Inside Business Best Places to Work 2013

B2 » INSIDE BUSINESS » JULY 22, 2013

WHAT DRIVES YOU

IS WHAT DRIVES US. Your passion fuels your success. And we’re as dedicated to you as you are to your business. MassMutual will listen to your needs, seek solutions to your financial challenges and help you plan for what’s ahead.

MassMutual would like to congratulate Commonwealth Financial Partners, LC for being named one of Hampton Roads’ “Best Places to Work 2013”.

Robert P. Burke, CLU®, ChFC®, AEP General Agent Commonwealth Financial Partners, LC 222 Central Park Avenue, Suite 1100 Virginia Beach, VA 23462 757-490-9041 robertburke@financialguide.com www.massmutual.com BUSINESS SUCCESSION PLANNING + KEY EMPLOYEE RETENTION AND EXECUTIVE BENEFITS PRODUCTS + RETIREMENT/401(K) PLAN SERVICES

MassMutual Financial Group refers to Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Co. (MassMutual), its affiliated companies and sales representatives. CRN201410-165836

BEST PLACES TO WORK

JULY 22, 2013 » INSIDE BUSINESS » B3

Best Places to Work 2013

T

HIS ISSUE MARKS THE 11TH ANNIVERSARY for Best Places to Work in Hampton Roads. Inside Business started the program to encourage companies that recognize their most valuable asset – their employees.

Best Places to Work highlights companies that have found ways to make their employees feel valued in good times and in tough economies. They serve as examples to other employers, providing suggestions of things other businesses can do, many of which won’t overly impact the bottom line.

To be selected, companies submitted information about their culture, annual turnover, employee satisfaction, fair and equitable treatment, compensation, benefits, and employee training opportunities. Each company also had to have a sufficient number of employees respond to an online survey. The judges considered the survey results and comments to make their final selections.

Companies that have participated in the program for several years and have won repeated recognition have been inducted into the Best Places Hall of Fame. Those companies can continue to participate to earn additional awards. This year we honor three companies with the Silver Award and one company with the Bronze Award and welcome five others into the Hall of Fame.

We hope these recognitions will encourage companies to improve what they do for employees to raise the overall performance of their companies and the quality of the workforce in Hampton Roads.

– Carol Lichti, Inside Business editor

the judges Susan Craft Owner, Consulting by Design of Princess Anne Ltd., Virginia Beach Stacy Hawks Human Resources Analyst, Human Resources Department, City of Virginia Beach Elizabeth and Joe Lacroix Principals, QWLC - Quality of WorkLife Consultants, Newport News

sponsors Chris M. Stone President, Clark Nexsen, Norfolk Kim Talman Program Assistant and Debbie O’Dell Director of culture, WR Systems Ltd., Norfolk Michele Woods Jones Executive Director, Hampton Citizens’ Unity Commission

what’s inside SMALL COMPANIES

Chantel Ray Real Estate Marathon Consulting IssueTrak Inc. Lee Telecom Inc. (LTI) Signature SimIS Inc. MEDIUM-SIZED COMPANIES

CBRE | Hampton Roads The Up Center Commonwealth Financial Partners LC JES Foundation Repair Paramount Builders Inc. BEST PLACES HALL OF FAME

Silver Awards TowneBank Vandeventer Black WR Systems Ltd. Bronze Award Wall, Einhorn & Chernitzer PC Inductees for 2013 AAA of Tidewater Virginia DOMA Technologies Homeland Contracting Norfolk Sheriff’s Office Old Point National Bank

BEST PLACES TO WORK

B4 » INSIDE BUSINESS » JULY 22, 2013

1S T PL AC E | S M A L L C O M PA N Y

HARRY GERWIEN

While Chantel Ray, front row, seventh from left, worked for William E. Wood At The Mall for seven years, she saved half her earnings to open her own business.

Chantel Ray Real Estate A

T CHANTEL RAY REAL ESTATE’S Virginia Beach office, you’ll see cubicles, file cabinets and many staff members on the grind. But you’ll also find a treadmill, a salad bar, a juicer, a large vanity counter and a spray tan machine – all of which employees can use free of charge.

“That machine right there is from Rodeo Drive,” said founder Chantel Ray about the spray tan machine. “If you go to Rodeo Drive and get your spray tan with that machine, it’s $85 per session.”

Ray was a real estate broker for William E. Wood At The Mall for seven years until 2012. During that time, she gradually became independent and saved half of her earnings for her own business. Last summer, she opened Chantel Ray Real Estate with an office on Republic Road. She poured about $300,000 into it and has constantly updated it with her employees in mind.

The stocked kitchen, where employees can make salads, soups and paninis, came about as a convenient way for time-pressed employees to get a quick lunch. The vanity mirror came after a rainy day marred the hair and makeup of some real estate agents, for whom appearance is paramount.

Since the female employees got the spray tan machine as well, Ray said, the male employees asked for something they liked. “‘I said ‘Well, what do you want?’”

Ray said, “and they said, ‘a ping-

pong table.’”

While employees can play pingpong or cornhole, leisure is the exception at this office, not the rule.

Agents are constantly on the move in an industry that can be highly stressful at times.

“They say that buying and selling a house goes up there with death and divorce,” Ray said about emotional life events for consumers.

So the creature comforts around the office help. But Ray has gone a step further by allowing her agents to focus on a few tasks. Traditionally, real estate agents have to find interested sellers, market the property, sell it and handle everything in between. Chantel Ray has administrative staff members responsible for posting listings, cultivating leads and other duties.

“We’re able to do our jobs better and serve our clients – nurture that relationship better – because of all the people we have in the background working so hard,” said Missy Owens, an agent who entered real estate two years ago after teaching school and raising her children. “We’re not running ourselves into the ground doing busy work.”

Ray’s agents keep less of a cut than agents at other real estate firms because of her management model, but they’re more efficient, she said.

“The average real estate agent in Hampton Roads sells three to six homes per year,” Ray said. “Our agents sell three to six homes per month.”

One agent sold eight houses and made $29,000 in a recent month, Ray said.

The interior of the 5,000-squarefoot office has more glass walls than solid walls, and artwork adorns most spaces. The cubicles sit low in the high-ceiling facility, and there are no assigned seats: Workers set up shop with their laptops and miniature, wheeled file cabinets and clean up when they’re done.

“I don’t even have my own office,” Ray said. “I have my own cubby just like everybody else.”

The turnover rate is low here, Ray said, and one job applicant sent cupcakes in a plea to work there.

Several employees said they enjoy the events the company throws and many, including Owens, said they appreciate the values written on a wall. One of the favorites is “Address issues head on,” which speaks to the no-gossip policy at the office.

Short-sale negotiator Dave Forsyth said he appreciated the fact that his colleagues – a dynamic

group with a lot of personality, he said – threw him a party in advance of his wedding. Forsyth said that would have never happened at the national bank he used to work for.

“It was a bottom-line business I was in for a while,” the 42-yearold said. “It was fine. It provided a living, but you’re a number. Here you’re not a number; you’re actualIB ly part of a family.”

– Jared Council

About the company Chantel Ray Real Estate handles residential real estate, property management and commercial real estate.

Address 1833 Republic Road, Suite 103, Virginia Beach 23454 Phone 717-1003 Website chantelray.com Top executive Chantel Ray Number of employees 35 full-time employees, two part-time employees Benefits include: • Free access to a full salad, soup and panini bar.

• Spray tanning machine from Rodeo Drive.

• Commercial-grade juicer and healthy snack bar.

Fun factor Pingpong tables, cornhole boards, Wii video game and movie area.

Community service Employees give 10 percent of every dollar that comes in the door back to the community. They agreed to donate the funds to the local PIN (People in Need) ministry.

BEST PLACES TO WORK

JULY 22, 2013 » INSIDE BUSINESS » B5

2 N D PL AC E | S M A L L C O M PA N Y

HARRY GERWIEN

The IT consulting firm recruits in an industry where annual turnover rates of 30 percent are the norm. Marathon has an annual turnover rate of 1 percent.

Marathon Consulting S

TACY BRADSHAW, Marathon Consulting’s office manager, is only occasionally in the office. Her bosses wouldn’t have it any other way.

When Bradshaw, who handles Marathon’s back-office needs, wanted to spend more time with her family, the company said sure.

She’d long since proved herself invaluable to the company’s growth.

Plus, considering most employees are often at client sites, Bradshaw typically fields employee questions by phone or email anyway.

“I have small children at home, so it gives me the ability to be a mom but I also have a professional life,” Bradshaw said.

Having a telecommuting office manager is really in keeping with Marathon’s core business strategy of developing and keeping talent, said Al Moore, president of the Virginia Beach-based information technology consulting firm.

When formed in 2006, the entire company fit in a booth at lunch; big contracts would have to wait until the company staffed-up. But Moore, and partners Harris Pezzella, Tony Cortinas and Ben Ricks, had what they thought was a great growth plan.

“We felt if we were getting the right people, training them, keeping them, it would pay off,” Moore said.

Since then, the company has developed IT solutions, such as custom mobile applications and corpo-

rate intranet design, for more than 100 mid-sized professional services clients, including real estate brokerages and engineering firms.

Marathon now reports revenues of $6 million.

These clients built their businesses using personal relationships. They expect to receive from Marathon the same sort of personal services they offer. With roughly 90 percent of clients being repeats, Marathon’s leadership is confident it’s reaping a return on its employee investment But keeping staff is no easy task.

Marathon recruits in an industry where annual turnover rates of 30 percent are the norm as employees jump from company to company seeking higher pay.

Marathon boasts an annual employee turnover rate of less than 1 percent because of the open workplace culture. Flexible work schedules are common. Partners are still in the field, including Moore who still logs billable hours with teams working with clients. Partners readily assist with any issue – professional or personal.

“It really feels like a family,” said consultant Jay Agnew. “They know my wife’s first name. [Vice president] Harris [Pezzella] taught my youngest son how to hit a base-

ball.”

For Agnew, though, it’s the trust bestowed upon Marathon’s employees that sets the company apart from past employers. Everyone is encouraged to recruit potential consultants and clients. Quarterly all-hands meetings include open and often frank discussions about Marathon’s financial health.

“We share a lot of financial information that as a private company we don’t have to,” said partner Tony Cortinas.

Those meetings are not one-way discussions. Agnew, Bradshaw and the rest of the staff are expected to suggest business improvements, new technology to employ and inventive benefits like the recent shift allowing overtime hours to be converted into paid time off.

“They’ve created an environment where it doesn’t seem like work,” Agnew said. “We get to do IB some really cool stuff.”

– Ben Werner

About the company Marathon Consulting is a locally owned information technology consulting services firm, specializing in serving mid-tier businesses, nonprofit organizations and local governments in the mid-Atlantic region. Privately held Marathon reported $6 million in revenues and

has served approximately 100 clients since 2006. Marathon consultants, including top-level management, are encouraged to be handson with their clients.

Address 505 South Independence Blvd., Suite 103, Virginia Beach 23452 Phone 427-6999 Website www.marathonus.com Top executive Al Moore, president Number of employees 46 Benefits include: • Zero-premium health insurance.

Marathon Consulting covers the entire cost of health insurance for its employees.

• Software and hardware purchase program. To keep consultants current on technology updates, Marathon assists employees with the private purchase of new tablets, computers, software and other technology considered important to the business. Equipment purchased is the property of employees.

• Work- and family-oriented social events. Marathon staff and their families are invited to an annual holiday party, a summer party, outings to Norfolk Tides games, and other social events.

Fun factor Marathon treats the staff to a work-sanctioned afternoon at a local sports bar each year during the first Friday of the annual NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.

Community service CHKD Run/Walk participation. Marathon is a sponsor of the annual event and Marathon leadership serves on the event’s corporate advisory board. Marathon also encourages employees and their family members to participate in the event. Employees bring their little ones, and some even bring fourlegged family members.

BEST PLACES TO WORK

B6 » INSIDE BUSINESS » JULY 22, 2013

3R D PL AC E | S M A L L C O M PA N Y

HARRY GERWIEN

This software development company has earned a reputation for simply doing right by its employees, using a policy of open communication.

IssueTrak Inc. A

t IssueTrak, if an employee can’t be found at a desk or in a conference room, bets are they’re playing a game of pingpong or chess or perhaps working on a puzzle spread over a table in the common area. It’s not unusual to see an employee’s wife or children in that common area or to see co-workers taking a moment to chat in each other’s offices.

Located in the heart of Virginia Beach’s Town Center, IssueTrak is more than a software development company; for employees it’s a family. The company has built a philosophy around simply “doing right” by everyone.

Chuck Baggett, human resource and office manager, said, “Everyone has an open-door policy. Staff meetings take place every two weeks and every department says what’s going on so that everyone knows. We talk about sales, income and how we’re doing with profit year to date. I can’t think of much we don’t tell the staff.”

Baggett added, “People step up and are encouraging and try to support everyone as a team.”

The emphasis on communication helps employees feel closer to the company.

This type of communication led to the creation of the common room, a lounge area complete with refreshments, games and a couch, the result of an employee suggestion taken to heart by the leadership team.

Like most companies, IssueTrak felt the weight of hard economic times during the recent reces-

sion. Money was tight but the senior leadership team came together to opt for a salary reduction so that layoffs among the staff were not necessary. In the same way, when changes were made to the health benefit package for employees, IssueTrak stepped up to offer options, one of which included paying the majority of a deductible.

Dan Flowers, a technical support analyst who’s been working with IssueTrak for two and a half years, stated, “They are always working to help the employees; they have us in mind.”

Flowers is convinced he’s working hard for a company that’s working hard for him. The open communication policy has allowed him to express his desire to be more IT-geared and resulted in opportunities for him to grow and learn in that area.

Said Flowers, “I make suggestions and they implement them immediately. They listen, which is really powerful. When you have a bunch of happy people working for you, everything gets done IB properly.”

– Esther Keane

About the company IssueTrak Inc. designs, develops and supports software for tracking business processes and operations.

Its signature software package is a platform for internal and external customer service and support, IT help desk, workflow and process management, and issue tracking.

Large and small companies in 35 countries use the software.

Address 249 Central Park Ave., Suite 200, Virginia Beach 23462 Website www.issuetrak.com Top local executive Owner and president, Hank Luhring III Number of employees 42 full-time and 5 part-time.

Benefits include: • Health care options are presented to each employee. One option is a high deductible of $5,000 a year but IssueTrak pays $4,000 of that.

• “Brewdiggities” are held on the last Friday of every month. Employees are encouraged to invite families and friends to eat, drink and be merry together. A slideshow recognizes and celebrates their most recent milestones and successes, such as birthdays, graduations, healthy recoveries, employee anniversaries and big sales/saves/project completions.

Whenever timing and finances permit, they build and decorate the monthly “Brewdigs” around special themes or contests.

• The office space at IssueTrak has

several common areas devoted to stepping away from the grind without leaving the office. In these areas employees can challenge a co-worker to a game of pingpong or chess or they can just sit back and relax.

Fun factor It’s not uncommon for a “Nerf War” to break out. Although it started out as a “team-building exercise,” it has evolved into a favorite pastime and frustration buster. Almost every employee now has one or more state-of-the art Nerf guns and some even have hundreds of rounds of “ammunition.”

Community service IssueTrak takes part in about 10 company-initiated community service events every year. These include the United Way Day of Caring, Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, Save the Bay Day, Habitat for Humanity efforts, Hampton Roads Corporate Volunteer Council, Tidewater Youth Services School Supply Drive, Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia Holiday Food Drive, as well as the Annual Family Volunteer Day at Virginia Wesleyan College that presents the opportunity to help pack up food supplies for families in local homeless and domestic abuse shelters around Thanksgiving time. There are also different events and initiatives they engage in as often as possible throughout the year, including ongoing efforts to help support and encourage the overall stability, health and well-being of children and families through the Mission of the Holy Spirit and ForKids organizations. In addition, the company provides two paid volunteer days per calendar year, which employees may use to engage in any type of volunteer work that needs to take place during normal business hours.

BEST PLACES TO WORK

JULY 22, 2013 » INSIDE BUSINESS » B7

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LTI

The company president hosted a barbecue at her home that included a sumo wrestling event, right.

Below, employees celebrate birthdays at a monthly birthday party.

LTI is a communication and electronic security solutions company.

COURTESY PHOTOS

Address 1 Lockwood Drive, Hampton 23661 Phone 726-0422 Website www.leetelecom.com Top executive Ronda Markus Number of employees 25 Benefits include: • New entry-level technicians are mentored and trained by seasoned employees until they have the knowledge to work independently.

• The president personally gives cash to employees at Christmas and rewards employees with gift cards when they have gone the extra mile on a project.

• With rising health care costs and group premiums, LTI absorbed the premium increase to keep the employee portion manageable.

Fun factor During football season, LTI fans were allowed a two-hour delay the day following the Super Bowl. Team events include a bowling day at Cinebistro, a Christmas breakfast buffet and an employee/spouse Christmas party.

Community service The company participated in the 20th Annual Cerebral Palsy Run/Walk-A-Thon.

LTI is a supporter and sponsor for Special Olympics, Peninsula Food Bank, Salvation Army, Muscular Dystrophy Association and Dice Run Oyster Roast.

Other reasons it’s a best place to work During the spring of 2012, the president hosted an employee/family barbecue at her home, which included a sumo wrestling event. Employees were formally recognized during an in-house employee appreciation luncheon.

“Through corporate growth and common goals, LTI has progressively become one of the ‘best places to work,’” said Trina Bryant, accounting/office manager. “All who enter here embrace a vision that encourages and facilitates a supportive and rewarding environment. As individuals and as part of the LTI team, employees are recognized for the value of their contributions within the company and community. There is a genuine sense of pride from within, which has created a great place to work. As a side note, a little sumo camaraderie is always a great outlet to keep things in perspective.”

The Norfolk Sheriff’s Office is Committed to Excellence in Team Work and Our Employees are Committed to the Community visit us at

www.NorfolkSheriffsOffice.com

BEST PLACES TO WORK

B8 » INSIDE BUSINESS » JULY 22, 2013

H O N O R E E | S M A L L C O M PA N Y

Signature Signature is an independent family office established in 1994 dedicated to providing planning solutions to wealthy individuals and families.

Address 101 W. Main St., Suite 100, Norfolk 23510 Phone 961-5200 Website www.signatureus.com Top executive Numerous principals and owners Number of local employees 21 Benefits include: • During the summer, employees work an adjusted Friday schedule.

• Employees are rewarded with end-of-the-year bonuses and an annual profit-sharing contribution to their 401(k) as well as a 401(k) match and stock ownership.

• Employees with families are offered a flexible schedule.

Fun factor There are cornhole boards on the outdoor patio beside the kitchen. On good-weather Friday afternoons, employees play cornhole while having a drink and enjoying time together.

Community service In 2012, the Norfolk office participated in Day of Caring with the United Way. The team spent a day painting a recreation room and weeding the front yards of several houses. The company participated in the Step Up Challenge benefiting the Up Center and won first place for the fastest corporate team for the 25-floor division. In 2012, Signature volunteered for a Habitat for Humanity project. In addition, employees are members of various organizations such as Up Center, Junior Achievement, United Way, Eastern Virginia Medical School and YWCA. Other reasons it’s a best place to work In 2012, Signature held its 2012 holiday party at an art gallery in Richmond and used limo buses to transport employees and guests. Company employees participate in potluck luncheons as well as celebrate employee birthdays, weddings and birth announcements.

“We view Signature as home and everyone wants home to be a safe place where you can be your true self and flourish,” said Claudine Baggett, human resource associate for the company. “We provide that IB kind of a work environment and that is what brings people back day after day and year after year.”

Employees of Signature work an adjusted schedule on Fridays during the summer. Above, Norfolk employees are shown with others who work for the company. Signature transported employees by limo buses to an art gallery in Richmond for the company holiday party, right.

COURTESY PHOTOS

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BEST PLACES TO WORK

JULY 22, 2013 » INSIDE BUSINESS » B9

H O N O R E E | S M A L L C O M PA N Y

SimIS Inc. SimIS Inc. is a small, minority-owned 8A business that offers services in three primary sectors: modeling and simulation, information security and software systems.

Address 200 High St., Suite 305, Portsmouth 23704 Phone 399-4502 Website www.simisinc.com Top executive Johnny J. Garcia Ph.D Number of employees 31 Benefits include: • CEO promotes an open-door policy with the staff.

• Employees work in an open lab environment, which allows them to collaborate on their projects.

• The company is family-friendly and offers a flexible schedule when needed.

Fun factor The company rented out a restaurant and held an end-of-summer dinner for the staff and their families.

Community service SimIS encourages employees to participate in volunteer work and makes monetary contributions to various charities. The staff volunteers with local schools to educate students about the company’s business.

Other reasons it’s a best place to work SimIS hosted an annual Christmas party for its entire staff and the CEO personally handed out awards to every staff member. He thanked them for their contributions and told a funny story about each employee. The employees sang Christmas songs as a group and participated in various activities.

“I truly believe that SimIS is one of the best places to work in Hampton Roads because their mission has always been clear: Deliver world-class solutions, while developing a well-defined customer-centric culture,” said Justin Maestri, project manager. “This calling has proven time and again to represent the purpose that my co-workers share, throughout the communities they serve in both industry and IB academia.”

COURTESY PHOTO

Johnny Garcia, shown with his children, cuts the ribbon after SimIS’ office was refurbished. The company has family-friendly policies.

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BEST PLACES TO WORK

B10 » INSIDE BUSINESS » JULY 22, 2013

1S T PL AC E | M E D I U M C O M PA N Y

HARRY GERWIEN

A favorite perk at the company is early closing time – 3 p.m. – on Fridays throughout the summer.

CBRE | Hampton Roads F

or CBRE | Hampton Roads employees, this is the most wonderful time of the year. And it’s not because the commercial real estate firm celebrates Christmas in July. From Memorial Day to Labor Day, employees can leave work early on Fridays.

Though still expected to work a full eight-hour day, regional president Scott Adams said most employees have flexible schedules that allow them to start work at 7 a.m. instead of 9 a.m., so the office can close at 3 p.m. on Fridays instead of 5 p.m.

“People love that in the summer,” he said. “At the end of summer they always wish it could be extended.”

Founded in 1983, the regional office, located on West Main Street, is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year.

In addition to early Fridays, employee benefits include annual raises and profit-sharing.

“Right before Christmas we give back to our employees, beyond their personal paychecks, a check that reflects the success of the office,” Adams said. “It varies each year, but it’s sizable. It could be in the range of two weeks to a month’s salary.”

CBRE | Hampton Roads is an affiliate of CBRE, one of the world’s largest commercial real estate firms, headquartered in Los Angeles. The Norfolk office has 102 employees and Adams said there has been little turnover.

“Many of the founders are still

with the company,” he said. “Even as we’ve grown from five to 100 employees locally, we still have a lot of the same characteristics and qualities of when we first started.”

As a local business leader, CBRE | Hampton Roads believes in giving back to the community and encourages its employees to do the same.

One charity event that employees take seriously is the annual Wheeler Dodgeball Benefit Tournament held in August. The office forms a team and even practices.

Whether it’s a dodgeball game, chili cookoff or dessert contest, Adams said CBRE | Hampton Roads tries to loosen the corporate tie to create a more relaxed environIB ment.

– Lydia Wheeler

About the company Founded in 1983, CBRE | Hampton Roads is a commercial real estate services provider in Hampton Roads.

Address 150 West Main St., Norfolk

23510 Website www.cbre.com/norfolk Top executive J. Scott Adams, regional president, mid-South region Number of employees 102 Benefits Include: • Flexible scheduling, which 90 percent of employees use. In addition to a generous paid time-off policy, employees have the opportunity to earn additional days off.

• Health benefits are available to the domestic partners of employees.

• Employees also receive fitness center reimbursement, smoking cessation reimbursement and employee referral bonuses.

Fun factor Every year, employees compete in an annual Halloween costume and dessert contest. Employees vote and winners receive a bonus vacation day.

Last year, Deb Thaxton, the director of corporate communications, came as a contestant on “The Price Is Right.”

“I downloaded the correct font, reversed it all to make the T-shirt, found the name tag and then cut and glued everything,” she said. “My husband thought I was nuts when I made the small microphone. Too bad I didn’t win.”

Community service Nonprofits that the office supports through volunteer events include the Ronald McDonald House, Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters, Susan G. Komen Foundation, American Heart Association and the United Way.

COURTESY PHOTO

CBRE employees have a little fun masquerading as the royal family.

BEST PLACES TO WORK

JULY 22, 2013 » INSIDE BUSINESS » B11

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HARRY GERWIEN

The Up Center often does as much for an employee in need as it does for its clients.

The Up Center I

f you’re a new employee at The Up Center, a nonprofit that serves children, families and those with disabilities, you quickly learn a simple truth about co-workers and supervisors: They’ve got your back.

It makes sense, given the agency’s mission of “Understanding People, Unleashing Potential.”

Headquartered in Norfolk, the center provides an array of programs in Hampton Roads, including foster care, adoption services, youth mentoring, parenting classes, housing assistance, job training, counseling and day programs for disabled adults.

That TLC extends to the staff as well.

“Just like our clients, our employees have issues, too,” said Tonya Pass, director of human resources.

“Our unwritten rule is we’ve got each other’s back. … We don’t let each other fall because of a crisis.

It just makes it a wonderful place to be, especially for people who’ve worked other places.”

Brenda Jones, billing supervisor, is one of them. The agency rallied around her when she was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2007.

Employees shuttled her to medical appointments, delivered groceries, cooked meals and filled prescriptions. They donated enough of their own leave time that Jones, employed at The Up Center for only three years, could be out six months for her treatment and re-

covery, which included a grueling, five-week regimen of Mondaythrough-Friday chemotherapy and radiation.

“I had never worked with an agency that was so personable before,” Jones said. “They took care of me.”

Elnora Turner, who supervises the front desk and has been an employee since 1979, contributed sick days for Jones. She described the workplace as compassionate and close-knit.

“The agency cares – not just for the people they serve, but for the staff,” Turner said. “We do for each other.”

Founded in 1883 by a group of civic-minded society women, United Charities – as The Up Center was then known – provided coal, food, clothing and an orphanage for struggling families, said Edward J. Welp, president and CEO. It has gone through a number of mergers and name changes over the years, officially becoming The Up Center in 2006. The original mission, however, has remained the same.

“Many of us have areas of weakness,” Pass said. “But everybody also has a strength. And when people come to us, those strengths are

usually buried really deep [due to] life troubles. Our job is to provide services that bring those strengths back to the surface. We do that for our clients, and what I see in HR is we do it a lot for each other as IB well.”

– Teresa Talerico

About the company The Up Center is a nonprofit social services agency that serves 10,000 people in Hampton Roads by protecting children, strengthening families, empowering adults in crisis and maximizing independence for those with disabilities.

Address 222 W. 19th St., Norfolk 23517 Phone 622-7017 Website www.theupcenter.org Top executive Edward J. Welp, president and CEO Number of employees 95 full-time, 25 part-time Benefits include: • In addition to health, dental and vision insurance, the cafeteria-style benefits package includes legal resources for employees. Those who sign up can choose from a network of local attorneys to assist with wills, divorces and other legal issues at no cost or for a minimal fee.

• The Up Center offers generous vacation time and sick leave. Employees begin accumulating days almost as soon as they are hired. Unlike other workplaces that require probationary periods as lengthy as six months, the agency automatically offers 10 days of leave for an employee who has worked a full month.

• It’s rewarding to work for a nonprofit that empowers others. “Just to see [clients] come from that place of despair to really being independent, that’s rewarding,” said HR director Tonya Pass. “We want people to be self-sustaining and not need us, believe it or not. When we see that happen, it’s awesome, and it makes you come back to work the next day and do it all over again.”

Fun factor Each Up Center facility, including its corporate office in Ghent, has a “fun committee” to plan activities such as the spring cookout, a winter social aboard the Spirit of Norfolk, and numerous potlucks and other celebrations.

“The fun committee evolved because people work so hard here,” Pass said.

“They were a group of dedicated people who came up for air to make sure we carved out some time to have fun at the agency.”

Community service Serving others is part of the job description for most employees. Beyond their 9-to-5 work, they participate in the agency’s annual fundraiser: the Step Up stair-climbing challenge at Norfolk’s Dominion Tower.

Workers also have organized a voter registration drive, financed a Thanksgiving dinner for needy families and volunteer at The Up Center’s summer camp for people with disabilities.

BEST PLACES TO WORK

B12 » INSIDE BUSINESS » JULY 22, 2013

3R D PL AC E | M E D I U M C O M PA N Y

HARRY GERWIEN

This financial company invests in its employees, resulting in a workplace filled with positive and happy people.

Commonwealth Financial Partners LC W

ith nearly 80 employees, Commonwealth Financial Partners works with individuals, families and businesses to make sure that they invest their money for the best returns.

The Virginia Beach-based financial planning firm also invests in its employees, according to Debra O’Neil, the company’s director of recruiting and marketing.

“Clients and outside vendors who visit our firm comment on the positive and happy employees they encounter in our recpetion area,” she said. “Management, staff and financial representatives encourage one another and often work in a team setting.”

The company, located on the 11th floor of the Armada Hoffler Building in Town Center, works to “bring out the best in each other and work as a team.”

“This may sound trite, but we really are a family,” O’Neil said. “We get together outside of the office, and spouses and children are often included in those activities.”

A highlight of the year is the company’s annual black-tie awards banquet, held each February. In the meantime, the company holds a monthly party to celebrate employee birthdays for that month, and top performers are sent on trips, such as an upcoming trip to the Ritz-Carleton in South Beach, Fla. The company also hosts a cookout each year for employees and their families at Harbor Park in

Norfolk.

“Our company functions, both on- and off-site, are always well attended,” O’Neil said.

O’Neil credits CEO Bob Burke for creating an environment designed to keep employees happy.

“Bob Burke has built a wonderful place for all of his employees to come each day,” she said. “He has offered guidance and training to everyone here. He encourages each of us to do our best, and sets a great example for the rest of us. We help families, businesses and individuals plan for their futures by offering solid recommendations once we have a clear understanding of IB their objectives.”

– Bill Cresenzo

About the company Commonwealth Financial Partners is a general agency of Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Co., which was founded in 1851.

Commonwealth Financial Partners uses a broad spectrum of insurance and investment strate-

COURTESY PHOTO

Each year the company sends top performers on a trip. Employees are shown here on a trip to Napa Valley in 2012.

gies to help clients achieve financial goals.

Address 221 Central Park Ave., Suite 1100, Virginia Beach 23462 Phone 490-9041 Website www.cfp-massmutual.com Top executive Bob Burke, CEO Number of employees 79 full time Benefits include: • Profit sharing.

• Staff members receive performancebased awards.

• Substantial subsidy for the membership

fee of a fitness center in the building.

Fun factor Each February, the company holds a black-tie awards dinner. It also holds employee birthday parties, cookouts and each year, sends a group of top performers on trips. This year, employees are traveling to South Beach, Fla. Community service The company is very involved with the United Way and allows each employee paid time off to participate in the group’s Day of Caring. In past years, the company has painted the interior of a local daycare center, women’s shelter and a school for special-needs children.

BEST PLACES TO WORK

JULY 22, 2013 » INSIDE BUSINESS » B13

H O N O R E E | M E D I U M C O M PA N Y

JES Foundation Repair JES Foundation Repair is a provider of engineered solutions for commercial and residential foundation repair, new construction deep foundations, crawl space moisture management and basement waterproofing.

Employees here have a strong sense of camaraderie. At left, employees enjoy one of the surprise summer cookouts the company provides.

COURTESY PHOTOS

Address 569 Central Drive, Virginia Beach 23454 Phone 558-9909 Website www.jeswork.com Top executive Jesse Waltz PE Number of employees 85 Benefits include: • Employees can utilize an on-site gym that has treadmills, inversion tables, weights, kettle bells and other fitness equipment in addition to a full restroom that includes a shower.

• JES offers an engineering internship program for college students.

• A large holiday party celebrates the entire JES team and includes an open bar, appetizers, dinner and dessert, live music, photo booth, karaoke, dueling pianos and holiday gifts for every employee.

Fun factor Surprise cookouts happen during the summer. Leadership also often surprises team members by taking them out to lunch or dinner or giving them a free day off to recognize hard work.

Community service The company assisted with two “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” projects, donating products and labor. JES sponsored Volunteer Hampton Roads’ Hot Latin Nights, funding a scholarship for Virginia Military Institute students and sponsoring children’s T-ball, baseball and volleyball teams so they can buy uniforms and equipment.

Other reasons it’s a best place to work Each year JES takes the opportunity to “thank” servicemen and women by sponsoring a needy family over the holidays, sponsoring the military teams at the Annual 54-mile Wilderness Challenge and adopting deployed Navy ships by sending food, games, videos, music and other comforts.

“JES Foundation Repair is an incredible place to work,” said Corey Portalatin-Berrien, Internet content manager. “We have a dedicated and passionate team. This is apparent in our quality of work, teamwork and strong sense of camaraderie. All of this stems from leadership who foster a team-focused environment, generously acknowledge and praise accomplishments and hard work, and who genuinely IB care about every member of the team.”

H O N O R E E | M E D I U M C O M PA N Y

Paramount Builders Inc. Paramount Builders Inc. is an exterior home remodeling company that installs energyefficient windows, siding, trim, replacement gutters, entry doors and roofing.

Employees traveled to Grand Cayman this year. At left, employees had fun while supporting a cause at a RE/MAX golf tournament to benefit the Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters.

COURTESY PHOTOS

Address 501 Central Drive, Virginia Beach 23454 Phone 340-9000 Website www.paramountbuilders.com Top executive Edward G. Augustine Number of employees 144 Benefits include: • Increased monthly bonus plans.

• A yearly golf trip to Myrtle Beach for sales reps and managers.

• Company support of employees who participate in mission trips through their churches.

Fun factor In the fall, the management staff surprised the administrative staff by sending a limousine to pick them up, treating them to lunch at Aldo’s and then letting them spend the rest of the afternoon having pedicures.

Community service In 2012, after a local news feed in which a single mother had her car illegally repossessed by a towing company, Paramount employees banded together and with the help of an anonymous donor, were able to surprise her with a car and money for auto insurance to get her back on her feet. The company has donated to Orphan Helpers, Urban Discovery Ministries, Hope Charitable Services, local youth sports organizations and Hurricane Sandy victims.

Other reasons it’s a best place to work • Multiple times throughout the year, employees will take it upon themselves to collect funds among themselves to present to a fellow employee for medical expenses or to offset some type of hardship.

• “The owners of the company take the time to make sure they know their employees are appreciated,” said Ellen Bunnell, vice president of operations. “They are always working on the next function, event, contest or something that keeps the employees motivated. As soon as one is over, they are already IB planning the next one.”

B14 Âť INSIDE BUSINESS Âť JULY 22, 2013

BEST PLACES TO WORK

HALL OF FAME

The Silver and Bronze Awards COURTESY PHOTOS

S I LV E R

TowneBank

WR Systems Ltd.

No. 1 large company 2008; No. 10 2007; Bronze Hall of Fame 2011

No. 1 overall 2006; No. 5 overall 2005; No. 3 2003; Bronze Hall of Fame 2011

BRONZE

Vandeventer Black

Wall, Einhorn & Chernitzer PC

No. 2 overall 2007; No. 4 2006; Best Places list 2005 and 2004; No. 5 2003; Bronze Hall of Fame 2011

No. 6 overall 2007; Best Places list 2009, 2008, 2006 and 2004

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BEST PLACES TO WORK

JULY 22, 2013 Âť INSIDE BUSINESS Âť B15

HALL OF FAME

COURTESY PHOTOS

Inductees for 2013

AAA of Tidewater Virginia

Homeland Contracting

1st runner-up large company 2012 Best Places list 2011, 2010 and 2009

Best small company 2012 1st runner-up small company 2011

Old Point National Bank 2nd runner-up large company 2012 3rd runner-up large company 2011

DOMA Technologies

Norfolk Sheriff’s Office

Best medium-sized company 2012 2nd runner-up small company 2011

Overall best company and best large company 2012 2nd runner-up large company 2011

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Ronald Reagan National Airport

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www.jeswork.com â&#x20AC;˘ Serving VA, DC, MD, NC

Scott Davis, PE

B16 » INSIDE BUSINESS » JULY 22, 2013

BEST PLACES TO WORK

PREVIOUS HALL OF FAME AWARDS Armada Hoffler - Bronze 2012 No. 7 overall 2007 No. 6 overall 2006

Cherry Bekaert LLP - Bronze 2012 No. 3 small company 2009 No. 1 small company 2008 Best Places list 2006 and 2005

Kaufman & Canoles Bronze 2012 No. 2 large company 2009 No. 2 large company 2008

Liberty Tax Service Bronze 2012 No. 1 overall company 2009 No. 3 large company 2008 Best Places list 2007 and 2006

Clark Nexsen Bronze 2011 No. 1 overall 2007 No. 10 overall 2006 No. 3 overall 2005 No. 2 overall 2004

W.M. Jordan - Bronze 2011 No. 2 mediumsized company 2008 Top 25 2007 No. 7 2006 Best Places list 2005

Ch2M Hill No. 4 overall 2007 No. 1 overall 2005

Cox Communications No. 1 mediumsized company 2010 No. 3 large company 2009 Best Places list 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004 and 2003

Harvey Lindsay Real Estate No. 5 overall 2007 No. 3 2006 Best Places list 2005 and 2004

INIT, Innovations in Transportation Inc. No. 2 small company 2010 No. 1 small company 2009

Monarch Bank

1st runner-up large company 2011 No. 2 mediumsized company 2009 No. 8 overall 2006

Norfolk District Army Corps of Engineers Overall No. 1 company 2010

Riverside Rehabilitation Institute No. 1 overall company 2008 No. 2 overall 2006 Best Places list 2007, 2005 and 2004

Russell’s Heating and Cooling Best Places list 2007 No. 9 overall 2006 No. 4 overall 2005 No. 1 overall 2004

Spectrum 3rd runner-up medium-sized company 2011 No. 3 mediumsized company 2010 Best Places list 2009

Science Systems Applications Inc. Best large company 2011 No. 2 large company 2010

Sumitomo Machinery Corp.

Overall best company 2011 No. 3 mediumsized company 2009

Valkyrie Enterprises 2nd runner-up medium-sized company 2011 No. 2 mediumsized company 2010