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Saturday, December 01, 2001

By Jim McKay, Post-Gazette Staff Writer

Hefren-Tillotson Inc., the Pittsburgh-based financial services firm, has been ranked as the best employer in Pennsylvania among 50 medium-sized companies.

The state annually honors 100 companies in the state as the "best places to work in Pennsylvania," including 50 large firms with 251 employees or more and 50 smaller companies that employ between 50 and 250.

Medrad, the Indianola maker of medical devices, placed 18th out of 50 among the top 50 largest firms, making it the highest-ranking company in the six-county Pittsburgh metropolitan area for companies in that category.

The "best places" winners were chosen by the Great Places to Work Institute, using a formula similar to the one Fortune Magazine uses to compile its list of the best 100 employers in the country. The ranking includes data from surveys sent to both the company and its employees, with the employee evaluation given 75 percent of the overall weight.

Hefren-Tillotson employs 110 Downtown and offices in the South Hills, North Hills, Beaver and Butler. The money manager and brokerage has remained a family business since its founding in 1948 by Art Hefren.

"It is a closely held, family-run business that maintains a family atmosphere for the entire work force," said Neil Alexander, chief operating officer.

Medrad, the U.S. affiliate of Germany's Schering AG, employs 1,100, including approximately 800 at its headquarters and main manufacturing facility in Indianola, about 15 miles northeast of Pittsburgh.

It claims to have an "employee-centered" culture that includes biannual employee surveys to identify and resolve satisfaction issues, employee development programs and volunteer programs.

"As a company we are diligent about creating and retaining a culture that prioritizes employee empowerment and development," said President and Chief Executive Officer John Friel. "The fact that our employees ... confirmed our efforts makes this award especially meaningful."

Other larger Western Pennsylvania companies on the list were S&T Bank, of Indiana, Indiana County (No. 12); L. Robert Kimball & Associates, Ebensburg, Cambria County (19); and Concurrent Technologies Corp. of Johnstown, Cambria County (37).

Other medium-sized Western Pennsylvania companies that were recognized were Somerset Trust Co., of Somerset County (No. 14) ; A Second Chance Inc., of Pittsburgh (29); Citizens National Bank of Evans City, Butler County (38); XiTech Corp. of Carnegie (41); Tech Tool & Mold Inc. and Tech Molded Plastics of Meadville, Crawford County; (42) and BEA Inc., Pittsburgh (44).