Stories of 100 Best Places to Work in the North Bay of 2018
With unemployment thankfully at lows, a chronic mismatch between the skills employers demand and those available in the workforce and a very challenging environment for recruitment and retention, there has never been a more important time to be one of the Best Places to Work in the North Bay.
Why? Because receiving this recognition is a differentiator between our 100 winners and the thousands of organizations competing for talent. And it is an important internal tool to engage current employees and take a measurement of how your organization is doing.
It has been a long road to the selection of our 13th annual Best Places to Work recipients. The nomination process opened early last spring followed by a mandatory anonymous survey period in early summer of employees and final selections in July and August. Those selections by the editorial staff of the Journal were based on the employee survey results and participation, comments and an employer application. The journey culminates in an awards event Sept. 20.
When Best Places to Work was started in 2006 there were 24 winners. The vision was to recognize exceptional employers and highlight the best workplace practices. It has been quite a ride since with the number of winners doubling and then doubling again. But we have 100 winners today not because we made it any easier. In fact, the average employee survey score has varied only a few hundredths of a point year to year.
No, we didn't make it easier, the organizations stepped up. This year's recipients represent nearly 19,000 employees from a broad range of industries from the region's largest technology company to small employers. More than 8,100 employee surveys were completed. There are 14 first-time winners and eight special 13-time recipients.
Over these 13 years, we have learned that the award is important. But the award itself is only part of Best Places to Work.
The larger, long-term value is in the anonymous feedback of employees. Used expertly, this feedback can tell an organization where it is doing well and where it might improve. And the designation continues to be an invaluable tool for employee attraction and retention. On behalf of our co-hosts, founding underwriter Nelson, along with underwriters Exchange Bank and Kaiser Permanente, as well as our underwriter, Trope Group, congratulations to our winners.
Brad Bollinger
Publisher
FIRST-TIME WINNERS
A W Direct, LLC
Blentech Corporation
Centric General Contractors
Child Parent Institute
Community Matters
Cornerstone Properties
Earthtone Construction
Moore Solar Heating Cooling
PACE Supply Corp.
Pacific Expeditors
Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Company
Spaulding McCullough & Tansil LLP
The Engine is Red
The Healdsburg School
Traditional Medicinals
TWO-TIME WINNERS
Amy's Kitchen, Inc.
Burnham Benefits
Cork Supply USA
Eckhoff and Company
Francis Ford Coppola Winery
Intelisys
Intervine Inc.
Joanna's Nannies
Soiland Company
Sutter Instrument Company
YWCA Sonoma County
THREE-TIME WINNERS
Beyers Costin Simon PC
Healdsburg Lumber Company
Jackson Family Wines
Meritage Medical Network
Mike's Bikes
Oliver's Market
PsychStrategies, Inc.
Top Speed Data Communications
Workrite Ergonomics
FOUR-TIME WINNERS
Arrow Benefits Group
Best Collateral Inc.
Chop's Teen Club
GC Micro Corporation
Mengali Accountancy
Parkpoint Health Clubs - Santa Rosa, Sonoma and Healdsburg
Pepperwood Foundation
Redwood Empire Schools Insurance Group
Social Advocates for Youth
Terra Firma Global Partners
Whistlestop
FIVE-TIME WINNERS
AUL Corp
DH Wine Compliance
EO Products
Hennessy Advisors, Inc.
Hogan Land Services
SIX-TIME WINNERS
Community Child Care Council of Sonoma County (4Cs)
Don Sebastiani & Sons
Goodwill of the Redwood Empire
InterWest Insurance Services Kiosk
LEMO USA, Inc.
Star Staffing
SEVEN-TIME WINNERS
Coldwell Banker Brokers of the Valley
Pisenti & Brinker LLP
EIGHT-TIME WINNERS
BKF Engineers
Coast Landscape Management
Costeaux French Bakery
Friedemann Goldberg LLP
Linkenheimer LLP CPAs & Advisors
M.A. Silva USA
Private Ocean
Scott Technology Group
St. Francis Winery & Vineyards
WRA, Inc.
NINE-TIME WINNERS
Becoming Independent
Ghilotti Bros., Inc.
Keysight Technologies
Petaluma Health Center, Inc.
Quattrocchi Kwok Architects
Smith Dollar PC
Summit State Bank
Woodruff-Sawyer & Co.
TEN-TIME WINNERS
George Petersen Insurance Agency
Nova Group, Inc
Sequoia Senior Solutions, Inc.
ELEVEN-TIME WINNERS
Carlile Macy
Moss Adams
Mr. Rooter Plumbing of Sonoma County
O'Brien Watters & Davis, LLP
W. Bradley Electric, Inc.
TWELVE-TIME WINNERS
Bank of Marin
Dal Poggetto & Company LLP
La Tortilla Factory
Schurter, Inc.