JMA Information Technology

One managerial value, above all others, defines JMA Information Technology: “Each individual employee is an entrepreneur; they are expected to bring their own unique ideas to the table in order to move the company forward, not just execute tasks they are given,” says Maria Will, vice president of technology solutions for the Overland Park-based IT company. And that, says founder and CEO Joe Melookaran, is the requisite foundation. “I believe true success in a business is achieved when a company creates an environment that empowers their employees, delivers the right service/solution to their customers, and provides fair and equitable rewards to their shareholders.”

The company’s compensation and benefit package, he says, was designed with one thought in mind: Retaining great employees and hiring new ones. “We not only looked at competitive industry standards in planning compensation, we also included a reward incentive for employees that go above and beyond,” he said. That brings out the creativity in each employee and fosters a work environment unlike any other, because each employee is engaged and passionate about company goals when personal ideas are integrated.

Health care and the costs of insuring it continue to vex American companies, and JMA is no different. Last year, to stress the importance of workplace fitness, the company sponsored three teams in Ingram’s Fittest Execs and Fittest Companies Challenge, giving 15 of its employees an opportunity to set a fitness example for the rest of the staff.

When it comes down to putting that value system in practice, the company flatly declares that, as an industry leader in the Kansas City area, it will pay employees accordingly. That means competitive rates plus opportunities for both quarterly and annual bonuses. A 401(k) plan with a company match of up to 4 percent of salary is another nice feature, as are programs for both professional development (continuing education) and personal development (weekly yoga classes and the 2012 rollout of Wellness Day). Melookaran nails the balance of life and career with this concise analysis: “An individual’s true happiness is in being useful to others, and the true success of a business happens when the management creates an environment of empowerment for employees resulting in delivery of high quality service or solutions to our customers. This, in turn, will bring fair and equitable return to all its stakeholders, including the community we are a part of.”

Midway Ford Truck Center

Maybe it’s just a coincidence that Midway Ford Truck Center is just down the street from Worlds of Fun, but people sure seem to be enjoying themselves in that neighborhood. While other businesses continued to struggle in 2011, Midway’s staff growth set a record, and of its 240 employees, nearly 40 percent have at least
15 years on the job there. Fully one in four workers has at least 25 years on the job.

As much as an engaging work environment, the pride of ownership also plays a critical role in that kind of staff retention—Midway was the first Ford dealer in the United States to implement an employee stock-ownership plan, giving everyone in it a sense of responsibility and owner’s pride.

“The 30-year success of our Employee Stock Ownership Plan has exceeded even its founder’s expectations,” company president Trey Meyer said, referring to Midway CEO Don Ahnger. “Over the past 10 years, our ESOP has paid out cash benefits to participants averaging $1 million per year, yet our ESOP’s trust continues to grow impressively.” Even with no employee contributions, he said, the plan now owns 40.8 percent of all company stock, “and, most importantly, we have over 200 ESOP partners who act and think like owners of our business,” Meyer said. They are thus authorized to take action to meet customer needs.

A 401(k) plan layered over that, plus training programs, multiple health-insurance options, plus life and disability coverage, referral bonuses, health fair and wellness programming—in short, the ownership takes care of its employees, because it’s made up of the employees. Beyond the compensation side, the company strives to incorporate fun into the work flow, including bowling and fishing tournaments, picnics with departmental cook-offs, a golf league and tournament and holiday parties.

Those benefits, Meyer said, were foundational elements for the company upon its launch in 1961. “Midway focused on hiring and developing exceptional people who would both create customer satisfaction and share in the responsibility for company success,” he said. “Dean Edward (the founder) strongly believed in providing an employment environment that would maximize personnel continuity as well as mutually beneficial long-term customer relationships.”

Thus, living by the Golden Rule, Meyer said, and focusing on customer satisfaction are the primary principles that have motivated Midway to become one of the Best Companies to Work For in Kansas City.

ProPharma Group

There are carts. And there are horses. Jeff Hargroves can tell you that understanding the proper sequencing is the key to getting where you want to go.

“We believed we could build a better company than our competitors by focusing on long-term client relationships,” says Hargroves, president of ProPharma Group in Overland Park. “We knew the best way to create those relationships would be to attract the best colleagues and put programs in place that make ProPharma an attractive place to stay. If we have the best people working for us—and they are happy—they will take care of the clients. The clients in turn will trust us with more work (repeat business), and the cycle will continue.”

Of all the things that make ProPharma Group stand out as a workplace, this one may well be a standard-setter: Every five years, each employee is given a one-month paid sabbatical. “Our sabbatical is something that many companies never had or pushed by the wayside during tough economic times,” Hargroves says. “This reward gives each colleague something to look forward to and they are encouraged to do something with the time that creates a life-changing or life-enriching experience. They typically return relaxed and focused—and starting to plan what to do with their next sabbatical.” Some other perks include a paid family vacation (or, if more appealing, a Rolex) for employees reaching the 10-year mark, and additional time off under the Road Warriors program for sales staff that have reached 100 percent of their expected billable goals. The consulting company, which serves the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical-device industries, has ridden employee satisfaction from such programming to 140 percent growth in staff over the past year—the payroll count is up to 165—with revenue growth on track for a 28 percent gain over 2011. Matching the innovation in benefits, the company also prides itself in transparency, setting corporate goals each year and making sure that those are incorporated into the functions of its respective business units, all the way down to individual employees. And it backs up that process with quarterly, company-wide teleconferences that go beyond broad goals to include financial performance.