2011 Best Places to Work in Vermont
Large Sized Companies
1. Mascoma Bank | 2. Dealer.com | 3. Entergy Vermont Yankee | 4. Country Home Products | 5. Edward Jones | 6. Green Mountain Coffee Roasters | 7. Vermont Energy Investment Corp. | 8. King Arthur Flour Company | 9. Comcast || Jump to Small/Meduim
1|Mascoma Bank
Mascoma Bank is committed to providing customers with great products and services. Financial Products and Services including: Personal Banking, which includes Checking, Savings Accounts, Money Market Accounts, Certificates of Deposit and Individual Retirement Accounts, CDARS, Debit Cards. Consumer Services include Auto Loans, Home Equity Loans, Overdraft Protection, Real Estate Loans. Commercial & Institutional Banking include Deposit Accounts, CDARS, Cash Management Services. Investment Services include Financial Wealth Management, Financial Planning, Tax-advantaged Investments.
Mascoma Savings Bank has a corporate culture that is built on mutual respect and trust, commitment to excellence and employee well-being. Open communication is encouraged not only from the top management down but also from the bottom up through employee scheduled meetings with managers. The two way communication system that is in place helps us to build strong supervisor / employee relationships. Managers and employees are coached on communication techniques to enhance this process.
Employees have a stake in the way the Bank is run. There are multiple action teams at the bank that meet on a regular basis and their goal is to enhance efficiencies in our processes and in the way we provide customer service. The action teams’ success is reliant on the participation of employees at all levels within the organization. The Bank understands that having well informed employees is important to our success.
Community commitment includes Grants to Disabled American Veterans Auxillary, Sustainable Energy Resource to the Upper Valley Home Energy Assistance, Cover Home Repair, Inc. to provide funds to directly support home repair program for low income families and the elderly. We pay our hourly employees for supporting bank sponsored community services. The employees work as board members and also volunteer time at fund raisers.
We offer coaching clinics for supervisors and managers throughout the year. We offer our employees the opportunity to advance in their jobs through our Certification Programs. We also have IDPs (Individual Development Plans) that employees can complete as part of their objective to develop certain professional skills.
The Bank has a formal education program which provides funds for education through outside the workplace, e. g. local colleges, workshops and seminars. We have many folks who have received college degrees including MBAs. Many of our employees attend banking schools specific to their areas of expertise such as the Northern New England Center for Financial Training and the American Bankers Association.
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2|Dealer.com
Dealer.com helps auto dealers and manufacturers market to potential customers by building websites and integrated solutions that together drive the industry’s most comprehensive and effective online marketing platforms. These platforms significantly lower the cost of customer acquisition, enhancing dealers’ efficiency and profitability. Today, Dealer.com is the auto retailing industry’s technology and market share leader, working with 80% of the top 125 dealer groups, recognized by Automotive News. Dealer.com websites are built from the ground up to be search engine-friendly for Google and other sites – and its paid search solutions are the most effective in the industry.
Dealer.com is the sweet spot of your career. It’s the opportunity to do engaging work in a thriving environment. It’s the happy medium between a dynamic, growing company and a tight-knit startup. It’s highly rewarding, both personally and professionally. It’s the opportunity to do great work, combined with an environment centered on helping people thrive. It’s the happy medium between working in a dynamic, growing company, and living in one of the most beautiful small cities in the country.
Dealer.com regards the health and wellness of each employee as central to its success. That is why the company is proud to offer “Life,” a diverse program of opportunities and benefits including 100% company-paid health insurance, a free on-site fitness center with a wide range of equipment and classes, training scholarships, a subsidized organic and localvore café, multiple sports teams and groups, free on-site wellness seminars, volunteer programs and much more.
Community service includes the Woman’s Rape Crisis Center - Dealer.com has been their top donator 2 years running – and also includes assisting The Childrens Toy Drive, Food Drive and Humane Society, and The Boys and Girls Club.
Dealer.com’s brand new 120,000 sq. ft. headquarters is built to LEED-certified standards so everyone who spends their days here can be healthier and more productive. The air is pure and clean, and so is the water thanks to our reverse osmosis machine. There are on-site personal development and/or stress management workshops, seminars, or classes. There is a comprehensive fitness facility, including free weights, nautilus and cardio equipment, basketball court, ping pong tables.
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3|Entergy Vermont Yankee
Vermont Yankee produces 650 Megawatts of low carbon electricity (80% of the electricity generated in VT.) VY currently provides 35% of Vermont’s power at a fixed price of just over 4.3 cents/kilowatt (That agreement has saved Vermont ratepayers over $330 million dollars since 2002.) Entergy is the largest nuclear operator in the Northeast and 2nd largest in the nation. Entergy is the 2nd cleanest utility generator among the top 10 generators and was the 1st U.S. utility to voluntarily stabilize greenhouse gas emissions.
Entergy Vermont Yankee is once again extremely pleased to be one the winners of the Best Places to Work in Vermont. Vermont Yankee believes there are many reasons why they won this prestigious award and would like to express those beliefs though the words of their employees.
Here are some of their remarks from last year’s Employee Comments Report: “Entergy treats people with respect and conducts business with integrity and honesty. They do what they say they will do.” “Entergy Vermont Yankee provides well-paying jobs in a secure environment…This is the best place to work in VT and in my opinion, New England.” “The Management and all employees work together here as a team and care about each other.”
We offer buy-up options for Life Insurance and Long Term Disability Insurance. Every year we team up with two gyms to provide discounts to employees and their families. Additionally, for the second year in a row, we have teamed up with Mt. Snow to offer discount tickets on Friday and Sundays throughout the ski season. Vermont Yankee holds an Annual Employee and Family summer picnic that is geared to provide an experience for the whole family.
This year the VY Donations Committee awarded grants and sponsorships totaling over $300,000 to approximately 100 non-profit organizations in the tri-state area. Included are such organizations as the Brattleboro Boys and Girls Club and United Way Campaign and the Project Feed the Thousands food campaign.
Every year we have a site-wide celebration to honor employees who attained five year service milestones, ranging from 5 years to 35 years. A formal on-boarding program for new hires exists. Within the first 3 months of their hire, they are invited to an off-site dinner with the senior management team, designed to facilitate effective communication between the 2 groups. Weekly Leadership and Alignment meetings are held with supervisors and managers who then meet with their direct reports to discuss the meeting topics and initiate 2-way dialogue. VY also issues a weekly electronic newsletter called Inside Entergy-Vermont Yankee. The publication highlights plant events and employees' successes.
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4|Country Home Products
Country Home Products is the home of the DR and Neuton brands of outdoor power equipment as well as the Sunward brand of solar hot water solutions. We strive to make people's lives better with high quality, purpose-built products that we make, sell and support with integrity.
Walk the hallways of our buildings and you'll know right away that we have a unique and special place here. From the person who answers the phone and takes an order to the team of craftsman building each machine we sell, we are a company of hard working and conscientious individuals. Driven by a shared commitment to quality - in everything we do - we take great pride in the products we sell and the service we provide to our customers and each other, striving to treat our customers, vendors and one another with fairness, respect and appreciation. That's how we've created such a sought-after work environment - one that continually attracts the very best people. The kind of people who care about the company they work for, the job they do and the customers they serve. We have fun while working hard, and we love the work that we do!
The company provides free and confidential use of the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for all employees and their family members. We also have offered optional, supplemental whole life and accident coverage insurance. The company has flexible hours to accommodate school events, taking a family member to the doctor, etc. Employer-sponsored Eldercare Assistance for employees with aging family members, such as transportation to medical appointments or meal delivery; securing of proper care and/or assistance facilities; information about financial resources; or counseling support for caregiver stress.
The company participates in Addison County United Way's Days of Caring, Vermont Fresh Network and Vermont Community Action.
There is an executive coach on retainer for managers and executives. The company has informal quarterly meetings with the President/CEO. Employees interact with comments and questions. There is an open door policy of all supervisors and managers. There is an encouragement of new ideas and discussions of concerns in an open dialogue. The company’s intranet has useful departmental links, corporate communication, as well as an employee classified section and employee photos.
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5|Edward Jones
Edward Jones is the nation’s largest financial-services firm in terms of branch offices, with 10,300 U.S. locations. Every aspect of firm business, from investment types to branch locations, is designed to cater to its nearly 7 million individual investors in communities where they live and work. Edward Jones embraces the importance of building long-term, face-to-face relationships with clients, helping them to understand and make sense of the investment options available today. Edward Jones is headquartered in St. Louis. Branch office administrators (BOAs) may join Edward Jones in one state, then move to a position in another state when family needs demand. Talented BOAs and financial advisors are treasured, not abandoned.
The Edward Jones business model is one financial advisor and one or two BOAs operating branches located in neighborhoods where potential clients live and work. Our branches are family-friendly. Financial advisors set their own schedules and choose their branch locations.
When new financial advisors begin their careers at Edward Jones, they’re often surprised at the overwhelming support they receive across the board. After all, it’s in the firm’s best interest for every new hire to succeed because they are Edward Jones’ only source of revenue. The entire firm focuses on preparing them to serve client needs well and run a successful branch. The firm is renowned for transforming recruits – who may have no financial background – into successful brokers.
Volunteerism is a rich vein within the firm. Associates attend to philanthropic commitments openly and proudly during office hours. In Vermont, financial advisors and BOAs support the United Way Campaign, collect Christmas for Kids presents, and raise donations for the annual Stuff-A-Truck Salvation Army effort. The Edward Jones Charitable Foundation makes generous donations to the community every year.
Regional meetings provide the opportunity to discuss business against the backdrop of everything the firm’s culture embodies – a spirit of partnership, camaraderie, family and fun. Financial advisors set their own schedules and choose their branch locations. They work from anywhere using Smartphones, laptops and firm-provided remote access.
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6|Green Mountain Coffee Roasters
Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc. (GMCR) is recognized as a leader in the specialty coffee industry for award-winning coffees, innovative brewing technology, high growth, and socially responsible business practices. Founded in 1981, GMCR has grown from a single Vermont coffee shop to a world-class business leader.
At Green Mountain Coffee we know that our employees drive our business success. We foster an environment where our employees have the opportunity to grow, learn and follow their passions. In creating sustainable jobs, employees have the opportunity to improve their lives and the lives of others while preparing for the future. We believe that when engaged, our employees, customers and all stakeholders can work together to help change the way the world understands business.
Part of our total compensation package includes subsidized benefit plans (medical, dental and vision). For medical premiums, there is a sliding scale to ensure that lower pay grades are more heavily subsidized. GMCR pays between 77% and 100% for medical coverage, depending on employees’ annual salary range. Employees can also participate in our Wellness Initiative; an incentive program that offers a lower insurance premium cost once certain criteria are completed.
We have the CAFÉ Program: CAFE stands for Community Action For Employees and the program enables employees to volunteer in their local community during normal work hours without losing any wages. Full-time GMCR employees may volunteer during their normal work hours for up to 52 hours per fiscal year. Part-time employees can participate at a rate of 2.5% of hours worked.
Dollars-4-Doers (introduced in 2008) rewards off-hours volunteer work by donating a $250 grant to an eligible non-profit for 25-hours of volunteer service. One wonderful aspect of our continued growth is that increased profits also mean increased philanthropic resources to support local and supply chain communities. As one result of our success, GMCR will match employees’ financial contributions to 501-c-3 nonprofit institutions dollar-for-dollar, up to $1,000 in one fiscal year.
In 2010 GMCR held its sixth Annual Employee Cleanup of Vermont’s Winooski River. This year’s event was the largest so far, with 152 employees participating. Volunteers spent the week pulling trash, 3.42 tons of metal, (the most ever recovered during River Clean Up), and 130 tires from a 15 mile stretch of the Winooski River from Waterbury to Richmond. We also spent a morning at the Waterbury Reservoir after completing our chosen sections of river.
We sponsor departmental and team activities to support teambuilding, networking and for celebrating accomplishments. Example activities are: team events for local non-profits, team building such as a Top Chef Competition, intact team workshops, and birthday celebrations.
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7|Vermont Energy Investment Corp.
The Vermont Energy Investment Corporation (VEIC) is a nonprofit energy services organization founded in 1986 to reduce the economic, social and environmental costs of energy consumption. Our home office has been in Burlington, VT since our inception and we recently opened satellite offices in New Jersey and Ohio, with another soon to be opened in Washington, DC.
The VEIC staff is a community of people who share in being part of something bigger than themselves or their individual jobs. They share a mission-driven sense of purpose. Together, they have the sense that VEIC is making a difference in the world. Their long-term goal embodies that sense of purpose: “to reduce 20 million tons of greenhouse gases per year by the year 2027.” Their work is guided by their core values: a commitment to the planet & the life it sustains; valuing our staff – the heart and soul of VEIC; a passion for creativity and innovation; and striving for big results.
VEIC self insures $1750 of the $2000 inpatient hospital deductible and $900 of the $1,000 deductible for outpatient deductible through an HRA (Health Reimbursement Account) to minimize out-of-pocket costs for employees. The company also contributes $1150 per year to each employee to offset the cost of benefits.
VEIC runs an annual United Way campaign to which the organization contributed $10,000 and employees raised nearly $17,000 last year.
VEIC has classified all of its positions using a matrix of 8 compensable factors. This allows each employee to determine the career path of interest and know what areas of development may be necessary to achieve the next step in their career. Our HR-LD group supports employees with one-to-one coaching and resources for career advancement. Employees will be encouraged to set stretch job goals and professional development goals as part of our annual goal-setting process to be launched in January 2011.
We have staff events monthly; some are scheduled, while some are a surprise to keep things fresh. VEIC has very flexible work guidelines to ensure a good work/life balance. They offer assistance to staff to help each household lower its carbon footprint, with emphasis on transportation alternatives. Their space is energy-efficient, bright with natural light, healthy, full of color and art, and inviting to staff and guests. The most ambitious project to date has been to deliver the services of Efficiency Vermont, saving Vermonters a cumulative $624 million to date.
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8|The King Arthur Flour Company
Employee-owned King Arthur Flour is America's oldest flour company and premier baking resource. Our hallmark is naturally pure, consistently high-quality flour. Our Baker's Catalogue offers over 1,000 ingredients, mixes and baking tools; kingarthurflour.com offers a wealth of recipes and resources; and our on-site and traveling educational programs have reached over one million people, making us the largest educator of home bakers in the world. As America’s oldest flour company, King Arthur Flour has grown from a small business with five employees in 1990 to the premier baking resource with more than 160 employees today; from a family-owned operation for five generations to a 100 percent employee-owned business.
We may be known for our high-quality flours and our passion in sharing the joy of baking but we also share our compassion by providing meals and fresh-baked goods to our local shelters, as well as working on nearby Habitat for Humanity projects. Employee-ownership means each person working here has a real stake in the company’s success – or failure. Through our products, publications and educational programs, King Arthur Flour continues to strive toward its mission: To be the highest-quality product, education, and information resource for, and inspiration to, bakers worldwide.
King Arthur offers two medical plans for employees, an HSA and a Network Plan. Our flexible spending medical reimbursement was increased from $3,500 to $5,000. We increased our 401(k) match. This is the first year in which King Arthur has covered 100% of Short Term Disability premiums for full-time employees.
In the last year, 73% of King Arthur Flour employees contributed their time to non-profit organizations where we work and live. As a whole the company donated 1075 hours of paid service to our community. Our employees engage in a wide variety of service activities.
With our culinary expertise we are creating a Families Baking Bread Together program where we will have volunteer educators teaching participants how to bake bread. In 2010, King Arthur Flour reached out and taught more than 20,000 middle school students how to bake bread from scratch through our Life Skills program. A key component of this program is teaching the children about the importance of service within their community.
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9|Comcast
Comcast Corporation is one of the nation’s leading providers of entertainment, information and communication products and services. With 22.9 million video customers, 16.7 million high-speed Internet customers and 8.4 million Comcast Digital Voice customers, Comcast is principally involved in the development, management and operation of cable systems and in the delivery of programming content. Comcast’s content networks and investments include E! Entertainment Television, Style Network, Golf Channel, VERSUS, G4, PBS KIDS Sprout, TV One, 11 regional sports networks operated by Comcast Sports Group and Comcast Interactive Media, which develops and operates Comcast’s Internet businesses, including Comcast.net (www.comcast.net).
As a company, we believe in the power of engaged and empowered employees. In order to be a successful company, we know we need to create a culture of employee pride and ownership. Even if we provide superior, cutting edge communications products and services, our employees really make the difference when it comes to making sure our customers are provided with a superior customer experience. Therefore, we focus on not only providing a generous compensation and benefits package, but also offering training and tools that allow our employees to progress, develop and grow their career within the company. Despite being a large company, we operate at a very local level and our organization is based on a culture of teamwork, collaboration and also giving back to help better the communities where our employees and customers live and work.
During the ninth annual Comcast Cares Day in 2010, over 300 employee volunteers in Vermont converged on four sites across the state, giving of their time and effort to help beautify the communities that Comcast serves. Each year Comcast holds an employee United Way campaign. In June, Comcast launched the Comcast Digital Connectors program at the Boys & Girls Club of Burlington. Safety Rodeos (a competition surrounding Technician safety) and Wellness Fairs are held annually to promote safety and wellness and to provide employees with the opportunity to come together to learn and to cheer on their team in the competition.
The GREAT Committee - a committee specific to our Customer Care organization - schedules different events to promote an enjoyable workplace. Twice a year we recognize employees who have hit milestone Years of Service, beginning with 5 years and moving up in 5 year increments.
The Comcast Open Door Policy encourages employees to speak with their supervisor or local Human Resources professional about any question or problem that may arise. The Western New England Senior Leadership Blog introduces a new topic every other week on which employees are encouraged to share suggestions, ask questions or simply post a comment. TeamComcast, our Intranet site, connects all Comcast employees to what's important in the company, including news, learning and development, HR and products and services information.
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Small/Medium Sized Companies
1. Huber+Suhner | 2. Seventh Generation | 3. Wild Apple Graphics,LTD. | 4. Heritage Aviation | 5. Champlain Dental Laboratory | 6. Resource Systems Group, Inc. | 7. FUSE | 8. Wells River Savings Bank | 9. VELCO | 10. ASIC North | 11. TWP Management || Jump to Large Companies
1|HUBER+SUHNER
The HUBER+SUHNER Group is a leading global supplier of Radio Frequency, Fiber Optics and Low Frequency components and systems for electrical and optical connectivity. The H+S product range includes coaxial and fiber optic cables and connectors, copper cables and cable systems, as well as antennas and lightning protection components. The H+S Group sells its products into different market segments in order to achieve balanced diversification.
HUBER+SUHNER, Inc. is honored to be named as one of the 2011 Best Places to Work in Vermont! HUBER+SUHNER is a leading global manufacturer of components and systems for electrical and optical connectivity. As a multi-national and multi-cultural employer, HUBER+SUHNER provides a unique opportunity with the Swiss culture of the parent headquarters intertwining with the local culture here in Vermont. Social awareness and basic ethical attitude determines all our actions. We strive to create a climate of trust and respect by honesty and openness. The success of our organization is based on the performance of our employees. Therefore, teamwork and the merging of the specific strengths of individual employees is the core of our culture.
We offer a comprehensive high quality low cost benefit package to our employees. We offer richer benefits with lower employee contributions then the state average.
As an organization, after soliciting employees' opinions, we chose to focus our charitable resources and energy on families in need. Our primary charity is the Committee On Temporary Shelter (COTS). We also hold an annual holiday food drive to support the local food shelf. We also support Spectrum Youth Service. Other sponsorships include multiple golf tournaments benefiting local non-profits for youth football, and injured marines.
In order to be able to develop employees on all levels to take a next career step, H+S annually performs a General Assessment of Potential (GAP) for all employees. The GAP is a tool for the organization to identify the potential of its employees. The GAP ranking determines the next development steps for internal promotions. H+S has a formal leadership and advanced leadership development program. Weekly stand-up meetings are held throughout the organization. These meetings allow open communication to talk about projects for the week, concerns, issues, celebrations, etc.
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2|Seventh Generation
Seventh Generation is committed to being the most trusted brand of household and personal-care products for your living home. Our products are healthy solutions for the air, surfaces, fabrics, pets and people within your home -- and for the community and environment outside of it. We are committed to becoming the world's most trusted brand of authentic, safe, and environmentally-responsible products for a healthy home. Products include: non-chlorine bleach, 100% recycled paper towels, bathroom and facial tissues, and non-toxic, phosphate-free cleaning, dish and laundry products; plastic trash bags made from recycled plastic; chlorine-free baby diapers, and baby wipes; and chlorine-free feminine care product.
There are 109 great reasons to work for Seventh Generation - that’s the number of dedicated employee-owners who truly embody the philosophy that anything is possible and that even if we don’t succeed at first, good things always happen when we try. Of course, watching the sun set from our rooftop deck overlooking Lake Champlain brings the total to 110.
Creating a healthy workplace community where respect, a balanced lifestyle, and honest, open communication are fostered is a vital part of what we do and who we are at Seventh Generation. We take being an equal opportunity employer to heart.
Each full-time SVG employee is offered 16 hours of paid time off per year to volunteer in the community. SVG also sponsors 2-4 employees to take part in national/international volunteer efforts offered by kindred companies.
All employees participate in the annual incentive program, which is based on company results and individual contributions. All employees also participate in the equity program, receiving shares upon new hire and promotion. The Company will reimburse up to 80 percent of the cost of tuition upon course completion. They offer employees $1,000 per year to use for their personal and professional development In 2010 SVG awarded forgivable loans to employees, totaling approximately $50,000, for carbon reduction efforts, such as home modifications or the purchase of vehicles with decreased environmental impact.
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3|Wild Apple Graphics, LTD.
WILD APPLE GRAPHICS provide fine art prints to framers supplying wall decor to "big box", furniture and other retailers who need a constant stream of innovative, affordable, and on-trend artwork. We provide published and customized artwork, a continuous source of researched and edited art, with quick turnaround and reliable customer service that gives framers an edge in presenting products to retailers.
We have an intentionally un-corporate feeling in the company, and we stress a human, fun, “golden rule” approach to business. Employees take their work seriously, but they don’t take themselves too seriously. We try to keep everyone up to date on company current events through biweekly staff meetings and other forms of communication. This includes Wild Apple practice of Open Book financial management, so employees know how we are doing financially at any time. We do weekly donations to the local food shelf. While it is not formal policy, for over 10 years the company has given days between Christmas and New Years off with full pay and without affecting vacation days. The art business is intrinsically a fun, creative business to be involved with.
Wild Apple offers a Health Savings Account and covers 100% of medical insurance premiums once the employee hits the deductible. Wild Apple also self-funds the waiting period for short-term disability benefit. Employees are eligible for profit sharing after completing their initial 90 days and they must work at least 31 hrs per week.
Along with weekly donations to the local food shelf, we give employees 8 hrs of community service time per year to support an organization of their choice. We have two employees who are volunteer EMT members and Wild Apple supports them by allowing them to respond to emergency calls during business hours and does not require them to use PTO time for this.
Employees receive an annual goal & strategic planning review. We provide educational assistance: employees must be employed at least 18 months on a full time basis in order to submit a proposed course of study. If approved, Wild Apple will pay up to one half of the tuition and fees for the course of study, up to $2,000 per academic year and $8,000 cumulative.
There are monetary incentives or extra paid time off when overnight travel is required. We show support to all ethnical and cultural backgrounds by allowing employees to take paid time off to celebrate holidays in their culture.
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4|Heritage Aviation
Heritage Aviation is a Burlington, VT based diversified aviation services company that provides Maintenance, Avionics, FBO, Charter, and Aircraft Management. For 25 years our Diamond Award winning FAA-certified repair station has provided aircraft maintenance and avionics services to the general aviation community. The FBO division provides 24/7 ground handling, fueling, deicing, and related aviation support capabilities. The charter division, Heritage Flight, operates aircraft globally and is one of the nation's premier aircraft charter and management companies. Heritage Aviation's new general aviation facility utilizes wind, solar, green roof, and rain water harvesting technologies as part of our commitment to environmental sustainability.
Heritage Aviation is one of the Best Places to Work due to its employees. Heritage Aviation is dedicated to the health, happiness and growth of its employees. As important as machinery is to our operations, it is the people who work here that set Heritage apart. Customers return to us because of the quality of our flight operations, but more importantly, because of the caliber of our employees. Heritage offers each of its employees a competitive salary, a compelling benefits package, vacation time, and a rewarding work environment where you can fulfill your career ambitions. We invest in all of our employees to help them reach their full potential.
About once per month the Company provides all employees with a BBQ in the hangar. At Heritage Aviation we have a Safety Award program. The recipients of the award receive a $100 gift certificate and their name is added to a plaque. Most departments have weekly meetings, which is a great time for employees to voice any concerns or raise questions to management.
We have an on-site gym available to customers and employees. Each employee is given $500.00 per year towards wellness-related memberships. We have a Wellness Committee internally that develops, evaluates, and implements different wellness initiatives.
As a Company we take part in Green Up Day each year. We start at our facility and split up into groups and pick up trash and recycling. We are a proud sponsor of the Special Olympics. All of our pilots attend annual simulator training once per year per aircraft they are qualified in. This training is typically one week in length. All employees are encouraged to attend training events that will help them perform their job duties better or improve a certain skill set. We are on track to be Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver Certified. LEED is a third-party certification program and nationally accepted benchmark for design, construction and operation of high-performance green buildings.
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5|Champlain Dental Laboratory
Champlain Dental Laboratory manufactures porcelain, gold and implant dental restorations for dentists, and ultimately for their patients. Each restoration is custom made for the patient. We believe the reason we are finalists has to be because of the things that have sustained us for more the 40 years: We're a group of fine artists and technicians who come to work every day knowing that we're in the business of restoring people's smiles. We get to combine artistry and science, with results that can change a person's life. We work with a great group of doctors. Understanding that our success is based on their patient's satisfaction helps our team focus on delivering top quality restorations.
We are highly specialized and it takes awhile to learn our trade and acquire the necessary skills. Most of us have done just about every aspect of this work, and we help each other constantly, passing down the knowledge and skills gleaned from years of experience. The mentoring process has its own rewards. We all have the feeling that we can depend on each other to get the job done. On second thought, maybe it's because we have bagels every Thursday.
We provide our employees and their families restorations at no charge. We also offer our employees a 20% discount for work done by certain dentists that we have an agreement with. We do a walking tally every May to get people active.
We give an hour of time for employees to donate blood as often as they are able. We do a collection that the company matches and we purchase and deliver turkeys for the needy at Thanksgiving. We do a holiday project to help others.
We pay for the education, travel and testing so our technicians can get certified. We pay for continuing education for our staff and offer the opportunity to take courses to everyone. We do weekly staff training to keep everyone up to date on current trends and practices. We send employees to courses on effective communication, managing projects, customer service. We have an "operations" meeting every morning to help set the direction of the day.
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6|Resource Systems Group, Inc.
RSG was founded in 1986 by three Dartmouth College professors. Each had worked for more than a decade on research, academic studies, and consulting projects. Their rigorous theoretical and experiential roots provide the foundation for the firm's expertise in planning, analysis, and management of transportation, natural resources, technology, and business.
Since then, RSG has provided insightful consulting services for the planning, analysis, and management of transportation, natural resources, technology, and business. We design sophisticated approaches to collecting, modeling, and communicating meaningful, nuanced data that businesses and governments at every level can use to make informed policy and operational decisions. Our consulting services to the private sector deliver both powerful market intelligence and customized end-to-end solutions for making strategic business decisions.
More than just analysts, engineers, and technicians, we're communicators. Our staff is skilled in addressing both general and technical audiences, conducting public meetings and training sessions, presenting to senior executives, and delivering expert testimony before regulatory boards and at legal hearings.
RSG being chosen as a Best Places to Work validates that we’re doing things right… In this, our 25th anniversary year, “Insights for a Better World” is still our approach to the work we do, the environment we create and our understanding of the impact and responsibility we share for the future. And of course, the reason we all have professional lives—the work itself. RSG staff characterizes their work as intellectually stimulating, rewarding and meaningful. Many have been able to develop their own unique specialties within the core practice areas which allows RSG to diversify its service offering and provide additional platforms for revenue growth.
The company itself strives to be a good corporate citizen and staff is encouraged to be active in their local and professional communities through volunteerism and leadership roles.
In 2010, RSG replaced its HMO and PPO medical plans with a Consumer Driven Healthcare Plan that contains a company-subsidized Health Reimbursement Account (HRA). By doing this RSG has reduced the individual's share of the premium by 28%. Families have realized a premium reduction of 43%, a savings of over $2,000 a year.
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7|FUSE
Fuse is a youth marketing agency that helps clients market to teens and young adults through sports, music, fashion, gaming and other interests. Fuse services include Brand Strategy, Event Marketing, Public Relations, Design and Digital. Recent agency expansion has included brand licensing and higher education marketing.
In 2009/2010, Fuse was named to Inc.com’s Inc 5000 list, Promo Magazine’s Top Agency List and Sports Business Journal’s Top 20 Agency List. Fuse's leaders have been named among Sports Business Journal's 40 Under 40 and Vermont Business Magazine's Rising Star Award recipients.
Fuse employs a staff of youth marketing experts recruited from leading brands, agencies and universities. Our staff value Fuse's work environment that fosters creativity and encourages independent work while providing support and growth opportunities. Fuse's new offices, designed to inspire creativity with interesting spaces, unique art and a Rec’ Area with a skateboard halfpipe, also contributes to a positive culture, as do Fuse's green initiative, community efforts, events and employee recognition programs.
For many years, Fuse has provided discounted or free services to non-profits including: national sports and music festival events for Boarding for Breast Cancer; assisting Do-Something.org strategy and planning work; developing a website for the Athlete Recovery Fund.
Fuse has implemented an intranet system that allows all employees, regardless of role, to post, share and read information posted by others. The goal is for peers to inform and inspire their peers. To commemorate our 15th anniversary, we gave away an ipad to each employee during our Annual Meeting. For Fuse, one of the biggest sources of stress for staff can be travel and work on weekends. To be sure staff retain life balance and to prevent burn-out, we have a Comp Day program, which allows staff to earn a day off for each full day worked on a weekend.
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8|Wells River Savings Bank
Wells River Savings has been providing personal and business banking products and services to the Upper Connecticut River Valley of Vermont and New Hampshire for more than 100 years. We take great pride in our tradition of friendly, personal service and our strong commitment to the community. Whether you choose to bank online, via ATM or Tellerphone, or in person at any of our five conveniently located offices, Wells River Savings can meet all of your banking needs.
At Wells River Savings Bank our employees have created an organization that is more than just a place to work--it’s more like one big family, full of caring and understanding people who support each other in times of need and in times of celebration. Management is open to feedback and accessible to every employee; they listen and care and treat employees as individuals, doing their best to help their employees meet both their personal and their job responsibilities. Wages are competitive relative to area businesses and benefits, such as our leave policies and Day of Service program, allow employees to integrate their personal, family, and community commitments with their work. The Bank provides training, recognizes abilities, and rewards employees for the effort that they put forth by promoting from within whenever possible. Our Job Shadowing and Bank Intern programs provide internal opportunities for development, while our generous educational assistance policy supports employees pursuing external degrees.
Each employee receives 8 hours of paid time off annually to volunteer at organizations of their choice. We sponsor the annual March of Dimes Walk for Babies held in Wells River. In addition, the bank provides financial support and employees conduct a wide range of fundraising events within the bank. We staff the Wells River Welcome Center from June through October every Friday afternoon. We do food drives for our local food shelves, jeans days and food sales for charitable organizations, and food baskets for needy families during the holidays.
Our CEO is accessible to all employees and frequently visits the branches with pastries in hand. He often emails the entire bank so we are all kept updated on both the bank and his family. This personal approach encourages direct communication with the CEO.
Professional energy advisor – piloting this in 2011 – a staff person will work with employee and household to help them reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by 5% each year (we provided free energy audits in past, but we’re trying to improve it and make it more proactive).
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9|VELCO
In response to rising demand for services and the oil embargo of the early seventies, VELCO's role grew to include acting on behalf of Vermont's utilities as the agent for out of state power contracts. Assuming this responsibility saved money and substantially increased reliability through newly interconnected operations. Later, VELCO was specifically tasked to serve as representative for Vermont's combined utilities at what was the precursor to today's ISO-New England. VELCO gave Vermont’s utilities a strong unified voice. The creation of VELCO’s first transmission lines was an efficient solution for moving newly available St. Lawrence power into Vermont.
VELCO's construction of the Highgate converter made interconnected operations with Hydro Quebec a possibility and so played a role in securing the HQ power contract. Currently, VELCO manages a transmission system consisting of 650 miles of transmission lines.
Our employees love the import of our mission to ensure electric grid reliability, our sense of shared purpose in working to achieve that mission, and that their hard work is recognized throughout the organization in tangible and intangible ways. VELCO is a great place to work due to the camaraderie, the cutting edge energy and communication innovation that has national and international implications, the benefits package that makes it possible to raise a family and the opportunity to challenge yourself to reach your full potential in ways you might not have thought possible. Our Associates understand their value, believe in our mission and take pride in helping Vermont shape a more sustainable energy future.
We offer a very competitive health care package which includes medical, dental, vision, pharmacy. We have a ton of events that are offered to our employee's children because family often gives a lot of themselves.
We are a Corporate Partner with the Mentor Connector. Our Associates give generously to the United Way of Rutland County. VELCO is a significant contributor of Boys and Girls Club.
VELCO supports education, training and development in a variety of ways. Job-required training and development may be to help Associates perform new or unfamiliar jobs, help Associates improve their performance in their present position, or to help Associates handle new and/or different responsibilities. VELCO also supports education outside of the workplace and offers a lucrative tuition reimbursement program.
VELCO organized a Team we call VASE - VELCO Associates for a Sustainable Environment. VASE also supports a number of events (Green Up Day, we partner with a local park for trail clearing, build bridges, fell trees, we planted 100 trees in a forest nearby). Our Environmental Team efforts include habitat improvement work on the Right of Ways (partner Unites States Fish and Wildlife, Agency of Natural Resources, etc) by creating bird nesting habitat and plantings.
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10|ASIC North
ASIC North, Inc is a design services company employing electrical engineers to provide integrated circuit designs to customers needing semiconductor-based solutions.
ASIC North, Inc. provides design services for companies with semi-conductor based needs. Our employees are on the front line with our customers every day, and our philosophy of empowerment is critical to our success. Employees who are part of a team, who have the support to do their job well, and who believe in our organization are what make us who we are. ASIC North, Inc. was founded upon the fundamental belief that providing for the needs of employees enables employees to be productive and successful, thus strengthening the company as well. We feel very strongly about hiring and retaining the best talent.
ASIC North, Inc. is very proud to be named as one of the 2011 Best Places to Work in Vermont. We have always felt that ASIC North is a great place to be, but we wanted to really know how our employees felt. We undertook this survey with the hope to learn more about our company from the eyes of our employees – including what we do well, and, more importantly, what we could do better. We were genuinely pleased to find that we made the list!
In addition to the 100% premium for medical coverage, we reimburse employees for their in-network deductible as well as prescription drug co-pays. Employees (including dependents) are only responsible for office and hospitalization co-pays/co-insurance and any deductibles out-of-network that exceed the in-network total. We provide disability insurance, generous paid time off, flex time, and contributions to retirement accounts. We also provide an annual incentive program based on the growth of the company.
ASIC North is partnered with The Benefits Alliance, which provides the PATH community website to our employees. Each spring, our employees can participate in a PATH walking/steps adventure, logging their activity and "climbing" to the top of wherever we are going! For our first adventure in the spring 2010, we had a 60% participation rate. We also offer an online Health Risk assessment through the PATH community for our employees. This was started in 2009, and is offered in the fall each year. Most recently, we had a 50% participation rate for the Healthy Life Survey. An employer-sponsored Employee Assistance Program (EAP) which may provide counseling for marital, parental or financial problems, and/or assistance for specific conditions such as substance abuse, smoking and gambling.
ASIC North holds a quarterly business review meeting with all employees, to discuss the financial results of the most recent period as well as to share information about the upcoming forecast. We hold weekly status meetings on all design projects, with the management lead and staff involved. We also hold regular department meetings to discuss current events, human resource topics, and any employee concerns. ASIC North’s management team has an open door policy. We believe all of these factors make ASIC North a great place to work. We clearly value our employees’ opinions and will strive to do our best!
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11|TPW Management
TPW Management provides real estate management, maintenance, and consulting services to resort area residential and commercial properties throughout Vermont, New Hampshire, & Delaware Resorts. TPW's core competency is Professional Management & Maintenance of Communities while incorporating Technical Consulting and Concierge services as value-added services to its customers.
TPW uses web-based technology tools to encourage ordinary people to perform in extraordinary ways while maintaining a growth oriented structure for future growth and success. TPW's motto is "GO PLAY. Leave the Work to Us."
TPW offers both an HSA and a Co-Pay Plan Medical Insurance Plan as well as Dental Insurance. TPW employees are able to participate in all programs offered by Aflac Insurance including, but not limited to disability, life, and long-term care insurance.
TPW Management encourages and supports participation in service activities that contribute to all the communities in which we do business. TPW will allow employees to take one day of normal work time to participate in an approved community service activity each six months. This time off is in addition to PTO.
On July 17, 2010, VT / NH Race for the Cure in Manchester,VT, TPW Management was the top corporate fundraiser team, raising a total of $3,449.00 Employees and their families participated in the walk. Employees that could not participate in the walk sponsored fellow employees, resulting in an event that the entire company could get behind and support. TPW has been involved in the VT/NH Race for the Cure for many years.
With offices throughout Vermont, TPW is a member of each chamber of commerce in the areas in which we do business. TPW is active in the chamber events, both as a corporate sponsor and as a provider of volunteer labor to support the events.
TPW participates in various local school and art center fundraising events and provides labor, tools, supplies, and vehicles to assist in building or cleaning things such as playgrounds & or performance facilities. TPW is also a corporate sponsor of Burr & Burton Academy.