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115 West
Washington • Suite 850S • Indianapolis, IN
46204-3407 • (317) 264-3110 • (800) 824-6897
For media information contact: Rebecca
Patrick (317) 264-6897 or (317) 919-6458 / rpatrick@indianachamber.com
Tom Schuman (317) 264-3792
or (317) 919-6468 / tschuman@indianachamber.com
FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
1st
Annual ‘Best Places to Work in Indiana’ Rankings Announced at
Indiana
Chamber of Commerce Luncheon
May
3, 2006 (INDIANAPOLIS) — C.I.K. Enterprises, a fast-growing Indianapolis print and
direct marketing company, and Edwards
Jones, the country’s largest investment firm that has 348 Indiana branch
offices, took top honors today in the Indiana Chamber of Commerce’s first
annual “Best Places to Work in Indiana” program.
The Indiana Chamber announced rankings for all 36
companies who made the “Best Places to Work in Indiana” list at an awards
luncheon at the Indiana Convention Center attended by more than 500 Hoosier
businesspeople. Names of companies on
the list had been released March 6.
“Best Place to Work” honorees were determined through
employer reports and comprehensive employee surveys, with winners selected in
two categories: small to medium-sized companies of between 25 and 199
employees, and large-sized companies consisting of 200 or more employees.
Out-of-state parent companies were eligible to participate if at least 25
full-time employees are in Indiana. Seventy companies took part in the
evaluation.
The Best Companies Group has overseen similar
programs in more than a dozen other states. ModernThink, LLC, a workplace
excellence consulting firm, handled the selection process. The basis for this initiative is Fortune magazine’s noted “100 Best
Companies to Work for in America.”
“C.I.K. Enterprises and Edward Jones, along with all of
the organizations on the list, epitomize first-rate employers because they
understand that making employees feel valued goes hand-in-hand with the success
of the business,” states Indiana Chamber President Kevin Brinegar. “We are pleased to acknowledge their efforts
for fostering a positive and productive work environment.”
At the luncheon, representatives from all designated
companies were presented with “Best Place to Work” awards of excellence. Additionally,
honorees were featured in a special section of the May/June issue of the
Indiana Chamber’s BizVoice® magazine,
released today (and accessible online at www.bizvoicemagazine.com), and through the Inside INdiana Business with Gerry Dick television
program and e-newsletter – all of which reach statewide audiences. Additional 2006 event partners are the
Indiana State Council of the Society for Human Resource Management and the
Indiana Youth Institute.
All companies that participated
in the “Best Places to Work in Indiana” program received an in-depth evaluation
identifying strengths and weaknesses according to their employees. This report can be used in developing or
enhancing employee retention and recruitment programs. For more information on the Indiana
Chamber’s “Best Places to Work” program, go to www.bestplacestoworkIN.com. You can sign up to be
notified by e-mail when application details for the second annual competition
are announced this summer.
Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield is this year’s
presenting sponsor. Additional program
sponsors for 2006: AARP, Baker & Daniels, Ball State University, BKD CPAs
and Advisors, Duke Energy (formerly Cinergy), CLS Benefit Solutions, Inc.,
FedEx, Old National, Roche Diagnostics and Simon Property Group.
- more -
About
the #1 Small to Medium-sized Company
For C.I.K. Enterprises, two policies – employee
inclusion and “work hard, play hard” – have fostered deep employee buy-in. Employees see all of the expense figures and
know exactly where the company stands in meeting its revenue goals and what
they can do to assist.
In its five
years, CIK – which began as Tri Auto, a direct mail marketer to the auto
industry, in 2001 and then added the Trace Communications print division in
2004 – has grown from two employees to 60 and from $750,000 in sales to nearly
$22 million.
CIK’s success is measured in a variety of real ways for employees. Company stock and bonuses are two
perks. The company also recently moved into a new home that has an exercise and
weight room, and an indoor basketball goal
and plasma television in the break room.
Recognition is another CIK hallmark. Each quarter an employee is selected
MVP and gets his/her name put on a banner that hangs from the ceiling, and chooses
a prize from a varied list that includes, among other things, a two-night trip
to Las Vegas.
“Everything
we do is in-house; everything we do is over the telephone. That’s why our culture is so important and
we make sure it’s fun,” states Andy Medley, CIK chief operating officer and
co-founder with CEO Scott Hill. “So, we make sure that we provide an atmosphere
in which, if they want to, people can get up and go hang out a little bit, get
some things off of their mind, and then sit back down and get to work.”
About
the #1 Large Company
Most Edward Jones branch offices consist of two
employees: an investment representative, who sells investments and is in charge
of the office, and a branch administrator. The 752 full-time Hoosier employees enjoy partnership
opportunities and schedule flexibility, which has resulted in many longtime workers
who have real ownership in and commitment to the company.
“The bottom
line from the firm is that as long as we are running a profitable office that
is within the rules and regulations, then they allow us to run the office the
way we want to and set the hours we want.
We never have quotas on the products that we sell,” explains Bob
Campbell, a Greenfield investment representative who has worked nearly 26 years
for the company. “Whether we want to work evenings, Saturdays, holidays or if
we want to take a day off during the week, that’s OK.”
Indianapolis Regional Leader John Bouvy, a 20-year employee,
believes what makes Edwards Jones a great place to work is the inclusion
attitude established by Ted Jones, son of the company founder and second
managing partner, which allows for professional development.
“The
company is about making opportunities available to everyone. Whether it’s at corporate or out in the
field, everyone we hire has a chance to advance. We don’t want to pigeon-hole
folks and keep people in dead-end jobs,” he offers. “We want to include them in
the company and give them a chance to have the opportunity to be part of the
growth and ultimately to become a partner in the business.”
The full list of “Best Places to Work in Indiana” companies by
ranking:
Small to Medium-sized Companies
(25-199 employees)
Rank Company Primary Indiana Location
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Large Companies (200 or more
employees)
Rank Company Primary Indiana Location
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1 |
Edward Jones |
Statewide |
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2 |
Crowe Chizek and
Company LLC |
Indianapolis |
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3 |
Emmis
Communications |
Indianapolis |
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4 |
Columbus
Regional Hospital |
Columbus |
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5 |
Goshen Health
System |
Goshen |
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6 |
Duke Realty
Corporation |
Indianapolis |
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7 |
Fort Wayne
Metals |
Fort Wayne |
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8 |
Irwin Union Bank |
Columbus |
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9 |
Floyd Memorial
Hospital/Health Services |
New Albany |
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10 |
Dow AgroSciences |
Indianapolis |
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11 |
The Cellular
Connection |
Marion |
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12 |
Endress+Hauser |
Greenwood |
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13 |
Sallie Mae, Inc. |
Fishers |
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14 |
Celadon Trucking
Services Inc. |
Indianapolis |
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15 |
1st Source Bank |
South Bend |
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The
Indiana Chamber of Commerce has been the state’s largest broad-based business
advocacy
organization for over 80 years. Today, it serves more than 26,000 members
and customers.