Mayor Patti York bestowed Employer of the Year honors on four St. Charles area businesses during the May 20 St. Charles Chamber of Commerce general membership meeting at the Saint Charles Convention Center.
“We are pleased to recognize local businesses who continue to grow and thrive in our city,” said Mayor York. “These companies make a huge investment in our community and as employers provide support and benefits to their employees. In addition,” York added, “their generous commitment in giving back to the community through various charitable and civic organizations is commendable, for it represents the spirit behind this well-deserved recognition.”
St. Charles annually presents the Employer of the Year award in the categories of service, manufacturing/industrial and retail; this year the city is adding a new category entitled the energy efficient award. The 2009 honorees are:
Service
First State Bank of St. Charles – 206 North Fifth Street (636-940-5555)
A local independent bank serving St. Charles County for over 142 years, First State Bank of St. Charles believes civic involvement and employee participation are important values for any local community bank. First State Bank president and CEO David Strautz credits the 54 full- and part-time bank employees who serve customers at four banking centers in St. Charles County for the bank’s longevity and reputation.
“This bank’s success stems from its ability to build lasting relationships through customer interactions and employee teamwork,” Strautz said. “As a local community bank, we are proud to serve the businesses and families of St. Charles County. Our employees live and work in this community, and they truly care about the customers we serve every day.” As part of First State Bank’s commitment to being a strong community partner, the bank donates to nearly 100 local not-for-profit organizations, and encourages its employees to become involved in the leadership and direction of local organizations. As a result, employees and directors donate their time to numerous non-profit boards, foundations and community projects.
First State Bank employees are also encouraged to actively participate in bank-sponsored career building programs such as job shadowing, teamwork training, job certification programs and tuition assistance for continuing education. Employees who receive high marks on customer satisfaction surveys are recognized at annual meetings. “As a part of our corporate culture, we take great pride in our staff members,” added Strautz. “Our employees are recognized for outstanding achievements, annual perfect attendance and years of service.”
Manufacturing/Industrial
ELTEK Labs – 248 Hughes Lane (636-949-5835)
ELTEK International Laboratories is founded on a philosophy – developed by the company’s founder and president Ed Van Vooren – based upon the ‘growth of human capital.’ According to general manager Andrea Morse, Mr. Van Vooren believes that to develop professionals you must first begin by developing the person that will become the professional. “Much of the recognition that our employees receive here at ELTEK are founded in this philosophy,” Morse said.
The employees of ELTEK nominated Mr. Van Vooren for this honor as he is world-renowned for his knowledge and expertise in the electrical testing industry. “Ed has contributed his expertise to enable the publication of several international standards for our industry,” Morse said. “He established ELTEK Labs – an electrical testing laboratory – in1987. The company currently has 17 employees (including two UMSL/Wash. U. engineering interns) and several external sales reps servicing over 450 customers worldwide.” According to Morse and her fellow staff members, Ed is a natural-born teacher and loves educating his employees about the electrical testing industry. “Ed thinks in broader terms than the typical employer in the sense that his goal is not only to train and educate his staff for industry purposes and the jobs they perform, but to give them the opportunity to broaden their overall life experiences in general in order to enrich the quality of their lives.
ELTEK supports staff in their efforts to be involved in charitable or community organizations. The company does the same by hosting community events such as the St. Charles Economic Development Council meeting in December of last year. Their staff members make a point of attending meetings hosted by Mayor York, and are currently helping the city of St. Charles with business development efforts involving a Chinese client who is active in the procurement of products to build locomotives in China.
Retail
St. Charles Office Furniture – 710 Fountain Lakes Blvd. (636-947-3172)
When it comes to surviving the current economic situation, the folks at St. Charles Office Furniture know all too well the value of retaining traditional values and customer service. “Despite the various barriers to doing just that, during today’s economic climate the personal attention to detail has never been more important,” said Ronald “Pete” Barteau, president.
The company has been in existence for 15 years, providing office space planning, new and used office furniture and related accessories. The six employees on staff at St. Charles Office Furniture excel based on the company’s practice of providing acknowledgements for a job well-done, including financial bonuses. “From a civic standpoint, we also donate furniture to local churches and schools,” added Barteau. “Plus, we discount furniture for local charities and educational institutions.”
According to Pete and his wife Pat, the company expanded their facility in 2005, providing an additional 7,000 square feet of operational space in Fountain Lakes. “We’re most proud of the fact that our business was able to rebound from the flood of 1993,” added Pat. “Having retooled our plan from a two-car sized garage, our mission today is to better handle the planet so as to avoid putting furniture in landfills. The added bonus for us is we have repeat customers who know we’ll help them find quality furniture at an affordable price point.”
Energy Efficiency – new award category for 2009
EPC, Inc. – 3941 Harry S. Truman Blvd. (636-443-1999)
EPC is one of the premier Asset Recovery Solution providers in North America. The company’s mission is to provide its customers with the most seamless solutions for maximizing return and minimizing the risks associated with data security and improper handling of end-of-life IT assets. “We are committed to continual improvement,” said vice president Dave Beal, “including prevention of pollution, compliance with relevant environmental legislation, regulations, and conformance to the requirements of our environmental management system.”
EPC’s environmental efforts earned the company the St. Louis Business Journal’s 2008 Heroes of the Planet Award for the Sustainable Products category. “Our main business,” added Beal, “is to refurbish or recycle computer equipment. If the computer/monitor/printer is in working order or needs minor repairs, we refurbish the unit and sell it. If the piece is too old or cannot be repaired, we demanufacture and recycle it.”
According to Beal, any good parts might be sold, such as a memory stick or a wiped hard drive; the majority of the pieces are broken down and sold as a commodity. “Steel from the chassis, plastic from the printer hulls, printed circuit boards and wire all have value and are recyclable,” he said. “It takes less energy to recycle than to make these materials from scratch.” EPC has been in business for 25 years and currently employs 240 people.
Mayor York indicated the city of St. Charles has prospered over the years by encouraging local businesses to grow and expand and by keeping pace with a growing population. “In our ever-changing economic environment, our city has been built on a proud past and continues to build and foster an exciting future,” York said.
“It is because of city businesses that our community can confidently expect dynamic growth to continue throughout 2009 as we celebrate our Bicentennial anniversary and for many years to come.”