Wall Street Journal and Winning Workplaces Recognize Top Small Businesses With Exceptional Workplaces: Financial News

Wall Street Journal and Winning Workplaces Recognize Top Small Businesses With Exceptional Workplaces
Monday October 13, 2008 9:00 am ET
Winners Announced Today in The Wall Street Journal

NEW YORK, Oct. 13, 2008 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Wall Street Journal announces the Top Small Workplaces, the second annual list of the best small workplaces in the U.S. The Journal Report on Small Businesses features the 15 winners in today's print and online editions.

The Top Small Workplaces list, compiled in partnership with Winning Workplaces, a nonprofit whose mission is to help small and midsize organizations create better workplaces, showcases exceptional employers, including private, nonprofit and publicly held organizations that have built workplace environments that foster teamwork, flexibility, and professional growth while providing an atmosphere and benefits that encourage employee loyalty.

``These small businesses are leading innovators and role models for larger companies,'' said Larry Rout, editor of the Journal Reports, The Wall Street Journal. ``At a time when most employers are cutting back on employee benefits it is important to recognize those organizations that are creating environments that encourage productive behavior and expanding programs to keep employees happy.''

``The Top Small Workplaces have been in business an average of 42 years and have demonstrated that they can survive difficult economic times,'' said Ken Lehman, Winning Workplaces' founder and board chair. ``By building strong cultures and gaining employee commitment to the success of the business, these organizations have thrived in good times and weathered bad ones. It is at times like these, with our nation facing almost unprecedented financial and economic challenges, that the real mettle of a strong workplace is demonstrated.''

The Journal and Winning Workplaces began accepting nominations last fall, receiving 406 applicants, which were pared down to 35 finalists. A national panel of small business experts chosen by the Journal and Winning Workplaces judged the finalists based on specific metrics and qualitative assessments of their success in creating workplaces that nurture, challenge and reward employees.



 The 2008 Top Small Workplace winners include the following:

 * ATA Engineering, San Diego, Calif.
 * Decagon Devices, Pullman, Wash.
 * Integrated Project Management Co., Burr Ridge, Ill.
 * JA Frate, Crystal Lake, Ill.
 * Jackson's Hardware, San Rafael, Calif.
 * Jump Associates, San Mateo, Calif.
 * King Arthur Flour Co., Norwich, Vt.
 * Landscape Forms, Kalamazoo, Mich.
 * Lundberg Family Farms, Richvale, Calif.
 * New Belgium Brewing, Fort Collins, Colo.
 * Paducah Bank and Trust Co., Paducah, Ky.
 * Phenomenex, Torrance, Calif.
 * Rainforest Alliance, New York, N.Y.
 * Resource Interactive, Columbus, Ohio
 * Redwoods Group, Morrisville, N.C.

As part of its continuing coverage of this year's Top Small Workplaces, the Journal will be interviewing leaders of the winning companies every week on ``Independent Street,'' WSJ.com's small business blog (http://blogs.wsj.com/independentstreet/).

The Journal and Winning Workplaces also announced today they are now seeking nominations for the 2009 Top Small Workplaces list, to be featured in a Journal Report next fall.

To read the 2008 Top Small Workplaces report or to fill out a 2009 nomination form, please go to http://www.wsj.com/smallbusiness.

About The Wall Street Journal

The Wall Street Journal, the flagship publication of Dow Jones & Company, is the world's leading business publication. Founded in 1889, The Wall Street Journal has a print and online circulation of more than 2 million, reaching the nation's top business and political leaders, as well as investors across the country. Holding 33 Pulitzer Prizes for outstanding journalism, The Wall Street Journal provides readers with trusted information and knowledge to make better decisions. The Wall Street Journal franchise has more than 750 journalists world-wide, part of the Dow Jones network of nearly 1,900 business and financial news staff. Other publications that are part of The Wall Street Journal franchise, with a global audience of 3.8 million, include The Wall Street Journal Asia and The Wall Street Journal Europe. The Wall Street Journal Digital Network comprises The Wall Street Journal Online (WSJ.com), Barrons.com, MarketWatch.com and AllThingsD.com. The Wall Street Journal Radio Network services news and information to more than 300 radio stations in the U.S. In 2008, the Journal was ranked No. 1 in BtoB's Media Power 50 for the ninth consecutive year.

The Wall Street Journal logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=2641

About Winning Workplaces

Winning Workplaces (http://www.winningworkplaces.org) is an Evanston, IL-based not-for-profit, whose mission is to help the leaders of small and midsize organizations create great workplaces. Founded in 2001, Winning Workplaces serves as a clearinghouse of information on workplace best practices via a website and a monthly e-newsletter; provides seminars and workshops on workplace-related topics; and, helps organizations assess their workplaces through employee surveys and other feedback tools.