NorthCoast 99 - 2024

2024 Winners NorthCoast 99 Awards

Made For This Mission. 20 Years as a Top Employer. Mission-driven. People rst.

Celebrating 20 years of recognition as a NorthCoast 99 Top Employer

It’s a celebration of our employees who dedicate themselves to our mission, making sure every person has the resources they need to live a healthier life.

It’s a celebration that reminds us when we put people rst—our employees, each patient, our community—we can create a hospital system that helps each person be seen, be heard, and be well.

We’re working to eradicate health disparities and improve health equity, in our community and beyond. And, that calls for even more celebration.

Are you made for our mission? Scan the code to nd your place at MetroHealth

Proudly REcognized BY NORTHCOAST 99

Brennan Industries has firmly established itself as a global leader in manufacturing for the aerospace and defense, hydraulic, instrumentation, and industrial sectors. Since its inception in 1953, the company has adhered to a guiding mantra: to excel in every aspect of its operations—from quality and inventory management to product range and the respect shown to customers and employees. Over 70 years later, Brennan Industries remains unwavering in its dedication to this mission, consistently delivering world-class products and maintaining a deep sense of gratitude for all the people who have made a difference. 1st

Find the path that suits you brennaninc.com/careers

Honoring 99 Great Northeast Ohio Workplaces for Top Talent HOW WE DO IT

IF THE NORTHEAST OHIO REGION WERE A STAGE, the NorthCoast 99 winning companies would be the A-list stars! I feel so lucky each year to have front-row seats to see the best companies in action. They not only perform but also inspire others to aim for the spotlight.

This year’s theme, “Company’s Got Talent,” signifies that the NorthCoast 99 winning organizations have developed cultures and positive reputations that draw talent from not only the Northeast Ohio region but also from across the nation, helping to grow our regional economy.

While every company is composed of people, it is the most talented employees who make them successful. The talent at these organizations is generally diverse, encompassing a wide range of abilities, experiences and perspectives.

Through the NorthCoast 99 program, we’ve learned that talented workers want to be part of winning cultures and teams. They want to work with the best of the best. When asked what keeps top-performing employees at their organizations, we consistently hear “the people,” “coworkers” and “teams.”

Top talent is also looking for work environments that offer competitive compensation, benefits and rewards that are a cut above the rest. For the third year in a row, our data shows that top-performing employees ranked “compensation” as the attribute they find most important in a job.

The 2024 NorthCoast 99 winners know that the way they treat their talent directly ties to their retention rates and bottom lines.

Winning NorthCoast 99 is not easy, and the winning group of 99 employers is constantly evolving, listening and responding to the needs and desires of today’s talent. In fact, all of this year’s winners formally measure employee engagement and take action based on those results.

The leaders at these companies find the intersection between creating outstanding policies and practices and building a culture of highly engaged workers who propel their businesses forward.

We at ERC commend the 2024 NorthCoast 99 winners for setting a benchmark for excellence.

KELLY KEEFE PRESIDENT, ERC — EMPLOYERS RESOURCE COUNCIL

BUILD A BETTER WORKPLACE!

ERC offers an array of data-driven reports designed to provide Northeast Ohio organizations with ideas and benchmarks for continuous improvement, including:

• NorthCoast 99 Winner Practices Report

• ERC Employee Engagement Surveys

• ERC Compensation & Benefits Surveys Contact us for more information: yourERC.com

Applications open Feb. 2025 for next year’s awards.

Subscribe to NC99 updates: NorthCoast99.org/email

EARNING

THE TITLE of NorthCoast 99 winner is no easy task. The NorthCoast 99 isn’t just a list of great places to work — it’s a look at the Northeast Ohio organizations that are excelling in providing environments in which top performers can flourish. Each of the winners you’ll read about in these pages participated in a rigorous application process to help us find the best of the best in our 22-county region. To be eligible, all organizations must have a local workforce of at least 15 full-time equivalent employees and have had a Northeast Ohio presence (headquarters, satellite office, distribution center, etc.) for a minimum of three years. Here’s how we do it:

APPLICATION

To apply, organizations were required to complete an application that asked for detailed information about how their organization addresses topperformer attraction, engagement and retention in six distinct areas. These areas included: Organizational Strategy, Policies & Benefits; Talent Attraction, Acquisition & Onboarding; Employee Well-Being; Employee Engagement & Talent Development; Total Rewards; and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion.

NEW-HIRE SURVEY

At least three newly hired employees from each company — totaling 710 respondents from all applicants — completed a survey on the effectiveness of the employer’s recruiting, selection and onboarding process.

TOP-PERFORMER SURVEY

Surveys were also distributed to at least 50% (or 200 total, whichever was smaller) of each organization’s top performers, defined as employees who earned an above-average rating on their most recent performance review. This year, we collected 5,248 employee responses from applicants regarding what they value most in a workplace and how their employer meets their needs.

THE 2024 NORTHCOAST 99 AWARDS PROGRAM

FOR MORE THAN 100 YEARS, ERC has been a trusted resource for organizations in Northeast Ohio and around the country. We help leaders build great workplaces through thought leadership, comprehensive data and HR solutions that include membership, training and professional development, consultative services and more. ERC is the founder and producer of NorthCoast 99.

2024 NORTHCOAST 99 SPONSORS

Because it’s our caregivers that make our culture stand out

Since 1921, we’ve been at the forefront of modern medicine and are ranked among the top hospitals in the country. Joining our caregiver family means you join our legacy – and are part of our story.

We’re creating an environment of belonging, innovation, teamwork and respect – where every moment matters to our patients and caregivers.

Discover your next oppor tunity to learn, grow and thrive at Cleveland Clinic. clevelandclinic.jobs

Cleveland Clinic is pleased to be an equal employment employer: Women/Minorities/Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities.

Honoring 99 Great Northeast Ohio Workplaces For Top Talent

There’s no question that workplaces are continuing to evolve. It’s necessary. By embracing the needs and expectations of today’s workforce, companies are finding innovative ways to attract and retain top talent — not just from Northeast Ohio, but from around the nation. The key is willingness to progress.

Now more than ever, employees are looking for companies that offer flexibility and room for growth and advancement. They also want a workplace that offers policies and benefits that align with their needs, along with one that shares their values and beliefs.

It’s a lot for companies to balance, but the 99 award-winning organizations featured in this publication are up for the challenge, finding new ways to adapt and evolve to attract and retain top talent.

As one winning organization explained, “We place an emphasis on constantly providing our top performers with opportunities to expand their capabilities horizontally to build the foundation necessary to further their career vertically in the long run. We give performers stretch assignments to push them out of their comfort zones, but also provide background support they need to be successful.”

This kind of support and encouragement goes a long way in making employees feel valued and appreciated — and in making sure they have room to grow within the company.

Our 99 winners also realize the importance of work-life balance and strive to provide employees with the flexibility to stay on top of their game both at work and at home. Throughout this publication, winning organizations share insight into the policies, benefits and rewards they’re using to foster employee satisfaction, both professionally and personally.

This year’s NorthCoast 99 include four Platinum Award winners and three Legacy Award winners who are celebrating their 20th and 10th years on the list, respectively. You’ll also hear from companies that exemplify best practices in diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI); employee well-being; talent attraction, acquisition and onboarding; and more, as well as insight from the seven first-time winners.

These forward-thinking organizations are all in. They’re willing to do whatever it takes to ensure their employees are both content and poised for growth, because ultimately, a dedicated and empowered workforce is what makes a company succeed.

9 MEET THE WINNERS

12 SPECIAL CATEGORY AWARDS

Winners’ stories of unique practices in total rewards, organizational strategy, policies and benefits and more.

25 AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE

Stories of workplace success from winning organizations based on size or industry type.

40 FIRST-TIME WINNERS

Meet employees from the seven organizations that won NorthCoast 99 for the first time this year.

50 LEGACY

AWARDS

This year’s 10-time NorthCoast 99 winners highlight the importance of ensuring employees feel valued and appreciated.

62 PLATINUM AWARDS

This year’s 20-time NorthCoast 99 winners showcase the qualities of a great workplace.

70 QUALITIES OF WINNING ORGANIZATIONS

Strategies and best practices of the NorthCoast 99, as well as data about the region’s top performers.

FIRST-TIME WINNERS

Boyd Watterson Asset Management, LLC

Brennan Industries

GNCO, Inc.

Huntsman Corporation

J&O Plastics

NSL Analytical Services, Inc.

Saint Ignatius High School

2-TIME WINNERS

Alloy Engineering

Bowen

DRB

Great Lakes Cheese

Humanetics

JL Smith Group

MIM Software Inc.

OhioGuidestone

Redmond Waltz Electric

Redwood Apartment Neighborhoods

3-TIME WINNERS

7 17 Credit Union

Automation Tool & Die

Charles River Laboratories

Good Place Holdings

Metallus Inc.

NPL Home Medical

OneDigital

RVshare

SEAM Group

4-TIME WINNERS

BoxCast

Fleet Response

GBX Group LLC

Good Nature Organic Lawn Care

T/E/S Engineering

5-TIME WINNERS

ChoiceLocal

Jergens, Inc.

Westfield Bank

6-TIME WINNERS

Amsdell Companies

Core BTS

Corrigan Krause CPAs and Consultants

Verantis Corporation

VividFront

7-TIME WINNERS

Airgas USA, LLC - North Division BSC

Asurint

Bettcher Industries, Inc.

MarshBerry

Vitamix

World Synergy

8-TIME WINNERS

CrossCountry Mortgage

Greater Cleveland Food Bank

Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District

The Commercial & Savings Bank

9-TIME WINNER

Fire-Dex

10-TIME WINNERS

Avient

Bialosky

FIT Technologies

FrontLine Service

SDMyers

The Anderson-DuBose Company

Willory

11-TIME WINNERS

Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank

Equity Trust

VA Northeast Ohio Healthcare System

Western Reserve Hospital

12-TIME WINNERS

AMS

Embrace Pet Insurance

13-TIME WINNERS

Centric Consulting

Direct Recruiters, Inc.

Medical Service Company

National Interstate Insurance

ThenDesign Architecture (TDA)

14-TIME WINNERS

Barnes Wendling CPAs

CBIZ, Inc.

Cleveland Guardians

Lorain County Community College

Oatey Co.

Swagelok Company

15-TIME WINNERS

Jennings Park Place Technologies

Pease Bell CPAs

16-TIME WINNER

Gardiner.

17-TIME WINNERS

Ciuni & Panichi

Majestic Steel USA, Inc.

MRI Software

18-TIME WINNERS

Cleveland Metroparks

Cuyahoga Community College

19-TIME WINNERS

Cleveland Clinic

Foundation Software

Pomerene Hospital

20-TIME WINNERS

HW&Co. | CPAs & Advisors

KPMG LLP

The MetroHealth System

Vocon

21-TIME WINNERS

Flexjet

Summa Health

The Schroer Group

22-TIME WINNERS

Benesch

The Cleveland Foundation

23-TIME WINNER

FedEx Custom Critical

24-TIME WINNER

Avery Dennison

25-TIME WINNERS

Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland

The Garland Company, Inc.

These six companies exhibit best practices for creating great workplaces, earning them special awards in the categories of organizational strategy, policies & benefits; talent attraction, acquisition & onboarding; employee well-being; employee engagement & talent development; total rewards; and diversity, equity & inclusion (DEI).

Stories by Ruth Corradi Beach

PROUDLY NAMED ONE OF NORTHEAST OHIO’S BEST PLACES TO WORK FOR 21 CONSECUTIVE YEARS

A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD

ECleveland Guardians

All of the Cleveland Guardians’ team members have access to the same playbook.

very May and October, the business operations staff for the Cleveland Guardians partakes in a comprehensive, 360 evaluation process. The process engages coworkers (officially known, for obvious reasons, as “teammates”) in evaluating one another. Each person can choose up to 10 teammates.

“We spend lots of time helping people write really good [constructive] comments. It’s what people should be able to say to each other one-on-one in real time — constructive, positive (and) directed at how they can continue to grow and take ownership of their development,” says Jennifer Gibson, senior director, human resources, for the Guardians.

The data collected in the fall review is calibrated, then used to create performance levels — highest, lowest and middle. “We really work with people to understand what their performance levels are,” Gibson says. “Then we can connect it to compensation.”

Managers make sure the lowest performers are getting the help they need. The highest performers may be considered for management. “If they’re happy where they are, those people make excellent mentors,” Gibson notes. If they’re entry-level, managers can review the teammate’s career path and make sure the person is engaged.

WHAT THE WINNERS DO: 72%

Among this year’s NorthCoast 99 winners, 72% do NOT have a waiting period for employees to utilize paid time off after they are newly hired.

As for teammates in the middle, “We try to figure out, based on their level, are we coaching the person the way they need to be coached, and are we cultivating their talent so they can be successful?” Gibson says. “We want everyone to be able to say, ‘I have an idea what my career path will look like,’ as well as have the skills and experiences they’ll need to have in order to grow.”

In addition to clear career paths, the organization is focused on benefits, Gibson says. “Our PTO policy was falling behind what people expected, so we changed it in January 2023. Before that, we had vacation time and sick time. Now it’s combined and increases every three years instead of five. All PTO is available as soon as you start. You don’t have to earn it.”

Another benefit the organization reconsidered was remote work, which had been available to teammates on Mondays and Fridays. “We found people wanted to continue remote work and have it be more flexible,” says Gibson. “That led us to implement complete flexibility, based on each individual’s needs … They choose the best place to work based on what they’re doing that day.”

In the interest of making sure strategies, policies and benefits are articulated clearly to teammates, the team holds

WHAT THE ORGANIZATION DOES: Cleveland Guardians comprises the business operations staff who work in support of the Cleveland Guardians Major League Baseball team (the people who work year-round, not including players or coaches). The organization’s focus on making sure every employee understands exactly what’s expected of them is part of what makes it a great place to work.

board-wide meetings every other month. Known as Business Connects, these meetings include representatives of the Guardians, who talk about the team. Big events, as well as how sales are doing, are discussed. Team members can ask questions. All the information is also available on score cards, which are updated and posted online for employees.

“There are so many things we want to do in the future. So many people care so much about this organization. How do we help people grow with it? We want to cultivate talent to be successful with us. We want them to have the skills they need and also help them meet their career goals,” says Gibson. “I want people to be able to do purposeful and meaningful work in a productive environment where they like who they work with. We couldn’t do what we do without our teammates.”

JENNIFER GIBSON

National Interstate Insurance

National Interstate Insurance has a plan for filing its ranks with engaged, well-trained employees.

National Interstate Insurance starts recruiting potential employees when they’re still in college. The idea is to help people see that both the field of insurance, in general, and working at National Interstate Insurance in particular, is an interesting, enjoyable career.

“We always face a shortage of candidates,” says Shawn Los, president and COO of National Interstate Insurance, noting that not a lot of kids grow up dreaming of going into the field. “Over the years, we’ve asked how we can get more folks in the door. We’ve found that if we can get to folks early in their college career, we can help them get the skills they need. If we can spark their interest early on, we can

get them interested in the field and in our culture here.”

Local universities reach out to the company, and they in turn invite college students to their corporate headquarters in Richfield for anywhere from a few hours to a day. Even that brief introduction is enough to spark the interest of some to enter National Interstate Insurance’s paid internship program.

That program gives students another step into the insurance world. The group of 12 to 25 students is split into smaller groups, who are then assigned a project by members of the

SHAWN LOS

COMPANY’S GOT TALENT!

management team. “We have them research topics like autonomous vehicles, AI, machine learning — emerging topics we may not have a lot of time to look into — and how those topics will impact the insurance industry.”

The interns have sponsors to check in with along the way, and at the end of the internship, they present their findings to the senior management team and fellow interns.

“Good, creative ideas can come out of [this process],” says Los. “They’re coming in and looking at it, fresh to the industry, with a view that [others] may not have.”

The fact that upper management views these interns as potential peers is likely a big part of why the majority of the interns go on to work at National Interstate Insurance. In fact, the senior vice president started as

WHAT THE WINNERS DO:

97%

97% of NorthCoast 99 winners have an internship program in place.

the company’s first-ever intern, right out of college, as an underwriter trainee.

And once new hires are there, managers refocus their support of the employees, entering them into a month-long, cohortstyle program called “Ignition.”

Ignition includes in-class instruction on everything from proper business etiquette to technical aspects of the insurance industry. Los explains, “We take them to customer locations and on a lot of social and professional development opportunities.”

The Ignition group also learns about all aspects of the industry, including accounting, marketing, claims, etc., and then they go off to their business units. It’s important to note that the new hires who go through Ignition come from all those units.

“[That way], in the future, when they have questions, they know people throughout the company who they can ask,” Los says.

This impressive process for attracting, hiring and onboarding talent is a big indication of the high value National Interstate Insurance puts on its employees. That continues with career development, in the form of financial support and designated study time for employees to prepare for

WHAT THE ORGANIZATION DOES:

National Interstate Insurance provides insurance solutions and customer service for a variety of commercial transportation industries. The company’s commitment to working with and preparing college students and experienced professionals for a career is part of what makes it a great place to work.

designations (assessment tests within the industry), a hybrid work mode, seasonal parties that include employees’ whole families and PTO that stays ahead of industry trends, according to Los.

“Culture is by far the most important asset we have,” he reflects. “That means our people. We have a great strategy here, but without the culture to excel, that doesn’t matter. With so much time spent at work, we need to help people feel passionate and committed, because that translates into everything we do.”

Cuyahoga Community College

At Cuyahoga Community College, employee well-being is about much more than physical health.

Dr. Michael Baston, president of Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C), sums up his organization’s commitment to employee well-being in simple terms: “Be well, do well.”

But “doing well” is much more than a phrase at Tri-C. It’s a set of specific programs to help staff improve their wellbeing in several ways: physically, financially and through stress reduction.

The Take a Hike program is a way for employees to earn points and prizes for physical exercise, including walking. The district offices and most campuses have a gym complete with treadmills, but employees are encouraged to get out and walk to explore the community and socialize.

“We have so many beautiful trails,” Baston says. “When we get people to really see the wonder and the beauty of our community and our Metroparks, it allows us to be proud of being a Clevelander and being part of the Tri-C community.”

Miles logged equal points, and points can be traded in for items including Fitbits, wireless earbuds and yoga mats — “incentives for something that’s in your best interest,” he explains. In addition to the prizes, points can be earned — both as a team and individually — toward the annual incentive program, and everyone who participates receives a T-shirt.

In terms of well-being, less intuitive than an exercise program, perhaps, are Tri-C’s

financial wellness initiatives. As Baston explains, it’s a reflection of the skills that students are exposed to at Tri-C.

“We provide our students financial security and support. We want them to be socially and economically mobile. How can we give that information to our students and not be as concerned about our own people?” he says.

To that end, employees and their families can take part in financial webinars featuring topics like identity fraud, how to protect one’s identity, how to build a personalized budget and how to eliminate debt.

DR. MICHAEL BASTON

NorthCoast 99 - 2024 COMPANY’S GOT TALENT!

Spring break is just one example. When Baston started at Tri-C, the students and faculty were getting spring break, but staff members were not.

“It’s a lopsided recognition of contributions,” he says. “That’s when I said everyone should be able to participate in spring break.”

Now, the whole Tri-C community takes a week off for spring break. No, they do not have to take it out of their vacation days, and yes, Baston takes that week off, too.

“There are drivers of work,” he continues. “One is financial security. If people don’t feel they have the financial wherewithal — you don’t want to have employees who, after working here for years, have to work somewhere else since they didn’t prepare well.”

Work-life balance is also key. Baston explains that everyone at the College should expect the same opportunities to take time off.

In addition, Tri-C has a Talent Development Council focused on employee well-being. That group, which includes the vice president for talent and culture, takes input from employees and looks at ways to improve their experience. This means there are likely to be even more innovative programs for employee well-being just around the corner.

“We’re living in challenging times,” Baston summarizes. “And as an institution of education, we need to think deeply about our people in order to increase the ability of people to want to stay at our institution. Focusing on people’s health and well-being is a powerful retention tool.”

WHAT THE ORGANIZATION DOES: Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C) offers more than 1,000 courses in over 200 career and technical program areas. The main campus is the Metropolitan Campus in Cleveland, with five others in the area: Eastern Campus in Highland Hills, Western Campus in Parma, Westshore Campus in Westlake, Brunswick University Center in Brunswick and Corporate College East in Warrensville Heights. Its commitment to multiple aspects of employees’ well-being is one factor that makes it a great place to work.

WHAT THE WINNERS DO:

91%

91% of the 2024 NorthCoast 99 winners provide employees with financial planning workshops or advisory services.

Special Category Award | Employee Engagement & Talent Development

COLLECTIVE WISDOM

IFlexjet

n 2023, business was booming at Flexjet, with the workforce adding nearly 1,000 employees. That’s a lot of people with a love of all things airplane in common, Robert “Bob” Sullivan, chief administrative officer, says. “I liken it to if you were a Browns fan and had a chance to work with the team,” he says. But employees were spread all over the world, and even people located near one another weren’t coming together face-toface as much as they had in previous years.

“Post-COVID, when we were all working from home, it was a challenge to get

everyone together,” Sullivan says. “Zoom wasn’t quite as effective as in person. So we started asking, ‘How do we connect our community?’ When you have a workforce with people all over the world, including all 50 states, you have to find a way to keep people engaged, and [you need] more than boilerplate press releases.”

So, Wednesday Wisdoms were born. These hour-long events (the last 15 minutes is for questions) are classes and informative sessions led by experts from within the company. At first, those experts primarily shared information about industry topics,

WHAT THE ORGANIZATION DOES:

Flexjet offers a variety of private aviation services, including fractional (partial) ownership, leasing, jet card programs and access to customdesigned aircraft and terminals. The company’s programs that focus on lifelong learning in nearly any area of interest, for employees and their families, helps make it a great place to work.

WHAT THE WINNERS DO:

All 99 of this year’s NorthCoast 99 winning organizations formally measure employee engagement in some way.

ROBERT (BOB) SULLIVAN

COMPANY’S GOT TALENT!

like how to understand sales figures and what constitutes star service in the air.

Employees attend these events in person, on Zoom or download the recorded event after it’s taken place — whatever works best for their schedules and location.

The informative Wednesday Wisdoms were catching on, and then one session was “how to make an Irish coffee,” led by a cabin server. It was a big hit. “We kind of stumbled on this idea of these fun ones,” Sullivan explains, and now Flexjet is tapping into all sorts of company experts. And they’re going all in, sending out supplies attendees might need during the hour.

“We provide each attendee all the materials for the session in a beautiful box. We did one on decorating cupcakes, led by a former professional cake decorator who works for us. We sent out a whole package to people, with beautiful cupcakes and beautiful frostings.”

As you might imagine, whole families got together to join in the fun.

In 2023, the first year for Wednesday Wisdoms, 1,300 employees took part in at least one session. By July 2024, 3,000

people had already tuned in, with each biweekly event drawing around 200 people. Any employee can request a topic or offer to lead a session. If their session is chosen, they receive a gift card from the company.

“This is all about learning and community,” Sullivan says. “When you have such a diverse workforce, people get focused on their job and don’t have the chance to look up and see what else is out there. What better way than getting together every couple of weeks and facilitating topics of

learning and development to be put out to your workforce? We now offer a plethora of classes, and we’re not only building our community, but giving people the chance to network, to get to know each other, to put a name to a face.

“Our culture is so valuable to us,” Sullivan adds. “When we hire someone, we spend time on how the person will affect the culture, and in turn, we want to keep them completely engaged. This is a great way to keep the workforce together.”

IWORDS INTO ACTIONS

Special Category Award | Total Rewards Majestic Steel USA, Inc.

At Majestic Steel USA, Inc., employees are asked what matters to them, and leadership listens and responds.

n 2023, leadership at Majestic Steel USA, Inc. conducted a comprehensive employee evaluation. The evaluation revealed that total rewards, and specifically monetary compensation, were of significant concern.

President and CEO Todd Leebow explains that once that information was gathered, it was important for the company to respond. “Then we needed to show them that we’re taking action based on the feedback,” he says.

The company responded to the plant employees with changes in pay schedules.

“We have plant and office environments,” Leebow explains. “While we take a universal approach, those environments are different, and [it was important to those] in the plant that we adjust pay bands and not wait for annual pay adjustments but make mid-year

adjustments and create incentive plans that tie to company performance, and then communicate those to the employees.”

Another response to the employee evaluation was a rollout of two new programs for all employees, both plant and office: the Majestic Incentive Plan (MIP) and MPride.

“MIP is a company-wide incentive plan that aligns individual compensation with company performance,” Leebow says. Every employee is eligible for the financial incentive, which kicks into gear when the company achieves at least 10% of its goal and increases based on performance up to 200%. Employees earn a bonus based

on the company’s achievement of these financial targets, with the bonus amount based on the individual employee’s level and role in the company.

Empowering people is what we do... and we have the best people doing it.

We are the state’s leader in community behavioral health care and a NorthCoast 99 Top Employer for a second consecutive year because of our employees. It’s not work—it’s a mission.

In 2023, employees received 77% of their targeted bonus for the year. As part of the company’s commitment to making sure employees are informed every step of the way, Leebow adds, “We have a few different methods so employees can see, at a high level, how we’re performing.”

One such method is at monthly Town Halls, in which leadership communicates objectives and updates. “The Town Halls offer consistent communication, both when things are good and when they’re not, and being able to share that to provide a good level of transparency,” says Leebow.

MPride is a reward recognition program, both peer-based and manager recommended. Each employee has an allocation of points they are able to award to coworkers, based on aspects of the company’s core values. Someone can award points to a coworker for high performance, demonstrating soft or hard

skills, togetherness, safety, trust, etc. When the points are issued to the individual, the recognition includes an explanation that everyone in the company can see on web and mobile platforms. Management may offer points based on a milestone, a work anniversary or companywide. In turn, employees may redeem points for a variety of rewards, including gift cards, merchandise, experiences, event tickets, concierge services and charitable donations.

“We’re always assessing them to make sure we’re measuring up,” Leebow says.

“When we think of Total Rewards at Majestic Steel USA, Inc.,” he summarizes, “it starts with the recruiting process and how we approach talent from day one. Total Rewards is something that has layers — not something that can just happen overnight. We will continue to evolve over the years and not be one-dimensional in how we approach it.”

WHAT THE ORGANIZATION DOES:

Majestic Steel USA, Inc. processes prime, flat-rolled steel into standard stock coils and sheets as well as custom sizes made to order. The company offers a clear, generous rewards plan for employees , which helps make it a great place to work.

WHAT THE WINNERS DO:

83%

At 83% of winning organizations, the performance-based incentives awarded to employees last year were greater than or equal to the usual dollar amount awarded per employee.

An Unmatched Experience

Centric Consulting is an international management consulting firm with unmatched expertise in AI strategy, cyber risk management, cloud solutions and more. Centric's Cleveland team has been recognized as a NorthCoast 99 best workplace for top talent in Northeast Ohio 13 years in a row.

Envision, inspire and transform your business.

Plan, develop and deliver technology solutions.

Design and build a digital strategy.

TODD LEEBOW

A WIDER NET

APark Place Technologies

ccording to Robert (Bob) Sims, chief human resources officer at Park Place Technologies, recruiting and supporting a diverse workforce is not only the right thing to do, but the smart thing for a company that’s serious about its growth and success.

“As a maturing company, a growing company, in this competitive labor market you have to work at being a destination workplace,” Sims says. “What we do [to attract talent] is consistent with that goal so we can draw all sorts of talent to come to work with us at a fast-paced technology company. Among a number of other things,

we cast a broader net to be a welcoming culture and get the best and brightest in the country.”

That broader net started with research. “We believed, and research showed, that there’s an untapped resource of neurodivergent candidates — also some exciting skills we can acquire by supporting this group,” Sims explains.

An audit of the company’s practices and culture revealed aspects that were welcoming to this group of workers as well as ones that needed to change. The first change came with the job description — what requirements did the descriptions have that didn’t need to be there? “For example,

presentation skills that neurodivergent candidates might struggle with,” says Sims. “We amended a number of items [including that one] on our job descriptions.”

Park Place Technologies even hired integration advisors who specialize in helping companies set up intentional hiring for neurodivergent candidates. They held roundtables throughout the company and spoke with current employees who identified themselves as neurodivergent.

The company conducted training for leaders about working with neurodivergent employees as well as designating an advocate for each to help them through onboarding and offer feedback to both the hire and the wider company.

The result of these efforts has been an even more robust workforce, Sims says, with candidates and hires from all over

ROBERT (BOB) SIMS

COMPANY’S GOT TALENT!

recognizing that Park Place Technologies is a highly desirable company for neurodivergent candidates.

“We brought in candidates from engineering schools that we wouldn’t necessarily get, like Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Terre Haute, Indiana, Rochester Institute of Technology — wonderful engineering schools that are not geographically close,” says Sims. “This is one way to be able to get people in software development roles from backgrounds that we would previously have struggled to find. We’re getting candidates and skills that are really hard to find.”

Another way Park Place Technologies supports diverse groups is by encouraging employee-formed business resource groups, or BRGs. “The BRGs are focused on providing the company with perspectives or voices that we want to make sure we heard from … to make sure we create a supportive culture,” Sims says. Two of the most successful are the women in tech BRG, which has about 150 members (10% or so are men, Sims notes) and has offered programming around work-life balance — including a talk in July from the company’s CEO Chris Adams — and the veterans’ BRG, which has about 50 members. Any group of employees can form a BRG, with the only benchmark being that the group is committed and organized.

“[Providing specific paths for diverse groups to succeed] is essential for our success as a growing company in the tech space,” Sims summarizes. “We need to attract the very best talent available from all sources — an environment where everyone can thrive. A big part of that is inclusion — creating a place where people can be their best selves.”

WHAT THE ORGANIZATION DOES: Park Place Technologies is a global data center and networking optimization firm. The company’s commitment to welcoming and supporting employees, especially women, students and those who are neurodivergent, helps make it a great place to work.

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Stories by Jill Sell

Awards of Excellence | Small Organization

LOCATION: Middleburg Heights WHAT THE ORGANIZATION DOES:

Designs, engineers and maintains environmental control systems for pollution and emission control for a wide range of manufacturing industries.

WHY IT’S A GREAT PLACE TO WORK:

Employees work together to create a successful company.

LISTENING TO EMPLOYEES

VVerantis Corporation

Verantis Corporation takes employee suggestions to heart to create a welcoming culture and room to grow.

erantis Corporation employees are a vital link in helping to ensure that global manufacturers (and ultimately all of us) are environmentally cleaner.

“Our part comes from our customers who have been told by the EPA that they need to control their emissions to whatever level necessary to make their environment safe,” says Mike Castenir, director of human resources and marketing for Verantis. “They may need to capture contaminants at 99% efficiency and ask if we can help them. And we say, ‘Absolutely.’ At the end of the day, we help manufacturers make things that people use every day of their lives. And everyday life wouldn’t be possible without those things.” (Verantis serves the food and beverage, chemicals, pharmaceutical and semiconductor industries, as well as others.)

Knowing they contribute to the health of our planet and the comfort of its inhabitants is a source of pride for many Verantis employees. But it’s not the only reason top talent chooses to work at the company, headquartered in Middleburg Heights with a manufacturing plant in LaGrange.

Additional engineering offices are located in Shanghai, Singapore and India.

“We are a company genuinely comprised of good people. We place an emphasis on constantly providing our top performers with opportunities to expand their capabilities horizontally to build the foundation necessary to further their career vertically in the long run,” explains Castenir. “We give performers stretch assignments to push them out of their comfort zones but also provide background support they need to be successful.”

Also, office and shop floor employees alike are recipients of benefits that exceed the norm in many categories. Castenir points to the company’s medical benefits that “are really strong compared to what the average is for Ohio.” He credits the union on the shop floor for that advantage.

“Union employees are obviously eligible for the medical benefits. But we also have a deal where salaried employees take part as well. They pay a little bit higher premium, but even then, compared to what an organization of our size could find on the market, it is extremely competitive,” notes Castenir.

Company leadership also proves it listens to employees. Previously, tuition reimbursement was available only to those employees who worked for the company at least one year. But recently, one high-performing employee, who had been employed only for a few months, mentioned in a company survey that it would be nice if the time period to qualify were shorter.

“Senior management got together and asked each other, ‘Why do we make people wait a year?’ We adjusted, and now when you hit that 90-day mark, you are eligible,” says Castenir.

Verantis employees also show company pride and community support by volunteering at the Middleburg Heights Food Bank and participating in the Toys for Tots campaign. The company matches 100% of whatever is raised.

Castenir says his company is always looking for skilled shop workers, and especially for team players who are willing to wear multiple hats and those looking to grow in their careers.

LEFT TO RIGHT

MIKE CASTENIR, HALLE CAMPBELL AND JOSH SHEPPARD

Awards of Excellence | Mid-Size Organization

LOCATION: Cleveland

WHAT THE ORGANIZATION DOES:

Distributes food to 1,000-plus food pantries, hot meal programs, shelters, mobile pantries, programs for the elderly and others, and runs a community resource center with a Healthy Choice Market

WHY IT’S A GREAT PLACE TO WORK:

It’s a unique place to feed others in need while also feeding your soul and knowing that as an employee, you are also a top priority.

EMPLOYEES ARE PRIORITIZED

Greater Cleveland Food Bank

Leadership concretely shows that employees are just as important as those the organization serves.

The Greater Cleveland Food Bank is one of the region’s best-known and most respected nonprofits. Created in 1979, the Food Bank is the largest hunger relief organization in Northeast Ohio, serving 52 million pounds of food in 2023. It covers Cuyahoga, Ashtabula, Geauga, Lake, Ashland and Richland Counties.

The cooperation and hard work of an extraordinary staff and dedicated volunteers is necessary to make it all happen, according to Valissa Turner Howard, chief people officer and general counsel for the organization. The Food Bank’s mission has never wavered from helping those in need. But Howard also believes that if the Food Bank weren’t responsive to its workforce, its actions to help others would be diminished.

“We have an unwavering buy-in from our board, our CEO and our senior leadership team to make sure that the support and development of our team is first,” says

Howard, who joined the Food Bank three years ago. “We challenge our top performers by asking if they met their goals. Then those roll over into the goals of this organization, and that benefits all.”

Although “nonprofits always wish they could pay their staff more,” according to Howard, compensation at the Food Bank “is competitive and equitable across the board.” Low-cost medical, dental, vision, short-term and long-term disability, life insurance and retirement plans also are available.

Recently, the Food Bank improved several of its employee benefits. Stipends are available for those with student loans or child care payments, and larger education reimbursements have been granted. To ensure a sustainable work-life balance (which Howard prefers to call “work-life integration”), flexible work arrangements are available, including partial remote and full-time remote positions.

In addition, the Food Bank is a “secondchance” employer, which means it does not necessarily rule out hiring someone with a criminal record. Howard also identifies the Food Bank as “a place where you can get a job if you don’t have a high school diploma or GED.” Working with its many community partners, the Food Bank can connect individuals to sources that can help with educational needs.

“What makes working here so unique is that everyone here is so nice,” notes Howard, who emphasizes that one major component of the Food Bank’s most recent three-year strategic plan spells out and confirms the importance of employees. “There is a very positive attitude, because you are working for the good of others. It’s a very different thing when you work for a nonprofit and when your goal is to make someone’s life better. That inherently pulls in the kind of people who are genuinely nice to work with.”

LEFT TO RIGHT VALISSA HOWARD, KRISTIN WARZOCHA AND STACEY MONROE

BUILDING AN EMPLOYEE-FIRST CULTURE

At Bettcher, our mission is to not only manufacture the most innovative precision tools in the meat processing industry but continuously strive to build an employee-first culture that results in healthier teams, safer work environments, top-notch customer service, and high-quality products.

For the seventh straight year, we have been named a NorthCoast 99 Award winner. We want to recognize and offer a special Thank You to all our talented employees, who are dedicated to providing exceptional products and service to customers worldwide and our communities here at home.

To learn about our company, including career opportunities, please visit www.bettcher.com/about or scan the QR code below.

Awards of Excellence | Large Organization

LOCATION: Cleveland

WHAT THE ORGANIZATION DOES:

Maintains, acquires and protects the green space known as the Emerald Necklace in Northeast Ohio.

WHY IT’S A GREAT PLACE TO WORK:

Provides opportunities to commit to creating a vital natural environment for everyone while being individually respected and supported.

ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY

CCleveland Metroparks

Thoughtful and open communication between CEO Brian Zimmerman and employees strengthens the team and makes employees feel valued.

leveland Metroparks can present all kinds of facts and figures proving that the 107-year-old park district is a desirable place to work and carve out a lifetime career. Here are just two facts that speak for themselves: Each park job opening on every level attracts between 50 and 100 applicants. Also, according to Cleveland Metroparks CEO Brian M. Zimmerman, the park district “has had a number of leaders take pay cuts to come work with us.”

Overall, Cleveland Metroparks offers competitive compensation, excellent benefits and opportunities to learn and advance. But Cleveland Metroparks, which has been honored as a five-time winner of the National Gold Medal Award for Excellence in Park and Recreation Management, “is an employer of choice,” says Zimmerman, who has been with Cleveland Metroparks since 2010.

“The staff continues to love the values of the organization. Things like teamwork and respect aren’t just words on a wall — they are meaningful to all of us,” says Zimmerman.

Harold Harrison is the district’s chief human resource officer and diversity officer.

Harrison is responsible for the HR concerns of both employees and the park’s 1,500 volunteers, which tests the district’s goals of maintaining a nurturing culture.

“It’s seamless,” boasts Harrison. “You shouldn’t be able to tell who is volunteer or who is an employee here.”

Work-life balance is another area that is just a bit different for Cleveland Metroparks. Employees “are so passionate about working here, that they love coming to work,” says Zimmerman. It’s not uncommon, adds Harrison, “for Brian to encourage employees to take off work and decompress.”

And understandably, employees want to visit their workplace with their families and friends even when not on the clock. With 18 park reservations, more than 25,000 acres, nine golf courses, familyfriendly restaurants, beaches, deep woods, prairies, urban parks, a nationally recognized zoo, historic and newer nature centers, recreation programs for every age and skill level (and some of the cutest bunnies around if you’re able to catch a glimpse of them snacking out in the open), what’s not to love?

Cleveland Metroparks also has a number of practices — big and small — that let employees know they are listened to and appreciated. Zimmerman sends handwritten thank-you cards to employees celebrating work anniversaries, with staff also receiving a candy bar. Acknowledgments are increased with milestone anniversaries.

The CEO hosts “Brian Unplugged” sessions, which are in-person Q&A gettogethers with 15 to 20 employees two or three times a month.

“Nothing is scripted. They can ask me anything,” says Zimmerman, who has fielded questions about park development, finances, if he supports Ohio State University football and a request for a visit from a monkey (which he had to decline).

Zimmerman considers the exhilarating pace of the organization and “trying to keep up with meeting the community where they need us most,” as important reasons that top-notch, diversified talent seeks out the Cleveland Metroparks. “And, to retain our employees, we try to find the best ways possible, including through tuition reimbursement and investing in staff,” he says.

BRIAN M. ZIMMERMAN

Delivering what’s next

FedEx Custom Critical is proud to be recognized as a top Northeast Ohio workplace by NorthCoast 99 for the 23rd time. Thank you to our team members for contributing to this win each year with their dedication to our company, community, and customers.

LOCATION: Cleveland

WHAT

THE ORGANIZATION DOES:

Provides world-class clinical and hospital care, research and education.

WHY IT’S A GREAT PLACE TO WORK:

The nonprofit affords an opportunity to be part of one of the country’s highest-ranked academic medical centers and also values individual employee contributions.

INNOVATION AND RECOGNITION

“TCleveland Clinic

The Cleveland Clinic Caregiver Office goes beyond standard human resources departments to ensure employee satisfaction.

he Cleveland Clinic has been known for its pioneering efforts around medical breakthroughs. Our culture is built on that continuous improvement,” says Kelly Hancock, executive vice president and chief caregiver officer, the first person to hold that title at the organization. “We encourage all our caregivers to improve the health care we provide.”

All Cleveland Clinic employees are called “caregivers,” and many have created innovations across the workforce spectrum, according to Hancock, now in her 31st year with the system. For example, COVID demanded nurses follow certain strict gowning procedures when entering and exiting patients’ rooms to handle IVs. But it was a time-consuming, expensive task to don new clothing protection that was in short supply. One caregiver created an idea that allowed IVs to be attended to outside a room, eliminating the need for gown changes after every procedure.

The Clinic, founded in 1921, shows its appreciation for innovation and for better

ways of doing things — from seemingly small ideas to changes with vast, universal applications — in many ways. The Caregiver Office is instrumental in implementing those acknowledgments.

Caregiver Recognition Coins and Legacy Coins, for example, are rewards “that are something simple, but go a long way, and which blossomed into something very cool,” according to Hancock. Recognition Coins are given to those who go above and beyond expected goals. Legacy Coins are an “even bigger deal,” she says, and reflect the contributions of those who join not just a medical system, but contribute to a name and brand with a deep and respected history.

The coins and what they represent are very popular, of course. But they are just part of the Cleveland Clinic’s total rewards package and industry-leading benefits. (Hancock was recently touched after hearing an employee praise the Clinic for its coverage of special schooling for her three autistic children.)

It goes without saying that employee learning and development is paramount

at Cleveland Clinic. Caregivers are eligible for impressive tuition reimbursements and, in some cases, educational loan repayments. Work-life balance is also supported in numerous ways, including providing employees with programs that address mental health and well-being. I Care is an online program giving users tools to create that balance. Emerge Stronger is a program that utilizes peerto-peer group support.

Cleveland Clinic-specific, detailed and career-changing executive tracks are also a draw for worldwide, high-level talent.

“How we attract talent reflects our vision,” explains Hancock, adding that the organization employs 62,000 caregivers in Ohio. “We want to be the best place to receive medical care anywhere and the best place to work in health care. One of our guiding tools is to treat patients and fellow caregivers as family and the Cleveland Clinic as our home. Our goals are bold, but I believe they are reachable because we know our caregivers are our best assets.”

KELLY HANCOCK

Awards of Excellence | Finance &

LOCATION: Warrensville Heights

WHAT THE ORGANIZATION DOES:

Offers accident and illness pet insurance for dogs and cats.

WHY IT’S A GREAT PLACE TO WORK:

The company’s CEO believes happiness at work should be a goal, not just a happy accident.

RESPONDING TO WORKFORCE NEEDS

TEmbrace Pet Insurance

Hybrid work schedules allow this company to build trust and diversity.

hink of it this way: The Ohio Stadium in Columbus (affectionately nicknamed the Horseshoe by Ohio State University Buckeyes loyalists) has a capacity of just over 100,000 screaming fans. If you could get all the dogs and cats across the county covered by Embrace Pet Insurance to each sit in a seat, you could fill the stadium five times. That’s the comparison CEO Brian Macias likes to give when describing his business, which processed more than a million claims in 2023 and which quadrupled in size in the past four years. (And for those who think pet insurance is unnecessary, consider that in 2023, Embrace covered the largest single claim in its history: a mixed breed dog with aspiration pneumonia and pyloric valve repair, which chalked up a $48,534 medical bill.)

Even though the demand for pet insurance is growing in this country, few businesses of any kind could survive unless their talent is challenged and satisfied. Macias takes to heart Sigmund Freud’s quote, “Love and work are the cornerstones of our humanness.” He

strives for a work environment “that creates contentment, fulfillment and maybe even happiness,” he says.

To achieve those things, employees must “feel connected to something bigger than themselves, grow, progress and find friends,” he says. And that is only possible through trust, Macias believes.

For Embrace, founded in 2006 and located in Warrensville Heights, that trust between leadership, management and staff has a foundation in its hybrid work environment. Even prior to COVID, Embrace was offering employees three days in the office, two days outside. When COVID closed America in 2020, Embrace was already doing what the rest of the work world was just learning. Now, hybrid schedules are standard at the company, relying on personal responsibility and cooperation to make it work.

“This has made a tremendous difference to everything, including our intentional focus on transformational relationships

and experiences versus transactional,” says Macias, who shares a 6-year-old chocolate lab named Jojo with his wife. “We learned to be hybrid through trial and error,” he adds.

“It’s not for everyone, but it works for us.”

Macias also doesn’t underestimate how important unique and good benefits are to attracting and retaining top talent. Because 80% of Embrace’s workforce are women, the company offers specific benefits, such as excellent maternity and family leave, which are vital to many employees. To foster diversity, the CEO says hybrid work and unique benefits are a must.

“Embrace has a very rigorous environment,” he adds. “That means it has to be the right kind of person to work here. We run lean and mean. We give our people cheat codes like in video games. We tell people what success looks like in our environment and then give them the tools and resources to do it. Of course, they have to make an effort to grow and be open and honest, and all our leaders are good at that.”

BRIAN MACIAS

As a team that works every day to hear the voices and tell the stories of our community, we know that success does not always come easy. The 3News team salutes all of the outstanding organizations recognized as winners of The NorthCoast 99 awards. Your Voice. Your Stories.

RUSS MITCHELL

DAVE CHUDOWSKY

DANITA HARRIS

CHRISTI PAUL JAY CRAWFORD

BETSY KLING

Awards of Excellence | Manufacturing

LOCATION: Solon

WHAT THE ORGANIZATION DOES:

Provides products and services for fluid and gas systems in some of the world’s most demanding, high-stakes industries.

WHY IT’S A GREAT PLACE TO WORK:

The company is committed to enriching its people-first culture to attract, retain and engage associates.

TRAINING IS TOPS

SSwagelok Company

Raw talent is refined at the company and often becomes part of the seasoned team.

wagelok’s roots go back to 1947 when the company’s founder asked for a $500 business loan from his wife’s uncle. Since then, Swagelok’s nolayoff philosophy has held firm.

“We have never had a layoff in the history of the organization. I’d say that was pretty unique in manufacturing. It helps create stability for people,” says Hannah Delis, who joined the Solon-based company in 2012 and rose to chief human resources officer in 2022. “We also have a unique open-door policy. Every associate has the opportunity to have coffee and conversation, collaborate and share with any other associate.”

Swagelok “learned a lot from the postpandemic time about the changing labor market” and its own workforce needs and desires, according to Delis.

“We were able to adjust pretty quickly for our office environment. But the past year-plus we have focused on giving more flexibility to our shopfloor and manufacturing teams,” she says. “It’s not easy to figure out in any environment like that. But now we have been able to provide more of a work-life balance for our manufacturing associates as well.”

Investing in up-to-date and successful employee training programs is one vital way Swagelok supports its people-first

culture. The number of skilled employees that Swagelok needs to fill specific open positions at every level can be challenging to meet. So, the company “hires great people, invests in them, trains them and gives them the skills they need and that the company needs,” according to Delis.

In 2023, 274,000 hours of training were provided to shopfloor employees. As a result, Swagelok last year promoted more than 350 operational associates, advancing their careers. (Swagelok has about 4,700 associates in Northeast Ohio, the majority of whom are shopfloor employees.)

“Years ago, I was looking for a career shift but wasn’t sure what that looked like,” recalls Delis, who held positions involving mental health therapy before becoming part of Swagelok’s team. “I was fortunate enough to connect with Swagelok, and they took a chance on someone who didn’t have a typical human resources background. They said they could teach me human resources skills, but that I had some of the soft skills that are tougher to teach. I feel like I am a testament to Swagelok’s willingness to take a chance, invest in and develop someone who didn’t necessarily check all the traditional boxes.”

Leadership training is also offered at multiple levels, as well as for those with

emerging leadership ambitions. A variety of leadership academies cover additional rungs.

The company also offers a competitive wage with many benefits and a healthy retirement plan. Superb benefits include parental leave and adoption assistance. An Employee Stock Ownership Plan is also available. (And don’t forget the free fruit and bagels — on the company.)

Swagelok serves industries that include: metals and mining, clean energy, oil and gas, chemicals, pulp and paper, life sciences and more. With offices and manufacturing plants in Ohio, Pennsylvania, British Isles and China, Swagelok proudly sponsors a long list of company-supported outside community activities and nonprofits.

The company has been actively involved in Manufacturing Day at the Great Lakes Science Center in Cleveland, a hands-on opportunity for Northeast Ohio students to explore manufacturing, technology and career pathways. Also, Swagelok has been a loyal supporter of Habitat for Humanity, with employees volunteering their time and skills creating affordable housing. In addition, the Swagelok Foundation donated $1.4 million to deserving causes last year, with grants and scholarships being part of the company’s responsible portfolio.

HANNAH DELIS

LOCATION: Cleveland

WHAT THE ORGANIZATION DOES:

Provides legal services for more than 15 industry groups and nonprofits.

WHY IT’S A GREAT PLACE TO WORK:

Leadership and HR concentrate on making every day the best it can be for team members.

DAILY ATTENTION

LBenesch

Benesch acknowledges both big moments and small moments among team members.

iz Gillmore is the chief human resource officer for Benesch, a prestigious business law firm with offices in Cleveland, Chicago, Columbus, New York City, San Francisco, Shanghai and Wilmington, Delaware. Gillmore has a particularly insightful evaluation of the importance of culture and employee retention.

“You really have to think about employees and the entire environment every day. People are making the decision if they are going to stay or go every single day,” says Gillmore. “At Benesch, we ask ourselves, that in such a competitive industry, ‘how do we earn the right to have our team come back to us every single day?’”

Gillmore, who has been with the firm for six years, believes it’s not necessarily about money. There is “always somebody down the road who has one more dollar in their pocket,” and an employee can always find that extra buck, she says.

That loyalty is also not fostered by just the “big moments,” but everyday moments

that contribute to an employee’s overall job satisfaction.

Benesch’s core practice areas include corporate and securities, health care, real estate, information technology and intellectual property, labor and employment, environmental and more. The firm, founded in 1938, focuses on making sure employees “know how their work contributes to clients’ success,” and that they are given meaningful work right from the beginning, notes Gillmore. A substantial investment in internal communications to achieve that goal has paid off.

“Also, work-life balance is just as hard for us to achieve as it is for everyone else,” admits Gillmore. “But we realize our team needs to recharge, and we make sure people have the support for their families and themselves that they need.”

Among Benesch’s notable benefits is an industry-leading, six-month parental leave policy for both mothers and fathers. In addition, the firm’s partnership with mental health services provider Lyra Health

provides 12 paid sessions that can range from counseling to coaching to enhance someone’s performance. “Data suggests individuals consider reaching out for help six months before they do,” says Gillmore. “The last thing we want is for cost to be a barrier for them to get help.”

Deciding what top-notch employees need is “a combination of looking at datadriven information and being on the front end of knowing what employees want and will want,” Gillmore says.

Sometimes that can be surprising. Last year, the company conducted an extensive employee survey. Gillmore and leadership expected the team to ask for greater 401(k) contributions, but the ask was closer to home.

“The first thing people wanted was pet insurance,” she says. “We rolled out the benefit mid-year, which is something we don’t even normally do. And when we did, we put animal crackers on everyone’s desk along with information about the benefit. It’s been fun to watch the high engagement.”

LIZ GILLMORE

FIRST-TIME WINNERS

Stories by Kristen Hampshire

First-Time Winners

BRIAN GEVRY

CEO, CO-CHIEF INVESTMENT OFFICER

YEARS IN CURRENT POSITION: 16 YEARS WITH THE COMPANY: 32

Boyd Watterson Asset Management

BE THE CHANGE Boyd Watterson wants team members to speak up, question leadership and find ways to do their jobs better. “We want to say yes to ideas,” says CEO and Co-Chief Investment Officer Brian Gevry, explaining how the firm formalized its continuous improvement efforts by establishing a Change Management Committee. “Employees can make submissions, big or small, and the committee makes sure those are reviewed, discussed and implemented,” he says.

An example is when a salesperson suggested bundling products to address a client problem: achieving investment performance to meet pensions. “He wasn’t in the investment group, but he brought that idea to the team; we green lighted it; he sold it and we raised a half-billion in the product pretty quickly,” Gevry says.

COUNT

ON CONSISTENCY. “We do not hire and fire based on ups and downs,” Gevry says. “We are willing to take some volatility as owners in the business and provide a consistent organization so employees can make their best decisions.”

RESPECTING RELATIONSHIPS . “Boyd is a place where relationships are valued top to bottom across the organization,” says Gevry, relating that team members are fully in-office (and prefer it), and enjoy an extensive PTO policy with leverage to balance family time.

LOCATION: Cleveland

WHAT THE ORGANIZATION DOES:

The global diversified real estate, infrastructure and fixed income asset management company has over 300 investment personnel with offices in eight U.S. cities and 12 countries with about $35.7 billion in managed assets.

WHY IT’S A GREAT PLACE TO WORK:

Respect for relationships across the organization and a culture where voices are encouraged and ideas are invited allow opportunities to bubble to the surface to better employees’ careers.

Brennan Industries

LET’S TALK. Brennan Industries’ open-door policy where employees are treated as extended family of the third-generation company means more than serving up quarterly sales numbers. “It’s important to create a personal touch,” President and CEO David Carr says. Brennan breaks the ice with regular newsletters that highlight team members and how they spend time off-hours. “It’s not all about work,” he says. “Stuff happens in everyone’s life. The people who work for you need to know you care and can accommodate that.”

ROTATING FOR OPPORTUNITY. Brennan recruits college student interns for its operational management training program. The yearlong process is structured with career feedback, and interns meet weekly with vice presidents of operations across the organization to discuss progress and hurdles. “We develop young people for succession planning and career growth,” Carr says. A similar training program for business development leads to a sales and marketing pathway. “It’s all about developing those connections where people feel like they are woven into the organization,” Carr says.

“I’m most proud of the opportunities we continue to give people,” Carr says, tracing his own path from opening a sales office in California to managing the Solon office and eventually scaling to his current role. “We are really focused on understanding individuals’ strengths and weaknesses, where they see themselves and where they want to go.”

LOCATION: Solon (headquarters) WHAT THE ORGANIZATION DOES: Brennan Industries provides hydraulic and pneumatic fitting sources to companies throughout the world, with more than 120,000 items in its product line. The company has locations worldwide, with strategically located distribution and manufacturing facilities.

WHY IT’S A GREAT PLACE TO WORK: Employees look at Brennan Industries as a place they want to call home with a problemsolving approach to customer service, strategic pathways to career advancement and a family atmosphere where it’s OK to bring life to work.

First-Time Winners

MATT ADAMS (LEFT)

PRESIDENT

YEARS IN CURRENT POSITION: 8 YEARS WITH THE COMPANY: 17

BILL SEWARD (RIGHT)

CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

YEARS IN CURRENT POSITION: 2 YEARS WITH THE COMPANY: 13

GNCO, Inc.

BUILDING BUSINESS AND CAREERS . “We help customers with thousands of machines in fleets across the country manage the lifecycle of machines as a brand-independent solution,” says GNCO, Inc. President Matt Adams, adding that the business model creates great opportunities for young employees. Chief Operating Officer Bill Seward adds, “We’re growing the business and bringing everyone along, providing opportunities for the team.”

ONGOING SUPPORT. GNCO, Inc. earned an Engage! Cleveland Generation NEXT Award for its summer internship program, an investment that has resulted in hiring many who complete the experience. In-house training is an emphasis, too. GNCO, Inc.’s Leadership Development Institute enrolls five to eight employees annually. The rigorous program includes a curriculum, monthly reading and classes taught by executives. “This gives rising employees one-on-one time with executive team members and typically ends in promotions or career advancement,” Adams says.

‘WE’RE NOT BORING.’ “We are pushing limits, thinking outside the box and trying new things,” says Adams. “We also have a great career trajectory for many different people who get pretty important jobs if they stick to the [career] plan.” Seward adds, “We rally together and exhibit our teamwork values.”

LOCATION: Cleveland (headquarters)

WHAT THE ORGANIZATION DOES:

The family-owned holding company of material handling companies started as a tow motor dealership and now operates nationally, specializing in equipment, parts, service, rentals, fleet management, batteries and training.

WHY IT’S A GREAT PLACE TO WORK:

Supportive in-house training programs, leadership development and exponential growth — from 300 to 1,000 employees within five years — spells opportunity for employees across the organization.

NAVID MIRNAZARI

SITE MANAGER, AKRON PLANT YEARS IN CURRENT POSITION: 1 YEARS WITH THE COMPANY: 6

Huntsman Corporation

PROUD PRODUCTION Beyond earning a wage, Huntsman Corporation Site Manager Navid Mirnazari says there are two reasons employees feel valued at Huntsman. “We feel like our jobs make a difference because we manufacture materials that go into a lot of products that affect our everyday lives,” he says, pointing to materials that improve vehicle and airplane fuel efficiency, along with epoxies and products used to build homes.

The other reason: People feel heard. “Our global CEO was visiting sites in Ohio and took the time to ask our people what they need to be successful and answered questions. That builds trust.”

1% BETTER, EVERY DAY “The manufacturing environment can be a difficult one,” acknowledges Mirnazari. “It’s hands-on work, and anything we can do over time to invest in equipment and make sure people on the shop floor feel heard really matters. We focus on addressing concerns, making improvements and ensuring a safe working environment.”

THE 360 STRATEGY. Engage. Improve. Grow. “The first pillar is building fully functional teams by developing our people and having the right people work on the right issues,” Mirnazari says. “We focus on people first instead of just trying to drive output.” He points to a recent leadership workshop to emphasize these and other values such as honesty and integrity. Plus, career opportunity is palpable, and employees are directly benefiting from Huntsman’s growth.

LOCATION: Akron and Ashtabula (Ohio operations)

WHAT THE ORGANIZATION DOES: Huntsman Corporation is a global specialty chemicals company that produces the building blocks for consumer and industrial products that are part of everyday life, from adhesives and coatings to composites and battery materials.

WHY IT’S A GREAT PLACE TO WORK: The growing company is focused on career development and rewarding opportunities to contribute to manufacturing processes that produce materials for products we use every day.

JASON GROSS

PRESIDENT AND CEO

YEARS IN CURRENT POSITION: 3

YEARS WITH THE COMPANY: 20

J&O Plastics

EVERY POSITION MATTERS “There’s so much more to J&O than getting paid to do a job,” says President and CEO Jason Gross, whose father Oscar started the custom mold business in 1982, dedicated to one big client: Mr. Coffee out of Bedford. Today, manual processes have advanced to automation, all positions include skill-up opportunity, and the company has diversified to commercial goods brands in industries like light medical and retail.

What’s more than the job? Basically, it’s a family business of families. “A majority of technical employees are homegrown with five to 10 years of training, investment and coaching, and they created a career with us,” Gross says.

INVESTING

IN AUTOMATION . Modernizing manufacturing processes at J&O included a concerted effort following COVID to automate some entry-level line positions, paving the way for pay increases for skilled roles and advancement with additional training. In some cases, pay has increased by 50%, Gross says.

WHITE GLOVE HR One week after a team member joins J&O, human resources interviews the employee to gain feedback on benefit offerings and the overall experience up to that point. “We get immediate insight and maintain that continuous communication,” Gross says, describing a revamped HR “white glove” approach centered on caring for people.

LOCATION: Rittman

WHAT THE ORGANIZATION DOES:

The custom plastic injection molding company serves the household product, agricultural, medical and industrial markets.

WHY IT’S A GREAT PLACE TO WORK: Career advancement supported by continuing education and acquiring new skills positions employees to earn a comfortable living in a welcoming environment, where many employees work alongside their family members.

RON WESEL CEO

NSL Analytical Services, Inc.

MISSION-CRITICAL TESTING. NSL Analytical Services, Inc. operates in a high-stakes environment where failure is not an option. Providing materials testing to confirm quality assurance for industries such as aerospace is behind-the scenes and life-saving. The NSL team is a vital checkpoint in the R&D universe. “New technologies and methods of fabrication require verification that, ‘Yes, this is going to work, it’s safe, sound and strong,’” CEO Ron Wesel says.

STAY-CURIOUS SCIENCE . “Every day is different,” Wesel says. “We give professionals in the field a wonderful avenue for keeping scientific skills honed and expanding those skills.”

GOT YOUR BACK . “I’ve Got Your Back” is an employee recognition program that allows NSL staff to nominate coworkers who veer out of their everyday lanes to help colleagues. The leadership team reviews submissions and selects up to a half dozen for the award. “A big part of the company’s culture is to have one another’s backs and be supportive of our clients and one another,” Wesel says.

CULTURE TEMPERATURE CHECKS . During quarterly meetings, NSL conducts an anonymous poll asking these questions: How are you personally thriving now on a scale of 1 to 5? How has the culture advanced or changed since the prior quarter? Anyone can submit questions for leadership to answer.

Scan

LOCATION: Warrensville Heights and Cleveland

WHAT THE

ORGANIZATION DOES:

The certified independent testing laboratory employs chemists, metallurgists and technicians experienced in testing materials in industries such as aerospace, defense, power generation, mining and EV battery. Commercial representatives, accountants and other vital roles help keep the company running smoothly.

WHY IT’S A GREAT PLACE TO WORK: NSL scientists have opportunities to grow in their professions in a collaborative culture.

Twenty-one years as one of the best places to work in Northeast Ohio is no easy feat. At Summa Health, we recognize that our exceptional employees are essential to helping us achieve our goal — to help patients get the care they need, when they need it.

Join our winning team at summahealth.org/careers

First-Time Winners

JON BARKER MATH TEACHER

YEARS IN CURRENT POSITION: 22 YEARS WITH THE SCHOOL: 22

Saint Ignatius High School

COMMUNITY SPIRIT

“I love being part of a community with a mission to help everyone become the best they can be,” says Jon Barker, a Saint Ignatius math teacher and 1987 graduate. “We want to help students grow in every way, and we’re given the support and freedom to do that in a way that we deem most effective.”

ALWAYS LEARNING. Shifting from teaching into student-mode keeps lessons fresh and is an important perspective-gathering exercise. Continuing education, whether conferences or coursework to earn higher degrees, is encouraged. “It opens your eyes again to what it’s like to be in that seat or under pressure for a test, and you understand, ‘This is what my students are feeling,’” says Barker.

TRUST THE PROCESS . “Everyone has a different approach, and the school is committed to supporting us in that way,” Barker says. “I’ve never felt tentative about trying something new.” He adds, “Sometimes you have to be a little crazy to be effective in the classroom!”

In Barker’s room, this means enacting the “shoe-able offense” rule. “As you teach, you notice certain ‘math trap’ mistakes that are common. As a class, we identify those traps and agree on what is a shoe-able offense. “Anyone who falls into the trap hands over a shoe and it goes out the window!”

LOCATION: Cleveland

WHAT THE ORGANIZATION DOES: Saint Ignatius High School aims to develop students in every dimension of the person so they will become men of character, ready to serve God and capable of making a great difference in the lives of others.

WHY IT’S A GREAT PLACE TO WORK: It’s a true community of committed faculty, staff, alumni, students and families, and teachers are given the support and freedom to continue learning and delivering innovative lessons.

“Teachers are encouraged to keep learning and growing ourselves, and the school generously supports those efforts. I love learning, so that keeps the job fresh and exciting. All of this takes place in an atmosphere of community, tradition and fun — and school should absolutely be fun.”

JON BARKER

MATH TEACHER, SAINT IGNATIUS

“We take a lot of time providing personal touches like sending birthday cards to every employee at locations across the country, holding town hall meetings and communicating openly so everyone feels like they are a part of the team.”

MATT ADAMS

“We bring a great Midwestern cultural mindset to a global industry with a team that has an ability and interest in connecting with clients and collaborating to provide accurate testing on time. They embrace that every day, and it’s a privilege to lead an organization that delivers that type of customer engagement.”

RON WESEL

First-Time Winners

“Our culture is a group of people who love what they do and feel supported in their goals for their career paths and initiatives. In turn, our team works together to solve problems for customers, and we show them that we are there to support them.”

DAVID CARR

“This is a place where relationships begin and grow over a career. We value relationships, we value people and we value the balance between work and life, and we make sure to provide a platform for people to explore all phases of their careers in a fulfilling way.”

BRIAN GEVRY

CEO, CO-CHIEF INVESTMENT OFFICER, BOYD WATTERSON ASSET MANAGEMENT, LLC

PRESIDENT AND CEO, BRENNAN INDUSTRIES

“We encourage everyone to speak up regardless of their position or level in the organization, and that builds engagement and trust with the team.”

NAVID MIRNAZARI

SITE MANAGER, AKRON PLANT, HUNTSMAN CORPORATION

“We still have a family vibe, though we have grown in size. We are compassionate that people have lives and you should enjoy what you do. The fact that parents and spouses and children work here together says loudly that they appreciate being here.”

JASON GROSS

PRESIDENT

AND

CEO, J&O PLASTICS

THE NEXT ACT

Avient

Despite entering into a new phase of business by completing a major acquisition, Avient keeps its people top of mind.

Following a major transition, it’s easy for companies to lose sight of themselves and the talented employees who got them to where they are.

Not so for Avient, formally PolyOne. The manufacturer of specialized polymer materials recently entered its “next act” in 2020 with the acquisition of Clariant’s color business.

“We wanted the 3,500 employees that came from Clariant to have an equal voice and know they have the same ability to make a positive impact. We did that by rebranding everything,” says Kristen Gajewski, senior vice president, chief human resources officer at Avient. “That was a goosebump moment for me as an HR professional, because it was a people strategy that enhanced the business.”

To allow both innovation and sustainability to flourish through its ranks of veteran employees and newly acquired employees, Avient relies on a Lean Six Sigma (LSS) culture.

The LSS strategy is designed to improve processes, reduce waste and respond to customer needs.

All employees are encouraged to go through training. The company values the importance of LSS and invests in its people accordingly, offering LSS training to all of its 9,000 employees, regardless of role, level or location.

“The principles of LSS are all about forward progress, not perfection, and being able to have consistent methodologies to

do things better or different than how they were being done before,” Gajewski says.

Further cementing that pillar of innovation, Avient puts on a program called Elevate, which began in 2013 and is focused on allowing associates to gain exposure to executive level leaders.

“The associates get to pitch an idea of what they think could make Avient a better organization,” Gajewski says. “That could be a product approach, people approach or manufacturing approach. It’s giving people the ability and encouraging them to challenge the status quo and rewarding them with the opportunity to present all the way up to the CEO.”

“People being able to be a part of that positive impact is so important to the process, but you’re never going to get there if you don’t start with listening.”

KRISTEN GAJEWSKI

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT AND CHIEF HUMAN RESOURCES OFFICER

Avient’s Next-Gen Leadership program is also focused on building up its talent for tomorrow.

“It’s getting our leaders to think about the shadow they cast and how their behaviors and their actions cascade through the culture of the organization,” Gajewski says.

The company also offers wellness initiatives for its employees, including partnerships with gyms, a global wellness app, paid community service hours, fertility benefits and adoption benefits.

LOCATION: Avon Lake

WHAT THE ORGANIZATION DOES: Avient is a global manufacturer of specialized polymer materials.

WHY IT’S A GREAT PLACE TO WORK: Avient takes care of its employees — both personally and professionally — and ensures they can be their authentic and best selves.

“For all kinds of families, we’ve got that support,” Gajewski says. “It’s really important for us from a diversity, equity and inclusion perspective to support all different kinds of demographics of individuals.”

—Sarah Webb

BUILDING UP TALENT

Bialosky

Bialosky inspires its employees by encouraging teamwork

and growth.

The Van Aken complex, the Progressive Insurance campus and various universities and libraries are just a few of the architectural designs that Bialosky has helped create.

And yet, despite Bialosky’s longtime reputation of building incredible structures upward, the company aims to flatten its hierarchical structure, according to Paul Deutsch and Aaron Hill, co-CEOs of Bialosky.

“The culture and the flattening of leadership and giving everyone a voice is built on the idea of complete transparency and mutual trust,” Hill says.

The company molds this culture by pulling in-depth annual reviews and firm evaluations, consistently measuring how the company is moving forward, volunteering time and resources to the local community and creating task forces and committees to tackle timely issues.

“We’re strongly encouraging every staff member to be working on the business so that we’re proactive in constantly improving our culture, rather than acting retroactively,” Hill says.

To develop its own talent, Bialosky provides stipends that employees can use

LOCATION: Cleveland

WHAT THE ORGANIZATION DOES: Bialosky is an architectural engineering firm that completes projects including institutional projects, corporate offices and shopping campuses.

WHY IT’S A GREAT PLACE TO WORK: Bialosky has created a mentorship program in which every individual within the firm serves as a mentor or mentee.

for professional development programs, hosts in-house weekly seminars and provides a strong mentoring program in which every staff member has a mentor within or outside of the firm. The staff provides a framework for what the mentorships should look like.

“We have this constant training for the mentee and the mentor of how to share knowledge and how to constantly learn and grow with each other,” Deutsch says, adding that the program has been going on for at least 20 years.

When it comes to fostering creativity and teamwork, Deutsch and Hill believe you can’t have one without the other.

“Our goal is to create inspirational spaces for building end users, so we don’t care where a great idea comes from,” Hill says. “We don’t have a singular design lead for a project, and that’s not typical for most architectural firms. We think it’s important to encourage every member

“By building out the physical infrastructure of the city and by volunteering for organizations, we call ourselves citizen architects, meaning we’re part of a social contract where we create the environment in which people live, and we take that really seriously.”

PAUL DEUTSCH CO-CEO

of a project team to have a voice in the design process. True collaboration is what ultimately leads to the best possible design solution.”

Hill adds that the company is actively inverting the idea where everyone is operating in a silo and is protective of their own thoughts and design. “We want everyone actively showing what they’re working on and talking about it, because that’s what gets people excited,” Hill says.

For other companies looking to build a similar culture, Deutsch recommends they be as open and transparent as possible.

“If you can do those things, you’ve got a great foundation for a business that can last generations like ours has,” he says.

PAUL DEUTSCH (LEFT) WITH AARON HILL

AN EVOLVING DOOR

FIT Technologies

FIT Technologies understands how to retain its best employees.

As an IT services provider, FIT Technologies understands how quickly the digital world evolves, but perhaps more importantly, it understands what it takes not to become a revolving door for talent.

Michelle Tomallo, co-founder and chief people officer at FIT Technologies, an employee-owned company, says the NorthCoast 99 list is a testament of how important prioritizing talent has become.

“What used to be things that topperforming companies did have just become baseline for what you need to do as an organization,” Tomallo says.

In a way, the NorthCoast 99 survey results have become a good gauge for what employees value. For other companies looking to become better, Tomallo recommends using the results as a “playbook” to identify areas in which they can become stronger.

“Each year we do the assessment has helped us become a better company, and each year, we have to keep getting better to continue to be on this list,” Tomallo says. “It’s critical we ask those questions of our employees on a regular basis so that we can adapt to best meet their needs.”

To keep up with the progressive standards, FIT Technologies has adopted what it calls a “FIT philosophy” that encompasses the following values:

• Live IT: Acting with honesty and integrity

• Deliver IT: Working with an appropriate

LOCATION: Cleveland

WHAT THE ORGANIZATION DOES:

FIT Technologies is a managed IT services company that acts as the technology department for mid-size and large companies.

sense of urgency, quality and uncommon sense

• Drive IT: Acting as the advocate, catalyst or driver for successful client outcomes

• Inspire IT: Committing to being inspired and creating opportunities to help each other learn

• Own IT: Taking responsibility and accountability for FIT’s success

“It’s really about what we believe and hope for our relationships with each other as coworkers and then with our clients,” Tomallo says.

To bring those core values to life, employees and leaders have opportunities to give out “badges” for catching others living out the company’s core values. Those badges then get broadcast to the whole company.

FIT Technologies also has programs in place to cover the employees’ well-being

WHY IT’S A GREAT PLACE TO WORK:

FIT Technologies is an employee-owned company, driven to share its success with staff through long-term retirement funds, greater benefits and more.

“When we ask our staff what they love about working at FIT Technologies, we hear over and over again that it’s their coworkers. As co-founder, I’m so proud to hear that. Everyone is so excited to teach you to help you grow in your career.”

MICHELLE TOMALLO CO-FOUNDER AND CHIEF PEOPLE OFFICER

and development, such as Mental Health First Aid, a training to support people who contend with mental health challenges, and Tech Cred, a state and federal program that helps support professionals in technology to enhance their skills.

“Our approach with our team is, ‘how do we care for this person who is bringing their authentic self to work?’” Tomallo says. “We have programs in place that are working to support whatever’s going on with our employees, so they can be their most productive self.”

Looking ahead, FIT Technologies plans to formalize a more robust internship and apprenticeship program to develop tomorrow’s talent.

“Workforce is such a critical part of any company’s success, and we’re excited to develop a more formalized program that you would see in a larger organization,” Tomallo says.

5 YEAR WIN

5 STAR TEAM

Thank you to all of our employees for their dedication to the Jergens family and making our company one of the best in Northeast Ohio! We are delighted to share this fifth win with all of you!

Join the fun today!

THE WHOLE PERSON

SDMyers

SDMyers aims to nurture the whole spirit of each and every employee.

Much like how electrical work requires considering a whole system, so too does SDMyers take a holistic approach when viewing its team members.

Think of it as evaluating an entire contestant rather than simply judging the one talent he or she would like to showcase.

“We train individuals to reach their full potential, whether that’s through work or personally,” says Jon Bucciarelli, president of SDMyers. “We want employees to have a good work-life balance and an experience where they can feel valued, cared for, loved and appreciated.”

Part of a holding company called Good Place Holding Co., SDMyers emphasizes the importance of valuing people, building up good places in the communities it works and being economically regenerative in the sense of using resources properly.

To develop the whole person, SDMyers features a wellness program designed to reach every piece of a person’s spirit: physically, spiritually, emotionally, relationally and financially.

Components of the program include financial assistance to help individuals deal with financial elements; quarterly physical challenges involving tracking step counts and cutting sugar; and a chaplain who visits the company every week to support employees with their personal struggles.

Supplementing the wellness program, the company focuses on providing training for its employees, promoting from within and adopting a mentality of servant leadership.

LOCATION: Tallmadge

WHAT THE ORGANIZATION DOES:

SDMyers is an electric reliability company that specializes in electric power systems, transformers and other electrical components.

“One of the things our leadership team does really well is advocating the idea that the role of individual leaders is to serve, not to be served,” Bucciarelli says. “We try to live that out in how we serve the people under our care.”

For companies looking to achieve a similar culture, Bucciarelli says they should hire well.

WHY IT’S A GREAT PLACE TO WORK:

The company’s sales staff is noncommission based so that they can provide services in the best interest of the customer, in turn, fostering a collaborative workforce rather than a competitive one.

“We place a high priority on valuing people, which includes our employees, their families, our customers, vendors and suppliers. I want my legacy to be leaving SDMyers better than when I got here, but also to have the ability to impact more employees and more families than ever before.”

JON BUCCIARELLI PRESIDENT

“Hire people who care what you care about, not necessarily who believe what you believe,” Bucciarelli says. “Hiring people who are coachable, full of humility and willing to learn are a few of the things to creating a culture like we have here at SDMyers.”

Moving ahead, SDMyers hopes to continue to be a leader in the power consumption space and help fill the gap for underserved companies.

“We really put an emphasis on trying to be the advocate for those companies that can’t do it for themselves,” Bucciarelli says.

ON THE FRONT LINES

FrontLine Service

FrontLine Service cares for its employees by offering ways for them to contend with the challenging work they perform.

FrontLine Service began as a brickand-mortar called Money & Mailboxes in 1988 to provide the homeless population with access to their benefits through mailboxes.

“Homeless individuals being released from state hospitals had no way to receive any type of benefits because they didn’t have an address,” says Angela Glassco, COO of FrontLine Service. “We would do outreach efforts securing housing.”

In 1989, the company expanded its outreach efforts and changed its name to Mental Health Services for Homeless Persons. In 1995, it developed an adult crisis team, and in 2022, it created a Suicide and Crisis lifeline, which is 988 for anyone in a 216 or 440 area code.

The organization comprises sites all over Cleveland and supports other programs such as the Housing First Initiative, which provides housing and support services, a trauma team, which responds to children who have witnessed violence within the family, and veteran services.

“We have the largest continuum of services in the state of Ohio, all dealing with housing and disabilities,” Glassco says.

The company rebranded to FrontLine Services in 2013, which Glassco says was particularly fitting throughout the pandemic.

“Going through COVID, we didn’t have the luxury of staying home, because we provide face-to-face service to a really vulnerable population,” Glassco says. “We changed our name to FrontLine because we really are on the front line, and that was never more clear than during COVID when other organizations stopped doing face-toface services.”

Due to the demanding and sometimes heart-wrenching nature of the work, mental health workers can easily burn out and lose their luster for the job.

That’s why FrontLine does everything in its power to ensure employees remain happy and healthy themselves so they can project their light onto those they serve.

To help staff members deal with such heavy issues, FrontLine provides them with

LOCATION: Cleveland

WHAT THE ORGANIZATION

DOES: FrontLine Service is a private, nonprofit organization that reaches out to adults and children in Northeast Ohio to end homelessness, prevent suicide, resolve behavioral health crises and overcome trauma.

WHY IT’S A GREAT PLACE TO WORK: Not only is FrontLine focused on the health and well-being of vulnerable populations, it also emphasizes the health and well-being of its employees.

“Our culture is one of inclusivity, resiliency and work-life balance. The work that our staff faces on a day-today basis is very challenging.”

ANGELA GLASSCO COO

resiliency rooms and what it calls “The Zen Den,” stocked with meditative resources where staff can go and just get away from the work for a minute.

The company also offers trauma days, in which employees are entitled to days off after dealing with a traumatic event or difficult situation and where they can see a licensed professional for free through the benefits package that is offered; monthly resiliency sessions, in which an individual will walk employees through mindfulness exercises; and a partnership with Case Western Reserve University for advanced education opportunities.

In addition, the company regularly surveys employees for what could be done better, and offers internal training and pathways to promotion.

“We really want to develop the talent and keep it here,” Glassco says. “We really pride ourselves on longevity and the different experiences that we can offer because we have so many different programs that we operate.”

INVALUABLE EMPLOYEES

The AndersonDuBose Company

The Anderson-DuBose Company knows the value of its own talent — and rewards them.

The word “talent” originally referred to an item of value. While the meaning has changed over the years, the Anderson-DuBose Company (AD) understands that its talented employees are invaluable.

“The genuine concern for each associate starts at the top by our owner and CEO Warren Anderson,” says Mike Boddy, COO of Anderson-DuBose Company. “Prior to establishing Anderson-DuBose, Warren worked in an organization with a poor culture and an adversarial relationship with associates. This experience led him to establish the foundational pillar for our organization, to treat each associate with respect and drive our pursuit of making AD the best place to work.”

Supporting the foundational pillar of treating employees the right way are the company’s six core values: accountability, integrity, teamwork, respect, flexibility and sustainability.

“These values are directly correlated to how we interact with our external customers, our internal customers (our associates) and the communities we serve,” Boddy says. “These values are embedded in our daily processes and interactions.”

When associates model the core values, they are recognized and rewarded through “AD Thanks,” an app in which all associates can personally recognize their teammates, which gives them “points.” As employees garner points, they can cash

them in for prizes such as gift cards. The app also celebrates employee milestones such as birthdays and anniversaries.

“It really is amazing,” Boddy says. “Every week it brings people together and gets people more engaged. It’s really the spark.”

Outside of AD Thanks, the company extends its gratitude toward team members in other ways as well, including paid time off for associate birthdays and company anniversaries, top-tier medical and retirement plans, flexibility to promote

LOCATION: Lordstown

WHAT THE ORGANIZATION DOES: The Anderson-DuBose Company provides food and paper product distribution and logistics services to more than 900 quickservice restaurants across four states.

WHY IT’S A GREAT PLACE TO WORK: The company “gamifies” and rewards employees for living out core values through an app called AD Thanks.

“A great day is seeing all the things that came together and watching so many people win in their daily work. It never gets old watching people win.”

MIKE BODDY COO

improved work-life balance, an on-site exercise gym and an annual wellness fair in which employees get entered into a raffle for meeting with all the vendors on their punch card list.

In addition, monthly health campaigns focus on topics such as heat safety, men and women’s health and more. Monthly team luncheons and an annual banquet celebrate joint achievements, and there are opportunities for professional development through online classes and leadership courses.

Quarterly associate meetings focus on safe driving and safe equipment usage as well. The Anderson-DuBose Company also encourages associates to share ideas for how to improve the company.

“We openly encourage these discussions in our quarterly associate meetings, our small group discussions and through daily interactions with our teams,” Boddy says. “We also train and encourage our leaders to actively listen and explore the ideas of our associates.”

THE WILLORY WAY

Willory

Willory ensures it supports its own talent and the talent of other companies along the way.

Founded a little more than 13 years ago, Willory has received top marks as a great place to work, maintaining a place on the NorthCoast 99 list for 10 years.

“That’s a significant testament to our people, to our values and to our purpose and staying disciplined to that,” says John Bernatovicz, founder and president of Willory. “We take care of our team members and make sure that they feel safe, comfortable and are set up to do their jobs well.”

Not only does Willory empower its own talent in a multitude of ways, it also devotes itself to empowering the customers it serves: the HR and payroll communities.

“We have a significant resident expertise around supporting clients and people and technology-related opportunities or challenges,” Bernatovicz says.

The firm lives by the following core values: greatness through accountability; enthusiasm in all that we do; live by the Golden Rule; seek to understand; and a passionate desire to improve.

To hold employees to those values, the company recognizes team members when they achieve core values by calling them out in what it has dubbed “The Willory Way.” Individuals can nominate other employees as well.

In return, the company provides the following professional development and employee well-being initiatives: a quarterly Toastmasters group to help individuals around communication and speaking abilities; summer Friday hours every other week; a monthly book club, where

LOCATION: Bath

WHAT THE ORGANIZATION DOES:

Willory serves the HR and payroll communities with staffing and consulting services.

“I

believe our greatest achievement is we truly put family first in order to truly put our employees first.”

participants discuss books meant to boost professional development and emotional intelligence; and a “Shark Tank” concept at a meeting in which employees pitch ideas they thought would be fruitful and meaningful to the Willory community.

Outside of those initiatives, Willory encourages every employee to treat their particular job as if it is their very own business, Bernatovicz says.

“Our leadership team members and individual team members run their business with autonomy, while knowing they have the full support of their director and the owner of the firm,” Bernatovicz says. “As a result of that, we have a very collaborative, supportive group of employees.”

That support extends far beyond the office, Bernatovicz says, with Willory

WHY IT’S A GREAT PLACE TO WORK:

Willory invests in its employees through programming such as a Toastmasters program, a monthly book club, a “Shark Tank” event and more.

JOHN BERNATOVICZ FOUNDER

AND PRESIDENT

offering employees the flexibility to always put family first.

“I say to my team all the time, ‘you’ll never regret a decision when you put your family first,’” Bernatovicz says. “They are afforded that autonomy, and then they come back and get their work done with probably more spirit than they would have if they were relegated to the office while something important was going on with their family.”

Outside of its own team members and customers, Willory also empowers its nonprofit partner, Youth Opportunities Unlimited. A work program to provide economic self-sufficiency for disadvantaged youth in Cuyahoga County, Youth Opportunities Unlimited helps prepare the next generation of talent.

“It was the perfect partner for us because we understood one another’s business,” Bernatovicz says. “At the same time, they serve us and the county, specifically around career preparation.”

BETTER TOGETHER

HW&Co. | CPAs & Advisors

The team mentality at HW&Co. leads to its success.

LOCATION: Cleveland, Columbus and Mansfield

WHAT THE ORGANIZATION DOES: HW&Co. is a certified public accounting and business advisory firm with five Ohio locations.

The world of tax consulting, accounting and business advisory responsibilities often revolves around individuality and competition.

Not so at HW&Co., says CEO Brandon Miller. On the contrary, HW&Co. sees the value of its talent functioning as a cohesive entity.

“There’s a term associated with getting new business called the ‘eat what you kill’ mentality, in which employees go out and pick up a new client, put their name on it and pound their chest,” Miller says. “We don’t take that approach at all. When we’re looking at new business, it’s always a team mentality.”

The team mindset stretches throughout the company’s entire process, from closing the deal to onboarding clients to servicing them throughout the years.

In fact, as part of the company’s strategic plan, HW&Co. intends to nix the word “employee” in favor of “team member.”

“Now, we have them as the foundation of our strategic plan, and it’s really about

WHY IT’S A GREAT PLACE TO WORK: The company values teamwork above all and frowns upon the individuality mentality where team members boast about picking up big clients to work on by themselves.

empowering our team members to go out and let them grow and develop,” Miller says.

Part of that mentality came from listening to what employees wanted — Miller’s biggest advice for other companies looking to replicate HW&Co.’s culture.

Other initiatives to keep the team cohesive include a Fun Committee, which organizes events such as Guardians games, kickball games, a summer picnic and even an in-office Wine and Puzzles afternoon.

The firm also promotes a little friendly competition from time to time with its activity level tracking contests, where it gives out gift cards and prizes to top performers. Part of the year is based on

“We’ve realized that when everyone works as an individual, there’s not going to be a togetherness that creates the success we want.”

BRANDON MILLER CEO

performance, recognizing individuals for their hard work and effort.

However, the team mentality at HW&Co. doesn’t mean the company isn’t also focused on individuals’ growth, health and wellness. Fitness challenges are offered throughout the year, such as tracking miles.

In addition to comprehensive employee benefits packages, the company is currently in the process of an arrangement with the University of Akron to help team members get their master’s degrees if desired.

Moving ahead, HW&Co. plans to continue its growth after coming off a few mergers and having grown from $16 million in revenue in 2019 to $30 million in 2024.

“Our ultimate vision is about creating opportunity for everyone,” says Miller.

“We’re very appreciative as a firm of the Northeast Ohio community for allowing us to grow and develop and be where we are today. We have many members on boards of nonprofit organizations, and we like to give back to the community.”

— Sarah Webb

BRANDON MILLER

At CIBC, we’re proud to sponsor NorthCoast 99 and its contribution to building a stronger Ohio and we join ERC in celebrating the best and brightest of Ohio’s workforce.

To learn more about CIBC, visit cibc.com/US

CURATING A HEALTHY CULTURE

The MetroHealth System

The MetroHealth System makes a point to care for all: its caregivers, patients and their families and the community.

LOCATION: Cleveland (headquarters)

WHAT THE ORGANIZATION DOES: The MetroHealth System is a large comprehensive health care provider in Northeast Ohio.

Considering itself a safety net hospital, MetroHealth provides service to anyone, regardless of age, race, religion and gender, and whether or not patients can afford services.

“We consider ourselves to be the guardians of our region’s health,” says Dalph Watson, executive vice president and chief people and administrative officer. “Our patients mirror our community, and they come from all walks of life in every corner of Greater Cleveland and beyond.”

Embracing a “people first” culture, the hospital system has rid itself of a topdown approach, opting for a bottom-up and sideways approach in which it refers to every employee as a caregiver.

“Even individuals who don’t provide direct clinical care are considered caregivers because they impact the care our patients receive in some regard,” Watson says.

To keep that culture alive and well, MetroHealth abides by the following values: service, teamwork, accountability, respect, inclusion, diversity and equity and the relentless quest for excellence.

WHY IT’S A GREAT PLACE TO WORK: MetroHealth consistently asks employees for feedback. For example, the hospital puts out an annual safety survey, in which it asks employees how MetroHealth could become a safer place.

“Our philosophy is that a ‘people first’ culture ensures that everyone has a seat at the table and their voice can be heard.

As we make decisions organizationally, those decisions reflect the voices of our people. It also means acting on what people share and making sure their concerns that they express are addressed.”

DALPH WATSON

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT AND CHIEF PEOPLE AND ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER

Living out that mission in real life, MetroHealth provides programs, resources and free confidential professional support through its employee assistance and wellness program and features an open-door policy called “ask the CEO,” in which leadership not only takes into consideration feedback but also responds directly to every suggestion.

“The best ideas almost always come from our frontline caregivers,” Watson says. “Employees are comfortable and

empowered to share their innovation and creativity because of our ‘people first’ culture. We pride ourselves on reaching out and reaching in the organization to pull solutions from the frontline.”

“Earning a spot on the NorthCoast 99 list is a monumental achievement,” adds Airica Steed, MetroHealth’s president and CEO. “It means an organization has been successful attracting and promoting great people. It means the organization treats those people well. And it means the organization has created and nurtured a culture that inspires greatness ... I am so blessed to be leading this organization.”

For other companies looking to create a strong and healthy culture like MetroHealth’s, Watson recommends listening to people, breaking down silos and focusing on inclusion.

“Bring together and support as many different voices, backgrounds and experiences as you can,” Watson says. “Inclusion has to be more than an initiative, more than a priority, more than a box that you check. Inclusion must be part of everything you do.” — SW

DR. AIRICA STEED AND DALPH WATSON

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PEOPLE AS PRIORITY

KPMG LLP

KPMG LLP ’s investment in its people early and frequently in their careers pays off.

LOCATION: Multiple worldwide WHAT THE ORGANIZATION DOES: KPMG LLP is a global network of professional firms providing audit, tax and advisory services.

Anyone curious about KPMG’s investment in its talent only has to visit the company’s KPMG Lakehouse, a learning and innovation center located in the Lake Nona community, just outside of Orlando.

“While visiting the Lakehouse, our people are able to invest time in their professional development, enhance relationships, learn from one another, focus on their health and well-being and see KPMG values in action,” says Jim Mylen, office managing partner for Northeast Ohio at KPMG. “Our success is really based on how we prioritize our people and invest in their careers.” In other words, the company is building up today’s talent to take center stage as well as tomorrow’s talent to be ready and waiting in the wings.

The Lakehouse experience offers training throughout an employee’s career. Employees gain a better sense of the company’s five core values: integrity, excellence, courage, together and for better. In addition to professional development, the Lakehouse provides attendees with opportunities to

WHY IT’S A GREAT PLACE TO WORK: KPMG’s Cleveland Employee Council, led by highperforming directors, identifies community service opportunities in which the company should partake. The company has committed a subset of the more than $125 million (nationally) to support organizations that focus on education, equity, mental health and well-being, and it also encourages employees to volunteer for organizations that matter to them.

connect with others through amenities such as pickleball, volleyball, mini-golf, basketball, a fitness center, walking paths, bike paths and food options.

Launch @ Lakehouse is a specific onboarding program for new hires. “It goes beyond traditional onboarding,” Mylen says. “We give them an opportunity to really embrace the KPMG culture. They can form relationships with individuals from across the country.”

KPMG has proven that its nontraditional onboarding system works. Retention rates are 15% higher for individuals who have completed the program versus those who have not, Mylen says.

Through surveys and opportunities to speak to firm leaders, employees have the chance to provide feedback. Part of that feedback inspired the company to focus on a hybrid work model.

“We encourage team members to do purposeful, in-person work,” Mylen says. “It’s really about when you’re here with your team members, collaborating with them.”

The company also offers weeklong shutdowns in July and December and “jumpstart Fridays” between Memorial Day and Labor Day in which employees are encouraged to leave at 3 p.m. on Fridays.

“With this being our 20th year as a NorthCoast 99 winner, it’s validation that our programs are working and recognition that we’re heading down the right path and doing the right things four our people,” Mylen says.

“Listen to what employees have to say and do something about it. Responding to what you’re hearing is critically important because it shows you’re not only willing to listen but also that you’re willing to implement some changes.”

JIM MYLEN

JIM MYLEN

PEOPLE-CENTRIC

Vocon

Architecture firm Vocon understands that people serve as the foundation for its business model.

Platinum Award | 20-Time

LOCATION: Cleveland (headquarters)

WHAT THE ORGANIZATION DOES: Vocon is a global architecture and interior design firm focused on creating transformative built environments.

Vocon, an award-winning architecture firm led by sibling duo Deb Donley and Paul Voinovich, is people-centric by design.

“If we can make our people’s experience amazing, our clients will be treated properly,” says Donley, chief experience officer. “When I started this business 38 years ago, I wanted to be an amazing mom in addition to being a great professional, so we wanted to give that opportunity to our people. It’s about how you can conduct yourself in a way that provides a balance of professional achievement with personal satisfaction.”

Building on that, the company discourages solo acts, pressing its employees to collaborate. Uniting its people, Vocon features a studio structure design in which any employee is encouraged to approach senior leadership. Vocon implements numerous initiatives for its employees, including flexible work hours, monthly wellness talks, four weeks

WHY IT’S A GREAT PLACE TO WORK: The company implemented a policy of flexible hours long before the COVID-19 pandemic. It also hosts monthly cultural events designed to inspire team members to be their authentic selves.

of paid care and bonding leave for all new parents, the week off between Christmas and New Year’s, 100% paid short-term disability and continuing education lunchand-learns in which managers mentor young team members through the lens of problem-solving.

There are also values committees for the company’s values of relationship, passion, teams, excellence and leadership. The values committees meet at least quarterly to ensure the company is moving in the right direction in terms of its values.

Additionally, during the pandemic, the company decided to up the stakes on its values by hosting a monthly event called “What’s Hot at Vocon.”

The events have included a Pride Month speaker and a Juneteenth celebration that featured an African American owner of a brewery that Vocon is designing at the Midtown Collaboration Center.

“I got more notes after that event than on bonus day,” Donley says. “We want to talk

“When I go to work each day, I’m going to work first for my internal customers, my team members, and then it’s my outside customers, because we’re in the service business. At the end of the day, we understand that the core of our business is relationships.”

PAUL VOINOVICH CEO

about bringing your authentic self to work, and you can do that here, whereas a lot of places you can’t. We’re really proud of that.”

Moving ahead, Vocon is focused on letting its young talent flourish.

“I’m most excited to watch people blossom and give them the reins,” says Voinovich, CEO. “We want to say to our people, ‘Hey, are you ready for more responsibility? Because we’re ready to give it to you.’”

DEB DONLEY AND PAUL VOINOVICH

EMPLOYER DATA

ORGANIZATIONAL STRATEGY, POLICIES & BENEFITS

98% have a documented strategic plan

71% of organizations with a strategic plan share it with employees across all levels

100% offer one or more type of flexible work arrangement

87% have at least one fully remote position on staff

81% offer paternity leave, with 23% offering it fully paid

TALENT ATTRACTION, ACQUISITION & ONBOARDING

99% use employee referrals as a recruitment source

98% use educational institutions and online job boards to attract talent

100% provide logistical information in advance of interviews and clear expectations and timing are communicated throughout the interview process

59% ask for candidate feedback on the hiring process

64% have a formal mentorship program for new employees

EMPLOYEE WELL-BEING

94% provide a safe physical environment by having well-lit parking lots and garages

82% prepare employees for emergency situations by having them participate in emergency drills

71% have a sustainability or environmental responsibility policy in place

EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT & TALENT DEVELOPMENT

95% offer opportunities for top-performing employees to expand their understanding and knowledge of the organization through cross-training

99% have formal development and career advancement discussions with their top performers

100% conduct performance reviews and 52% of them use a numeric rating scale

98% delivered, paid for or reimbursed employees for participating in professional and leadership development and/or training classes

TOTAL REWARDS

100% give regular financial updates to their executive suite

85% also give some type of financial update to employees across the organization, through to the non-exempt, individual contributor level

92% have a compensation philosophy in place

69% provided a Total Rewards Statement to at least some subset of their employees

DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION (DEI)

92% made one or more budgetary or staffing allocation specific to furthering their DEI efforts

88% provided employees with a formal opportunity to self-identify their preferred pronouns by providing the option to do so in various written communications such as on job applications, email signatures, employee IDs, business cards, etc.

81% measure employee sentiment around diversity, equity and inclusion among their employees. This is most commonly done as part of a larger Employee Engagement Survey that includes measurements around inclusion or psychological safety (76%). The second most common technique by which to measure employee sentiment around DEI is using focus groups or other face-to-face interviews (47%)

TOP-PERFORMER TRENDS

% of Top Performers Ranking Job Attributes as #1

• Guide

• Continuously deepen their expertise in personalized solutions

• Illustrate how tax planning, management, and preparation are so important to your holistic plan

• Commit to something greater by helping you feel financially secure