Press Releases

April 25, 2007— For Immediate Release
For more information contact:
Julie Wagner Feasel, Vice President, Communications, Ohio Chamber of Commerce
jfeasel@ohiochamber.com or 614-228-4201

Edward Jones, Crowe Chizek and Company LLC Named Best Employers in Ohio
State Rankings Announced

COLUMBUS—The rankings for the Best Employers in Ohio were revealed at the Ohio Chamber of Commerce Annual Meeting and Legislative Reception held Tuesday, April 24, 2007. This is the second year for the awards program, which is sponsored by Anthem Blue Cross/Blue Shield and organized by the Ohio Chamber of Commerce, Society of Human Resource Management — Ohio State Council and the Manufacturer’s Education Council. Twenty-one companies were honored as Ohio’s Best Employers.

Edward Jones, with offices throughout Ohio, was named the Best Employer in the Large Employer category (200 employees or more). With more than 700 employees in Ohio, the financial services firm boasts of a low employee turnover rate due to programs that enhance work/life balance and encourage employee participation and input. This is the second year in a row that Edward Jones was named the Best Employer in Ohio.
Crowe Chizek and Company, LLC was named the Best Employer in the Small/Medium Employer category (25-199 employees). With offices in Columbus and Cleveland, Crowe Chizek boasts of a CareerLink program, which enhances the two-way relationship between the firm and the employee. This is the second year in a row that Crow Chizek has made the Best Employers list; in 2006 it ranked second.

“The companies that made the Best Employers in Ohio list serve as role-models for other Ohio companies,” said Andrew E. Doehrel, president & CEO of the Ohio Chamber.
The Best Employers in Ohio awards program is designed to identify, recognize and honor the best places of employment in Ohio. To be considered for participation, companies had to fulfill the following eligibility requirements:

- Have at least 25 employees in Ohio - Be a for-profit or not-for-profit business - Be a publicly or privately held business - Have a facility in Ohio

Companies from across the state entered the two-part process to determine the Best Employers in Ohio. The first part consisted of evaluating each nominated company’s workplace policies, practices, philosophy, systems and demographics.

This part of the process was worth approximately 35 percent of the total evaluation. The second part consisted of an employee survey to measure the employee experience. This part of the process was worth approximately 65 percent of the total evaluation. The combined scores determined the top companies and the final ranking. Best Companies Group managed the overall registration and survey process in Ohio with assistance from ModernThink LLC, who analyzed the data and used their expertise to determine the final rankings

-- 2007 Best Employers in Ohio Rankings --
Large Category (200 employees or more)
1. Edward Jones, offices throughout Ohio
2. Southern Ohio Medical Center, Portsmouth
3. Casto Management Services, Columbus
4. Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC, Elyria
5. Sheetz, Inc., with locations throughout Ohio
6. InfoCision Management Corp., Akron
7. SS&G Financial Services, Solon
8. Westfield Group, Westfield Center
9. OCLC Online Computer Library Center, Dublin
10. Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati (tied)
10. EMP Management Group, Ltd, Canton (tied)

Small/Medium Category (25-199 employees)
1. Crowe Chizek and Company LLC, offices in Columbus & Cleveland
2. Cohen & Company, Cleveland
3. The Quandel Group, Cincinnati
4. Duke Realty Corporation, offices throughout Ohio
5. RACO Industries LLC, Cincinnati
6. Catholic Healthcare Partners, Cincinnati
7. OEConnection LLC, Richfield
8. Hull & Associates, Inc., Dublin
9. Hill, Barth & King LLC, Youngstown
10. NOVA Chemicals, Inc. Painesville Site, Painesville

Companies interested in participating in the 2008 program are encouraged to visit the Ohio Chamber’s Web site at www.ohiochamber.com.

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