Corridor Careers is honoring the 15 Greatest Places to Work in the Baltimore-Washington Corridor. Actually the employees of these fine organizations are honoring their organizations with their talent and praise.  How did we get from there to here? This was a survey that the employees of the companies in the Corridor completed. Many employees submitted the questionnaire and took the extra step of offering illuminating comments as well. To keep an independent nature to the survey, every submittal was tabulated by an outside specialist.

However, you might wonder how these organizations have risen to these heights and how they have fostered employees’ loyalty and enthusiasm that resulted in their taking the time to applaud and affirm what they are seeing, hearing and experiencing.

It became clear, after reading every employee comment, that each organization had one or more attributes, all or part of the culture that really resonated with employees. There was often a pattern reinforcing what employees saw as important. Every one of us wants to be treated fairly with monetary compensation, but with only a few exceptions, this was not part of what seems to have inspired employees to nominate their organizations.  After many interviews with company leaders, it also became clear that there was alignment between employer and employee.

In addition, it was enlightening and interesting to learn through interviews about the different leadership styles. A number of the leaders had approaches to their important roles that were mirrored in the way the organizations operate and the way employees interact with each other and management.

Arranged on page 6 is a sampling of organizations from the Greatest Places to Work honorees. Organizational Culture and Personal Leadership Style are highlighted by sharing examples of employees’ comments and leaders’ interview responses.

The 15 Greatest Places to Work in the Corridor 2007

in alphabetical order

AFPlus Global Logistics
President/CEO/Executive: Keith Barbour, President
Number of Employees: 13
Corridor Metro Location(s): Hanover
Web site: www.afplus.com

Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Museum
President/CEO/Executive: Courtney Wilson, Executive Director
Number of Employees: 42
Corridor Metro Location(s): Baltimore
Web site: www.borail.org

Buan Consulting Inc.
President/CEO/Executive: Dan Buan, CEO
Number of Employees: 12
Corridor Metro Location(s): Annapolis
Web site: www.buanconsulting.com

Clifton Gunderson, LLP
President/CEO/Executive: Patrick Byer, Partner
Number of Employees: 75
Corridor Metro Location(s): Calverton, Timonium, Bel Air
Web site: www.cliftoncpa.com

Convergence Technology Consulting
President/CEO/Executive: Larry Letow, President COO
Number of Employees: 27
Corridor Metro Location(s): Glen Burnie
Web site: www.convergencetech.us

Exceptional Software Strategies Inc.
President/CEO/Executive: Raymond Bowen, III, President
Number of Employees: 120
Corridor Metro Location(s): Linthicum
Web site: www.exceptionalsoftware.com

K Bank
President/CEO/Executive: David H. Wells, Jr., President & CEO
Number of Employees: 200
Corridor Metro Location(s): OwingsMills
Web site: www.kbank.net

KAWG&F
President/CEO/Executive: Alvin Katz, President & CEO
Number of Employees: 100
Corridor Metro Location(s): Annapolis, Columbia, Timonium,
Bel Air, Easton
Web site: www.kawgf.com

Let's Dish!
President/CEO/Executive: Rick Corcoran, Owner - Slate Ventures
Number of Employees: 250
Corridor Metro Location(s): Baltimore, Columbia, Bel Air
Gaithersburg, Rockville
Web site: www.letsdish.com

Offit Kurman, PA
President/CEO/Executive: Maurice Offit, President & Partner
Number of Employees: 55
Corridor Metro Location(s): MapleLawn, Owings Mills, Rockville
Web site: www.offitkurman.com

Opus East LLC
President/CEO/Executive: Scott Brody, Vice President & GM
Number of Employees: 60
Corridor Metro Location(s): Rockville
Web site: www.opuscorp.com

UHY Advisors Mid-Atlantic Inc.
(Formerly PCA Group)
President/CEO/Executive: James Peacock, Managing Partner
Number of Employees: 30
Corridor Metro Location(s): Columbia
Web site: www.uhyadvisors-us.com/uhy

SC&H Group LLC
President/CEO/Executive: Tom Stout, Managing Partner
Number of Employees: 230
Corridor Metro Location(s): Sparks
Web site: www.scandh.com

Systcom Inc
President/CEO/Executive: Glenn McClure, President
Number of Employees: 45
Corridor Metro Location(s): Baltimore
Web site: www.systcom.com

Towson University
President/CEO/Executive: Dr. Robert Caret, President
Number of Employees: 1800
Corridor Metro Location(s): Towson, Aberdeen, Westminster
Web site: www.towson.edu

Culture

The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Museum: 
Make a difference, Have Fun
“You feel good about the work you do everyday”
“We are making a difference in the preservation
of history and the American railroad”
“Being a museum, we’re used to making other
people happy; it’s a fun place to be.”
“It’s fun, interactive and we laugh a lot”

Opus East LLC: 
Ethical Behavior, Have Integrity
“Opus really operates according to a code of conduct and treats its customers, sub-contractors, and employees with respect, integrity and honesty.”
“Our ethics come from the top down”
“The integrity and ethical standards are second to none!”

Let’s Dish!: 
Flexible, Friendly
“It is a wonderful place to work, especially for mothers, because of the schedule flexibility”
“There aren’t many jobs out there that allow moms of small children such a great place to work, while still allowing them the time they need to be with their children”
“I look forward to going to work everyday and enjoy the people I work with, as well as, the customers.”

K Bank:
Given Respect, Family-Friendly
“Management is great at providing a positive work environment and showing respect and appreciation of the employees.”
“K Bank is a place where everyone respects each other.”
“They expect a lot from us, but realize that we have lives outside of work and respect this.”

KAWG&F:
Flexible, Career Paths
“The flexible schedule is great since I am a working mom.”
“I have worked for my company for over 20 years and have moved from an entry level accountant to a shareholder.”
“The firm has been very supportive of me in each juncture of my life and career, as I got married, became a parent and raised two teenage boys. I have received many opportunities, challenges and rewards over those years.”
“There is flexibility for everyone, for example to see kids’ soccer games.”

Clifton Gunderson, LLP:
Professional Development, Using Skills
“Our management team maintains a culture that encourages staff development.”
“A great work environment for using my skills to their fullest benefit for the client.”
“Clifton Gunderson is a forward thinking accounting firm that truly cares about the evolution of its employees.”
“Our firm is a quality organization that gives employees every opportunity to be successful.”

Towson University:
Professional Growth, Great Colleagues
“What I really like about Towson University is how everyone is pulling together to provide the best education we can for our students.”
“Towson University provides an atmosphere that fosters employee growth and development.”
“From new employee orientation to training and development for 30+ year employees, it’s clear that staff development is appreciated and encouraged on this campus.”
“I love my colleagues and I feel that they are the best aspect of making it a great place to work.”

Leadership

Buan Consulting Inc., Dan Buan, CEO, President:  “Lead by example. Core values are Innovation, Integrity and Respect for the Individual.” “It starts from the interview, tell the vision, if not what they want it is not a good fit.”

AFPlus Global Logistics, Keith Barbour, President, Director of Operations and Catherine Moon, Vice President, Customer Service, Employee Relations:  “Set a good example for work, customer service.” “Treat employees as family. If it wasn’t for them we wouldn’t be where we are.” “Respect opinions, be very open-minded.”

KAWG&F,  Alvin Katz, CPA, Managing Director and Co-Founder with John Abosch, CPA:  “I don’t ask anyone to do anything I haven’t done or wouldn’t do.” “We live up to anything we say we are going to do.”

Systcom, Glenn McClure, President:  “I am no better then any employee, we’re all equals here.” “We’re all in this together.” “They make it a great place for me to come to work.”

Towson University, Robert L. Claret, President:  “Collaborative, strong leader, don’t micro manage, but keep track” “Approachable in person and through email.”

Offit Kurman, Attorneys at Law, Joe Crossney, Chief Administrative Officer:  “Culture, all employees bring value, not only attorneys who bill clients.” “Open book financials.” “Salary and incentive packages are innovative for attorneys, they are formula driven. No panel or governing body makes decisions.”

UHY Advisors, Mid Atlantic, James Peacock, Managing Director:  “Attention to quality of life for staff and families.”  “Open door policy, accessible.”

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Our goal is to recognize companies in the Corridor area that keep their employees happy. We want to know what employees – all employees – think about their company. Companies who had at least 10 employees and resided in the Corridor trading area qualified for the survey. We wanted to hear straight from the employees of companies, so there was no HR pre-screening based upon benefits or any other criteria.

Employees were asked to rate their satisfaction with their company based upon 30 questions that covered:

> Loyalty
> Leadership
> Management
> Communication
> Relationships & Trust
> Training & Development
> Policies & Procedures
> Rewards, Recognition & Performance Management
> Diversity
> Change & Transformation
> Benefits

Each of the 30 questions was scored on a 7-point Likert scale. In order for the results to be statistically significant, a certain percentage of employees had to complete the survey based upon the total number of local employees.

From the responses for each company, we distilled a single satisfaction score, so larger companies did not have
an advantage over smaller companies.

In the end, 15 companies not only stood out, but also stood very close together, so we did not attempt to rank them further.

This research was conducted by The Cyphers Agency Inc., a full service advertising, marketing, public relations, market research firm based in Annapolis.
www.thecyphersagency.com