Best of Business 2018
Workplace decisions have consequences. Deploying your company’s resources requires due diligence—but you can’t rely on online comments (as you do when picking a restaurant) nor your competitor’s opinions. That’s where Best of Business comes in. TCB’s annual subscriber survey taps people like you who make significant business decisions day in and day out—from a multimillion-dollar software RFP to a golf outing up north.
Earlier this year, TCB surveyed our readership, asking executives and decision-makers for vendor recommendations in common business service categories. The results include businesses big and small, primed to serve companies of all sizes and budgets. Many thanks to those of you who shared your expertise.
CONSTRUCTION / DEVLOPMENT
Commercial Real Estate General Contractor
Greiner Construction
Greiner Construction of Minneapolis got its start in 1989 with a focus on high-end interior buildouts and expansions. Founder Wolfgang Greiner observed that builders of the many new office towers in the Twin Cities treated interiors as an afterthought. So his firm, he vowed, would offer flexibility, craftsmanship, and expertise in creating economical, effective interiors. Since its first project for HealthPartners, Greiner has completed hundreds more and expanded its capabilities to educational, medical, industrial, and residential buildings. Its customers appreciate the firm’s quality work, whether a remodel or new construction, and its commitment to attentive communication, collaboration, and an understanding of clients’ businesses and needs.
Second Place: M.A. Mortenson Co
Third Place (tie): Doran Cos., Ryan Cos.
CREATIVE SERVICES
ADVERTISING & MARKETING FIRM
Antenna
Antenna became the marketing experts that companies and nonprofits rely on soon after it started in 2006. When customers have complex, urgent, or specialized marketing needs, they call on Antenna to find the right team of experts. The Minneapolis firm has 100 nimble, free-agent marketing experts available to handle marketing communications, brand management, analytics, and more. Fortune 50 companies like Target, 3M, and Ecolab have fueled Antenna’s growth to the tune of $11 million in revenue; they like its hybrid model of consulting and staffing—arranged by marketers who know what other marketers seek—that provides a winning blend of flexibility and skill.
Second Place: Fast Horse
Third Place: Olson
COMMUNICATIONS FIRM
Padilla
Padilla views its business as a three-legged stool helping clients build, grow, and protect their brands, while always connecting with purpose. Based in Minneapolis since 1961, Padilla has evolved from its public relations roots to offer a full complement of services, including brand strategy, advertising, digital marketing and social media, corporate communication, and crisis preparedness and management 24/7. Clients range from new ventures to Fortune 100 companies, served by a firm that consistently expands by acquisition and adding new clients. This year, Padilla captured a prestigious North America Gold SABRE Award for business-to-business marketing for BASF’s Living Acres: Preserving Monarch Butterflies.
Second Place (Tie): Lola Red PR; Olson Engage
Third Place: Fast Horse
DINING/ENTERTAINMENT
CATERING
D’Amico Catering
The D’Amico name is synonymous with outstanding food, top-shelf service, and a good party, so it’s no surprise that the company’s catering arm amassed a lengthy list of awards and accolades. The in-house caterer for some of Minnesota’s A-list venues—International Market Square and Mill City Museum, to name two—D’Amico Catering delivers cuisine that makes events shine. Whether it’s catering a nationally significant event like the Major League Baseball All-Star Gala or a corporate board meeting, the company sets the right tone. Decades of dominance in this category show that D’Amico remains reliability personified.
Second Place: Chowgirls Killer Catering
Third Place: Crave Catering
BUSINESS BREAKFAST
Good Day Café
Good Day Café in Golden Valley has been offering the comfort food and coffee drinks that everyone craves since 2007. Its menu overflows with decadent from-scratch items, allowing diners to get a strong start to their day. Whether they seek a leisurely meal, a power breakfast, or something fast and healthy, diners trust that Good Day will deliver. It’s especially known for its delectable apple soufflé pancake, baked goods, sweet or savory French toast, and a creative way with eggs. Good Day Café keeps customers happy with attentive service in a casual, sunny atmosphere with a buzz of energy.
Second Place: The Original Pancake House
Third Place: Keys Cafe
BUSINESS Lunch
Mission American Kitchen and Bar
Known as the power lunch capital of Minneapolis, Mission American Kitchen and Bar beckons from the glassy confines of the IDS Center, with an inviting space and menu to please all palates. Lunch offerings skew Minnesotan via walleye and juicy Lucy-style burger, but there’s enough sizzle from chilled seafood, sea scallops, and filet mignon to turn a garden-variety meal into something memorable. Mission’s welcoming space, with floor-to-ceiling windows, intimate seating, exceptional service, creative cocktails, and an extensive wine cellar, offers the ideal spot for breaking bread with clients or associates.
Second Place: Ciao Bella
Third Place (tie): Manny’s Steakhouse; Zelo
BUSINESS DINNER
Manny’s Steakhouse
As they say at Manny’s, “Come as you are—and eat like never before.” That’s because Manny’s is the quintessential see-and-be-seen steakhouse. The restaurant in Foshay Tower engages all the senses, with an inviting bar and dry-aged, hand-cut meats paraded before your eyes on its signature cart. A Men’s Journal world’s top steakhouse for its meats and seafood alike, it features over-the-top portions and items like a triple seafood tower and roasted bone marrow. Whether it’s a night out to clinch a deal, celebrate a win, or wow a client, Manny’s gets the job done.
Second Place: The Capital Grille
Third Place (tie): Bar La Grassa; Spoon and Stable
EDUCATION
COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY FOR CONTINUING EDUCATION
University Of Minnesota
When it’s time to update skills or gain new ones, the University of Minnesota is there for us all. The university opens doors with a multitude of continuing education offerings for professionals, such as an MBA, a second degree in IT infrastructure, or sharper communication skills via certificate learning. It’s a foundation of the state’s thriving business climate, serving as Minnesota’s main pipeline for educated professionals. In 2016 alone, the U granted 1,385 health professional degrees, 327 legal-related degrees, and 606 MBAs. Students know that a degree from the University of Minnesota carries weight and provides essential tools to pursue their goals.
Second Place: University of St. Thomas
Third Place: College of St. Benedict and St. John’s University
MBA PROGRAM
University Of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management MBA menu runs long, covering the gamut from executive to part-time online programs, as well as eight dual degrees including medicine, business analytics, and law. At the heart of the Carlson curricula is a commitment to experiential learning, which helps students apply what they learn for the benefit of a company by consulting on new ventures, investment funds, or branding. Every MBA student participates in global learning, exploring topics that affect businesses worldwide, and then spending two weeks on an international experience. More than 50,000 alumni offer students a rich network for outreach.
Second Place: University of St. Thomas
Third Place: St. Catherine University
Private School
Benilde-St. Margaret’s School
A Catholic, co-ed college preparatory school in St. Louis Park, Benilde-St. Margaret has long been a favorite pick for its academic excellence and focus on educating servant-leaders. It pairs a challenging curriculum for grades seven through 12 with an emphasis on faith formation, academic rigor, and social responsibility. Students pick from 15 advanced placement classes, as well as other honors, engineering, and technology courses. They also engage in service learning through organized experiences that are integrated into academic studies. Benilde’s 1,200 students are an active bunch, with more than 95 percent of the student body participating in athletic or other extracurricular activities.
Second Place: The Blake School
Third Place: Breck School
EVENTS/MEETINGS
AUDIO / VISUAL PROVIDER
AV For You
AV For You operates with the philosophy that events big and small need outstanding audio/visual services. Josh Reitan started his St. Louis Park company in 2002 to provide high-quality audio and visual support for events with 1,000 people or fewer, buying equipment specifically to meet that market. Named best audio/visual provider for five years running by Minnesota Meetings & Events, AV For You has grown steadily each year by staying flexible in its offerings. Instead of chasing every shiny new capability, AV For You assesses what services its clients truly need and then makes it happen for them, manageably.
Second Place: AVEX
Third Place: Tierney Brothers
BUSINESS HOTEL
Hewing Hotel
A former farm-implement showroom and warehouse dating to 1897 has been transformed into a gem of a hotel in the already hot Minneapolis North Loop. Open since 2016, the Hewing provides a true Minnesota experience, complete with home-grown pine beams, a Scandinavian-accented menu, and other Minnesota-made products like Faribault Woolen Mill throws and Tattersall Gin. Hotel guests and Twin Citians alike have discovered the year-round rooftop bar and restaurant, while Hewing’s lobby bar often is crowded with tourists, hipsters, and business types happily mingling. The 124-room hotel has captured several awards for its design and historic preservation.
Second Place: JW Marriott Minneapolis Mall of America
Third Place: Hotel Ivy
Golf Course
Rush Creek Golf Club
Striving to create a spectacular course for all, Duncan MacMillan teed up Rush Creek Golf Club in 1996. He purchased a former course and farm, hired premier architects, and designed challenging greens set among Maple Grove wetlands. In addition to an 18-hole course, practice range, and golf academy, Rush Creek also shows off with its banquet center and Highlander restaurant. It’s a favorite spot for tournaments, weddings, and meetings, where patrons enjoy peaceful scenery and high-end service. Rush Creek has hosted many national events, including three LPGA tournaments and the U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship, plus it’s received numerous honors as Best Public Golf Course.
Second Place (Tie): Chaska Town Course; Legends Golf Club
Third Place: Bunker Hills Golf Club
Meeting & Event Planner
metroConnections
When the Super Bowl came to town, metroConnections stepped up. The Bloomington-based firm worked on nearly 25 projects with clients from across the country, including VIP transportation, fan giveaways at Mall of America, and collaborations with NFL’s creative agency. MetroConnections showed Super Bowl visitors why local customers adore working with the firm: its attentive service and long record of flawless execution. Operating since 1984, metroConnections has grown into a $14.6 million company with 73 employees, providing conference, event, stage production, and transportation services around the world.
Second Place: GetKnit Events
Third Place: Events by Melody
Hotel Meeting & Event Space (Metro Area)
JW Marriott Minneapolis Mall of America
The JW Marriott Minneapolis Mall of America may be attached to one of Minnesota’s top attractions, but guests feel miles away, thanks to the hotel’s distraction-free environment. Offering six event spaces, 12 breakout meeting rooms, and a ballroom for up to 1,700, the hotel flexes and contracts to suit any event. Out-of-towners appreciate its proximity to the airport and MOA, plus extras like its Event Lounge where guests can relax, regroup, or enjoy live culinary demonstrations. It didn’t take long for JW Marriott to win acclaim: shortly after opening in 2015, it landed in Condé Nast Traveler’s Best Hotels in the World Reader’s Choice Awards.
Second Place: Hyatt Regency Minneapolis
Third Place: Radisson Blu Mall of America
NON-HOTEL MEETING & EVENT SPACE
Machine Shop
The Machine Shop deftly blends luxury and history in an industrial space, making it an enticing and unique setting for meetings and events. Open since 2016, the venue takes full advantage of its transformation from the machinery shop for the Pillsbury A-Mill into a 19,000-square-foot event center. The Minneapolis Mill District building, renovated by developer Schafer Richardson for $6.5 million, provides open, flexible space near the Mississippi River for groups of all sizes. A two-story atrium space, original brick walls and flooring, and other industrial touches like exposed ceilings and beams, coupled with high-end service, create a memorable spot for varied events.
Second Place: Aria Event Center
Third Place: McNamara Alumni Center
Resort With Meeting & Event Space (Greater Minnesota)
Grand View Lodge
Minnesotans like what Grand View Lodge in Nisswa has to offer, whether it’s for an up north vacation, reunion, or off-site retreat. There’s something for everyone, no matter their age or interest. Its enticing Gull Lake property set among pines has served generations since 1916; add championship golf and a par-three course, a robust spa, numerous on-site restaurants, varied settings for meetings, and activities to keep guests busy all day. Come 2019, patrons will benefit from Grand View’s $30 million expansion, including a conference center, 60-room boutique hotel, and recreation facility complete with indoor and outdoor pools and an ice-skating rink.
Second Place: Cragun’s Resort on Gull Lake
Third Place: Madden’s on Gull Lake
FINANCIAL SERVICES
ACCOUNTING FIRM
CliftonLarsonAllen
CliftonLarsonAllen takes its tagline to heart: “We promise to know you and help you.” For nearly 60 years, it grew this philosophy, along with its footprint and offerings, to better serve businesses, nonprofits, and individuals. As a full-service accounting firm, CLA covers industries niche (craft brewing and casinos) to broad-based (agribusiness and health care). Through organic growth and acquisitions, CLA expanded to 110 offices in 29 states. Recent acquisitions round out the firm to 5,400 employees, including 1,100 in Minnesota. It’s now the eighth-largest accounting firm nationwide, with $865 million in revenue.
Second Place: Lurie
Third Place: Wipfli
BANK FOR BUSINESS
Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo wins first place in the hearts of its business customers. With $2 trillion in assets and 273,000 employees globally, Wells Fargo supports companies with deep and wide offerings for short- and long-term goals. It’s a one-stop-shop of financial services for businesses big and small, covering banking, insurance, lines of credit, equipment financing, construction loans, and more. These varied and well-executed services mean customers stay with the bank as their businesses evolve and grow. Though Wells Fargo’s reputation was dinged by its costly accounts scandal, it still sat at 26 on the 2018 Fortune 500 list of the country’s biggest companies.
Second Place: U.S. Bank
Third Place: Bremer Bank
CONSUMER BANKING
Wells Fargo
Relying on 166 years of banked goodwill, Wells Fargo is working to regain public trust to continue providing essential financial services. This spring, it launched a campaign, “Building Better Every Day,” which lays out its efforts to create an improved bank for customers, employees, and communities. Recent measures include major corporate governance changes, rating employees’ performance on customer service instead of sales goals, and increasing transparency between bank and customers. Serving one in three households in the United States, TCB’s readers indicate Wells Fargo is still the go-to bank for consumers for a wide variety of financial needs.
Second Place: U.S. Bank
Third Place: TCF Bank
CREDIT UNION
TopLine Federal Credit Union
As a nonprofit financial cooperative, TopLine Federal Credit Union fulfills its mission to serve members with competitive financial services like insurance, home and auto loans, and credit cards, plus traditional checking and savings accounts. But the Maple Grove-based credit union, operating since 1935, doesn’t stop there. It started a foundation in 2015 to cement its goal of “people helping people” with fundraisers for scholarships. It also offers financial education and counseling, and donates to other community efforts. To date, TopLine has awarded 48 scholarships totaling $30,000, earning it recognition from the Minnesota Credit Union Network for community impact and outreach.
Second Place: Wings Financial Credit Union
Third Place: SPIRE Credit Union
MORTGAGE LENDER
Bell Bank Mortgage
Mortgages are filled with fine print and legalese, making it crucial to work with a trusted lender that simplifies matters. Golden Valley-based Bell Bank Mortgage has been perfecting its processes for nearly 140 years as the state’s oldest and largest independent mortgage banker. Bell has thousands of family mortgages in its name, originated from offices across Minnesota, North Dakota, Iowa, and Arizona. Serving customers with integrity and attentiveness is important to Bell, as is giving back to communities. Bell’s Pay It Forward Program annually gives full- and part-time employees money to donate to favorite causes, totaling $11 million over a decade.
Second Place: Mortgages Unlimited
Third Place: Wells Fargo Home Mortgage
WEALTH MANAGEMENT FIRM
Wipfli Financial Advisors
For three years running, Wipfli Financial Advisors has claimed our top prize in the wealth management category. Clients favor its CPA-based focus that skillfully blends accounting, financial planning, and investment management while providing analysis of their full financial picture. Now with 85 employees (13 in Minnesota) and $5 million in revenue, Wipfli Financial brings the full spectrum of expertise to the discussion, including retirement planning, tax and estate matters, and risk management. Clients benefit from its interactive planning tools with a long-term lens to progress toward their goals. Wipfli Financial’s model propels growth, helping clients achieve their financial objectives.
Second Place: RBC Wealth Management
Third Place: Wealth Enhancement Group
HUMAN RESOURCES
STAFFING/RECRUITING/EXECUTIVE SEARCH (tie)
Oggi Professional Services
For recruiters at Oggi Professional Services, it’s not just about lining up candidates with openings for jobs or consulting gigs. The Minnetonka firm focuses on keeping customers and candidates happy in equal measure by finding the perfect fit for both. Specializing in placements for accounting, finance, and sales professionals since 2010, Oggi clearly is doing something right: It reports 75 percent of new business comes from referrals and staff, as well as an 80 percent repeat-customer foundation. A key element of the Oggi model includes hiring staff with extensive recruiting experience and backgrounds in finance and accounting.
Salo
The core of Salo’s work is “Connecting people to make a difference.” A talent agency for senior finance, accounting, and human resources professionals since 2002, Salo helps customers fill staff gaps on short- and long-term bases, and expanded its own reach to the Chicago market through a 2014 acquisition. The company continues to add singular services like its Compass program, which helps up-and-coming public accounting professionals transition into industry positions. The salaried participants rotate through various companies—public and private, large and small—to gain varied experience and a window into future career possibilities.
Second Place: CorTalent
Third Place: Robert Half International
LEGAL SERVICES
LAW FIRM
Winthrop & Weinstine
When 100-plus lawyers practice commercial litigation for nearly 40 years from just one office in Minneapolis, that firm can go deep into clients’ businesses—in a good way. Clients count on Winthrop & Weinstine for a broad swath of legal advice and litigation in 15 sectors, including mergers and acquisitions, real estate finance, and intellectual property. Known for taking nontraditional approaches and hustling like a small firm, Winthrop stays true to its motto: “We move business forward.” Its attorneys consistently make Super Lawyers’ list of Top 100 Minnesota attorneys, and 2018’s Best Lawyers in America recognized 29 of its attorneys.
Second Place: Fredrikson & Byron
Third Place (Tie): Dorsey & Whitney; Stinson Leonard Street
PROPERTY SERVICES
COMMERCIAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT
CBRE Group
One of the largest property management firms in Minnesota, CBRE takes pride in showing clients the possibilities of unique workplaces. It recently renovated its downtown Minneapolis office, making it a collaborative, open space that gives employees flexibility in how and where they work, from breakout rooms and standing desks to café-style seating. Managing office, industrial, and retail properties is a major element of CBRE’s local business. It has 120 real estate management employees who support 27 million square feet in 230 properties, including City Center and SPS Tower in Minneapolis, and properties along Interstate 394 including the Colonnade and Towers at West End.
Second Place: Cushman & Wakefield
Third Place (Tie): Doran Companies, Ryan Cos.
COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE–BROKERAGE (Tie)
CBRE Group
Los Angeles–based CBRE has been operating in Minnesota for nearly 45 years, offering commercial clients robust options for real estate services. Its brokerage arm represents more than 3.5 million square feet for landlords, and also helps clients with building sales, renovations, and tenant representation projects. Major clients include Target, IBM, ING, and Ryan Cos. Its reputation for attentive, personalized service has brought CBRE kudos nationwide, with Fortune naming the firm one of its most admired companies in real estate for six consecutive years and the Ethisphere Institute recognizing CBRE as a “most ethical company” for five years running.
Cresa Minneapolis
Cresa’s foundation was clear from its start in 1993 as a tenant-only commercial real estate firm. By handling negotiations, transactions, leasing, and buildouts from the tenants’ perspective, Cresa has grown into a major real estate player in the Twin Cities. Clients appreciate its “tenant’s advantage” mantra that avoids conflicts of interest and puts their needs first. Based in Washington, D.C., with 900 employees, Cresa’s Minneapolis office has nearly 30 people providing integrated services. It has been repeatedly named a best place to work, and it seamlessly handles major projects such as representing the St. Paul Saints in development of CHS Field.
Second Place: Cushman & Wakefield
Third Place: Ackerberg Group
COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE DEVELOPER
United Properties
One of the biggest developers in Minnesota, United Properties is known for taking the long view of the market. This perspective stems from its structure as an investor and developer in office, industrial, retail/mixed-use, and senior housing. Founded in 1916 and now owned by the Pohlad family, United has placed many recent bets on Minneapolis. It moved its headquarters to the former Gaviidae Common in 2017 and kicked off its fifth project in the North Loop: Target Field Station, the 150,000-square-foot home to the Fillmore Theater and new Element by Westin hotel. In 2017, its Midway Business Center won NAIOP honors for a light industrial development at St. Paul’s former Midway Stadium.
Second Place: Doran Cos.
Third Place: Ryan Cos.
Title Company
TitleSmart
When they started TitleSmart, sisters Cindy Koebele and Angele Shackle aimed to make the home-closing process positive, fun, and upbeat, not stressful and clinical, which can often be the case. White Bear Lake-based TitleSmart provides title, escrow, and real estate closing services for buyers and sellers engaging in residential and commercial closings. It’s known for going the extra mile, for example, driving across the state for customers to sign papers, if necessary. By taking good care of employees and clients, TitleSmart has grown to 56 employees and $10.4 million in revenue. A new business director and Faribault office will keep TitleSmart on its expansion march.
Second Place: Bankers Title & Bankers Closing Services
Third Place: All American Title Co.
TECHNOLOGY SERVICES
DATA & SECURITY
Atomic Data
Atomic Data makes sure clients don’t spend too much on unnecessary IT and data services. By providing a flexible “computing-as-a-service” model, the Minneapolis firm helps customers worldwide protect and support their systems, scaled to fit their needs. Companies pick from cloud-based infrastructure, platform, or software-as-a-service—or all of the above—for expertise and protection. Started in 2001 and now with $26.8 million in revenue and 146 employees, Atomic operates eight secure facilities globally to protect customer data and systems. It continues to innovate, especially in hiring. Atomic recently teamed with Summit Academy OIC to train its diverse student body in this high-demand, high-wage technology field.
Second Place: FRSecure
Third Place: Compudyne
DOCUMENT MANAGEMENT: PRINTERS & COPIERS
Marco
From its roots as a small typewriter shop in St. Cloud, Marco never lost sight of its commitment to provide personalized service as a technology partner. Forty-five years later, Marco is one of the largest technology service providers in the country, with more than 32,000 customers nationwide, $312 million in revenue, and 1,155 employees (638 in Minnesota). Customers rely on Marco as a one-stop shop for technology, whether it’s copiers and printers, business IT, voice, or cloud computing. The company’s knowledgeable engineers and technicians aim to help customers use the best technology for their circumstances and ensure that it’s always working.
Second Place: Metro Sales
Third Place: Loffler Cos.
SOFTWARE COMPANY
Fision Corp.
Sales and marketing co-workers often don’t speak the same language or take advantage of each other’s capabilities. Fision Corp. in Minneapolis seeks to simplify matters and bring sales and marketing together with cloud-based software for managing and tailoring businesses’ collateral and communications. It offers digital asset management, marketing automation, and other sales tools for large companies in health care, hospitality, financial, insurance, software, and technology. Started in 2011, Fision has more than 65,000 users in 21 countries, who benefit from more effective collaborations between these two essential disciplines. Last year, Fision acquired Minneapolis-based Volerro Corp., adding a platform for content creation and distribution.
Second Place: Demand Chain Systems
Third Place: JAMF
WEB DEVELOPMENT FIRM
Rocket55
Minneapolis-based Rocket55 doesn’t just want to build websites for customers. Instead, it takes a comprehensive approach to digital marketing with a full array of multichannel tools. From e-commerce and social media to content marketing, customers turn to Rocket55 for websites that attract, engage, and convert targeted visitors. Launched in 2008, Rocket55 has been on the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing companies since 2015, and it’s amassed a roster of clients including ReMax, Erik’s Bike Shop, and Häagen-Dazs. The firm’s many successful digital marketing campaigns earned it status as a Google Premier Partner, an honor bestowed on only 3 percent of agencies.
Second Place: Clockwork
Third Place: Olson
TELECOM
MOBILE PHONE SERVICE PROVIDER
Verizon Wireless
Wireless is mission-critical for businesses. According to RootMetrics, an independent agency that executes 4.6 million tests nationwide, Verizon in 2018 had the best overall network for nine years running. It also wins accolades for reliability, speed, data, connections, and call quality. Businesses favor Verizon’s unlimited data plans, bundled services with internet, and a history of innovation with extras. For example, One Talk allows users to move calls seamlessly between mobile and office devices, while field and fleet management employs GPS and vehicle diagnostics to improve customer service and performance.
Second Place: AT&T
Third Place: T-Mobile
TELECOM & INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDER
Marco
Shopping for telecommunications and internet is often a chore, thanks to hard-to-compare fee structures, technologies, and services. So many businesses turn to Marco. It’s a carrier agent/guru through which clients find the best service for their unique needs, often customized from multiple vendors. Even better, Marco acts as a liaison between customers and carriers, handling billing and customer service. Marco boasts a 10-year track record of 20 percent compounded annual growth and has expanded its footprint into nine states in the last two years.
Second Place: Comcast Business
Third Place: CenturyLink
TRANSPORT/ LOGISTICS
Auto Dealership
Luther Automotive
C.H. Robinson is big—one of the largest third-party logistics providers in the world—with $14.9 billion in gross revenue last year. And it’s been around the block a few times, opening for business in 1905 and now serving more than 120,000 domestic and international customers. Based in Eden Prairie, with offices around the world, Robinson’s mission is to accelerate global trade by helping businesses optimize their supply chains. Brands big and small rely on the company for transportation, sourcing, and local to global logistics. C.H. Robinson regularly garners honors, including being named one of Fortune’s most admired companies for eight years.
Second Place: Walser Automotive Group
Third Place: Poquet Auto Sales
LOGISTICS COMPANY
C.H. Robinson
C.H. Robinson is big—one of the largest third-party logistics providers in the world—with $14.9 billion in gross revenue last year. And it’s been around the block a few times, opening for business in 1905 and now serving more than 120,000 domestic and international customers. Based in Eden Prairie, with offices around the world, Robinson’s mission is to accelerate global trade by helping businesses optimize their supply chains. Brands big and small rely on the company for transportation, sourcing, and local to global logistics. C.H. Robinson regularly garners honors, including being named one of Fortune’s most admired companies for eight years.
Second Place: MVP Logistics
Third Place: Murphy Warehouse Co.
WELLNESS
HEALTH INSURER
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota has innovation in its bones, as the first “Blue” health plan provider in the country, created 85 years ago. Now the largest nonprofit insurer in the state, Eagan-based BCBS serves 2.6 million members in every state and around the world. It takes a full-throttle approach to providing plans to employers, individuals, and recipients of Medicare and Medicaid, paired with a legacy of improving health care. This takes shape through its Center for Prevention and its foundation, which backs healthy living initiatives focused on exercise, nutrition, anti-tobacco efforts, and health equity.
Second Place: HealthPartners
Third Place: Medica
HOSPITAL
Park Nicollet Methodist Hospital
Outside organizations have started noticing what patients and family members already know about Park Nicollet Methodist Hospital: It’s one of the top hospitals in the country for patient care, clinical care, and overall excellence. For two years running, the St. Louis Park institution has been named one of America’s 100 Best Hospitals by HealthGrades, along with other recognitions. Methodist hasn’t grown complacent, though. It’s currently completing a $140 million expansion and renovation project that will make nearly all in-patient rooms private, reduce energy consumption by 10 percent, and add eight operating rooms to its surgery center.
Second Place: North Memorial Health Hospital
Third Place: Mayo Clinic