers improve the finances of their businesses.

The Arvo team, made up of tax attorneys, technology developers and client success specialists, helps transform companies’ cash flow through employment tax credit opportunities. Arvo leaders say

One potential opportunity for Arvo Tech, Maxwell says, is to partner with companies that serve the small business market to introduce Arvo’s platform to more clients. The company also wants to build more features into its platform in order to bring business owners more peace of mind in the areas of tax planning and compliance.

A ‘Mission Bigger Than Just Us’

Arvo Tech’s founders crafted the business’s value statement around people, business and the community: “By putting people first, supporting local businesses, and giving back to our communities, we strive

Arvo Tech employees (from left): co-founder Brent Johnson, Emily Osborne and President and co-founder Terracina Maxwell

to create a positive impact by helping businesses utilize the monetary benefits of WOTC and ERTC.”

When recruiting new employees, the company touts six core values it operates by: humility, resourceful, curious, collaborative, community and customer centric. It also encourages meaningful work and personal growth. That was important to Emily Osborne when she came to Arvo almost two years ago to build up the company’s sales and marketing department. Her team has worked closely with the technology and operations teams to hit company goals. The collaboration, she says, makes her job easier than if the departments operated in silos.

“It’s all about, ‘Hey, let’s meet and see what sales and marketing is hearing and let’s build it on the tech side.’ The tech folks are asking sales and marketing, ‘Can you bring this to market?’ [What we’re developing] is based on each group’s opinion and market research,” she says. “Because we’re collaborating with each other every day, many of us have become close friends. That makes it fun to go into work.”

For Maxwell, culture always will circle back to a mission of helping small business owners succeed.

“We try to keep that front and center: ‘Who is it we are serving?’ The small business owner, people trying to get jobs, people who want to contribute and help others in the businesses,” Maxwell says. “There’s joy in that. The mission is bigger than just us.” Laura Newpoff

“We saw an opportunity to help small businesses be able to take advantage of tax credits that large businesses were taking advantage of.”

TERRACINA MAXWELL, co-founder and president of Arvo Tech

Join Our Team in Raising Hope and Healing for Children, Youth, and Families

Each day at The Buckeye Ranch, approximately 2,350 youth are in our care, receiving services specifically designed to help them become more successful within their families, schools, and communities. With six locations and over 500 dedicated team members, our programs across the state encompass four service areas: Child Welfare, Community and Education-Based Mental Health, Residential, and Integrated Care. Join The Buckeye Ranch’s team, a 2024 Columbus CEO Top Workplace, today to do life-changing work for youth and families in our community. Visit us at buckeyeranch.org/join-our-team or scan the QR code to learn more about the meaningful work we do and apply!

Arvo Tech employees (from left) Paul Meeker, Reed Costello and Isaac Bennett at the company’s office

SPECIAL AWARD

Doing Good

Dawson drives worker satisfaction by prioritizing wellness and giving back to the community.

By PETER TONGUETTE

Workforce solutions company Dawson takes pride in its own workforce. “They’re the fuel of what makes Dawson go, and they’re really our product,” says President Jeff Miller. “Our product is people, and that couldn’t be more true of our staff. We are who we are because of them.”

Dawson, founded in 1946 as a job placement company for returning World War II soldiers, has long emphasized empowerment among its employees, which currently number about 50. “I strive to let the people that are doing the work make the decisions and make some common-sense decisions,” Miller says. “There have been very few times

where there’s been an idea or a mission … and they’ve not understood why we’re doing it, because really they’ve been the ones that have been involved in the decision-making.”

Fostering a sense of wellness among workers is also a priority. The company has offset entry fees for staff members to participate in the OhioHealth Capital City Half and Quarter Marathon. Healthy choices are encouraged in the workplace thanks to complimentary breakfast items

dawsoncareers.com

Business: Job placement, human resources and community workforce programs

Based: Columbus

Founded: 1946

Top executives: Jeff Miller, president; Chris DeCapua and David DeCapua, owners

Total employees: 50

Central Ohio employees: 46 2023 revenue: $32 million

in the company café and exercise opportunities throughout the day. “We want [employees] to be fueled up and have the power they need to get through these days,” Miller says.

Wellness isn’t just defined in physical terms, though: Dawson wants its workers to feel good about doing good. Those efforts are paying dividends. The company won the new Special Award for Social Responsibility, which recognizes the positive impact an organization has on its community.

Employees are incentivized to give back through a volunteer time off, or VTO, program. For every 20 hours an employee volunteers, they earn a day off before a holiday. VTO does not affect an employee’s

Breakfast with Santa for Dawson colleagues and their families

The DAWSCARS, an annual Oscars-themed awards ceremony

Dawson hosts an annual Field Day as a team-building event.

Dawson

PHOTOS COURTESY PORTRAITS BY LISA (4)

Our People Make Us Great. And for 12 Years, We’ve Been a Top Workplace.

regular paid time off. “It’s really goodwill,” says brand ambassador Mary Noel Moore. “It encourages people to volunteer. You’d be surprised at how much people volunteer just to get a day [off] before a holiday.”

That extra day may serve as motivation, but once the company’s employees begin volunteering, they find the experience is its own reward. Last year, Dawson employees logged about 2,000 volunteer hours. Group volunteer activities take place at Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio, Buckeye Ranch and elsewhere. Employees especially enjoy Dress for Success-Columbus events since its mission aligns with the company’s own area of expertise. “I could name dozens of other [volunteer opportunities] that people do on their own,” Moore says. “You don’t have to do it with a Dawson colleague to get credit.”

And, through its Community Workforce Program, Dawson also engages with area school districts, where students are coached on the job-seeking process. “We have a lot of recruiters that will volunteer their time and go and do résumé workshops, mock interviews with high school students and things like that,” Moore says. “That’s putting out time that they could be recruiting to place people and make money, but they’re going to do this instead, because they want to give back.”

The process of doing good in the community also builds camaraderie in the workplace. “Sometimes people will bring their spouse, their significant other, their partner [or] their child,” Moore says. “We really get to know each other on a different level and to be exposed to some different things that we wouldn’t normally be exposed to.”

At Kimball Midwest, we take pride in our associates. They are the best in the business, providing exceptional customer service and supporting the best sales force in the industry. We thank our associates for helping us grow into one of the largest industrial distributors in the nation, and we continue to get bigger and better.

We’ve been named a Top Workplace for the 12th consecutive year. It’s all thanks to our incredible team and their passion and commitment to make us the best.

Dawson employees volunteer with Festa.

To learn more about Kimball Midwest career opportunities, visit us at kimballmidwest.com/careers

SPECIAL AWARD

Tech Support

Leading EDJE fosters a culture of open communication and trust to deliver solutions for clients.

By PETER TONGUETTE

Last year was a rough one for many businesses, and women-owned IT consulting and software development company

Leading EDJE was no different. The difference was that the Dublinbased firm leveled with its 89 employees, who are located both in Central Ohio and throughout the nation. “Last calendar year, our industry went through a really difficult time,” says President and CEO Joelle Brock. “As a result, our clients were just not putting their money

towards the IT spend like they’d been used to doing.”

But, instead of sweeping those realities under the rug, the company faced them head-on. “We spoke openly and honestly with everyone,” Brock says. “We don’t hide anything, and that’s part of being an entrepreneurial-based business. Every single person on our team has my mobile number.”

Chief Operating Officer Erica Krumlauf feels that candor made all the difference for the employees. “The team just appreciated that we weren’t giving them some sort of corporate messaging—that we were honest, we were emotional, they could see how hard it was for us,” Krumlauf says. “We’re going to tell you when we’re not perfect, and we’re going to be honest with you and transparent.”

That approach is a hallmark of Leading EDJE, whose moniker utilizes the first initials of its founders, Erica Krumlauf, David Michels and Joelle Brock. It won the Special Award this year for Communication.

The company opened its present Bridge Park location in February 2020, just before the pandemic. Shifting gears, it went to a remote-first workplace, which it has maintained since. “Our team is not required to go inside of their clients’ [offices]; our team is not required to come into our office space,” Krumlauf says. “If you work best in

your basement or your [home] office, do it. If you work best coming into the office two days a week so that you have that collaboration and teamwork, and you’re able to because you’re located here in Central

Business: IT consulting and custom software development

Based: Dublin

Founded: 2007

President and CEO: Joelle Brock

Total employees: 89

Central Ohio employees: Two-thirds of workforce

2023 revenue: $16.4 million

For its 15th anniversary party in May 2022, Leading EDJE flew out-of-town team members and their significant others to Columbus for its first event since moving to a remote-first work environment.

That last part is key: A good chunk of the staff now lives far from Central Ohio. “When the pandemic occurred … we said, ‘We have clients across the country; we can have great team members across the country in this virtual environment,’ ” Brock says, noting that employees are now spread across 17 states.

For the company’s leaders, a successful remote workplace environment is predicated on trust. “Even pre-COVID, our team was out with their clients, so we didn’t see them a lot,” Krumlauf says. “We’ve got high expectations, but we know you’re able to meet those expectations.”

That doesn’t mean that collaboration and engagement are things of the past. “We use virtual water coolers,” Krumlauf says. “We don’t use it just for work. We use it for play and fun.”

Some of the company’s Slack channels relate to employees’ pets—there’s one for puppies and another for cats—and the dialogue helps build relationships. Team events still take place. Quarterly business reviews pull together the whole team virtually and in person, for those able to attend locally. And when conversations do take place, they must be purposeful. “It’s not as easy as it used to be, where you could just walk over to somebody’s desk and say, ‘Hey, let’s chat about that,’ ” Krumlauf says. “It’s just all about intent, making sure that you’re really intentional in every single conversation and touch-base that you have with the team.”

That communication philosophy has carried Leading EDJE this far, and executives believe it will continue to do so into the year ahead.

“We’re feeling great about 2024,” Krumlauf says. “What’s helped us get through this tough time is our team.”

Leading EDJE’s annual Geek Cup Golf Outing Ohio, do it.”

Dream Weavers

Make-A-Wish Ohio, Kentucky & Indiana provides meaningful experiences for children, as well as its employees.

By PETER TONGUETTE

When Make-A-Wish Ohio, Kentucky & Indiana grants critically ill children a wish, the fruits of that wish are spread far and wide. First and foremost, the child gets to make a dream come true. But the impact goes well beyond that trip, meet-and-greet or activity.

Make-A-Wish America recently did a study on the impact of wishes. The results were revealing: Nine out of 10 children report that the wish alleviated traumatic stress stemming from their diagnosis. But the impact went beyond the child.

Make-A-Wish Ohio, Kentucky & Indiana

wish.org/oki

Business: Grants wishes for children with critical illnesses

Based: Columbus

Founded: 1983

President and CEO: Stephanie McCormick

Total employees: 73

Central Ohio employees: 33

2023 revenue: $15.7 million

“Here’s the kicker for me: Nine out of 10 medical providers say a wish increased the compliance with their treatment, which led to a better outcome,” says Stephanie McCormick, president and CEO of the nonprofit’s Ohio, Kentucky & Indiana chapter. “A wish is not just, ‘I wish to go meet Mickey Mouse.’ … We create these magical experiences for the entire family, not just the child, but also their siblings, their parents and … the community.”

Part of that larger community is the 73 employees of Make-A-Wish Ohio, Kentucky & Indiana, 33 of whom work in Central Ohio. “We deliver hope, strength and joy to children and families in crisis,” says Wendy Marroni, vice president of human resources.

The three-state chapter—which granted 1,205 wishes last fiscal year, the most ever by a Make-A-Wish chapter—attracts employees seeking emotionally rewarding

work. This year, the organization won the Top Workplaces Special Award for Meaningfulness, where employees rate whether their job makes them feel they’re part of something important.

Making Magic Happen

Once a wish has been approved and the fulfillment process starts to unfold, socalled “mission delivery” employees work with the child and their family. But the organization aims for every employee to have a tangible sense of what their work does and who it serves. “Our advancement team [and] our fundraising team have to go out and get those donors, so they are our storytellers,” McCormick says. “They tell these beautiful stories about these wishes and the wish children.”

All staff members are invited to participate in volunteer days and activities that underscore the organization’s mission.

Make-A-Wish Ohio, Kentucky & Indiana Central Ohio Advisory Board Chair Brian Hodges (left) with Wish kid Donte and a family member. Donte’s wish for a shopping spree was granted at the 2023 Central Ohio Wish Gala.

Make-A-Wish Ohio, Kentucky & Indiana’s annual retreat at Flying Horse Farms in November 2023

Make-A-Wish also makes an effort to remind workers of the pride they should feel in what they do. “One of the things that we’ve tried to do more intentionally is to acknowledge the fact that there is a lot of work to do, and then, on the other side, to celebrate how much works gets done,” Marroni says. “We don’t want to spend so much time [being] so busy that we don’t celebrate all of the wonderful things that we’ve done over the year.”

A staff-led Culture Lead Committee consists of seven teams that tackle internal issues such as safety and wellness, and diversity, equity and inclusion. The goal is to assure that everyone feels invested in the organization. “All of the goal-setting is done by the staff casting a vision for the coming fiscal year,” Marroni says. “While most of senior leadership are participating in one of those Culture Lead Committees, we are not the leaders. We are participants.”

It’s all part of the service-oriented nature of the organization. There’s a feeling of empowerment, McCormick says, when a wish comes through that an employee knows the organization can grant.

“They know that they can create something no one else can do,” McCormick says. “That’s the essence of meaningful and fulfilling work.”

Proud To Be A Top Workplace in Columbus

RG BARRY IS PROUD TO BE RECOGNIZED AS A 2024 TOP WORKPLACE IN CENTRAL OHIO!

Across all of our brands, our Team Members aim to change the standards for comfort and sustainability. Together, we've created a truly special culture and a great place to work.

Make-A-Wish Ohio, Kentucky & Indiana granted its 20,000th wish in May 2023 to 5-year-old Mya. Mya, who was born with a nervous system disorder, wished to meet and ride a unicorn.

Well-wishers gather to celebrate 5-year-old Mya’s wish to meet and ride a unicorn.

You’ve never been the retiring type.

At Westerwood, feeling younger never gets old, starting with the biggest backyard in Columbus, our 23-acre campus with our own wildlife refuge. We also offer the only bona fide Life Care Community near Westerville. Come see all that Westerwood has to offer by attending one of our exciting events. Westerwood has been nominated for the 9th year in a row as a top work place.

National Awards

The following 30 employers have earned recognition as Top Workplaces USA winners. They are either based in the Columbus area or have operations in Central Ohio. Each has more than 150 employees in the United States. Their positive employee survey feedback exceeded national benchmarks established by employee survey firm Energage.

KEMBA Financial Credit Union

Lake Shore Cryotronics Inc.

Mid-City Electric

NFM Lending

Ohio State University Physicians

Panda Restaurant Group

Peoples Bank

PERFICIENT

Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers

Reminger Co. LPA

Revolution Mortgage

The Richwood Banking Co.

Romanoff Group

Summit Home Care Tech Elevator

Total Quality Logistics - TQL Transportation Research Center Inc.

Excellence thrives here!

Thanks to OUR TEAM for making us a Central Ohio EMPLOYER OF CHOICE!

HCL® is a veteran-owned, industry leader in the distribution and manufacture of medical supplies. Since 1978, we’ve been dedicated to helping customers solve problems, meet goals and provide a higher standard of patient care. This is the driving force behind our success and our strong employee workforce provides the power to make it possible.

workforce

Together, our dedicated personnel bring a variety of talents to the table and help us meet our goal of delivering superior customer service around the globe.

WE OFFER ATTRACTIVE BENEFITS WITH HIGHLIGHTS THAT INCLUDE:

• Medical and dental insurance

• Company-matched 401(k)

• A rainy day savings fund

• Company-paid life, short-term and long-term insurance

• Paid vacations and personal days

Because we understand the importance of work-life balance, our employees also enjoy work-free weekends and holidays. casual

New Address. Same Top Workplace.

We’re celebrating the move to our new address as the largest anchor tenant in the new Arlington Gateway development. Our 36,000 square feet of office space has been specifically-designed to accommodate our continually-growing team of financial professionals, support one of the Top Internship programs in the country, and serve our clients even better.

Learn more about rewarding career opportunities and our great company culture.

Just like a sound financial plan, success is built with great people and great relationships. We sincerely thank our dedicated team of financial professionals and staff for their relentless commitment in serving our clients—and for making us one of the Top Workplaces for the 8th consecutive year.