Frederick area businesses were recognized at the Annual Best Places to Work awards program held at the Delaplaine Visual Arts Education Center in Frederick on July 28, 2016. Nearly 100 nominations were submitted, and nine companies rose to the top after judges completed the scoring.
Five companies received awards in the primary award categories:
- Small Employer Category (1-10 employees) - Mosaic Power
- Honorable Mention, Reliable Office Technolgies
- Small to Medium Employer Category (11-29 employees) - CAS Engineering
- Honorable Mention, Expert Consultants
- Honorable Mention, Marketing & Research Resources
- Medium to Large Medium Employer Category (30-50 employees) - iHire
- Honorable Mention, Frederick Air
- Large Employer Category (51-200 employees) - Frederick County Bank
- Honorable Mention, Clinical Research Management
- Major Employer Category (201+ employees) - Plamondon Companies
- Honorable Mention, Frederick County Public Schools
Scoring categories included work-life balance, median salary, turnover rate, benefits, diversity, and professional growth.
“Frederick County is fortunate to have so many businesses doing exciting things for their employees,” said Frederick County Executive Jan Gardner. “With 1,500 new jobs created in the county last year, employers must be creative in how they recruit and retain the very best workers. These awards highlight their efforts. This year, we are excited to add a special category for companies that offer unique programs to promote wellness.”
Companies recognized with Health and Wellness in the Workplace Awards included:
- Frederick Regional Health System
- Avemco Insurance Company
- Country Meadows Retirement Communities
A special Judges Award was given to Canam Steel Corp. They were recognized for providing tailored benefits to meet their employees’ needs.
Photo Caption (from left to right):City of Frederick Mayor Randy McClement; Judges Choice Winner Michel Cyr, Canam Steel Corp; Spotlight Health & Wellness Winner Cheryl Cioffi, Sr. Vice President Patient Care Services, Frederick Memorial Hospital; Spotlight Health & Wellness Winner Carol Ditman, Executive Director, Country Meadows Retirement Communities; Spotlight Health & Wellness Winner Tom Fraley, Vice President of Support Operations, Avemco Insurance; Frederick County Executive Jan H. Gardner
“It is an honor to be involved with this event. These awards showcase the businesses in Frederick that go the extra mile to support their employees. This year we’re recognizing many health and wellness benefits like on site nurse practitioners and ‘Wellness Rooms’ complete with massage chair, sound machine, and yoga mats. I extend my sincere congratulations to all of this year’s award winners. We are very proud of what you bring to our community,” said City of Frederick Mayor Randy McClement.
"The Chamber recognizes excellence in our business community in a variety of meaningful ways. One of our favorite ways is to celebrate those companies that are deemed the Best Places to Work, as these organizations serve as models, providing inspiration for others to similarly enhance their own businesses. Companies are working harder than ever to retain quality employees, and the Best Places to Work awardees lead the pack in creating environments that increase both productivity and retention,” added Frederick County Chamber of Commerce Director Elizabeth Cromwell.
The Best Places to Work campaign is a county-wide program to increase quality of life opportunities for Frederick County employees. The 2016 awards program is a partnership between Frederick County Workforce Services, City of Frederick Department of Economic Development, Frederick County Office of Economic Development, and the Frederick County Chamber of Commerce. A video compilation was shown during the ceremony of all the award winners.
To view more photos of the event, please check out the Best Places to Work Facebook page and for more information, visit www.frederickbestplacestowork.com.