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BODYBAR Pilates Named One of Fort Worth’s Best Companies to Work For
Originally published by BEST COMPANIES TO WORK FOR | Read the original article
Will Rogers was an American cowboy, vaudeville performer, actor, newspaper columnist, radio personality, and one of the country’s most beloved humorists.
He became famous not just for his rope tricks, but for his ability to make sharp observations about politics, business, and everyday life sound like friendly conversation.
He was folksy, self-deprecating, observant — boy, howdy, was he ever — kind rather than cruel, a common-sense philosopher, and an equal-opportunity satirist. He didn’t play favorites.
In other words, he’d have been the kind of boss folks would’ve been glad to work for.
“A workplace gets along a lot better when everybody spends more time carrying the load than measuring it,” is one way I can see Will Rogers talking about his preferred workplace culture.
It’s that time again for our annual BC2WF list — Best Companies To Work For in Fort Worth.
These are the companies throwing parties, making trips for team members, offering unlimited PTO, paving the way for Santa Claus, and, most importantly, creating pathways for employees to stay, grow, and share in the profits.
You’ll see familiar names back on the list with good reason. They’re consistent not just in performance, but in creating workplaces where people stick around and excel. You’ll also find fresh faces.
There is a clear sense of purpose with all of them: Good business is putting people first.
What does it take to make our annual honor roll, which the magazine began producing annually in 2016? First, this contest is run and judged independently of the magazine’s ownership and staff by the Workforce Research Group, a Humble, Texas, research firm that’s behind some 25 Best Places To Work programs across North America and drills deep daily on what engages people in the workplace.
Companies and other organizations that enter our contest submit answers to Workforce on questions ranging from employee benefits to work from home and vacation policies, communication from the top, wellness initiatives, opportunities for advancement, training and mentorship, diversity, and fun stuff like office happy hours and pickleball.
Entering companies also agree to allow their employees to be surveyed anonymously by the Workforce Research Group to really explore how they perceive their employer.
Workforce analyzes this information and produces our annual Best Companies To Work For in Fort Worth. Workforce ranked employers in the small, medium, and large company categories, with large companies having 250 employees or more.
It is also worth noting that the magazine’s ownership and staff have no say in who wins this contest and how employers rank. The 2026 issue of the magazine and Workforce Research Group’s rankings were released Aug. 13 at a luncheon at River Ranch Stockyards.
What follows are the standard-bearers of what a great workplace looks like, and some other things Will Rogers might have said about a healthy work environment.
SMALL COMPANIES (15-49 EMPLOYEES)
1. ClearWater Plumbers
What they do: Utilities
Employees: 29
No one is happier shoveling the less glamorous side of life than the employees of ClearWater Plumbers, founded in 2003 and first-time participants in our Best Companies To Work For program. The company earned high marks for its authentically family-oriented culture, one built on investing in its people, their families, and their long-term careers.
The company pairs competitive benefits with thoughtful personal touches, including birthday PTO, annual work boots, recognition of spouses’ birthdays and wedding anniversaries. (That saves you from a lonely weekend after forgetting both.)
Employees are recognized year-round through cash rewards tied to customer reviews, performance-based bonuses, and annual incentives celebrating individual achievement.
The company also demonstrates a strong commitment to developing the next generation of skilled tradespeople by partnering with local schools, pairing experienced plumbers with younger employees for mentorship, and covering the costs of licensing exams, continuing education, and specialized certifications.
Practical benefits — including company-provided take-home vehicles with fuel and maintenance covered, uniform dry cleaning, and paid training — help reduce employees’ out-of-pocket expenses while supporting professional growth. Employee feedback, they say, results in improved processes, operations, and amenities, and thereby creating a culture where investing in people remains the strongest, ahem, pipeline to long-term success.
2. Bonds Ellis Eppich Schafer Jones
What they do: Legal
Employees: 28
Employees praised Bonds Ellis Eppich Schafer Jones for fostering a respectful, collegial culture where flexibility, professional growth, and work-life balance are more than talking points.
Since opening in 2016, the firm has grown from six attorneys to 25, with most new hires coming through employee referrals — a reflection of its strong workplace culture and exceptionally low turnover.
Why the low turnover?
Well, for one, attorneys enjoy significant autonomy over their schedules, with an emphasis on delivering exceptional client service rather than tracking hours in the office.
While support staff’s responsibilities require more structured office hours, “we try to make it fun for our people by having a game room with darts, shuffleboard, and a large TV.” The firm has outings quarterly. Pickleball is still hot.
The firm’s benefits include fully paid maternity and paternity leave and employer-paid health coverage for employees.
Bonds Ellis also invests heavily in professional development, covering advanced legal education, trial advocacy programs, Leadership Fort Worth, and other career-building opportunities.
A relaxed dress code is the rule — unless, of course, you’re going before the judge.
3. North Texas Community Foundation
What they do: Nonprofit
Employees: 22
The North Texas Community Foundation is a Fort Worth-based public charity that helps individuals, families, businesses, and professional advisers turn charitable giving into long-term community impact.
Rather than operating its own social service programs, the foundation serves as a philanthropic partner, helping donors establish and manage charitable funds while directing grants to nonprofit organizations across North Texas.
“At NTCF, we are not just colleagues, but allies, united by a shared passion for making a difference in the community we serve,” reads the foundation’s application. “Our joint sense of purpose lends itself to an environment of collaboration and camaraderie.”
In other words, a great work environment. NTCF has created a workplace where doing good for the community begins with doing right by its employees.
Employees enjoy exceptional work-life balance, generous paid leave, hybrid schedules, strong retirement benefits, and meaningful volunteer opportunities. A collaborative, purpose-driven environment, backed by family-friendly policies and employee involvement in community giving, reinforces high engagement, and satisfaction.
“Our management team promotes a culture of trust, integrity, and transparency, where open communication is the standard and a hybrid work schedule is the default.”
4. Satori Capital
What they do: Finance
Employees: 31
Satori Capital has built its workplace culture around a clearly defined set of core values and a philosophy it calls Optimal Living, which extends beyond traditional benefits.
The comprehensive program offers executive health screenings, a $1,000 annual wellness allowance, chef-prepared healthy lunches, on-site chiropractic care and massage therapy, guided wellness programming, and resources that support employees physically, mentally, and financially.
The office is also equipped with a “Recharge Room” where team members may take a break from their day.
The room is built using neurodesign principles to create a multisensory, immersive experience to reduce stress and anxiety levels and promote relaxation and resetting of the brain.
Who couldn’t use a reset brain every now and then, or more often than not?
The room brings the outside in with calming soundscapes, textures, and scents and includes a vibroacoustic therapy bed that delivers healing frequencies throughout the entire body.
“We also provide massages to employees during work-related travel and a Building Biology Assessment of the health of your home.”
All of this designed help ensures its core values of creating extraordinary outcomes, never stop learning, enjoying the journey, and building lasting impact are met.
Olaf Growald
BODYBAR Pilates
5. BODYBAR Pilates
What they do: Fitness
Employees: 30
BODYBAR Pilates has answers for the some of us trying to “fit in this.” Pilates is a low-impact exercise system that focuses on core strength, posture, flexibility, balance, and controlled movement. Thank you, Joseph Pilates, inventor.
BODYBAR has also built a high-performance culture where employees are treated like owners, developed like future leaders, and recognized as individuals — not merely instructors or staff members.
The company’s guiding principles are backed by action. Employees can share in BODYBAR’s long-term success through a phantom equity program based on tenure and contribution, while leadership retreats, Kaizen and Six Sigma training, mentoring, career planning, and ongoing professional development reinforce a culture of continuous growth and improvement.
Growth is expected, not optional.
Retention rates validate the culture. The company says its voluntary turnover rate of just 4% suggests the company’s people-first philosophy translates into employees staying.
6. Wier & Associates
What they do: Engineering
Employees: 39
Research on organizational transparency shows that clarifying decisions and maintaining accessible communication reduce conflict and increase employee commitment, but only when leaders respond constructively to employee concerns.
It’s the proverbial “open-door policy.”
That is Wier & Associates, a perennial winner in Fort Worth Inc.’s BC2W4.
“No question is off the table,” Wier & Associates say.
The firm also covers professional registration fees, membership dues, and other expenses for up to two professional organizations in which employees participate. The firm also hosts a monthly wellness program featuring guest speakers and educational presentations on a variety of health and wellness topics.
And lastly, but far from least(ly), Wier very capably enables its coffee addicts.
“Through the requests and feedback of employees, we have also invested in an espresso coffee machine, capable of many more coffee options than our previous coffee pot brewer. Included in this, we also have started to purchase higher quality coffee beans to match the flavor profile our employees love.”
Have you seen an office — any office — without its coffee? Dysfunction 101.
7. Joe Hall Roofing & Contracting
What they do: Construction
Employees: 19
Joe Hall Roofing & Contracting, founded in 1989, hosts a “Thankful Luncheon” each December. Last year, every attendee received a custom LEGO figure.
Nifty. Don’t let that thing come apart. The bottom of your foot will find a piece of it at 3 in the morning.
It’s part of a culture of celebration woven into every day. The company also hosts a “Trashket Ball,” which kicks off each summer. This annual game of skill and competition involves dodgeballs and full-size trash cans.
Joe Hall also offers a unique benefit, providing employees with paid sessions with a certified therapist and Enneagram coach, using it as a tool to emphasize self-awareness, communication, and team dynamics.
Enneagram is the personality framework that classifies people into nine personality types, each with its own core motivations, fears, strengths, and blind spots. The reformer, the helper, the achiever, the individualist, the investigator, the loyalist, the enthusiast, the challenger, and the peacemaker.
The company also offers retirement planning and communication planning.
8. McDonald Sanders
What they do: Legal
Employees: 37
Founded in 1951, McDonald Sanders is today one of the oldest firms in Fort Worth. It has built a reputation as a place to build a career. The strongest data point is probably the 2% voluntary turnover rate, which is exceptionally low and reinforces nearly every cultural claim they make.
Employees stay because they want to.
This past year, the firm conducted an attorney retreat in Las Vegas, demonstrating that the firm invests meaningful resources in bringing people together for professional development and team building. Likewise, its providing or subsidizing memberships at The Fort Worth Club and country clubs reinforces both wellness and networking.
McDonald Sanders says it is committed to building a workforce that reflects a broad range of backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences.
The firm recruits through relationships with law schools, professional associations, and community organizations while participating in initiatives that expand opportunities within the legal profession.
Once employees join the firm, they are supported through mentorship, collaboration, and equal opportunities for professional growth and advancement.
“McDonald Sanders takes a thoughtful approach to recruiting and retaining employees across multiple generations by creating opportunities for mentorship, professional development, and long-term career growth. Our clerkship program serves as a key pipeline for emerging talent, helping law students transition into full-time roles within the firm.”
9. Trinity Real Estate Investment Services
What they do: Real Estate/Renting/Leasing
Employees: 15
Trinity Real Estate Investment Services has built its workplace culture around flexibility, connection, and giving back. Founded in 2017, the commercial real estate firm says its goal has always been to create “a workplace where people feel valued, invested in, and enjoy their colleagues,” adding, “After all, we spend over eight hours a day at work, so we might as well make the most of it!”
That’s right. You’re practically married to these people.
The firm’s signature event is its annual charity golf tournament benefiting One Safe Place, which brings together employees, clients, vendors, friends, and family for golf, lunch, awards, and a presentation from the nonprofit.
Trinity also celebrates milestones in memorable ways, from custom boots for employees reaching two years of service to airline gift cards at five years, while birthdays, anniversaries, and life events are recognized during weekly company meetings.
Cloud-based technology gives employees flexibility to work remotely when needed, while regular social events, annual engagement surveys, and frequent performance reviews reinforce a collaborative culture focused on continuous improvement and long-term employee engagement.
10. M2G Ventures
What they do: Real Estate/Renting/Leasing
Employees: 27
Mental health isn’t simply an employee benefit at M2G Ventures — it’s laced into the company’s culture and community mission. The Fort Worth real estate firm places employee well-being at the center of its workplace, providing access to therapy through a contracted provider when team members need support while encouraging leaders to step in when colleagues are struggling.
“M2G is a people-first company and understands if our team is feeling well and treated well, the outcomes for the business will be better,” the company says.
That commitment extends beyond the office through Soar, M2G’s nonprofit mental health initiative, which focuses on research, advocacy, and community education while hosting public events including Muse at the Modern and Art of the Mind. Employees are encouraged to participate alongside their families.
Internally, managers and employees receive QPR — question, persuade, report — suicide prevention training through The Jordan Elizabeth Harris Foundation, and the company offers biweekly mindfulness sessions to help employees manage stress, reset, and maintain balance.
Combined with flexible work policies and streamlined workflows designed to reduce unnecessary burdens, M2G has made mental wellness a defining part of its workplace culture.
Olaf Growald
PSK
11. PSK
What they do: Accounting
Employees: 47
PSK, a full-service accounting firm based in Arlington for more than 60 years, has become an annual member of this list. PSK’s continued focus on relationships, internally and externally, helps provide opportunities for personal, professional, and organizational growth.
The team, the firm says, is stable — 42% remaining for over five years — and growing — 13% have joined in the last year. It’s also multigenerational, consisting of everything from baby boomers to Gen Z.
How did Gen Z sneak up on us into the workplace?
As a CPA firm, PSK encourages employees to pursue professional certifications and licenses by helping cover the cost of education, study materials, and exam fees. Employees who earn their CPA or Enrolled Agent (EA) credential receive a bonus, a framing stipend for their certificate, and firm-wide recognition celebrating their achievement.
At birthday time, team members spin a prize wheel with gifts varying from gift cards to paid time off to sports tickets.
Bob Barker does not make any appearances. If he does, we got us a story.
12. G.L. Hunt Foundation Repair
What they do: Construction
Employees: 36
G.L. Hunt Foundation Repair was founded in 1987 by Gary Hunt in Fort Worth. Hunt started the business with a focus on affordable foundation repair and built its reputation by serving homeowners throughout North Texas.
More than three decades later, the company still emphasizes its roots as a family-owned operation and its commitment to residential foundation repair.
The company is also always on the lookout for cracks or uneven floors in its workplace culture.
G.L. Hunt Foundation Repair balances hard work with a healthy work-life culture. Employees receive seven paid holidays, a paid birthday off, and PTO that increases with tenure at two, five, and 10 years.
Flexible scheduling, no mandatory overtime, and a policy requiring employees to take time off encourage staff to recharge. The company also invests in communication through quarterly meetings and training shaped by employee feedback, while annual performance reviews, cross-training, and job shadowing help employees build new skills. Beyond the workplace, G.L. Hunt supports community service during work hours, provides free foundation services to homeowners throughout the year, invites families to company events, and rewards employees with tickets to sporting events and other entertainment.
13. Varghese Summersett
What they do: Legal
Employees: 46
Varghese Summersett’s most recent quarterly firm field trip was to Terry Black’s for lunch and barbecue followed by a trip to Casa Manana, where the firm rented out the Reid Cabaret for private karaoke and an open bar.
Here’s betting “Don’t Stop Believing” made an appearance.
The firm field trips have also included trips to Joe T.’s, Andretti Go Karting, bowling, and pickleball.
That singing, though, is not the most perilous thing the firm has been up to.
The Christmas Party included a mechanical bull. I’d like to see Santa take a turn on Electric Bodacious. Well, included in the parting gifts at this Christmas soirée were take-home “high-end rocking chairs,” undoubtedly for all the wrecked backs and twisted necks.
Christmas Day, of course, is one of 14 paid holidays the firm gives to employees. Surprisingly, they all have to work on Be Kind to Lawyers Day, National Hug-a-Lawyer Day, and Love Your Lawyer Day.
Founded in 2014, Varghese Summersett has a strong workplace culture.
The mechanical bull might be the wildest ride, but the firm’s real balancing act is making employees feel recognized, supported, and eager to stick around. Judging by its culture, it seems to have found its footing.
14. Con-Real
What they do: Construction
Employees: 45
Question: Which U.S. president delivered a 90-minute speech after being shot?
That could be one of the many questions that arise during quarterly team-based trivia games at Con-Real, the Arlington construction firm founded by Gerald and Troy Alley Jr. in 1979.
The games pop up during quarterly meetings featuring company milestones, project highlights, and construction facts.
“It builds knowledge, encourages collaboration, and creates a fun, competitive atmosphere with prizes,” the company says.
Con-Real doesn’t try to outdo everyone with lavish perks. Instead, it focuses on giving employees more of what they actually want: time off, flexibility, professional growth, and consistent recognition.
The PTO policy is exceptional, including 15 days a year to new employees. That moves to four weeks after three years, five weeks after six years, and six weeks after nine years.
The company also has a unique healthcare benefit, covering $545 per month per employee rather than paying a percentage of premiums, regardless of which health plan is selected.
The company also offers assistance for graduate degrees, professional certifications, business workshops, and work-related courses.
The answer to that question: Theodore Roosevelt. The bullet was slowed by his eyeglass case and a folded copy of his speech in his pocket. He told the crowd, “It takes more than that to kill a Bull Moose.”
15. Semmelmann Interiors
What they do: Retail
Employees: 22
Semmelmann Interiors, founded in 2019, designs homes for clients while intentionally designing a workplace for its employees — one built on faith, relationships, generous time off, and the belief that people produce their best work when they’re rested, recognized, and genuinely cared for.
The company offers 20 paid holidays, including the entire week of Christmas, plus extra days around New Year’s, Good Friday, Memorial Day, July 4, and Labor Day.
That seems extraordinary for a company with about 20 employees.
Moreover, employees are required to unplug, starting with the mandate to take time off. And work is not part of any vacation.
Team members are also encouraged to turn off email after hours, they have flexible schedules, and they also have access to sabbaticals designed to rest, travel, study, or pursue other interests outside the office.
The firm also invests in keeping the team immersed in the industry by sending them to trade shows, conventions, designer events, instructor-led training, and internal design sessions.
“We offer professional development [and] exposure to major markets to advance experience and skill sets.”
16. Valor
What they do: Business Services
Employees: 35
The combination of AI adoption, fully paid employee healthcare, personalized benefits, and continual investment in technology gives Valor a much more contemporary feel than the stereotypical, staid back-office energy services firm.
That contrast is what makes Valor’s application memorable.
The company is also innovative when it comes to workplace culture and policies. Call it the “No Two Employees Are Alike Philosophy.”
“At Valor, we understand that no two employees are the same,” company officials say. “We take a flexible, individualized approach to benefits and support, working with team members to accommodate their specific needs and circumstances.”
The benefits punch above the company’s size, including 100% employer-paid medical, dental, vision, life, disability, and long-term care insurance for employees. Health benefits begin the first day of the next month after hire.
What’s not different among employees — PTO. Instead of seniority-based vacation, everyone starts with 17 PTO days, nine paid holidays, and extra PTO tied to performance, as well as surprise long weekends around holidays.
Olaf Growald
Curnyn Physical Therapy
17. Curnyn Physical Therapy
What they do: Healthcare Provider/Social Care
Employees: 20
A first-time entrant in the Best Companies program, Curnyn Physical Therapy, opened in 1991, stands out with a clinic-first culture built around therapist autonomy, a fun workplace, and flexibility. Its application makes clear a philosophy that taking care of patients starts with taking care of therapists.
Laughter and play are part of its culture … and you had me at Taco Fridays. (Tacos are like dogs and squirrels. They always get my attention.)
One benefit genuinely stands out: As physical therapists move up the company’s career ladder, they can choose either higher compensation or additional PTO. That’s an uncommon level of flexibility. (Show me the money!)
Curnyn Physical Therapy also builds flexibility into the workweek. Team members enjoy Wednesday and Friday half-day schedules. Also, professional development extends well beyond continuing education. The practice provides therapists with education budgets for courses, certifications, and training, while leadership regularly attends industry conferences to stay current on workplace trends and clinical best practices.
Experienced physical therapists also mentor technicians pursuing PT or PTA school, helping develop the next generation of clinicians from within the organization.
18. HF Custom Solutions
What they do: Advertising/Marketing/PR
Employees: 16
The HF in HF Custom Solutions famously stands for “Have Fun.” It’s the juice in meeting its mission of making great ideas happen, the company says.
“What sets us apart is how we deliver that experience — through our core values of Joy, People First, Excellence, and Creativity,” the company adds.
The company also offers unlimited PTO. Team members average 22 days of PTO annually. Even more unusual, if an employee leaves without taking at least three weeks of vacation, the company still pays out that unused time. They also encourage employees to take a day off around their birthday.
And then there’s this: HF Custom Solutions also takes a data-driven approach to employee development. Through its partnership with behavioral analytics firm Culture Index, managers participate in a two-day workshop focused on understanding what motivates individual employees and recognizing signs of stress and burnout. The survey data helps leadership make more informed decisions about hiring, coaching, and promotions while tailoring support to the needs of each team member.
19. RDS Investments
What they do: Arts/Entertainment/Media
Employees: 17
The workforce at RDS Investments spans a remarkable four generations — from Gen Z to the Silent Generation, the youngest being 24 and the senior statesman age 86.
“Ron Sturgeon Real Estate LP is truly the best place to work!” Ron Sturgeon declares.
It certainly does have one unique asset. Employees enjoy after-hours access to the company’s collection of more than 200 classic cars and 3,000 toys, with opportunities to occasionally get behind the wheel of vehicles from the collection.
However, beyond the unique setting, the company emphasizes flexible scheduling, continuous learning, and support for professional development through classes and educational opportunities. Regular celebrations, bonus programs, and, yes, that multigenerational workforce help create a “vibrant environment” with a “unique blend of passion, perks, and people that makes us an award-winning workplace where everyone thrives.”
Vacation is available to use as accrued, meaning you do not have to wait till the end of the year. Moreover, employees are registered for management seminars and training. Team members may have paid time off to take educational classes of their choosing.
20. Franz Architects Inc.
What they do: Architecture
Employees: 19
Franz Architects was founded in 1983, about the same time society was introduced to Ms. Pac-Man, an arcade hit in its day, no matter how you measure it.
She immediately came to mind after reading about Franz Architects’ annual Arcade Day. Beware of Blinky, Pinky, Inky, and Sue.
Franz Architects takes a traditional approach to workplace culture, emphasizing stability in a workplace where people tend to stay for the long haul. Team members benefit from fully paid health coverage and flexible schedules.
Franz pays for 100% of employee medical premiums; 100% of dental premiums; 100% of vision premiums; and 50% of dependent coverage. Employees can also upgrade to a richer health plan by paying only the difference in premium, typically $100.
A big differentiator: retirement benefits.
Franz matches up to 6% of an employee’s salary in its 401(k). It also has a profit-sharing plan that is deposited directly into employees’ retirement accounts.
“Our goal is to make sure that everyone has the opportunity to retire at some point in their lives,” founder John Franz says.
21. Mason-Dallas Inc.
What they do: Construction
Employees: 16
“Let’s face it,” says Steve Farco, president of Mason-Dallas Inc., “creating vibration and acoustic solutions does not sound like the most exciting profession, but we find joy in it.”
Mason-Dallas specializes in solving problems most people never think about. Its vibration isolation and acoustic systems keep heavy mechanical equipment from shaking hospital operating rooms, disrupting performances in concert halls, or sending unwanted noise and vibration through office towers.
It ain’t glamorous.
Mason-Dallas’ workplace culture begins with a statistic few companies can claim: zero voluntary turnover. That’s the business equivalent of a college football program that doesn’t lose a single player to the transfer portal.
The Euless-based engineering firm says employees simply don’t leave, a testament to a family-first philosophy that extends well beyond those related by blood. (Six of the company’s 15 employees are family members.)
The culture is reinforced by benefits and flexibility uncommon for a company its size. Mason-Dallas pays 100% of employee premiums for medical, dental, vision, life insurance. It contributes an additional $100 per month to each employee’s FSA, offers a 5% 401(k) match, and shares company success through quarterly bonuses.
22. Star Retina
What they do: Healthcare Provider/Social Care
Employees: 29
Star Retina, a specialty ophthalmology practice focused exclusively on diseases and surgery of the retina and vitreous, founded by Dr. Courtney Crawford in 2021, stands out in this survey through low turnover in a challenging industry, meaningful investment in employee education, and generous PTO growth.
Healthcare is notorious for high turnover, particularly among clinical staff. Yet, Star Retina boasts just 5% voluntary turnover, considered exceptionally low for a medical practice.
The PTO progression is an exceptionally strong part of the company’s application. Twelve days in year one; 17 days after one year; 22 days after two years; and 27 days after five years.
Not sure I’d know what to do with myself for 27 days.
And, finally, another strong differentiator is investment in employees continuing education.
The practice says it sends employees to professional development courses at least quarterly, conducts annual CPR and patient safety training, and recently paid for six employees to complete phlebotomy certification.
That’s a tangible investment in career advancement, not merely checking a box.
Lots to see here.
A workplace gets along a lot better when everybody spends more time carrying the load than measuring it.
MEDIUM COMPANIES (50-249 EMPLOYEES)
Olaf Growald
Wick Phillips
1. Wick Phillips
What they do: Legal
Employees: 145
Wick Phillips makes its perennial appearance on the roster of Best Companies To Work For. There seems to be little argument about why it continually places so high.
One strength that continues to stand out is its strong emphasis on developing the next generation of legal talent.
The firm offers monthly continuing legal education courses, mentoring, one-on-one coaching with senior partners, job shadowing, and cross-training. It also partners with law schools on internships that often lead to full-time attorney positions, while encouraging employees to take active roles in professional organizations by covering membership fees.
Says the firm: “We are committed to fostering the leadership of the future and give our lawyers practical experience early in their careers to build their knowledge, confidence, and ultimately make them better lawyers.”
The firm also promotes work-life balance through a combination of flexible scheduling and generous benefits, including unlimited PTO.
Employee wellness is another recurring theme throughout the application. Wick Phillips offers wellness rooms, sound bath sessions, chair massages, nutrition and stress-reduction education, and periodic lunch-and-learn programs focused on recognizing and reducing stress.
2. Muckleroy & Falls
What they do: Construction
Employees: 83
Muckleroy & Falls, founded in 1979, writes a narrative on workplace culture that extends beyond “we have great benefits.”
Employees at the construction firm routinely cite a culture that nourishes a sense of belonging and offers supportive leadership, autonomy to do their jobs, meaningful work, growth opportunities, and recognition.
That recognition includes the ZDM Impact Award, tied to the values and character of the late Zach Muckleroy.
“M&F is a people-first construction firm built on intentional hiring, strong values, and a commitment to delivering excellence for our clients,” the company says. “We hire for both skill and cultural alignment, resulting in a highly engaged team.”
Muckleroy & Falls isn’t only building edifices but also “people and lasting careers.”
The investment in its team members includes leadership cohorts, coaching, and structured career paths.
The company provides fully employer-paid medical insurance, along with dental and vision coverage. To help employees maximize these benefits and plan for their financial future, the firm offers financial wellness and retirement education through its 401(k) provider, as well as weekly Wellness Wednesday communications featuring resources, tips, and benefits information.
3. Goranson Bain Ausley
What they do: Legal
Employees: 112
Perhaps the most important unit at Goranson Bain Ausley, a family-law firm begun in 1987, is The Firm Culture Committee, which organizes events throughout the year that celebrate employees and strengthen relationships across the office, including the Great Day of Service, Paralegal Day — can’t live without them — Administrative Professionals Day — them either — birthday and work anniversary celebrations, Fun Fridays, and a year-end celebration.
Who doesn’t celebrate the end of the year?
Unlimited PTO shows up at the firm, too. That feature appears to spreading. Fully paid employee medical, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance, paid parental leave, and retirement contributions totaling 5% of gross pay regardless of employee participation.
The firm encourages altruism by allowing team members to participate in community service during business hours without losing pay or vacation time. Moreover, the firm matches employees’ charitable donations.
4. Imperial Construction Inc.
What they do: Construction
Employees: 51
Parker County-based Imperial Construction is a commercial general contractor founded in 2000. The company primarily builds projects across the Fort Worth-Dallas area and attributes its longevity to hands-on leadership from its executive team, including its founders, who remain actively involved with employees and projects.
Its portfolio spans a broad range of commercial construction, including office buildings, industrial facilities, large retail developments, education buildings, and government facilities, among other things.
In addition to a 401(k), the company has an ESOP program that stands out because it makes employees beneficiaries of the company’s growth. Eligible employees become owners through a retirement benefit that is fully funded by the firm.
A Wall of Fame in the lobby area recognizes tenure. It sounds fancy. Those honored employees get their photo taken and placed in the brightly lit display that is suspended from the ceiling.
Is it as fancy as Salon Day for the Imperial Ladies?
The ladies start the day with pedicures, manicures, and mimosas and finish with lunch in Clearfork before taking the rest of the day off.
We noticed this last year. It bears repeating.
Culture isn’t what hangs on the wall. It’s what walks through the front door every morning.
5. Lena Pope
What they do: Nonprofit
Employees: 139
Lena Pope has built a workplace where caring for employees isn’t separate from the mission — it is the mission. And it’s reflected in benefits, leadership, and a culture designed to help people thrive while they help others.
That philosophy is evident throughout the nearly century-old nonprofit’s approach to employee well-being.
Staff members receive comprehensive wellness benefits that include premium reimbursement incentives, nutrition coaching, mental health support, and quarterly wellness activities, while working parents can take advantage of discounted childcare at the organization’s nationally accredited early learning centers.
Professional growth is equally intentional, with succession planning, leadership development, mentoring, and free clinical supervision for employees pursuing licensure.
Recognition goes beyond annual awards through a point-based incentive program that rewards accomplishments, teamwork, and acts of kindness.
The result of this healthy workplace is a culture that supports employees personally and professionally so they can better serve the children, families, and communities who rely on Lena Pope.
6. Byrne Construction Services
What they do: Construction
Employees: 90
Hard hats and happy hour aren’t usually part of the same sentence. Bad combo, typically. At Byrne Construction, however, they’re part of the same campus. We learned a few years ago about the Byrne Biergarten.
And we still haven’t been invited.
But this Byrne Biergarten for employees stands out, doubling as a picnic area, happy hour venue, and gathering place for charity events and concerts. Pair that with an on-site gym, basketball court, and ping-pong, and you’ve got a workplace that feels more like a campus than a contractor’s headquarters.
The company was founded in 1923 by Thomas Sneed Byrne in Fort Worth after he left the Invincible Oil Company. (Invincible Oil Company is out of business, making it more vincible than invincible.)
In 1995, John Avila Jr. purchased the company from the Byrne family, keeping it family owned while expanding throughout Texas. Brothers Matthew Avila and Paul Avila assumed leadership in 2015, representing the fifth generation of family ownership and management.
The company boasts a 2% voluntary turnover annually. In construction, that is striking. How do they do it? Simple.
Beer.
7. The Baker Firm
Olaf Growald
The Baker Firm
What they do: Title Insurance
Employees: 79
The Baker Firm is the company that throws vacations. Yes, they have a Christmas party, but they also take employees on trips to Mexico, Nashville, Biloxi, and, most recently, Possum Kingdom.
“They are great for team building and cultivating mutual respect amongst our team,” the firm says. “We also do yearly retreats.”
Founded in 2011, The Baker Firm is a title and escrow company that handles the legal side of real estate transactions. It operates as a fee attorney office of Fidelity National Title, one of the nation’s largest title insurance underwriters, giving it the backing of a national company while operating as a locally managed business.
They also mention an annual Awards Night recognizing top producers, milestones, and superlatives. The Dundees come to Fort Worth.
So, your quarters at the firm include wrapping Christmas presents one month, eating crawfish the next, going to Nashville in March, Awards Night in April, happy hour, happy hour, happy hour, crawfish, catered lunch, and barbecue with live music to start the summer.
That rhythm says something about their culture.
Oh, and they also offer semiannual profit share amongst everyone in the company.
8. Steele & Freeman Inc.
What they do: Construction
Employees: 90
The Can-Do Crew at Steele & Freeman is back. The company founded by Bill Steele and David Freeman in 1979 is today under the third generation of Freeman leadership, though it continues to operate around the philosophy of its “23 Fundamentals,” mentioned repeatedly throughout its application as the backbone of its company culture.
The ninth fundamental is “Family Is Everything.”
“With our 23 Fundamentals, which emphasize respect, communication, and collaboration, we foster a culture where every team member feels valued and supported. By treating each other like family, we build strong connections that result in a cohesive, engaged workforce. This combination of support, respect, and fun makes SFI an outstanding place for both professional and personal growth.”
They also have a poker night in which every employee gives back some of their paychecks.
No, I’m kidding. I made that up. Once a month, the office cuts out early for a poker game. All are invited to participate for, ahem, prizes.
The annual fishing retreat is another event that has always gotten our attention. Adult beverages, corn hole, and card games. A hotel stay and then a wakeup call before dawn to go fishing.
9. Anderson Injury Lawyers
What they do: Legal
Employees: 111
Anderson Injury Lawyers is the law firm that tells employees to unplug or face legal action.
No, actually, they won’t go to that length — I don’t think — but employees are not permitted to work while on vacation, even though cases don’t stop while they’re away. Moreover, the team is required to take its time off accrued.
Nearly half of Anderson Injury Lawyers’ workforce operates remotely, an unusually high share for a personal injury law firm. The firm says it works to keep those employees connected through regular virtual meetings, one-on-one check-ins, online training, team-building activities, and recognition programs that celebrate birthdays and work anniversaries.
The approach reflects an effort to preserve the firm’s culture even though 42% of employees work outside the office.
The firm also says its workplace culture centers on employee growth. The firm highlights a commitment to promoting from within, offering clear advancement opportunities, investing in leadership development, and conducting performance reviews three or more times a year to help employees build their careers.
10. Worthington Bank
Olaf Growald
Worthington Bank
What they do: Banking
Employees: 76
Worthington Bank isn’t some stuffy institution with Milburn Drysdale at the helm, but rather a place that mixes traditional banking with a social office culture.
Monthly morale boosters, employee receptions, and an annual holiday party are featured with milestone celebrations for birthdays, promotions, work anniversaries, and Employee of the Year awards.
The place is family friendly, too, employing a philosophy beyond the workplace with benefits designed to support employees through every stage of life.
The bank offers adoption assistance that can include paid time off, legal and agency fees, counseling, court costs, and travel expenses. Parents also have access to lactation facilities and support programs, while employees receive schedule flexibility to attend their children’s school events and time off to take family members to medical appointments.
The bank also invites employees’ families to workplace celebrations and holiday events, offers marriage and family counseling, and provides tickets to sporting events, museums, amusement parks, and other entertainment.
11. Center for Transforming Lives
What they do: Nonprofit
Employees: 173
One of the most colorful details of Center for Transforming Lives is the Butterfly Award presented every month to three employees who exemplify the organization’s values. It’s notable, of course, because the butterfly symbolizes transformation, tying directly into the nonprofit’s mission.
Center for Transforming Lives is dedicated to helping families thrive outside its walls, but it applies the same philosophy inside the organization.
From CEO-led leadership training and transparent employee feedback to weekly yoga, discounted childcare, and recognition programs like, yes, the Butterfly Award, the nonprofit has built a workplace centered on caring for the people who devote their lives to caring for others.
Connect & Grow is a monthly gathering where the entire staff shares a meal while connecting, collaborating, and learning. Rather than another meeting, it’s designed as a culture-building event.
The organization, founded in 1907 as the YWCA, has undergone a transformation itself, moving into spacious new digs on Riverside, expanding its offerings and potential to impact more women and their children.
12. United Way of Tarrant County
What they do: Nonprofit
Employees: 64
Another Fort Worth institution, founded in 1922, is the United Way of Tarrant County, which knows how to compete after hours.
Its employee good-time schedule includes a Halloween costume party complete with trivia and games; a holiday party at Chicken N Pickle featuring a pickleball tournament with medals awarded to the winning teams; and another trash-talking opportunity, a fantasy football league. The champion gets a traveling trophy and, according to the organization, plenty of year-round “smack talk.”
Some other things are noteworthy.
The organization surveys employees twice a year and points to concrete changes that resulted, including adding Good Friday as a paid holiday, maintaining hybrid work, and purchasing equipment employees requested.
That’s a strong example of feedback loop.
A generous retirement plan that goes beyond a 100% match up to 4%, includes employees receiving an additional 4% employer contribution whether or not they contribute to the plan, once eligible.
Because many employees work in human services, supervisors receive annual training to recognize burnout and compassion fatigue. That acknowledges the realities of nonprofit work instead of pretending they don’t exist.
The quickest way to improve morale is to quit giving speeches about morale.
13. Radiology Associates of North Texas
What they do: Healthcare Provider/Social Care
Employees: 193
All righty then. Founded in 1937, Radiology Associates of North Texas doesn’t merely hang core values on the wall. Rather, they build company events and even competition around them.
And some of them taste good.
For example, “Servant’s Heart” becomes a community service day. “Radical Attitude” becomes a spicy chili cook-off. “Fighter’s Spirit” becomes a tailgating competition.
That’s a creative way to reinforce culture and the value of antacids.
Financially, the company has a strong package. Employees receive a dollar-for-dollar 4% match plus about 7.5% in profit sharing, meaning the employer can contribute roughly 12.5% of compensation if the employee contributes 4%.
That’s unusually generous.
Moreover, the company pairs workplace flexibility with a culture that encourages employees to put down roots. A hybrid schedule, a 9/80 workweek that gives employees every other Friday off, paid volunteer hours, and generous tuition reimbursement help attract talent, while long-term employees are rewarded with up to 30 days of paid time off.
The result is a workplace where many employees choose to spend their entire careers.
14. The Blum Firm
What they do: Legal
Employees: 56
The Blum Firm’s application emphasized mentorship, collaboration, open communication, and making sure employees feel heard.
And where long careers are encouraged.
The firm recruits both young professionals and seasoned attorneys, intentionally creating a multigenerational workplace where experienced lawyers mentor newer employees.
“It is not uncommon for our workforce to include individuals at every stage of their careers, including attorneys who have been practicing for decades. By creating opportunities for growth, flexibility, and collaboration, we foster an environment where employees can build long, fulfilling careers”
PTO also grows substantially with tenure and key milestones — from 17 days in the first year to 28 days after 20 years.
The firm celebrates birthdays, anniversaries, and milestones through monthly virtual gatherings that connect all offices, while local offices host breakfasts, cakes, and other celebrations.
It’s a simple but thoughtful approach to making employees feel seen.
“By creating shared and local opportunities to celebrate, we ensure that employees feel valued and connected, no matter where they are.”
15. Key School and Training Center
What they do: Education Services
Employees: 56
Founded in 1966, Key School and Training Center has a clear mission: It exists to help students with learning differences succeed, and it applies that same philosophy to its employees. Nearly every benefit is designed to help educators avoid burnout and do their best work.
“Teachers are at the highest risk level of burnout, and our student population requires a great deal of a teacher’s time. Therefore, we offer teachers one hour per day when they are not teaching to provide for a mental break or plan.”
Called WIN — What I Need — the hour break also encourages team collaboration.
“We also provide monthly trainings to help all employees understand our special student population and how we respond to their high needs. Mental health is prioritized at Key School.”
Today, the Fort Worth institution also trains dyslexia therapists and educators, expanding its impact beyond the classroom.
The school reports just 5% voluntary turnover, an average employee tenure of nearly 10 years, and attributes improved retention to five core values implemented five years ago.
16. LanCarte Commercial Real Estate
What they do: Real Estate/Renting/Leasing
Employees: 51
LanCarte Commercial Real Estate, founded in 2018, has a Summer Wellness Program that reflects its commitment to work-life balance. Every other Friday during the summer, employees leave at 1 p.m., with pay, to spend time with family, pursue wellness, simply enjoy being outdoors, or an attitude adjustment at the local tavern.
The firm has also built a reputation around developing young talent while maintaining a close-knit, entrepreneurial environment.
The firm’s internship-to-agent pipeline is particularly distinctive. College students enter as paid interns, transition into a paid analyst role after graduation, and ultimately become commercial real estate brokers. More than five current agents came through the program.
“The intern program that has proven to be highly successful over the past several years,” the firm says.
LanCarte Commercial is a Fort Worth-based commercial real estate brokerage specializing in office, industrial, retail, land, and investment properties.
Perks include birthday flex days and a steady calendar of culture events — from paint-and-sips to Christmas karaoke.
Go ahead, give me a little “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer.”
A meeting ought to leave folks with more work done than coffee drank.
LARGE COMPANIES (249-PLUS EMPLOYEES)
Olaf Growald
HUB Fort Worth
1. HUB Fort Worth
What they do: Business Services
Employees: 22,000 (97 in Fort Worth)
Long before the HUB International name appeared on the building, business owners knew this deeply rooted Fort Worth institution as Gus Bates.
Founded in 1966 from a one-man life insurance practice, the firm grew into one of North Texas’ largest independent insurance and retirement advisory companies before joining HUB in 2020.
Even after the acquisition, the company still embraces founder Gus Bates’ enduring philosophy: “Don’t tell me how much you know, show me how much you care.”
And if you ever played basketball with him, you’d understand this HAT Award, presented to the employee who displays hustle, attitude, and teamwork. The HAT is said to be “highly valued,” a peer-nominated honor presented annually. The winner receives a significant prize.
Awards are actually woven into the culture. The Rockstar Award is leadership-nominated and awarded twice a year to top performers. SHARP is a nationwide sales competition with high-performance benchmarks. Winners earn an exclusive trip for themselves and a guest to destinations like Las Vegas or Orlando.
The firm invests in employee improvement through Texas Leadership Academy, certifications and continuing education, and partnership with TCU.
The firm also has long-standing traditions, such as Christmas lunch at Joe T. Garcia’s with a party bus and the Colonial “Par-Tee,” featuring live music, food, and a golf simulator. Fore!
2. USI Insurance
What they do: Insurance
Employees: 10,500 (45 in Fort Worth)
USI Insurance, founded in 1994 backs its emphasis on career growth with structured career-track programs, mentoring, leadership training, and a proprietary system that supports employee development alongside client service.
“We currently have four career-track programs and invest heavily in our early talent associates through these one-of-a kind personal and professional development programs, along with best-in-class rewards and recognition.”
The firm also has a strong PTO game, including 18 days in the first year and a steady increase up to 28 days after 10 years.
USI also still embraces a philosophy of diversity. To some a dirty word, it’s simply good business to ensure that employees represent the diversity “of our prospects, clients, and communities by upholding a professional environment that is inclusive and seeks out diversity of thought and background.”
In June 2020, USI formalized its I’m With U, USI’s official diversity, equity, and inclusion program.
“We firmly believe that this is a movement toward a better world – not just a moment in time,” says Cesar Castaneda, the firm’s employee benefits practice leader.
3. Lochmueller Group Inc.
What they do: Engineering
Employees: 439 (29 in Fort Worth)
Lochmueller, a relative newcomer compared to some of the big oak trees in the program, entered Texas by acquiring Multatech Engineering, which isn’t exactly a sapling. The Fort Worth-based engineering firm was founded in 1980, and it kept its local management after the acquisition in 2024.
The company says the acquisition gave its Fort Worth office deep local relationships, more than 70 infrastructure projects in Fort Worth, and the resources of a larger regional engineering firm.
The acquisition also gave its new Fort Worth team members ownership in the company.
Lochmueller Group is a 100% employee-owned firm. Employees become eligible for the Employee Stock Ownership Plan after meeting service requirements, receive annual share allocations, and become fully vested over time.
Company CEO Douglas Shatto says ownership creates transparency, accountability, pride, and a long-term mindset because everyone has a stake in the firm’s success. The Fort Worth office also emphasizes that employees are empowered through mentorship, collaboration, and servant leadership.
Adds Shatto: Lochmueller’s Pulse Point Committee promotes belonging by encouraging respectful conversations, strengthening relationships, and fostering an inclusive workplace where employees feel valued, connected, and appreciated for their unique perspectives.
4. Higginbotham
What they do: Insurance
Employees: 3,984 (595 in Fort Worth)
Every Christmas season, Higg rents out Six Flags Over Texas in Arlington for a private holiday party for the team members and their families. It’s a very reverse Clark Griswold thing to do.
Sorry folks, park’s closed. The moose out front should have told you.
But speaking of giant oaks. Higginbotham was founded by Paul Higginbotham as a local insurance agency in 1948 to become today one of the nation’s largest independent brokerages, all while remaining headquartered in Fort Worth.
Team members share in the company’s success through employee-ownership opportunities, robust professional development, and a workplace that celebrates both career achievements and life’s milestones.
Professional development includes a learning management system with online courses added every month for technology, sales, and soft skills development; Higginbotham University (HIGG U), with curriculum for insurance licensing and training; and New Producer Program for sales training.
Employees are encouraged to live Higginbotham’s core values through their work, while town halls and engagement groups celebrate achievements, strengthen relationships, and foster a connected workplace.
“Our workplace culture is a key factor that sets Higginbotham apart.”
5. ID Technology
What they do: Manufacturing
Employees: 555 (113 in Fort Worth)
You probably had no idea, but you’ve almost certainly interacted with ID Technology before breakfast.
Whether it’s the barcode on a carton of milk, a shipping label on an online order, or the date code on packaged food, the Fort Worth company helps manufacturers identify, track, and label millions of products every day.
Behind that behind-the-scenes role is a workplace where employees tend to stay — its voluntary turnover was just 2% — thanks to a culture that emphasizes personal recognition, accessible leadership, and long-term careers.
Founded in 1995, ID Technology has grown from a labeling systems provider into a leader in product identification, supplying labeling, coding, and barcode solutions to manufacturers across multiple industries.
Now part of the ProMach family, the company pairs global resources with a close-knit culture. Employees are recognized for life’s milestones with personal gifts and extra time off, while leadership stays connected through regular communications and quarterly gatherings that reinforce the company’s small-team atmosphere despite its place in a global organization.
6. Weaver
What they do: Accounting
Employees: 1,380 (61 in Fort Worth)
Community service is more than an annual initiative at Weaver. It’s woven into the firm’s culture.
Through its Private Foundation, the accounting firm provides approximately $400,000 each year to nonprofits while encouraging employees to give back through paid volunteer time, dollar-for-dollar charitable matches, grants of up to $2,500 for organizations where employees serve, and service projects.
This year, 30 employees will travel to California to partner with All Hands and Hearts to restore a fire-damaged charter school, rebuilding outdoor spaces and creating safe, engaging areas for students.
That’s an item on Weaver’s balance sheet that stands out. So, too, is treating professional development as a firmwide mission, particularly those pursuing the CPA credential.
Every employee receives Becker CPA Review at no cost, along with multiple support pathways and bonuses of up to $5,000 for passing the exam.
The commitment continues with structured programs such as Weaver LAUNCH for new professionals, Weaver LIFT for emerging leaders, and Weaver LEAD, an internal coaching program that prepares employees to mentor and develop others.
Olaf Growald
Southside Bank
7. Southside Bank
What they do: Finance
Employees: 834 (164 in Fort Worth)
At Southside Bank, relationship banking begins long before employees meet a customer, says Justin Holt, president of the Fort Worth market. The bank has spent the past year intentionally strengthening relationships within its own workforce through initiatives designed to connect employees across departments and markets.
In 2025, it launched “The Everyday Dollar” podcast and expanded “The Relationship Culture Series,” where leaders share lessons on building stronger relationships with colleagues, clients, and the community. New York Times bestselling author Andy Andrews also addressed managers on “Enriching Relationships,” with those conversations shared bankwide.
Combined with executive mentoring, leadership development, and a deliberate effort to break down organizational silos, the initiatives reinforce a culture built around connection. The philosophy is summed up in the company’s internal rallying cry, #InThisTogether.
The bank fosters a culture of long-term commitment, with just a 5% voluntary turnover rate. Employees are recognized throughout their careers, rewarded for longevity, and become company owners through an employee stock ownership plan after one year of service.
Relationships, you could say, earn, ahem, dividends.
8. Crossland Construction Company Inc.
What they do: Construction
Employees: 1,367 (54 in Fort Worth)
Founded in 1977, Crossland Construction has grown from a regional contractor into one of the nation’s largest construction companies, ranking among the top 50 contractors in the U.S.
The employee-owned company has built its reputation on self-performing much of its work, allowing it to maintain greater control over quality, schedules, and costs. Today, Crossland delivers commercial, industrial, educational, healthcare, and infrastructure projects across multiple states while continuing to expand from its Fort Worth operations.
Crossland has been the way to a livelihood from a number of entryways. The company has created multiple pathways for employees to grow from entry-level positions into leadership.
High school graduates can begin through apprenticeship programs, college students gain real-world experience as interns, and recent graduates enter the Emerging Leader Program.
Employees can continue advancing through Crossland Academy, which offers superintendent, project management, leadership, and craft training, while apprentices earn industry-recognized certifications on the job.
How do we find our way into the annual crawfish boil at the office? A team organizes this 330-pound festival and break from the hustle.
9. CLA
What they do: Accounting
Employees: 8,077 (49 in Fort Worth)
Most accounting firms have rigid career ladders. CLA intentionally rejects that model. Instead of expecting every accountant to climb the same corporate ladder, the firm encourages employees to build what it calls an “inspired career” — one shaped by individual strengths, interests, and aspirations.
Each employee is paired with a career coach who helps identify meaningful experiences, explore different industries and service areas, and make intentional career choices over time. Professional development extends beyond technical accounting skills to include emotional intelligence and leadership, giving employees the flexibility to pursue careers that fit their personal goals rather than a one-size-fits-all model.
The philosophy reflects a broader belief that employees are more engaged, better equipped to serve clients, and more likely to build long-term careers when they have ownership over their professional journey.
“This strategy of career choice is uncommon. Our learning curriculum includes both technical and emotional intelligence learning, which distinguishes the firm in the marketplace.”
CLA supports employees with a comprehensive suite of mental health, wellness, family planning, counseling, and medical resources, available both virtually and in person.
10. Elevate
What they do: Finance
Employees: 300 (204 in Fort Worth)
New to the dais is Fort Worth-based Elevate, a Fort Worth-based financial technology company that develops online credit and financial products for consumers. The company is guided by its core values — Think Big, Raise the Bar, Do the Right Thing, and Win Together.
Elevate literally invests in employee loyalty, building generous service recognition programs by rewarding employees every five years with a $5,000 bonus.
At the 10-year mark, that recognition expands to include a fully paid month-long sabbatical, giving employees the opportunity to recharge after a decade of service.
Since its founding in 2014, more than 20% of Elevate’s workforce has already reached the 10-year milestone.
“We have a clear approach to supporting employees at every stage of their careers,” says April Sealy, Elevate’s chief human resource officer. “We offer programs and benefits designed to meet a wide range of needs. We regularly review engagement survey feedback, benefits utilization, and workforce data across generations and use that insight to ensure our programs continue to support a positive employee experience.”
11. TTI Inc.
What they do: Technology
Employees: 1,791 (1,232 in Fort Worth)
At TTI, the most important component isn’t electronic — it’s human.
For more than 50 years, the Fort Worth-based distributor founded by Paul Andrews Jr. in 1971 has built its culture around the belief that long-term business success begins with long-term employee relationships.
“Our ‘secret sauce’ is not a single program or perk, but a people-first mindset rooted in trust and respect,” says Mike Morton, TTI CEO, while adding that team members are empowered to grow and supported throughout their careers, “which is reflected in our exceptional tenure and strong sense of loyalty.”
TTI invests in employees at every career stage through structured onboarding, leadership development, mentoring, manager training, and ongoing learning programs. From new hires to high-potential leaders, the company provides clear pathways for professional growth, internal advancement, and long-term career success.
“Work is more fun at TTI” is a mantra. The company makes note of its March Madness free-throw contests, ping-pong tournaments, food trucks, and a cookout with the Captain, the Texas Rangers mascot. (If Captain goes missing, layoff the cheeseburgers.)
The company’s annual Santa Day is described as a “cherished tradition.”
12. Forvis Mazars
What they do: Accounting
Employees: 7,542 (83 in Fort Worth)
Forvis Mazars positions flexibility as a cornerstone of its culture, starting with this seeming increasingly popular concept of unlimited PTO, flexible work hours, fully paid parental leave, concierge services, and sabbaticals, all designed to reinforce the message that employees can pursue ambitious careers while maintaining healthy lives outside the office.
“Employees consistently point to the firm’s inclusive environment, meaningful client work, and supportive leadership as reasons they choose to build lasting careers at Forvis Mazars,” says Rob Optiz, assistant managing partner.
The firm offers tuition reimbursement on business education workshops or conferences, professional certifications, and CPA prep.
It also boasts of a “Lifestyle Spending Account,” which is the reimbursement up to $1,000 annually ($250 per quarter) for eligible well-being expenses in the following categories: emotional, physical, financial, tech, convenience, and family support.
Employees are recognized through the firm’s BRAVO recognition platform and the Key Award, the highest honor at Forvis Mazars, presented annually to the partner and team member who have exemplified “our DNA.”