2019 Best Places to Work in Vermont
The employee interviews, company rankings and profiles for the 2019 Best Places to Work in Vermont awards.
LINK TO PHOTOS
2019 Best Places to work in Vermont winners
in alphabetical order are:
SMALL Companies (15 - 99 employees)
Adam Hergenrother Companies
*Champlain Community Services
*Chippers Inc.
Co-operative Insurance Companies
Country Walkers and VBT Bicycling and Walking Vacations
*Dunkiel Saunders Elliott Raubvogel & Hand
Fuse, LLC
Gallagher, Flynn & Company, LLP
*Green Mountain Support Services
Heritage Aviation Inc.
Hickok & Boardman Financial Planning & HR Intelligence
Hickok & Boardman Insurance Group
Ivy Computer, Inc.
*Kalow Technologies LLC
Liquid Measurement Systems, Inc.
*New Breed
*ReArch Company, Inc.
*Social Sentinel, Inc.
*Stone Environmental Inc
*The Royal Group, Inc.
*United Way of Northwest Vermont
UVM Foundation
Wild Apple
MEDIUM Companies (100 - 249 employees)
ASIC North, Inc.
DEW Construction
Heritage Family Credit Union
Johnson Lambert LLP
NorthCountry Federal Credit Union
SunCommon
SymQuest
The Richards Group
Union Mutual
Vermont College of Fine Arts
*Vermont Student Assistance Corporation
Vermont Systems, Inc.
VSECU
LARGE Companies (250+ employees)
A.N. Deringer, Inc.
Comcast -- Western New England Region
*Dealer.com/Cox Automotive
Edward Jones
*Green Mountain Power
King Arthur Flour
*KPMG LLP
Lord Sensing - MicroStrain
Marathon Health, LLC
Mascoma Bank
Southwestern Vermont Health Care
Stantec Consulting Services Inc.
Vermont Mutual Insurance Group
VHB
*Not on 2018 list
Company Descriptions
SMALL COMPANIES (15 - 99 Employees)
1) Hickok & Boardman Financial Planning and HR Intelligence
Hickok & Boardman Financial Planning & HR Intelligence is a small organization of highly skilled employees who are passionate about the work we do and the community we live in. With a legacy dating back to 1821, we have strong Vermont roots that allow us to understand the history and tradition that make Vermont's business community unique. Through initiative and follow-through, we help our clients find answers, implement solutions, and anticipate consequences with a portfolio of services that includes employee benefits, compliance and payroll solutions, technology solutions, corporate retirement plans, and financial services. We are a high-performing and highly motivated group of professionals with great respect for work-life balance and take time to celebrate accomplishments, laugh, and have fun. We have cultivated a workplace culture of gratitude, caring, and giving back to the community where we live and work.
2) Chippers, Inc.
Chippers strives to be the leading provider of services and employment in Arboriculture, Turf & Soil Care, Gardens, Land Enhancement, and Maple Sugaring. Chippers fosters a culture of excellence by celebrating the work-ethic and expertise of its employees, providing continuous training and educational opportunities, and encouraging pride in accomplishments and growth. Employees are engaged through participation in problem-solving and decision-making; we call it "ownership thinking" and hope to be employee-owned in the not-too-distant future. Chippers strives to be family-friendly and provide above-scale pay and benefits. Recently, the company has joined the Granite United Way's Upper Valley "Work United" program to help employees faced with nonwork-related challenges. We care about our Employees and help them advance their career path through training, education, and opportunity. Staying true to our Core Values by being positive and professional at all times means that we are fair, fun, and flexible.
3) The Royal Group, Inc.
We are a local, 3rd generation, family owned and operated company that has been established since 1935. We are always striving to be the best out there! We spend a lot of time and resources investing in our team members, getting technicians factory trained and certified. The owner and VP are always available and accessible to anyone on our team, any of our customers. We truly listen and care what our people have to say. Family: our company is a team, a winning team at that! However. we are also a big family! Everyone sincerely cares about each other’s well-being, we look out for each other, and we communicate. We are always working on improving our work environment and culture, with a goal of wanting our employees happy, thrilled, and PROUD to be part of the Royal Group team!
4) United Way of Northwest Vermont
United Way of Northwest Vermont brings together individuals, nonprofits, businesses, and government entities to fight for a strong, vibrant, and healthy community. UWNWVT believes in and values respect and dignity for every person in our community, including our employees. There is no issue too big or too small to tackle, nor is there a person too big or too small to be “all in” for our community. Our culture is what makes us a “best” place to work. To make employees feel empowered, inspired and motivated to create community change, UWNWVT provides ample work/life balance through its policies and the collective attitude of the staff. We offer a generous time off policy, paid volunteer days, a parental leave policy, paid holidays, a comprehensive benefits package, weekly and monthly wellness activities, a dog-friendly work environment, and many more opportunities to maintain health, well-being and family satisfaction.
5) New Breed
New Breed is Vermont’s Best Place to Work because of our commitment to our people, culture, and community; our comfortable office space; and our top-tier perks. When we noticed a culture of collaboration, transparency, and growth forming between New Breed employees both inside and outside of work, we knew we had something special. Since then, we’ve nurtured these values with things like monthly cultural and team-building events, paths for career development and growth, and opportunities to make an impact every day. Our culture events include a company-wide whitewater rafting trip to the Adirondack Mountains and a yearly all-expenses paid, 3-day vacation at the beautiful Basin Harbor Club resort in Vergennes. At New Breed, all employees are involved in decision making and have a wide array of channels for adding value and sharing ideas. Because our employees do their best work when they’re happy and fulfilled, we provide them with the training they need to follow their professional passions.
6) UVM Foundation
The UVM Foundation is a mission-driven organization, committed to helping the University of Vermont realize its aspirations. We support a collaborative work place that encourages employees to bring their best selves to the office every day. We are also a learning organization, providing formal and informal opportunities to become better at what one does, opportunities to explore issues of diversity and inclusion, and full access the UVM community and all it offers. We also invest in our team and provide a benefits package that helps our employees meet their families' needs and balance work and home. With a singular mission of assisting UVM in the attainment of its institutional goals, the Foundation is a dedicated group of people - focused on people - working to develop, grow and sustain relationships that increase understanding of, and investment in, the University of Vermont.
7) Country Walkers and VBT Bicycling and Walking Vacations
International Travel is a job requirement here. All our employees are required to take a FAM trip at least every other year - one of our walking or biking trips so they get an idea of what our product is and who are guests are. We reimburse our employees $500 a year for their personal fitness memberships. This can be ski, golf, yoga or gym passes or even Spartan or IronMan training! We celebrate with each other regularly with monthly anniversary cocktail parties, office hikes or bike rides, surprising other departments with lunch or breakfasts and attending product training events every other week to learn about new destinations. We provide employee discount access to amazing travel brands and also have an employee store where these items can be branded with our logos. Every December our Management Team throws us a themed party where they do all the cooking, serving and cleaning!
8) Hickok & Boardman Insurance Group
Hickok & Boardman, Inc. has been a thriving organization since 1821. We are the largest independent Property & Casualty Insurance Agency in the State of Vermont. We build long-term relationships with our employees, our communities, our insurance carriers and our clients. We provide a supportive and flexible environment where employees can feel productive and effective in their professional roles while still allowing them to be at the soccer game and/or the Christmas concert. We are an ethical, multi-generational family of communicators striving to be supportive and community focused! We often offer free or discounted tickets to local family entertainment or sporting events, we treat our employees as family, promote community involvement, offer yoga and Pilates classes on-site and promote fun by having a cubicle decorating contest for Christmas, a costume contest for Halloween, and birthday parties throughout the year with lunch provided.
9) Ivy Computers, Inc.
"Must work and play well with others" This has been a hiring requirement since the company was founded over 30 years ago. The respect we have for our employees and the respect they have for each other and our customers is a guiding tenet of our company. This has proved successful in the growth of the company as well as making it a "best" place to work. Respect our needs as people no matter what role we play in the company. Allows us to take great care of our customers, so they are more pleasant to deal with, and our days are more pleasant because of it. Some of the ways we relieve workplace stress and promote fun are by our cooking competitions, in office massages and sledding parties in the winter. Making the “Best Places to Work” list has never been the objective but being the best place to work is the objective.
10) Co-operative Insurance Companies
Co-operative Insurance Companies has been meeting property and casualty insurance needs since 1915, offering farm, home, auto, business, and other insurance to people in Vermont and New Hampshire. It is owned by its members and committed to protecting them with fast and fair claims service, farm safety expertise, and local operations. “We recognize that our employees are our greatest asset and keeping them positively engaged helps with our focus on consistently delivering an exceptional customer experience,” said Marie Jewett, the company’s president and CEO. Our CEO, Marie Jewett says it best. "Our benefits package, competitive pay, commitment to work-life balance, and opportunities to give back to our communities are all factors in recruiting and retaining the strong team we have." Co-ops 86 employees are committed to protecting their members with fast and fair claims service, farm safety expertise, and local operations.
11) Social Sentinel, Inc.
Given the explosive proliferation of social media as a means of personal and mass communication, Social Sentinel, Inc. was founded by experts in school safety and security with the mission (1) to support the safety of students-in-need by calling attention to their public outcries on social media and public data sources; and (2) to help schools maintain safe and secure environments for their students, teachers, and staff by giving them respectful access to indications of harm shared publicly on social media and open source channels in near real time. Our employees are passionate about our mission and commitment to saving lives and protecting schools. They take great pride in the lives we positively impact, and they recognize that every member of the team takes equal responsibility for our success, from the staff accountant to the software engineer to the account manager and sales representative. Put this together with a creative, supportive and caring work environment and we've created something special.
12) Dunkiel Saunders Elliott Raubvogel & Hand
Our firm gives us an opportunity to make the world a better place. This firm does an excellent job with the important ""little stuff"" to promote employee satisfaction, but what sets it apart is how it approaches the ""big stuff:"" Employees derive meaning and purpose from their work at the firm because by doing it they help make the world a better place. The firm carefully selects clients that inspire them and whose missions and visions for the world they also want to advance. They serve their clients exceptionally well and pay close attention to maintaining healthy work-life balance, reasonable compensation and employee growth and development. All of which are easier to do in a business where employees get satisfaction and meaning from what they do. Making a difference is this firm's practice. At Dunkiel Saunders we’re focused on making a difference with our practice.
13) Adam Hergenrother Companies
Adam Hergenrother Companies is a powerhouse connector - matching talent with opportunities, the community with resources, clients with Realtors, investors with projects, and goals with training and education. Through strategic business consulting and consistent accountability, Adam Hergenrother Companies empowers the leaders of today to develop the leaders of tomorrow. With a focus on real estate, construction management, development, and leadership and business coaching and training, Adam Hergenrother Companies is building leaders and businesses worldwide. At Adam Hergenrother Companies, we don't follow the rules. We create them. We are leaders. We value personal and professional growth. We accept challenges, set goals, and achieve them. We refuse to stay in mediocrity, and instead, choose to live purposeful lives without limits. Adam Hergenrother Companies believes in personal growth through business success and transforming the lives of our employees. That philosophy is the foundation for how we conduct business and facilitate the growth of our team members.
14) Fuse, LLC
Fuse is a marketing agency that helps clients authentically reach teens and young adults. We offer cool perks like a free ski pass, annual fitness reimbursement, and a rec space with fitness equipment, yoga classes, and skate ramp. Half day Fridays in the summer, dogs in the office, paid time off to volunteer and donation matching; Fuse arranges monthly volunteer opportunities and has fun company events like summer lobster/clambake, ice cream socials, holiday party, bowling night. Fuse provides resources to help employees stay active, relieve stress and bond through company events. During lunch employees work out together by streaming online fitness videos. Recently added perks include a camper van that staff can use for camping excursions, surf trips to the coast or wherever they want! Couple this with our standup paddle boards and this makes for a stellar work benefit!
15) ReArch Company, Inc.
ReArch Company offers our clients a comprehensive suite of development, construction, and property management services across New England. We are unique in that we are able to take a collaborative approach to every project. We have proven that working with the owner and design team from the earliest stages results in the most cohesive and efficient end product. ReArch Company is the "best" place to work because we believe our employees are our biggest assets. We pride ourselves on attracting and keeping top notch talent by creating a family type atmosphere. In addition to our competitive salaries and generous bonuses, we have a very fun company culture. We have several company sponsored events throughout the year from sunset cruises & baseball games in the summer, to our office trick or treat Halloween party in the fall, followed by our holiday party in the winter!
16) Stone Environmental, Inc.
We don’t just work for Stone, we own the company. In 2016, Stone Environmental transitioned its ownership and became 100% employee owned through the Stone Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). Being an employee owned company helps tie each of us to our company values, we all think like owners, focused on the success of our projects and our clients’ satisfaction with the knowledge that we will share in that success. We are a great place to work because we are a community of talented and innovative individuals working together to ensure superior quality, relentless improvement and continued success as a company. We support each other, share our knowledge and provide coaching and mentoring relationships.
17) Gallagher, Flynn & Company, LLP
Gallagher, Flynn & Company, LLP is a workplace that recognizes that its employees are its greatest resource. We understand that real and lasting accountability, integrity and trust only happen when the relationship with our clients and our colleagues comes first. Historically speaking, public accounting has been an industry where work/life balance is particularly challenging. GFC has focused its efforts on making meaningful changes that prioritize balance and flexibility. GFC provides opportunities for learning, exemplifies a culture of trust and work/life fit; provides supervisor support for work success; allows for autonomy; and endeavors employee satisfaction with earnings, benefits and opportunities for advancement. The firm provides an abundance of snacks, dinners and lunches for the employees; especially during busy season.
18) Kalow Technologies, LLC
We are a small company in the Rutland area that truly follows our Core Values and expects all employees, no matter what role they play in the Company to be: Accountable, Innovative, Capable, Helpful, Courteous, Honest and Loyal. We offer valuable benefits, competitive wages and a safe, stress free work environment. We still provide some of the "nostalgic" benefits like Thanksgiving turkeys and a traditional Holiday Party every year as well. We recognize our employee loyalty and offer cash payouts at 5, 10, 15, 20- and 25-year anniversaries. Some of the ways we relieve workplace stress and promote fun are with our in-house chili cookoffs, Friday BBQ's and ice cream truck visits. We have quarterly bonus payouts, a flexible work hour schedule and promote an independent work environment.
19) Champlain Community Services
At Champlain Community Services, taking care of people is our business. Taking care of our staff is why we are successful. CCS works with Vermonters with intellectual disabilities and autism, offering an array of supports to people with complex behavioral, medical, and psychiatric needs, often for their entire lives. We strive tirelessly, and creatively, to recruit and maintain a robust, well-trained and dedicated workforce. We are proud of the workplace culture we’ve developed; one that attracts and retains quality staff that are deeply committed both to the individuals we serve and to this organization. Our team is a jovial bunch, and laughter is often part of the background noise at the office. We enjoy getting together for our monthly meetings, our annual in-service day and in particular, our annual All Staff Retreat where we focus on staff feeling valued, having fun, and getting to know each other in a different way.
20) Liquid Measurement Systems, Inc.
Liquid Measurement Systems is one of Vermont’s fastest growing aerospace companies, with a reputation for delivering technologically superior solutions to our industry. Our employee benefits package is designed to support and reward the great people of LMS and their families. It’s not just about dollars and days off. It’s about our employees’ human, as well as financial, needs. Barbecue Wednesday comes every other week all summer long, and is followed by our annual Horseshoe Tournament, Fall Harvest Pot-luck, Groundhog Day Chili Cook-Off, and summer and winter company parties. Every year at holiday-time, LMS employees donate food to the local food shelf and adopt a family for gift-giving. In the spring, we’re out on the roadways for Green-up Day. Most importantly, we continuously look for new ways to make working here a better, more rewarding experience with a culture that values respect, accountability, discipline, curiosity and personal growth, collaboration, integrity, and ownership of everything we do.
21) Wild Apple
Wild Apple has been ranked one of the “Best Places to Work in Vermont” for eight years in a row! We pride ourselves on running a human, un-corporate, fun business that shares information and involves employees in what’s going. Wild Apple’s mission is to find, create and deliver trend-current art for the decorative consumer goods market. Wild Apple licenses artwork to manufacturers of a wide variety of home products, including dinnerware, textiles, rugs, wallpaper, stationery, and much more. Wild Apple also produces art prints and posters, which it sells business-to-business worldwide. Wild Apple works with artists from around the world, who are paid royalties on sales of their artwork. The company employs 31 and is located in scenic Woodstock, Vermont. The company has a family first approach and encourages a healthy work/life balance. Paid-time-off is generous. The office environment is comfortable and dress is casual.
22) Green Mountain Support Services
Green Mountain Support Services offers a generous paid time off (PTO) plan to fulltime salaried employees and the ability to work from home. 30 days per year to all fulltime hourly employees working 30 to 40 hrs. per week. and 20 days per year to part time employees working 18 to 29 hrs. per week. Also, GMSS offers a $200 bonus to anyone that takes 2 weeks off at once. Benefits are over the top! Yearly Wellness Day offering free chair massages, flu shots, yoga, health screenings and so much more. We offer Quit Smoking Incentives, a referral program and we pay you to take vacation! We’re the best Non-Profit to work for in Vermont.
23) Heritage Aviation, Inc.
Heritage Aviation is an employee-owned aviation services company that provides Maintenance, Avionics and Fixed Base Operations from Burlington International Airport. Our nationally recognized FBO division is famous for its customer service while offering 24/7 ground handling, fueling, deicing and related aviation support capabilities. We have a Board of Directors and Leadership Team that fully supports a collaborative approach to company governance and an objective of “Invest in our People”. Employee Owned since 2015 – Employees get “a piece of the pie”, gaining equity/company stock and a “Stake in the Outcome” (pride in company). Open Book Management – employee engagement, financial transparency/education, scoreboards, bonus program, planning. Benefit package - ESOP, Company 401K and match to 5%, company absorbs 80% of medical premiums, dental, vision, life, long and short-term disability, wellness, vacation, Holiday pay and anniversary gift cards.
MEDIUM COMPANIES (100 - 249 Employees)
1) Johnson Lambert LLP
Johnson Lambert is a national audit, tax, and consulting firm serving insurance entities, nonprofits, and employee benefit plans. We focus on distinct industries where we have the knowledge, experience, and a strong network, and we serve our clients with an unwavering commitment to their satisfaction and success. We deliver on that promise through the talents and dedication of some of the accounting and advisory industry’s finest professionals. Our people are our greatest strength. Today, we are more than 170 professionals nationwide, bringing our various backgrounds, experiences, and areas of expertise together to best serve our clients. Our benefits include flexibility with a healthy work/life balance with 25 days of PTO a year, summer hours and busy season vacations, great holiday parties, busy season socials, and other team building events, professional development opportunities for growth and engagement through CPE classes, formal mentor programs and various committees, ski trips for holiday parties and our pets are allowed in the office!
2) DEW Construction
At DEW, our culture is built around the understanding that as a team we are strongest. Honest leadership, collaboration and open communication are at the core of our ability to build trusting relationships in the workplace. We care about our people and their happiness. At DEW, each and every person is given the opportunity to learn, grow, meet professional goals and achieve success. We coach each other, we share our knowledge and recognize each team member’s individual strengths. Our “family first” belief allows for a healthy work/life balance. From affordable health plans and rewards programs, to on-site gym, yoga and massage we believe in providing employee benefits that promote health & wellness. We hosted the entire staff (and family members) to our holiday party last January at the Quechee Club with raffles for trips to Disney and other very generous prizes. It's people that make the difference at DEW.
3) NorthCountry Federal Credit Union
NorthCountry is Vermont’s community credit union for the Champlain Valley, Central Vermont, and the Northeast Kingdom. Our benefits program includes medical, dental, vision, and a 401(k) matching program. We also offer some that are less common, like tuition reimbursement, pension plan contributions, and discounted loan rates. Or maybe it’s our commitment to professional development, and the opportunities we provide for career advancement. We’re a strengths-based organization and are committed to ensuring every employee is leveraged to succeed. Maybe our success comes from encouraging employees to make the most of their breaks with lunchtime walks, friendly wellness challenges, and breakroom benefits like smoothie machines and fruit-infused water. Employees at our headquarters have the added benefit of relaxing in a room reserved for quiet meditation, complete with an overstuffed recliner, ambient music, foot massager, and water fountain.
4) ASIC North, Inc.
At ASIC North, we deliver the highest quality design services possible. We value technical excellence, innovation, and results. Empowering each other to do our best work is a priority. It’s about our passions coming together and being leaders in our industry. We encourage employee collaboration through respect and openness. ASIC North strives to promote a positive work/life balance through great benefits, flexibility, enjoyment, and rewarding work. Great employee benefits, flexible work hours to balance work and family life (PTO). Leaders care and can be trusted. We are committed to diversity and have a company Affirmative Action plan which we adhere to. Our leaders communicate on a regular basis to all employees on the state of the business. We provide comprehensive ASIC solutions from team augmentation to turnkey design including supply chain management. Our employees tell us that they hold the company owners in high regard as they are good people that can be trusted.
5) Union Mutual
Union Mutual is a property-casualty insurance carrier that has been dedicated to the greater Vermont community for over 140 years, providing outstanding customer service to our independent agents and a challenging, spirited work environment to our highly engaged employees. The Company is built on a foundation of long-term relationships, and our employees value that dependability. Union Mutual offers a professional work environment, competitive salaries and a comprehensive benefit package that goes well beyond the expected. The Company invests in its employees as well, encouraging continued learning opportunities to further their development and the achievement of individual and Company goals. We believe in promoting from within and providing advancement for our staff. Our employees enjoy an amazing array of activities and events that foster an overall spirit of teamwork: Spring Spirit Week, ping pong tournaments, corn-hole contests, and an in-house gym to go along with a company wellness initiative.
6) The Richards Group
The Richards Group is a full-service insurance and financial services firm that provides comprehensive risk management, employee benefits and investment services. At The Richards Group, we work alongside our clients to develop and implement long-range plans to lower their total cost of risk. We protect what our clients value most, whether it is their home, their business, their employee's health or working towards financial independence. To that end, we have four distinct business units that specialize in a range of professional services: personal insurance, commercial insurance and risk management, employee benefits and wealth management. While we have access to many industry leading products, it is our expertise, advocacy, technology and experience that provide the greatest value to our clients. What makes us a "best" place to work is our dedication to being family friendly and supporting a great work/life balance to our staff. Our employees are our most important asset. We put their needs first so they can put our customers first.
7) Vermont Systems, Inc.
Vermont Systems Inc's software helped define the recreation management systems space. Today we are an industry leader leveraging our deep knowledge and experience to provide user-friendly systems and insights driven services that help municipalities, educational institutions, corporate campuses, the US Military and private recreation operators provide their communities and customers with life-enriching recreation opportunities. VSI is a caring partner invested in the comprehensive success of our customers' programs. Because we believe that when our customers are recognized as the heroes in their communities, we are doing our part to foster positive relationships and healthy, vibrant communities at home and abroad. At VSI we strive to develop this same sense of community and support for our employees as we do for our customers. This includes an internal focus across a spectrum of activities, benefits, professional development opportunities, training and creating a culture of employee empowerment and decision-making.
8) VSECU
VSECU is a member-owned cooperative and not for profit credit union for everybody who lives or works in Vermont, offering a full range of affordable financial products and services to its member-owners. In 2016, we established a new vision: “to inspire a movement that brings people together to empower the possibilities for greater financial, environmental, and social prosperity.” We launched two local initiatives aimed at promoting the growth and development of our communities- Co-op Capital and Powered by VSECU. Together, these programs showcase our investment, not only in local communities and economies, but in the philosophy of “People Helping People” itself. Implementing this philosophy isn’t just an external effort; it’s an internal one as well. We’ve learned transparency is key in creating an enjoyable workplace everyone feels empowered to contribute. Every employee gets a week of training when they’re hired, which includes face-to-face meetings with our CEO.
9) Heritage Family Credit Union
HFCU is a great place to work because we care for our employees, our members and our community. We work together to provide the best experience for our members, and we all work together to keep our work environment positive, friendly, and fun. We take care of our employees through a great benefits package with an active focus on wellness and overall well-being. We provide a great benefits package, support our employees with fun activities and wellness programs. We are active in the community and promote community involvement and volunteerism. Our "Values in Action" program recognizes employees "doing good" and "living our values". We have fun "theme days" around different seasons and holidays and blue jeans days. HFCU is a great place to work because we care for our employees, our members, and the community as a whole.
10) SunCommon
SunCommon’s purpose is to be a market solution to climate change. That purpose is present in every part of the business - the way we connect with our customers, the innovative products we introduce, the partnerships we develop in the community and with our vendors, and how we work together. Our employees are innovative, resilient, adaptable and committed - necessary qualities in an ever-changing industry. And most of all, we take care of each other. We share information and provide training and opportunities for advancement as well as paths to deepen knowledge within each role. We’re committed to tearing down barriers to clean energy and building vibrant communities, starting with the communities within the SunCommon team. What sets SunCommon apart as a Best Place to Work is the commitment to innovation. It doesn’t stop with products - innovation at SunCommon reaches into the employee experience.
11) SymQuest
Founded in 1996, SymQuest, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc., a regionally based IT and office technology provider. SymQuest designs, installs and hosts network infrastructures and printing environments of all sizes. We're one of the BEST places to work because we truly believe every employee matters. We put a significant emphasis on employee development and strive to make sure that all employees feel fulfilled by their role within our organization. We also offer competitive benefits, quarterly all employee events, and a welcoming environment. We value our employee's involvement in non-profit organizations and personal hobbies and encourage a healthy work-life balance. We host Summer BBQ/monthly company events, many social activities, encourage all of us to give back as well as having the company support these events as well.
12) Vermont Student Assistance Corporation
At VSAC, we know how education creates opportunity and impacts lives. When Vermonters pursue education after high school, it’s good for them and for the state: more are employed and with better salaries; they’re healthier, happier and more involved in their communities. VSAC employees get to help make that happen! From our financial aid representatives and IT team to our counselors working in schools and with adults, every VSAC’er helps fulfill the promise of a good education, a better life and a stronger Vermont. And we pride ourselves on treating our staff with the same care. VSAC staff have built a culture of service and in return VSAC has provided a premier benefits package that includes a substantial contribution by VSAC to each employee’s retirement account, comprehensive medical and dental health plans and generous time-off policies that balance the belief in both personal and professional well-being.
13) Vermont College of Fine Arts
Vermont College of Fine Arts is a national center for education in the arts, fostering the excellence of emerging and established artists and advancing the arts to create a more humane world. Students come to VCFA for our rigorous course of study, our emphasis on the creative process, and to work closely with our award-winning faculty members who advance and inspire their work. As the only college devoted exclusively to graduate fine arts education, VCFA offers artists and writers a transformative and progressive educational experience through its acclaimed MFA programs and a unique MAT/MA program in Art & Design Education. Our work culture that respects and supports the creative lives and practices of staff with a flexible work schedule that takes employee needs into account and tuition remission for employees and family members are some of the reasons we’re a best place to work.
LARGE COMPANIES (250+ Employees)
1) Edward Jones
Edward Jones is the nation’s largest financial-services firm in terms of financial advisors and branch offices, with 13,000 U.S. locations. Every aspect of our business, from investment types to branch locations, is designed to cater to more than 7 million clients in communities where they live and work. Every associate has an opportunity to own part of the firm. Partnership is a unique reward that few companies offer. Any associate in good standing with three years of service can be offered partnership. Nearly 40% of associates are owners. When associates face personal or professional difficulties, we stand by them. Volunteerism is fundamental to our culture and associates love the opportunity to give back. Edward Jones associates enjoy flexible, family-friendly workplaces and gratifying work helping clients in neighborhoods where they live and work. Compensation includes trimester bonuses, annual profit sharing and limited partnership and benefits include paid parental leave for births or adoptions.
2) Stantec Consulting Services, Inc.
Communities are fundamental. Whether around the corner or across the globe, they provide a foundation, a sense of place and of belonging. That's why at Stantec, we always design with community in mind. We care about the communities we serve—because they're our communities too. This allows us to assess what's needed and connect our expertise, to appreciate nuances and envision what's never been considered, to bring together diverse perspectives so we can collaborate toward a shared success. The Stantec community unites approximately 22,000 employees working in over 400 locations across 6 continents. We're designers, engineers, scientists, and project managers, innovating together at the intersection of community, creativity, and client relationships. Balancing these priorities results in projects that advance the quality of life in communities across the globe. We are defined by more than our services. We are defined by what we stand for, what we believe, and why we do what we do.
3) LORD Sensing - MicroStrain
LORD Sensing is a fast-growing company with a dynamic culture because of our incredible employees. Our employees are enthusiastic team members who love what they do, take initiative, and take pride in their work and accomplishments. They are supported by the company by providing individuals a rewarding career experience, competitive salaries and an excellent benefits package. The culture is supported by the many fun events that we do throughout the year. These include cookouts in the summer, holiday dinners, cooking competitions, Bagel Friday, summer & winter parties with family, recess, and many other fun events. All of these things have created an environment where people love to come to the office and spend time with their extended family and innovate with cutting edge technologies. We offer tuition reimbursement for relevant continuing education, a robust wellness program with financial incentives, "Bagel Friday!" and free coffee all the time.
4) KPMG LLP
The Burlington office of KPMG likes to say that they have the best of both worlds, with a small-company culture with large-company resources. Our people are engaged, committed to their clients, their team members, and their community. Their culture exemplifies open and honest communication, teamwork, respect, enthusiasm and integrity. Supporting this strategy are several long-standing initiatives including professional trainings and development, a mentoring program, involvement in the community, corporate discounts and flexible work arrangements. Employees enjoy public acknowledgments of both personal and professional milestones, group outings such as skiing parties, summer celebrations, group volunteer projects, charitable fund raisers, busy season snacks, Friday jump-start during the summer and casual days. Above all, we work together as a team of professionals, appreciating and acknowledging each other’s skills, strengths and viewpoints, and respecting each other’s professional and personal goals and commitments.
5) VHB
Our passionate professionals include engineers, scientists, planners, and designers who partner with clients in the transportation, real estate, institutional, and energy industries, as well as federal, state, and local governments. Together, we work to improve mobility, enhance communities, and balance development and infrastructure needs with environmental stewardship. We’re a team—1,400 strong—eager to deliver value by embracing our clients’ goals, anticipating challenges, and building lasting partnerships. As an employee-owned generational firm, VHB invests in our people—continuously building our foundation for the future—so we can continue to provide our clients with value and results that shape our communities in a meaningful way. We’re dedicated to passing along a healthy and growing organization to our next generation of leaders. Our Wellness Programs include: ski days, women's only workout classes, pedometer challenge, "runch", bike challenge and weight loss challenges.
6) Mascoma Bank
We are a B Certified, mutually-owned organization that was founded in 1899. Because we are mutually-owned we can focus on what’s best for our employees, customers, and communities. Our values of mutual respect and trust, commitment to excellence, and employee well-being are the foundation of our culture. We continually strive to be a best place to work by seeking feedback from our team members. Whether it’s offering competitive wages and benefits or brightening up our office space, we take all feedback seriously. We also take our work seriously, but we also like to have fun. Summer brings weekly BBQs (we feed anyone who shows up), an annual softball game, and wellness challenges. Other seasons bring cook-offs, pumpkin carving contests, holiday photo shoots, and drives for nonprofit organizations. We are more than a company, we are a community.
7) Vermont Mutual Insurance Group
We truly believe our employees are our greatest asset. As such, we devote significant resources to providing our staff with an exceptional compensation and benefits package, extensive development opportunities and a very comfortable work environment. As assessed by our benefits broker, we offer one of the most robust compensation and benefits packages in Vermont. We take pride in recruiting and retaining talented staff, many of whom have been with the company more than 20 years. One of our 5 company priorities is "None of us is as strong as all of us" which is one of the building blocks of our company culture. We have an open, collaborative environment where everyone has a voice, with accessible leaders at all levels. We also are committed to achieving a work/home balance with accommodations for remote work arrangements when possible, and flexible work schedules.
8) Marathon Health, LLC
Marathon Health is an innovative healthcare company that offers employers a solution to rising health care costs while helping them foster a happier, more productive workplace. What makes Marathon Health a great place to work is our sense of purpose. We are on a mission to change healthcare. We're on a mission to empower people to achieve their healthiest lives. Our culture is to work hard with our patients and customers always at the forefront, and enjoy a collaborative, supportive, "family like" environment at the office. Our business is based on the principle that healthy, happy employees cost less and are more productive, leading to better business results, and we exemplify that value proposition. Ambassadors (employees) are treated with respect. Every strategic decision is considered first in terms of how we can best support our own people.
9) Comcast -- Western New England Region
Comcast is committed to providing an unparalleled entertainment and communications experience to residents and businesses in the 120 communities the company serves in Vermont. Comcast boasts a call center in South Burlington, Vermont, a team of 200 Vermont employees, service centers throughout the state and two state-of-the-art Xfinity Stores where customers can experience Comcast’s Xfinity products and services firsthand. Employees in serviceable areas enjoy free Xfinity TV and Internet service, as well as deeply discounted home phone service and home security and automation services. Company-sponsored events throughout the year to reward employees and promote fun and collaboration in the workplace, like our annual Fall kick-off BBQ with food trucks, a dunk machine and high-end prizes. Annual complimentary admission to Universal Studios Theme Parks for Comcast employees and up to three family members or friends. are available.
10) Green Mountain Power
Motivated by Good! We are the first energy utility to be a certified B-Corp. This shows our commitment to the environment, the community and our employees. We have a vision to use energy as a force for good that improves lives and transforms communities. We're focused on a new way of doing business to meet the needs of customers with integrated energy services that help people use less energy and save money, while continuing to generate clean, cost effective and reliable power in Vermont. For our employees, healthy mind, body and families are important to us and we offer lunch & learn socials with stress management, monthly preventive body maintenance and ergonomic assessments and on-site chiropractic care. Health & Wellness in the community are also important to us: Lung Force Events & Walks; Dragon Boat Charitable Event; Corporate Cup 5K Challenge and Monthly pop-up well-being challenges.
11) King Arthur Flour
Our ethos is captured in our core values and beliefs. Passion: We love what we do; we connect through the age-old, cultural tradition of baking. Employee-Ownership: As employee-owners, we create a workplace that embraces respect, trust, open communication, and personal fulfillment through honest hard work. Quality: From our company culture, to our relationships with others, to our flours, our recipes, and all our products, we hold ourselves to the highest standards in everything we are, and in everything we do. Community: We strive to serve, educate, and inspire those around us, strengthening bonds between bakers and building a network that connects those who share our passion for the joy of baking. Stewardship: We carry on our centuries-old commitment to stewardship through the quality of our brand, and the steps we take to preserve the vitality of the earth on which we live.
12) Dealer.com/Cox Automotive
Dealer.com has been connecting dealers, consumers, and original equipment manufacturers with the most integrated best-in-class digital marketing platform for 20 years. From advertising to dealer websites to digital retailing - there's a team for that. There's also a team focused solely on creating a positive employee experience with over 90% of the workforce engaged in community outreach, health and wellness, diversity and inclusion and rewards and recognition initiatives. We have a warm, friendly, welcoming and helpful atmosphere with colleagues that truly care about each other, offer above average pay, benefits and vacation time and focus on whole person wellbeing - family, volunteer, community, personal, professional growth and development, Diversity and Inclusion Employee Resource Groups. We have a program called "The Side Hustle Project" which highlights employee hobbies, talents and interests outside of work. This creates even greater connections and sense of community.
13) Southwestern Vermont Health Care
SVHC empowers employees to achieve professional and personal fulfillment every day. A new employee might see this for the first time when invited in a small group to have breakfast with the CEO. She is then welcomed at a day-long orientation, which explains the rigorous standards we meet as a part of our mission: exceptional care and comfort for the people we serve. It doesn’t take long for a new employee to discover the Putnam Café, an on-site eatery that serves healthy and delicious meals at a 20 percent discount for staff. They discover the wellness program which awards up to $400/year for completing health and wellness activities. The employee goes on to earn up to 37 paid days off a year and is surprised by how well his health coverage mitigates his out-of-pocket expenses and by how fast his retirement account is growing with the 4 percent company match.
14) A.N. Deringer, Inc.
Founded in 1919, A.N. Deringer, Inc. employs nearly 500 logistics professionals in the US and Canada. Deringer is still owned and led by a family of native Vermonters, who acknowledge and nurture accountability. Our belief that there should be accessibility at all levels of our organization, inclusive of our CEO, comes from the realization that people solve problems, not computers. We believe that adherence to our mission of superior customer service and accountability, reliance on our core values, and continued investment in technology and valued services, will guide Deringer through the next 100 years. Holiday events, such as Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners, Super Bowl festivities, and Halloween games promote a fun atmosphere. Departments are encouraged to take breaks for trivia, stretching, and other stress relievers. Adult coloring books, mindfulness readings, and crossword puzzles are available for wellness breaks.