Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com • Saturday, January 30, 2021
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Top Workplaces announced Welcome to the 2020 McHenry County Top Workplaces Awards section. This section will announce all of the category winners from public voting that took place late in 2020. We saw a substantial uptick in voting this year, which is great. Even during these very hard pandemic times, businesses and employees cared that much about their place of work to vote! On behalf of the Northwest Herald and Shaw Media, we want to congratulate these businesses highlighted in this section. It is a testament to their efforts internally to make their work environments a place that employees want to come to each day to make whatever type of business they are in successful. It is always great to see such a cross representation of businesses in McHenry County. From the for profit to non profit, from the small to the large, it is all of these work places that help to make McHenry County such a special place to work and also live. We hope shining a light on these top workplaces will provide impetus to other businesses to start now in making their
business a great place to work, so that next year, they might be included in this section. Congratulations to all our Top Workplaces!
– Jim Ringness, General Manager Northwest Herald & Lake County Journal
Thank you to everyone that voted us the TOP Workplace Manufacturing Company in McHenry County! We are always looking for people to join our team. Visit us at www.fabrikind.com
McHenry County TOP Workplaces Awards - 2020 Thank You for Voting us: • TOP Workplace: Business-to-Business Company • TOP Workplace: Company that Gives Back to the Community • TOP Workplace: Financial Institution/Service • One of the Top Workplaces: Large Employer {100+ Employees} • One of the Top Workplaces: Family-Owned Business HomeStateOnline.com 815-459-2000 Member FDIC
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business community for almost thirty years, and we know that McHenry County businesses are some of the most innovative and successful operations in Chicagoland and beyond. Faced with the many challenges created by the pandemic, many of our businesses stepped up … big time. They reimaged their workplaces for safety, retooled their lines to make PPEs, redesigned their delivery and pick-up operations and regrouped so employees could work from home. Most importantly, these very inventive managers and entrepreneurs kept the spirit of their employees and customers up through 2020—a difficult time. They did this with integrity, authenticity and a true optimism about what the future of
the business could achieve. All the nominated are great companies. We hope you see this a bright spot for what the near future holds for all of us as our economy restores to full strength. As readers of the Northwest Herald, we hope you have the inspiration to thank these great businesses with your notes and patronage. We congratulate all of the Northwest Herald 2020 Workplace Award recipients and thank them for doing business in McHenry County.
– Jim McConoughey, President,
HELP IS ON THE WAY!
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815-385-9511 • Schopenpest.com
• Saturday, January 30, 2021
MCEDC is a proud co-sponsor of the 2020 Top Workplaces Readers’ Choice Awards. We are pleased to recognize this elite group of businesses that stand out with the readers of the Northwest Herald. It is important to celebrate these companies, as well as thank and support all of the businesses in McHenry County. They are vital to our way of life. Our businesses provide us with the jobs we need to create a community, they make the products we use or parts for other products that we use every day. They drive our economy, pay taxes and support our charitable community. It’s exciting that so many businesses were recognized in 17 categories. McHenry County EDC has had the privilege of working directly with our
TOP WORKPLACES | Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com
MCEDC congratulates winners
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WINNERS
Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com • Saturday, January 30, 2021
2020 McHenry County Top Workplaces Readers’ Choice Awards
BUSINESS-TO-BUSINESS COMPANY Top Home State Bank
FINANCIAL INSTITUTION/SERVICE Top Home State Bank
One of the Top J Miller Marketing Dreiske Moving & Storage
One of the Top Chase Bank Corporate America Family Credit Union
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COMPANY THAT GIVES BACK TO THE COMMUNITY Top Home State Bank
HEALTHCARE COMPANY/FACILITY Top McHenry County Valley Hi Nursing Home
One of the Top Smith Physical Therapy + Running Academy g2 revolution, LLC
One of the Top Pediatric Associates of Barrington Pioneer Center for Human Services
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FAMILY-OWNED BUSINESS Top Dreiske Moving & Storage
INDUSTRIAL COMPANY/WAREHOUSE Top Fabrik Molded Plastics
One of the Top Home State Bank Smith Physical Therapy + Running Academy
One of the Top Luster Leaf Products, Inc. Phoenix Woodworking Corporation TC Industries, Inc.
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SERVICE INDUSTRY COMPANY Top Pioneer Center for Human Services
One of the Top Home State Bank Fabrik Molded Plastics
One of the Top Dreiske Moving & Storage Schopen Pest Solutions
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MANUFACTURING/PRODUCTION COMPANY Top Fabrik Molded Plastics
SMALL EMPLOYER (UNDER 100 EMPLOYEES) Top The Boat House of Chicago
One of the Top Scot Forge Avient – Formerly PolyOne TC Industries, Inc.
One of the Top Dreiske Moving & Storage Smith Physical Therapy + Running Academy
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One of the Top City of McHenry Village of Cary • • • • • • • • • •
NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION Top Pioneer Center for Human Services One of the Top Senior Care Volunteer Network United Way of Greater McHenry County • • • • • • • • • •
RETAIL COMPANY Top Nature’s Feed Torrid One of the Top Howell’s Flooring and More • • • • • • • • • •
SCHOOL/SCHOOL DISTRICT Top Harvard Community Unit School District 50 One of the Top Crystal Lake Community High School District 155 McHenry County College Woodstock Community School District 200
WORKPLACE FOR PEOPLE WITH SPECIAL NEEDS Top Pioneer Center for Human Services One of the Top Woodstock Recreation Center Buddyz Pizzeria • • • • • • • • • •
WORKPLACE FOR SENIORS Top Senior Care Volunteer Network One of the Top Pioneer Center for Human Services Woodstock Opera House • • • • • • • • • •
WORKPLACE FOR VETERANS Top TLS Veterans One of the Top MBI Staffing Woodstock Police Department
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MUNICIPALITY Top City of Woodstock
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TOP WORKPLACES | Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com
LARGE EMPLOYER (100+ EMPLOYEES) Top Pioneer Center for Human Services
Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com • Saturday, January 30, 2021
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Employees
Professional training and development can be key As Business Service Representative for McHenry County Workforce, I have had the privilege to get to know that our county has many good companies. In my position, my view of great companies to work for has been influenced by how their employees are being treated. A common comment that I hear from employees about being in a great company is that they feel like they are part of a family. This has been consistent over my 10 years doing this, and I suspect that it is even more important the last 10 months during the pandemic. The need to be more flexible is less of an adjustment for those companies that have been employee centric. Without going into all the characteristics of a great place to work, I will identify some examples of professional development as one characteristic. These employee-centric companies that come to mind are providing training to their employees. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Vo-Tech, Crystal Lake
vo-tech.net DEI and Apprenticeship VoTech has the feel of a family with interest in their employees as fundamental to their business. VoTech is a great example of a company committed to Diversity Equity and Inclusion. Last year, VoTech was recognized by Stateline SHRM, Society of Human Resource
first
to becoming a great company.
Management, as a 2020 Second Chance Champion for providing employment opportunity and On the Job Training to motivated and dedicated workers with a background. One of those employees was recognized last year by the Illinois Workforce Partnership for for 2020 Individual Achievement. The company has hired talent from the McHenry County College ESL pre-apprentice program. In addition to a commitment to diversity, it is developing a skilled workforce. They are currently developing a US Dept. of Labor Registered Apprenticeship for four of their employees to receive an industry recognized training. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Heartland Cabinet, Crystal Lake heartlandcabinet.com On the Job Training
Heartland Cabinet is an example of a company that hires for potential and culture fit. Heartland currently has hired two employees with minimal experience and skills, but highly motivated and good work ethic. The company acknowledges that those traits are difficult to train. The employees as job seekers had a resume lacking of work skill experience and showed very little skills to be a match for the open positions. Heartland has hired these workers to develop their skills in On the Job Training. The training includes an individual assessment of the required skills and a individualized plan outlining the skills and time to become proficient with regular follow up. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
MAC Automation, Woodstock macautomation.com
Internships
MAC Automation Concepts has invested in building a more skilled workforce, for not only their company, but for McHenry County. MAC has provided experience opportunities to numerous job seekers that needed to develop their skills after classroom training. Some job seekers need temporary work experience after going through long term unemployment due to a illness, some due to the recession and some due to caring for ill family members. Some job seekers needed experience after getting classroom training to interrupt the catch 22 of having a degree, but no experience. Some interns became employees of MAC Automation Concepts, and others have completed their employment goal with other companies. All these companies invested in their incumbent workers by providing training to improve and upgrade their skills. McHenry County Workforce uses the federal grant funds that are received by McHenry County to assist county employers with training their new and incumbent workers. This allows the interns to be paid by the grant funds rather than out of the company budget. It is a win-win for company and jobseeker. The grant also provides wage reimbursement to the employers that provide training to promising new employees that lack some skills. The funds also assist employers that need to train their existing employees to acquire new skills to avoid layoff or to be promoted.
– Thomas Faber, Business Service Representative, McHenry County Workforce Network
TOP WORKPLACE for Healthcare Company/Facility We would like to thank our Healthcare Heroes at Valley Hi for their dedication throughout the past year.
Thanks to our staff and the McHenry County community for voting Pioneer Center as the: • Top Nonprofit Organization • Top Large Employer • Top Workplace for People with Special Needs • Top Service Industry Company • and one of the Top healthcare facilities and workplaces for seniors. Pioneer Center provides programs for people with developmental disabilities, behavioral health services and homeless shelter needs to the community. If you are interested in a career at Pioneer Center or would like to make a donation, please visit our website at:
We can care for your loved one with a range of services to include: long-term placement, short-term rehabilitation programs and Hospice programming.
815-338-0312 Not just a place to work, it’s ‘HOME’. SM-CL1852551
SM-CL1852563
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2406 Hartland Road, Woodstock
www.pioneercenter.org • (815) 344-1230
TOP WORKPLACES | Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com
THANK YOU FOR VOTING US
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Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com • Saturday, January 30, 2021
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The Future of McHenry County Pivoting for a Brighter Tomorrow
Since 1991, the MCEDC has supported our business community by helping established businesses grow and attracting new companies to McHenry County. We focused on transportation, workforce, and creating a positive environment for business growth. Since the pandemic, we pivoted from our traditional mission of retention, expansion and attraction to more directly serve every business, both small and large, from main street to our corporate parks. We advocated passionately for our businesses, helped guide them through the maze of Federal, State and local relief programs, and researched and shared innovative ways to keep businesses open and employees safe. We responded one-on-one to hundreds of calls and emails and worked closely with our partners to provide guidance, direction, and support. As an active founding member of the Resume McHenry County Task Force, an organization of top county leaders, we will continue to access the needs of our business community and help create opportunities to relieve the strain on our economy during Covid-19.
We’re here to help. Visit these website for the latest updates
McHenryCountyEDC.com ResumeMcHenryCounty.com McHenryCountyIL.gov
620 Dakota Street | Suite 244 | Crystal Lake, IL 60012
815-893-0895