Best Places to Work winners: Bioworks Foundation, Paragon and Medtronic

Memphis Business Journal
October 27, 2006
By Andy Ashby

Memphis Bioworks Foundation, Paragon National Bank and Medtronic Spinal and Biologics won their individual categories in Memphis Business Journal's Best Places to Work competition.

The winners and 15 other finalist companies were honored Oct. 20 at the University of Memphis Holiday Inn.

Memphis Bioworks won in the category with less than 51 employees.

"It's a privilege to be selected as the winner in that group; there are a lot of great companies on that list," says president Steve Bares. "What's also exciting is that our staff works really hard to do what we think is a good thing for the community and it's good for the staff to do that and be recognized, too."

Archimania, Carpenter Sullivan Sossaman, Commercial Advisors, LifeWings Partners and Triumph Bank were the other finalists.

Paragon National Bank took top honors in the 51-150 employees category.

"We were so excited that we won," says Kim Hall, senior vice president of treasury management. "It was just a tremendous honor, especially with us only being open two years and to already have that recognition."

GTx, Inc., Hnedak Bobo Group, Lipscomb & Pitts Insurance, Pickering, Inc. and Thompson Dunavant were finalists in the category.

Medtronic Spinal and Biologics, the Memphis-based spinal fixation division of Medtronic, Inc., won first place in the category for more than 150 employees.

'We are honored to win this award and I think it speaks volumes about our people that the award is based on employee responses,' says Peter L. Wehrly, president of the Memphis division. "Medtronic is one of the most employee friendly places in the country and we want people in the Mid-South to think of Medtronic when they think of great places to work."

BancorpSouth, Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, Mid-America Apartment Communities, O.R. Nurses, Inc., and YMCA of the Mid-South were finalists in the large company category.

National research firm Quantum Market Research used employee nominations, questionnaires and results to determine finalists and winners. Adams Keegan, Weintraub Stock & Grisham and Champion Awards were sponsors.

aashby@bizjournals.com | 259-1732