Starting fresh COVID-19 has been merciless, but these days (knock on wood) things are beginning to look up. Many of us have stepped back into society, whether at a social event, celebration or in-person meeting. Now, workplaces are tasked with doing the same, managing new hybrid schedules, flexible hours and ongoing safety protocols.
This year, we recognize the Top Workplaces that have come out of a challenging two years full speed ahead.
C1_TopWorkplaces2022-Cover.indd 1
4/15/22 12:44 PM
A Tradition of Legal Excellence At Carlile Patchen & Murphy, our attorneys and staff are the reason we are known for client care. For over 55 years, we’ve built an inclusive and caring culture that invests in the values of our community. Together we’ve created a truly great place to work.
2022
C2-C4_CoverAds.indd 2
Carlile Patchen & Murphy LLP is a 2022 Top Workplace!
4/15/22 12:39 PM
Methodology
T
he heart of the Top Workplaces program is an employee survey. The 24-question survey collects feedback from those who know organizations the best: the people who work there. Employee feedback is the sole basis for determining which employers make the Top Workplaces list. This is the 10th year Philadelphiabased employee survey company Energage has partnered with Columbus CEO to identify outstanding workplaces in the Columbus area. “The employee experience needs to be on the mission-critical list,” says Eric Rubino, CEO of Energage. For 2022, 73 employers made the winners list. Energage invited 1,924 organizations to participate, and they were eligible provided they had 50 or more employees in the region. Most of the surveying was done between August and November of 2021. Surveys went out to 30,052 employees in the region, and 17,002 responded. Employers were divided based on the number of employees in the region to compare feedback of similar-size groups. Organizations that exceeded benchmark scores for each size group made the winners list. Within those groupings, organizations are ranked by the aggregate score based on the employee feedback. Energage also determines special award winners for some employers who have standout scores in certain areas of the survey, such as leadership, values, direction, communication and more. Want your organization to participate in the 2023 program? Go to columbusceo.com/nominate.
Subscribe to
Bob Helbig, Energage
Join the Twitter conversation on Top Workplaces at #CEOWork.
Subscribe or renew your annual subscription to Columbus Monthly for $18. Go to columbusmonthly.com or call (760) 237-8505. Top Workplaces 2022 l ColumbusCEO
001_TopWorkplaces2022-Page1.indd 1
1
4/15/22 3:25 PM
These 73 organizations are 2022 Top Workplaces. They are listed by their rankings as determined by Columbus CEO research partner Energage in each of three categories based on number of employees in the region. Data is current as of employee surveys 2021.
LARGE ORGANIZATIONS (350 or more employees) Rank
Company
Founded
Ownership
Sector
City
Employees
1
Bark
2011
Public
Pets & Pet Supplies
New York
438
2
Ricart Automotive
1953
Private
Auto Dealership
Columbus
500
3
Worthington Industries
1955
Public
Metal Products
Columbus
1,500
4
Keller Williams Realty of Central Ohio
2002
Private
Agents / Brokers
Columbus
1,215
5
Manley Deas Kochalski
2002
Partnership
Legal Services
Columbus
6
Discover
1986
Public
Credit & Finance
Riverwoods, IL
7
Kenneth’s Hair Salons and Day Spas
1977
Partnership
Personal Care
Columbus
375
8
Fifth Third Bank
1858
Public
Financial Services
Cincinnati
535
9
Mid City Electric
1960
Private
Electrical
Westerville
454
10
Lower.com
2014
Private
Digital Mortgage Lender
New Albany
800
11
Kimball Midwest
1923
Private
Wholesale Distribution
Columbus
555
12
Fairfield County
1800
Government
County Government
Lancaster
932
13
Valley Interior Systems
1981
Private
Building Construction
Cincinnati
377
14
The Superior Group
1924
Private
Electrical
Columbus
1,200
15
Aldi
1976
Private
Retail
Batavia, IL
593
16
Olentangy Local School District
1952
Public
Education
Lewis Center
352 2,037
3,032
MIDSIZE ORGANIZATIONS (125 to 349 employees) Rank
Company
Founded
Ownership
Sector
City
Employees
1
EMH&T
1926
Private
Civil Engineering Consulting
Columbus
310
2
Northwestern Mutual – Columbus
1857
Coop/Mutual
Financial Advisors
Milwaukee
164
3
Schoedinger Funeral and Cremation Service
1855
Private
Funerals
Columbus
160
4
Path Robotics
2018
Private
Making intelligent robots
Columbus
192
5
Ensemble Health Partners
2014
Coop/Mutual
Revenue Cycle Management
Cincinnati
205
6
Total Quality Logistics
1997
Private
Third Party Logistics
Cincinnati
175
7
Beam Dental
2012
Private
Dental
Columbus
280
8
The Eco Plumbers
2007
Private
Plumbing
Hilliard
143
9
Lake Shore Cryotronics
1968
Private
Electronics / Computers
Westerville
195
10
Kemba Financial Credit Union
1933
Coop/Mutual
Financial Services & Insurance
Gahanna
273
11
CGI
1976
Public
IT Consulting
Fairfax, VA
150
12
Greif
1877
Public
Industrial Packaging
Delaware
277
13
Panda Restaurant Group
1973
Private
Restaurant
Rosemead, CA
221
14
Richwood Banking
1867
Public
Community Bank
Richwood
181
2 ColumbusCEO l Top Workplaces 2022
002-003_TopWorkplaces2022-Ranking-Page2-3.indd 2
4/18/22 9:51 AM
15
Elford
1910
Private
Building construction & management
Columbus
290
16
Air Force One
1984
Private
HVAC Mechanical Contractor
Dublin
205
17
Syntero
1978
Nonprofit
Behavioral Healthcare
Dublin
164
18
BDO USA
1910
Partnership
Public Accountants & Consultants
Chicago
180
19
KPMG
1953
Private
Accounting
Columbus
265
20
Advocate RCM
1998
Private
Vendor Serving Healthcare Industry
Dublin
205
21
Friendship Village Of Dublin Ohio
1981
Nonprofit
Healthcare - Senior Living
Dublin
300
22
The Wellington School
1982
Nonprofit
Independent School
Columbus
145
23
Dasco Home Medical Equipment
1987
Private
Durable Medical Equipment
Westerville
170
24
Westerwood
1978
Nonprofit
Life Care Community
Columbus
186
25
Lindsay Automotive (Honda/Acura)
1973
Private
Auto Dealership
Columbus
250
26
North Community Counseling Centers
1968
Public
Behavioral Health
Columbus
159
SMALL ORGANIZATIONS (124 or fewer employees) Rank
Company
Founded
Ownership
Sector
City
Employees
1
Boss Gal Beauty Bar
2019
Partnership
Medical Spa Services
Columbus
50
2
Choice Recovery
1997
Private
Collection Agency
Columbus
85
3
Forge Biologics
2020
Private
Novel gene therapies manufacturer
Grove City
160*
4
Union Home Mortgage
1970
Private
Mortgage Lending
Strongsville
81
5
Leading Edje
2007
Private
Software Development & Consulting
Dublin
70
6
SS Bendure - Hartwig
2007
Public
Life Insurance
Columbus
99
7
Manifest Solutions
1994
Private
Managed Services & Outsourcing
Columbus
89
8
SOLUT!
2005
Private
Paper & Paper Products
Lewis Center
75
9
LOTH
1891
Private
Workplace Furniture and Services
Cincinnati
58
10
Revolution Group
1995
Private
Technology Services
Westerville
77
11
Reminger Co.
1958
Private
Law
Cleveland
59
12
Group Management Services
1996
Private
Professional Employer Organization
Richfield
82
13
Durable Slate
1986
Private
Slate Roofing, Masonry
Columbus
52
14
Ohio Basement Authority
2016
Private
Construction
Virginia Beach, VA
15
Continental Building
1984
Private
Building Construction
Columbus
79
16
King Memory
2008
Private
Electronics / Computers
Columbus
50
17
Silco Fire & Security
1959
Private
Fire Protection and Security
Cincinnati
63
18
Agility Partners
2017
Private
Staffing - Services
Columbus
118
19
NFM Lending
1998
Private
Mortgage Lending
Linthicum, MD
87
20
Jewish Family Services
1908
Nonprofit
Human and social services
Columbus
50
21
Diamond Hill Capital Management
2000
Public
Investment Management
Columbus
102
22
Crawford Hoying
1994
Private
Real Estate Development
Dublin
100
23
Setterlin Building Co.
1935
Private
General Contractor
Columbus
82
24
King Business Interiors
1998
Private
Office flooring and furniture dealer
Columbus
65
25
Carlile Patchen & Murphy
1967
Partnership
Full Service Law Firm
Columbus
66
26
Orthopedic Foot & Ankle Center
1998
Private
Orthopedic and Podiatric Surgeons
Worthington
68
27
The Basement Doctor
1987
Private
Home Improvement
Reynoldsburg
115
28
Construction One
1980
Private
Building Construction
Columbus
68
29
OHM Advisors
1962
Private
Architecture, Engineering, Planning
Livonia, MI
62
30
National Auto Care
1984
Private
Specialty Insurance
Westerville
67
31
Airriva
2018
Private
Tech based, boutique lodging
Sunbury
61
* Forge Biologics has hired since the survey data was initially gathered.
002-003_TopWorkplaces2022-Ranking-Page2-3.indd 3
120
Top Workplaces 2022 l ColumbusCEO
3
4/15/22 12:47 PM
CLUED IN MANAGEMENT
Special Awards
Senior managers understand what is really happening at this company.
Total Quality Logistics The following special award recipients 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 disagree.
LEADERSHIP I have confidence in the leader of this company.
Rick Ricart
Large
Ricart Automotive Midsize
Sandy Doyle-Ahern EMH&T
Small
Kathy Keeney Boss Gal Beauty Bar
MANAGERS
NEW IDEAS
COMMUNICATION
New ideas are encouraged at this company.
I feel well-informed about important decisions at this company.
Forge Biologics
Choice Recovery
DOERS
MEANINGFULNESS
At this company, we do things efficiently and well.
My job makes me feel like I am part of something meaningful.
Manley Deas Kochalski
Schoedinger Funeral Service
WORK/LIFE FLEXIBILITY
BENEFITS
I have the flexibility I need to balance my work and personal life.
My benefits package is good compared to others in this industry.
Lake Shore Cryotronics
Beam Dental
APPRECIATION
TRAINING
I feel genuinely appreciated at this company.
I get the formal training I want for my career.
Leading Edje
Kenneth’s Hair Salons and Day Spas
My manager helps me learn and grow. My manager cares about my concerns.
This company operates by strong values.
I believe this company is going in the right direction.
Bark
Union Home Mortgage
Northwestern Mutual – Columbus
VALUES
DIRECTION
Congratulations Top Workplace Recipients!
BBB is a community-based resource where consumers can find trusted, local businesses and nonprofits. Each year we recognize outstanding businesses committed to building trust through our Torch Awards for Ethics. Nominate a top workplace to receive this recognition at bbbtorchaward.com
4 ColumbusCEO l Top Workplaces 2022
004-005_TopWorkplaces2022-SpeicalAwards_Page4-5.indd 4
4/15/22 12:50 PM
Our Team Members
Make Us Great!
We are proud to announce that The Eco Plumbers has been rated a Top Workplace for the third year in a row by Columbus CEO Magazine.
OH LIC #23868 OH LIC #46198
004-005_TopWorkplaces2022-SpeicalAwards_Page4-5.indd 5
4/15/22 12:50 PM
The friendly neighborhood funeral home The Schoedinger family, the associates, the sale of the business and how the 166year legacy pushes on. By JESS DEYO Photo by ROB HARDIN
R
andy Schoedinger, CEO of Schoedinger Funeral Home and Cremation Service, is willing to let us in on an unusual secret: There’s actually quite a bit of laughter in the funeral industry. There’s a time and place, of course, but the moments he and his associates have a laugh often serve as a bit of relief from the other experiences they share: caring for those who have passed, crafting a tribute and helping strangers grieve during what is often one of the worst days of their lives. As somber as it is, those who choose to work in the business of death look forward to the moments they can provide even a little bit of relief to the surviving, Randy says. “The type of people that are called to this profession come because they want to help,” he says. “They aren’t doing it
Schoedinger Funeral Home and Cremation Service 12 facilities across central Ohio schoedinger.com
Business: Offers funeral and cremation services, advanced funeral planning and pet cremation services. CEO: Randy Schoedinger Employees: 160 Revenue: Would not disclose
From left: Carley Gueli, director of human resources; Kevin Schoedinger, co-president; Barry Griffith, COO; Randy Schoedinger, CEO
for money, fame or glory, they’re doing it because they feel a calling.”
Cabinets to caskets A helping hand is exactly how Schoedinger Funeral Home began and how it’s survived 166 years. It was 1829 when founder Philip Schoedinger emigrated from Germany to Columbus. A craftsman by trade, he established a cabinet-making company. The population of Columbus was small at the time, so when a community member died, it was standard to ask Philip to make the casket, and he did. As the population grew, he dedicated his work full-time to casket making and founded the new business in 1855. In 1865, he established Schoedinger & Brown on West State Street. Philip’s two sons would also join the business, and in a few years they would establish a new chapel at 229 E. State St., which still stands today. Schoedinger Funeral Home became the first in central Ohio to offer an automobile hearse, guarantee advance funeral arrangements and offer air-conditioning during a service. Over a century later the business is maintained by Philip’s great, great, great grandkids. Now in its sixth generation, it’s led by Randy Schoedinger, who started at the business when he was 16 by driving and washing cars. In 1994, after college and a brief stint working with Huntington Bank, he joined the business full-time and was
promoted to CEO in 2008. Randy’s cousins, Michael and Kevin, serve the business as co-presidents. There are12 Schoedinger funeral home locations including two cost-effective locations, Heart and Hope by Schoedinger, and Buckeye Cremation by Schoedinger, which offers only cremation. There are 160 associates at the funeral home, and while the business has grown out of being a family affair, each associate is greeted with open arms.
Welcome to the family Barry Griffith, who joined the business almost four decades ago, took that culture into mind when he accepted an offer in 1986 to be a funeral director. “I had some friends that went to Schoedinger [Funeral Home] directly out of school,” Griffith says. “A year into my apprenticeship I received a phone call from Schoedinger saying they had some positions open. I immediately hopped on board—the reputation of Schoedinger has always been a standard of excellence.” And Griffith came in hot—he didn’t only want to be a funeral director, he wanted to be in leadership. By 1994 he had been promoted to manager of the Karl Road location by former president Jay Schoedinger, father to Randy, but that was only a stepping stone. “Jay came up to me and said, ‘Barry, I’d like to congratulate you. You’ve been a great leader and I want to acknowl-
6 ColumbusCEO l Top Workplaces 2022
006-007_TopWorkplaces2022-Feature_Page6-7.indd 6
4/18/22 10:27 AM
“The type of people that are called to this profession come because they want to help. They aren’t doing it for money, fame or glory, they’re doing it because they feel a calling.” RANDY SCHOEDINGER, CEO, Schoedinger Funeral Home and Cremation Service edge your moving into this position— you’ve finally made it,’” Griffith says. “I said, ‘Jay, I beg to differ with you. I appreciate what you’re saying, but I think I’ve got more room to grow’ …he said, ‘Barry, that’s an awesome goal. I hope you attain that.’” Griffith continued to climb, and in 2017 he was promoted to chief operating officer, the second non-family member to achieve a C-suite role, with the help of endless support from the family, he says. “One of their best traits is the respect that they show to the associates and the talents that each associate brings,” Griffith says. ”The Schoedingers have always been able to recognize what those talents are that each individual brings, and get them to the right seat on the bus.” Those moments, which have added up over the years, and the uplifting culture are why Randy believes Schoedinger Funeral Home receives recognition. And it’s the same culture that he believes carried his team as COVID jolted the industry.
Unspoken frontline And like everybody else, nobody could have seen it coming. “It all happened so quickly. You’re watching basketball and next thing you know, the tournaments are canceled, the Arnold’s canceled,” Randy says. “At that point you’re thinking if some of the things you’re reading out there happen and we’ve got half of our people sick and even more people needing services, how can we handle that?” While death is inevitable and was heightened during the pandemic, the funeral business was still hurting. In 2020, as in-person gatherings were put on pause and services ceased, Schoedinger Funeral Home’s revenue was around 30 percent lower between August to October of that year, Kevin says. Obtaining Paycheck Protection Program loans was critical, Randy says. And despite a loss of services, the funeral
home offered additional compensation for employees who were now flexing their roles to meet new needs. “People keep saying, ‘Your business is immune because people always need your services,’” Randy says. “And they do, but they need it at different levels. They’re not renting our buildings or operating our vehicles or buying flowers or having catered events, so we were really struggling.” But a loss of services didn’t mean less deaths—by December 2020, Ohio COVID-19 deaths surpassed 8,000, according to the Ohio Department of Health. The same month, the funeral home served 80 percent more families than its previous record month and the momentum continued through the beginning of 2021, Kevin says. In the months that followed, business remained increased but bearable, and things began to look up. But with the surge of the Omicron variant toward the end of 2021, optimism diminished. More associates were falling ill and the sense of defeat grew. January 2022 marked the second busiest month for Schoedinger Funeral Home in its 166-year history. For the sake of others, Kevin daydreamed of a day when business was slow. “This most recent spike was really hard and I would love to never have to go through that again,” he says. “We’d be more than happy to wait and not have to serve all these families right now.” Now, the funeral home is about 10 to 14 percent busier on aggregate, Kevin says. And he’d like to think that they are as prepared as possible for any future spikes. New protocols are in place, and it became a point to advocate for clinical help, for both employees and families.
Selling Schoedinger As the COVID chapter hopefully ends, Schoedinger Funeral Home also started another—the one in which they sold. In December 2021 the family an-
nounced that they sold the business to Houston-based Service Corporation International, the nation’s largest operator of funeral homes, ending its reign as a private, family-owned company. Service Corp. was founded in 1962 and has ties to 44 states and nearly 2,000 facilities. The decision was made with growth in mind. As times change, expectations for funeral services change too, which brings the need for more facilities, and nicer ones at that. The sale details that the buyer will be putting money toward maintaining the Schoedinger reputation, Randy says. Financial terms were not disclosed. “I say there are two reasons businesses decide to sell,” he says. “They sell their business because they have to, or they sell the business because it’s the right thing. And when we looked at this, we looked at, okay, what’s the best thing for the next 50 years, the next 100 years for central Ohio.” Thoughts of selling were brought about less than a year ago, at which point Randy began researching options. He handpicked Service Corp. and led the sale negotiations, then presented it to his cousins, who supported the choice. While there are seventh generation Schoedingers, it’s unclear whether any will get in the business. Nothing obvious at the funeral home will change, Kevin says. The biggest change will be increased pay for employees, more time off, better benefits and new technology—all things they have always hoped to offer. “We’re still staying in the business, our name is still on the building, that’s never going to change,” he says. “When someone I know has a death, they’re still going to call me and I’m still going to take care of them… [the sale] provides us more stability and a stronger foundation to continue serving the community for another 166 years.” Jay, 81, the oldest living family member who has been part of the business, has also shown support for the decision. Now, the Schoedinger legacy can continue for decades, he says. “They did a great job of continuing what my father and my grandfather and all our ancestors before us established in the community,” he says. “Words can’t express how proud you really are for something like that.” Jess Deyo is associate editor. Top Workplaces 2022 l ColumbusCEO
006-007_TopWorkplaces2022-Feature_Page6-7.indd 7
7
4/18/22 9:53 AM
Large Employer
Four-legged mission Bark has discovered the secret to stress-free work: man’s best friend By LAURA NEWPOFF Photos by ROB HARDIN
C
OVID-19 sending Americans home to work over the past two years was a boom for pet adoption. More than 23 million households in the country took in a new pet during the pandemic to help family members cope with feelings of isolation. Now that people are returning to offices, however, some of those new pet owners are wondering how to care for their canine companions. Sadly, many are returning them to shelters. If you work at Bark, you don’t have that dilemma. Long before the pandemic, the pet retailer had developed a culture that encouraged employees in its New York and Columbus offices to bring their dogs to work. In fact, on its careers page, it even tells prospective employees that “it would be kind of weird if you didn’t bring your dog to work. Being at Bark means
Bark 500 W. Broad St. Columbus 43215 • bark.co
Business: Bark makes products,
content and experiences for dogs and their people. It launched in 2012 with its first subscription product, BarkBox, and has since expanded with multiple subscription offerings.
CEO: Matt Meeker Employees: 438 regional 2021 Revenue: $378 million
Bark team member KJ Hunt greets Hazel while Olive enjoys a treat-filled toy.
having human and dog coworkers.” The power of employees being able to work alongside their canine companions has been reinforced by a recent survey the company did to explore challenges dog parents face as they return to offices. One in three dog parents believe they’ll be happier and less stressed at work if they have their dog with them and 28 percent feel their life would be more convenient if they had this option. And 72 percent of dog parents who already have returned to work miss their dog while they are back at the office. The survey also found that pet parents will miss their dogs much more than they will miss their children or their spouse. “Employers that we speak with, including our peers or large companies, are always interested in how to create that environment where [you] can bring dogs into the workplace in a way that employees and the dogs are comfortable,” says Rustin Richburg, Bark’s chief people officer. “We’ve always done this. It’s always been a part of our DNA. Our culture is built around our mission as a company.
It’s simple and straight forward. Make dogs happy. Everything we do stems from that mission.” Bark was founded in New York as BarkBox by Carly Strife, Matt Meeker and Henrik Werdelin. The company, which launched in 2012, opened an office in Columbus in 2015 where it currently has 333 employees. In addition to the original BarkBox—a monthly box of themed toys and treats—the company also sells a themed collection of super-tough toys, treats and chews under its Super Chewer line; a chew plus toothpaste duo under its Bright line; and healthy, personalized meals under its Eats line. Partnerships with major retailers like Amazon and Target have helped fuel growth. The company, which went public in 2021, has about 2.3 million active subscriptions. Shelby Mason, senior community and engagement coordinator in Columbus, says the company believes people are its strongest asset. Even though the company is publicly held now, the “people-
8 ColumbusCEO l Top Workplaces 2022
008_016_TopWorkplaces2022_Page8-16.indd 8
4/18/22 9:52 AM
“When you round up a bunch of dog-loving weirdos with one goal, ‘make dogs happy’ … you have already created a sacred space. The next part is to maintain that.” SHELBY MASON, Columbus senior community and engagement coordinator, Bark first approach keeps Bark down-to-earth and a place you want to be every day,” she says. Mason’s work directly impacts corporate culture. Her team plans what she describes as “cool engaging events to create meaningful experiences, community-building and brand integrity here at Bark.” Dinner parties with your dog, weekly wellness classes, take your (human) child to work day, drag queen bingo and family nights are a handful of events employees get to experience. “When you round up a bunch of dog-loving weirdos with one goal, ‘make dogs happy’ … you have already created a sacred space,” Mason says. “The next part is to maintain that. Bark supports
employees holistically—from unlimited time off, comprehensive benefits, a mental health-focused employee assistance program, employee resource groups, meaningful outings with coworkers and happy hour every day after 5 p.m.— Well, it’s gotten a little earlier, lately— Bark has a space for everyone to find themselves. We know our people make us great so the answer is always, ‘Yes, and your dog is invited, too.’” Bark’s benefits package includes comprehensive pet insurance. The company is also a strong advocate for fostering, dog-friendly spaces, surrender-prevention community services and responsible sourcing and rehoming. Dogs also have been an integral part
of Bark’s return-to-the-office strategy. Last year, the company brought in COVID-sniffing beagles as part of a pilot program. The dogs were trained by BioScent, which trains medical scentdetection beagles in partnership with the Florida International University Detection Dog program. The dogs are able to sniff out a positive case with 98 percent accuracy. If a dog walks up to an employee and sniffs that he or she is positive, the beagle will sit. If negative, the dog will simply keep walking. “We wanted to showcase the ability of these pups and what they are capable of doing and educate others around different alternatives around the power of dogs that we really haven’t embraced as a society,” Richburg says. Bark has a hybrid work environment structured around what makes sense by team. Some teams come in certain days for ... face-to-face meetings and other times they work remote. “The approach,” Richburg says, “is where can we be the most productive, the most effective and still keep a level of culture and community within our teams as well.” Laura Newpoff is a freelance writer.
CELEBRATING A DECADE OF BETTER At Worthington, our employees consistently find ways to make better possible year after year – for our customers, our communities and each other. It’s because of their efforts that we’ve achieved Top Workplace recognition for the 10th consecutive year, including each year since the inaugural list was published in 2013. That’s an achievement worth celebrating and our employees deserve all the credit!
Join our team, where together, better is possible! WorkForWorthington.com
2013-2022 Top Workplaces 2022 l ColumbusCEO
008_016_TopWorkplaces2022_Page8-16.indd 9
9
4/15/22 1:00 PM
Midsize Employer
A people business EMH&T has survived when the odds have been stacked against it, a feat credited to the strong company culture. By TIM FERAN Photo by ROB HARDIN
W
hen the pandemic forced a sudden shutdown of nearly everything, many organizations were caught flat-footed. They had never dealt with a global crisis like it and some floundered and failed. But at EMH&T, a long history and a strong workplace culture helped the civil engineering consultant firm not only survive but thrive. Not that a lot of work wasn’t involved in the effort, says Sandy Doyle-Ahern, president of EMH&T. “Managing through the pandemic was exhausting,” Doyle-Ahern says. “But knowing that employees feel good about being here, it is huge for me personally. As a person running the firm, I’m damn grateful for every person here.” Founded in 1926, EMH&T consistently receives various workplace awards, something that Doyle-Ahern knew when she joined the company 25 years ago. “It was always very strong,” she says.
EMH&T 5500 New Albany Road Columbus 43054 • emht.com
Business: EMH&T is a land development and public works engineering consulting firm. President: Sandy Doyle-Ahern Employees: 310 Revenue: $60.7 million
EMH&T President Sandy Doyle-Ahern (front) stands with her team.
“But EMH&T for a long time kind of flew under the radar [to the general public]. That’s because most of the work is reputation based with repeat customers.” The key to the firm’s ability to weather the pandemic dates back more than a decade to a couple of years before the Great Recession when Doyle-Ahern had moved up in the ranks. At that point, “I started pushing out a lot more communication to employees about how the company was doing,” she says. “It was always rock solid, but it was a little bit of a heads-down kind of company. My personality is a little different from that, and we began to talk directly to them even more about how the company was doing.” The commitment to open communication wasn’t just a nice benefit that was put away after the 2008 economic crisis passed, she says. “In civil engineering we have a lot of risk, it can be real, and my biggest priority is that you have got to have teams of people that trust each other, that know each other. If someone
is not certain about something they can always ask an expert in the area. “You can’t build trust if you don’t have relationships with each other, so we do a lot of employee engagement work. It’s about getting people out of their desks to continue to build relationships.” That effort left all of EMH&T’s staff— from longtime employees to recent hires—deeply impressed and grateful. Christy Pirkle started at EMH&T 21 years ago. Hired as an intern, Pirkle became a full-time employee a year later and has been there ever since. Today, as a senior environmental scientist, she collaborates often with other firms and has picked up how other companies run. Even so, she has never found anything that attracted her away. The reason for that loyalty is the firm’s collaborative culture. During the Great Recession and through the pandemic, “we didn’t pull in, we reached out,” Pirkle says. “We know that the strength of the company is the people. There was a lot of transparency. We all kind of
10 ColumbusCEO l Top Workplaces 2022
008_016_TopWorkplaces2022_Page8-16.indd 10
4/15/22 2:14 PM
“Managing through the pandemic was exhausting. But knowing that employees feel good about being here, it is huge for me personally. As a person running the firm, I’m damn grateful for every person here.” SANDY DOYLE-AHERN, president, EMH&T shared the good and the bad.” A key moment in her career at EMH&T came when Pirkle and her husband decided to start a family. “I had my first child and I didn’t realize the demands it was going to have on me personally.” After consideration, Pirkle approached Doyle-Ahern and told her that she was going to quit. But Doyle-Ahern said, “This is not this-or-that.” So, for years, Pirkle was able to work part-time at the firm, she says. “When my kids were older and I could leave the house every day, they welcomed me back full-time.” Abby Cueva came to EMH&T in August 2012 after having worked at another firm for 11 years. After meeting Doyle-Ahern, Cueva thought, “If I went anywhere else, I’d be really interested in
going to EMH&T. It was definitely Sandy and her leadership and the culture at EMH&T that brought me here.” The firm’s effort during the pandemic to return everyone to the office as safely and quickly as possible was crucial to maintaining that culture, especially for younger engineers, Cueva says. “It’s very hard for younger engineers when they don’t have hands-on, face-toface experience with other experienced engineers,” she says. “… Sandy worked day and night getting protocols in place, and it paid off.” Like Pirkle, Cueva found a sympathetic ear when she found herself pregnant soon after being hired at EMH&T. Doyle-Ahern sat down with her for a one-on-one chat and reassured her that everything would work out.
“It was the most impactful moment of my career, that someone would do something for me without even asking for it,” Cueva says. “I felt appreciated, and now forever indebted.” Dan Bruin was hired in July 2019 as a product engineer and had only worked at one other firm, in St. Louis, for two years before that. “With only a couple years of experience I was coming into the city with few connections. I was just working off online reviews. One thing I saw was that EMH&T always got great reviews. They were typically number one.” When the pandemic forced everyone to shut down, Bruin was thankful he had time to be exposed to the firm’s culture. “Under COVID, that was huge,” he says. “It was lucky timing, I guess. At the time it’s something you’d think: Is there job security? What’s going to happen? But we were always reassured from upper management we would get through it. There was never a point where I felt that my job was in jeopardy.” That culture won’t change, DoyleAhern says, because it is crucial to helping EMH&T do the best work possible. Tim Feran is a freelance writer.
TO OUR STAFF, THE HEARTBEAT OF OUR ENTIRE BRAND. WE ARE ELATED TO BE HONORED BY YOU FOR THIS AWARD, FOR THE 8TH YEAR IN A ROW.
Thank You! CONVENIENT 110 0C ONVENIENT LLOCATIONS OCATIONS • KKENNETHS.COM ENNETHS.COM KKENNETHSSALONANDSPA ENNETHSSALONANDSPA Top Workplaces 2022 l ColumbusCEO
008_016_TopWorkplaces2022_Page8-16.indd 11
11
4/15/22 1:00 PM
Small Employer
Science of beauty Kathy Keeney left her ER job for Boss Gal Beauty Bar, but there are more similarities than meet the eye. By VIRGINIA BROWN Photo by ROB HARDIN
F
ive years ago, Kathy Keeney wanted a creative outlet outside of her full-time job as an emergency room nurse. She invested in a small studio and independently started providing eyebrow microblading. After six months, using only social media to promote her work, she was so busy that she left her job in the ER to do brows full-time. “It seemed kind of radical,” Keeney says. “My family and my coworkers were like, ‘What did you do?’ But the money was good, and I enjoyed what I was doing.” Six months later, she ventured into aesthetic medicine—cosmetic injectables, laser treatments, dermal fillers and other treatments—and started attending related conferences and investing in education courses. In 2019, with four employees, she opened Boss Gal Beauty Bar, a medical spa now offering three locations across Columbus with 50 employees. “I took a
Boss Gal Beauty Bar bossgalbeautybar.com
Business: Medical spa and
facial bar
Locations: Clintonville, Grandview and Easton Founder: Kathy Keeney Employees: 50 Revenue: Would not disclose.
Boss Gal Beauty Bar founder Kathy Keeney (center) stands with her management team.
total leap of faith,” she says. This year, Boss Gal Beauty Bar is the top-ranked small business on Columbus CEO’s Top Workplaces list. Boss Gal is one part open-concept facial bar—including efficient facials compared with more time-consuming spa experiences—and the other part cosmetic medical treatments performed by nurses or nurse practitioners. To have that kind of practice, a physician must serve as a medical director to oversee policies and procedures. Dr. Timothy Sutton, one of two male employees at Boss Gal, serves in that role. “Having a medical director, we get to use medical-grade skincare,” Keeney says. “So our facials are very results-driven, not just [for] relaxation.” People still relax, though, she adds, and sometimes even fall asleep in the chair. For many businesses, opening during COVID-19 proved too difficult, but for
Boss Gal, it provided a new trend: People seeing themselves most of the day with the rise of virtual meetings. “People were working from home on Zoom and started to look at themselves a lot more,” she says. Her clients would come in and complain about lines, wrinkles or side profiles, among other things. “A whole Zoom phenomenon perpetuated,” she says. Sarah Sweebe has worked at Boss Gal’s Clintonville location for a little over three years. After graduating from Aveda in 2019, she says, “I wanted to work with corrective skincare lines and I wanted to do relaxing treatments, but also treatments that you are going to see results from.” She started shopping around at various spas in town as a client. “I found that most of them were very uninviting and sterile,” she says. “It just wasn’t what I was looking for.”
12 ColumbusCEO l Top Workplaces 2022
008_016_TopWorkplaces2022_Page8-16.indd 12
4/21/22 4:46 PM
“This business is customer service- and salesoriented, so being an ER nurse really helps with that—being a good communicator, educator, and being able to explain things thoroughly to people.” KATHY KEENEY, founder, Boss Gal Beauty Bar At first, she was skeptical of the open-concept facial bar. “I’m used to being in a treatment room by myself with music, where it’s dark.” She didn’t think the open concept would work for her. “I ended up getting an interview with Kathy and I completely fell in love with her and she sold me on this idea.” For Sweebe, the combination of the unique concept and Keeney’s leadership was the right mix. “She takes time to listen, and that goes a long way,” Sweebe says. “Safety is always our number-one goal and treating your skin safely, so I think her [nursing] background really sets us apart.” Keeney says her days working in acute care at a hospital positioned her well for running a business and managing people.
“ER nurses are confident, and we’re risk takers. We’ve seen so many things, and we also know how to deal with a lot of different situations and personalities,” she says. “This business is customer service- and sales-oriented, so being an ER nurse really helps with that—being a good communicator, educator, and being able to explain things thoroughly to people.” And every day is a learning experience. “Being a business owner is constantly pivoting and problem solving,” she says. “Managing people has to be one of the most challenging parts of the business.” That’s why she only wants to select the best employees, ones that truly hope to work at Boss Gal. “We pick people that are passionate
about what they do and constantly want to learn,” she says. “We are constantly immersing ourselves in continuing education and investing in our employees.” Keeney earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Trent University and a permanent makeup certification from GLAMD of Chicago. She is also a member of the American Medical Spa Association and the American Academy of Facial Aesthetics, so continuing education is a big part of the Boss Gal business model. The company offers classes, training opportunities, lunch-and-learns and more. And benefits include a maternity policy, a 401(k) match up to four percent of salary and flexible schedules. “The culture is so important to me,” Keeney says. “We are female-run and very proud of that.” Once a week, Sweebe huddles with her team to discuss a new product. “We’re constantly learning and keeping up with the new techniques and new tools and I absolutely love that,” she says. “This industry is constantly growing, so you do have to keep up with it. Boss Gal allows us to do that.” Virginia Brown is a freelance writer.
Top Workplaces 2022 l ColumbusCEO
008_016_TopWorkplaces2022_Page8-16.indd 13
13
4/15/22 2:08 PM
S P E C I A L
A W A R D
New ideas are encouraged
Two steps ahead Forge Biologics’ innovative culture has it in growth mode By LAURA NEWPOFF
I Photos courtesy FORGE BIOLOGICS
f you were the hiring manager at Forge Biologics, you’d never know America was in the midst of an unprecedented labor shortage. While companies across the country are struggling to fill open positions, the Grove City biotechnology company has had more than 1,200 applications since the beginning of the year. CEO Timothy Miller attributes it to people wanting to be a part of a
company that has a “patient-first approach” and could soon be the largest producer of dedicated adeno-associated virus (AAV) gene therapies in the world. Gene therapy using AAV as a vector has emerged as a novel therapeutic modality that has the potential to lead to substantial disease modification in many monogenic disorders, or even cures, Nature.com reports. To address the growing demand for gene therapy manufacturing, Forge began an expansion of its facility, The Hearth, in 2021. It will increase the overall manufacturing footprint of the company to over 200,000 square feet of facility space in Grove City. Forge’s business model is a hybrid, or hub-and-spoke model, where it develops its own pipeline of novel gene therapies and also serves as a contract and development manufacturing organization to manufacture gene therapies for
Forge Biologics team members.
“It goes to the mentality that we’re all here as a team to help kids get access to these potentially lifesaving therapies.” TIMOTHY MILLER, CEO, Forge Biologics
Forge Biologics 3900 Gantz Rd. Grove City, 43123 forgebiologics.com
Business: A gene therapy-
focused contract development and manufacturing organization
CEO: Timothy Miller Employees: 160 (approx.) Revenue: Would not disclose its clients, which include other companies, organizations and researchers. With The Hearth as its foundation, Forge is building a promising pipeline of disease-modifying AAV-based therapies to potentially help patients with rare genetic diseases. “We even have people from the coasts applying. It’s very exciting,” Miller says. “It goes to the mentality that we’re all here as a team to help kids get access to these potentially life-saving therapies. Without us, many of them might not get access in time to save their life.” For example, Forge is working on FBX-101 for the treatment of patients with the neurodegenerative Krabbe disease. Infantile Krabbe disease usually results in death by age two. FBX-101 is in a Phase 1-2 clinical trial. Miller co-founded the company in 2020 with Erandi De Silva and Jaysson Eicholtz. Forge has 160 employees and is hiring. Miller came to central Ohio from Cleveland where he co-founded Abeona Therapeutics in 2015, a rare disease gene and cell therapy company. Danielle Sexton, scientist I, process development, joined Forge in April 2021. As a mother of two children, she finds meaning in work that could potentially change the lives of families. She says new ideas are encouraged at the company through genuine collaboration. “There’s a good exchange of ideas and no ideas are ever off the table,” Sexton says. “It’s a kinetic environment. We want to make a difference in patients’ lives and in order to do that you have to be able to think outside the box and do new things. Laura Newpoff is a freelance writer.
14 ColumbusCEO l Top Workplaces 2022
008_016_TopWorkplaces2022_Page8-16.indd 14
4/15/22 2:18 PM
Kenneth’s Hair Salons and Day Spas team members.
S P E C I A L
A W A R D
I get the formal training I want for my career
Rooted in training Kenneth’s Hair Salons and Day Spas give staff the education needed to feel confident behind the chair. By VIRGINIA BROWN Photo by ROB HARDIN
S
ome companies draw talent with perks like free beer and PingPong tables. At Kenneth’s Hair Salons and Day Spas, it’s all about the training. For the eighth year straight, Kenneth’s ranked among Columbus CEO’s Top Workplaces awards, this year also winning a special award for its extensive investment in its people. “Our training is our biggest recruiting tool, and it’s what sets us apart,” says President Jody Achatz.
Founded by Kenneth Anders in 1977, today the salon has 10 locations, including a training academy, in central Ohio. Kenneth’s training includes multiple phases and can take anywhere from seven months to a year to complete, according to Achatz. Understanding the pace of a salon and developing the skills necessary to work
Kenneth’s Hair Salons and Day Spas 10 Columbus-area locations kenneths.com
Business: Hair salon and day
spa offering hair services, nails, massages and more
President: Jody Achatz Employees: 375 Revenue: Would not disclose
“At the platinum level, you don’t know who’s coming in. Your consultation has to be fantastic, and you have to educate throughout the appointment.” JODY ACHATZ, president, Kenneth’s Hair Salons and Day Spas
with a wide array of personalities and expectations takes time. “A lot of times in this industry, when you’re getting training, you work alongside another hairdresser, and they teach you as you go,” Achatz says. “We don’t do it that way.” At Kenneth’s, new hires spend seven weeks working full days at Kenneth’s Academy on Reed Road, northwest of Columbus. There, stylists learn how to apply color, drape clients and sharpen other foundational skills. In the second phase, trainees assist top-level stylists to understand the pace of the salon environment. “Timing is important here,” says Marie Flanagan, who has worked at Kenneth’s since August 2021. “[We learn] how to juggle clients and make sure that we are staying on time—and how to please the customer.” After that, employees return to the academy full-time for advanced training in cutting and coloring techniques, among others, this time with live models. By the final level, stylists have spent about two months working with real clients at the academy budget salon. “A lot of times, when you’re going through training, you bring your mom, your sister, your best friend …” Achatz says. “At the platinum level, you don’t know who’s coming in. Your consultation has to be fantastic, and you have to educate throughout the appointment.” “There are certain key performance indicators that need to happen before you’re then promoted out to one of the locations,” Achatz adds. And that’s just for hair. The process is similar for Kenneth’s nail technicians, estheticians and others, according to Achatz. They also provide training on financial wellness, marketing, social media and more. Even more notable than the extensive time Kenneth’s puts into preparing its people: the training is paid. After graduating from the Aveda Institute Columbus in April 2021, Flanagan applied to work at Kenneth’s because of its reputation. “Hair school really just sets you up for the minimum,” says Flanagan. “They give you enough to get started, but there’s so much to learn in the industry.” At Kenneth’s, Flanagan says she has found a support network of people she can go to with any question. “They prepare you for any situation that you might run into and for a successful future.” Virginia Brown is a freelance writer. Top Workplaces 2022 l ColumbusCEO
008_016_TopWorkplaces2022_Page8-16.indd 15
15
4/15/22 2:07 PM
S P E C I A L AWA R D F O R B E N E F I T S
Beam Dental
Delivering value Beam Dental specializes in offering great benefits to others, so it only makes sense to offer the same to its own. By TIM FERAN
T
File/Columbus CEO/ROB HARDIN
he Great Resignation has forced many companies to step up and offer higher pay and better benefits. But what about those who specialize in delivering great benefits to other companies? Well, then it’s about upping the game for their own. Beam Dental, a provider of digital-first dental benefits, offers its employees a stellar package that includes free dental and vision, pays 99 percent of health insurance premiums and offers employees an annual learning stipend. Beam’s digital platform makes everything from quotes to claims fast and easy for brokers, members and employers.
And in an innovation, every Beam member—and this includes employees—gets an internet-connected toothbrush “so you’re accruing benefits if you’re brushing your teeth,” says Alex Frommeyer, CEO and co-founder of Beam. “That shows in a very visceral way that we care about preventative care. We give you the brush and we’ll reward you.” Frommeyer smiles when asked about the effects the Great Resignation might have had on Beam’s benefits package. “We are a benefits company, and we should have a phenomenal benefits package,” he says. The real lure to potential employees is simple: It’s culture. Beam has based that culture on its core values of Growth, Resilience, Initiative, Tenacity, and Team first—better known as GRITT. When Beam was founded in 2012, Frommeyer says, GRITT was already woven into the DNA of the business. GRITT is at the center of everything that Beam does and was what attractedHannah Thompson to Beam Dental over three years ago. “The tangible benefits that we get— dental, vision and the rest—of course those are recruiting points,” Thompson says. “But I really think the funny saying
“We are a benefits company, and we should have a phenomenal benefits package.” ALEX FROMMEYER, co-founder and CEO, Beam Dental
Beam Dental 226 North 5th St., Floor 4 Columbus, 43215 www.beam.dental
Business: Digital-first dental benefits provider that incorporates dental hygiene behavior into policy pricing, combining an online insurance platform, AI-powered underwriting and the internetconnected Beam Toothbrush. Co-Founder and CEO: Alex Frommeyer
Employees: 280 Revenue: $233.7 million is true: You come for the snacks; you stay for the culture. Especially in the remotefirst world, snacks aren’t as important.” As a woman in the tech industry, Thompson has worked at other companies where she had to deal with the smug, misogynistic “tech bro” culture and battle “the imposter syndrome—it’s a real feeling for women in the tech industry,” she says. At Beam, it’s different. That culture was illustrated during a meeting in which a colleague acknowledged making a mistake. “I watched my manager handle it,” Thompson says, “and he really deescalated it and made it clear we would solve it together. That’s extremely important in a startup culture, that mistakes will be made and we’ll solve it together.” Over the past few years Thompson has been promoted twice. The most recent promotion was for a job that hadn’t existed at Beam, and Thompson herself crafted the job description. Now, she’s the team’s first solution architect. Even so, despite the benefits package and culture, Beam has seen its share of resignations recently. Ironically, it’s because the company has essentially doubled in size every year since its founding, “and that is not what everyone wants,” Frommeyer says. “The company you joined a few years ago, that’s a completely different business.” Tim Feran is a freelance writer.
16 ColumbusCEO l Top Workplaces 2022
008_016_TopWorkplaces2022_Page8-16.indd 16
4/15/22 2:07 PM
C2-C4_CoverAds.indd 3
4/15/22 12:43 PM
C2-C4_CoverAds.indd 4
4/15/22 2:05 PM