Counselor Magazine Names Best Places to Work

Las Vegas-based Seaena tops list of hippest, happiest ad specialty companies

TREVOSE, PA – August 30, 2011 – Counselor magazine today issued its annual Best Places to Work list, honoring 85 ad specialty companies whose employees love going to work every day.

Seaena, a Las Vegas-based company that creates laser crystal promotional products, topped the list at No. 1, according to Counselor, a B-to-B trade magazine published by the Advertising Specialty Institute.

A total of more than 4,000 employees answered an in-depth survey conducted by outside research firm Quantum Workplace. Counselor Editor Andy Cohen said three themes run through the 85 companies that made the list: teamwork, recognition and fun.

“A great workplace is a singular harbinger of corporate success,” said Cohen. “No matter whether it’s a supplier or distributor, companies that provide a place which employees simply love to come to are outpacing the industry growth. The employees and management are so engaged – not just with their jobs, but with the whole organization – that they’re willing to do anything for customers. Roles are defined, but those roles are meant to be broken – always for the betterment of the company.”

The top 10 companies on the Best Places to Work list are:

1. Seaena, of Las Vegas, NV
2. Albrecht & Co., of Milford, OH
3. Custom Logos, of San Diego, CA
4. American Ad Bag, of Woodstock, IL
5. Royal Crest Promotions, of Golden, CO
6. Clean Fun Promotional Marketing, of Costa Mesa, CA
7. Hirsch Gift, of Houston, TX
8. Gifts By Design, of Seattle, WA
9. The Book Company, of Delray Beach, FL
10. NewClients Promotional Marketing, of Richmond, VA

The Best Places to Work survey measured 10 different areas: team effectiveness, retention risk (employee loyalty), alignment with goals (does employee understand goals of company?), trust with coworkers, individual contribution (does the company adequately recognize employees?), manager effectiveness, trust in senior leaders, feeling valued (does the company invest in employee success?), satisfaction with current role, and people practices (satisfaction with company benefits).

ASI publishes eight catalogs and five magazines in addition to the Successful Promotions Trend Report e-newsletter. ASI publications have won 58 recent editorial awards, including three Jesse H. Neal Awards, considered the Pulitzer Prize of the business press. Melinda Ligos is ASI’s editor in chief and senior vice president, professional development