Jawad Behsudi, 27, Direct support professional, Hammer Residences Inc. (home care)
Tenure: 5 years
"The reason I've stayed with this company is the relationship I have with my co-workers and also my boss. I always feel welcome when I'm there. Even with the CEO of the company, I feel like he's very warm; he encourages creativity [from] whoever has new ideas.
"The atmosphere is very friendly. Even though we are at work, we feel very comfortable and if you make any mistakes, we're not blamed right away; we learn from each other. There's great communication if something goes wrong. I don't feel judged. It's a teamwork effort. I just love that."
Jodi Cruz, 40, Manager of corporate tech, Securian Financial Group Inc.
Tenure: 20 years
"We have wonderful support in terms of technology, internal services and training opportunities so you can develop your skills. Our CEO is a brilliant visionary, very strategic, and his philosophy and goals trickle down throughout the organization. The work that we do every day has a direct impact on the lives of others.
Securian is very involved with community outreach. Over the years, I've participated in the Multicultural Excellence Program through the St. Paul schools. There are opportunities to participate with Habitat for Humanity, the United Way. Those things give tremendous life balance. And there [are] different community groups. It's not uncommon over any given lunch hour for there to be a knitting club or a Bible study."
Dean Ellingson, 53, Supervisor of guest services, Minnesota Twins
Tenure: 18 years
"There's a common purpose for the fans and the staff. Everyone has a passion for baseball and a passion for the Twins in particular. Even though we're not buying a ticket, we're there for the same reason the fans are and that's really to enjoy the baseball environment and have a good time.