We counted your votes, and another year of good business is in the books.
We at Columbus CEO are proud to recognize Columbus' business best-in-class, as identified by 53,988 votes collected over the summer. This year's Best of Business poll attracted the strongest-yet reader interest, with the number of votes cast up 44 percent from the year before.
Readers voted for their favorites in 11 categories: Business Support Services, Education, Financial, Food and Beverage, Healthcare, Legal, Meetings & Events, Personal Perks, Real Estate, Workforce and Best of the Rest. In all, readers selected winners—or sometimes two—and runners-up in 79 separate areas. This year there were upsets, a few ties and some iron-clad winners who continue to come out on top.
Without further ado, we present the excellent businesses Columbus has to offer as chosen by our readers for 2017.
The Best of The Best
M/I Homes is the only company to have won its category all 10 years—Best Residential/Multifamily Developer (formerly Best Home Builder) Congratulations to M/I Homes for their best-of-the-best performance!
The Top 10 with the Next-Best Records
9 of 10 years
Mills James
Productions
Nationwide Insurance
SBC Advertising
Scioto Country Club
8 of 10 years
Atlas Butler Heating and Cooling
Diamond Cellar
GBQ Partners
Hilton Columbus at Easton
Ohio State University
Verizon
BUSINESS SUPPORT SERVICES
Ad Agency
Fahlgren Mortine promotes itself from second to first, and GSW wins acclaim as a new No. 2.
Architectural Firm
M+A Architects draws up a first place win, while Moody Nolan stays close in second place.
Commercial Data Center
CenturyLink has the stats to come out on top, and Expedient moves down a notch.
Energy Company
IGS Energy is the hot new choice for first, and AEP cools off in second.
Engineering Firm
Burgess & Niple continues to have designs on the top spot, as Hull & Associates Inc. becomes runner-up.
Graphic Design/Branding Firm
Fahlgren Mortine moves up a notch for the win, and treetree shows up as a new No. 2.
IT Company
HMB continues upward momentum to take No. 1, with Revolution Group moving into the space below.
Insurance Brokerage
Overmyer Hall remains assigned to first, and Bazemore Insurance Group is newly secure in second.
Insurance Company
Nationwide and State Farm protect their first and second spots, respectively, this year.
Internet Service Provider
AT&T shares its winning spot with Spectrum, and WOW! Business is runner-up.
Logistics Provider
UPS delivers another win, and FedEx moves into second place.
Manufacturing Company
Honda of America Manufacturing and Worthington Industries build on winning reputations as No. 1 and 2, respectively.
Mobile Phone Service Provider
Verizon answers the call for first place, while AT&T holds on in second.
Office Furniture
Continental Office Environments designs itself a win again this year, and King Business Interiors furnishes second place.
Printing Company
Hopkins Printing is at the top of the stack, and Baesman is right underneath.
Public Relations Firm
Approach Marketing brands itself a new winner, while Fahlgren Mortine stays close as the finalist.
Signage Company
Columbus Sign Co. is displayed in first place again, and FastSigns is a new second-place pick.
EDUCATION
Continuing Education Offerings
Ohio State University passes the test for another top spot, with Columbus State Community College again in second.
MBA Program
OSU Fisher College of Business finishes again on top, and Franklin University continues to operate in second place.
Private Schools
Columbus School for Girls gets the A this year, bumping Wellington School to a B.
FINANCIAL
Accounting Firm (more than 20 CPAs)
GBQ switches places with Deloitte to take the top spot, with Deloitte as runner-up.
Accounting Firm (fewer than 20 CPAs)
Whalen & Co. again accrues the most votes, as Holbrook & Manter has the numbers to be the finalist.
Business Lender
Kemba Financial Credit Union has the assets to retain first place, and Huntington National Bank secures its position as finalist.
Commercial Mortgage Lender
Heartland Bank deposits the most votes, and U.S. Bank collects second most, both as new choices.
Credit Union
Kemba Financial Credit Union secures first place again this year, while Pathways Financial Credit Union becomes the new runner-up.
Private Wealth Management Company
Morgan Stanley cashes in for the win again, and Budros, Ruhlin & Roe repeats in second place.
FOOD AND BEVERAGE
Happy Hour
Lindey's remains the preferred option for post-work drinks, and Marcella's stays a second favorite with readers.
Outdoor Dining
Lindey's relaxes in first place again this year, while readers choose Milestone 229's river view for second.
Place to Entertain a Client
Lindey's is seated in the top spot, bumping Hyde Park to second-place section.
Power Breakfast
First Watch remains the best start to the day, while Northstar Café rests comfortably in second place.
Power Lunch
Cap City Fine Diner and Bar draws the biggest crowd of votes, elbowing Northstar Café into second place.
Restaurant
Cap City Fine Diner and Bar continues to cook up wins, as Lindey's dishes favor as the finalist.
HEALTHCARE
Orthopedic Practice & Sports Medicine
Orthopedic ONE stays in stride as winner, and OrthoNeuro finishes strong in second place.
Cardiac Practice
Ohio State Heart and Vascular Center thrives in first place, with Ohio- Health Heart and Vascular Physicians staying alive in second.
Dermatology Practice
Buckeye Dermatology is the new clear winner, as Central Ohio Skin & Cancer moves to No.2.
Dental Practice
Dr. James Hutta, practicing orthodontics, beams again in first place, while OSU School of Dentistry stays strong as finalist.
Family Medical Practice
Central Ohio Primary Care prescribes itself another win, and OhioHealth Primary Care Physicians stays healthy in second place.
Oncology Medical Practice
OSU Comprehensive Cancer Center—James Cancer Hospital continues displaying first-place vitals, and Nationwide Children's Hospital Oncology remains steady at runner-up.
Physical Therapy Practice
Orthopedic ONE stands tall again in first place, while OSU Sports Medicine holds its own in second.
Hospital/Medical Center
OhioHealth Riverside Methodist Hospital treats itself to another No. 1, as OSU Wexner Medical Center checks in to second place.
LEGAL
Law Firm (more than 50 attorneys)
Vorys, Sater, Seymour & Pease again delivers the winning argument, while Bricker & Eckler gets the verdict for second place.
Law Firm (fewer than 50 attorneys)
AlerStallings testifies to winning, and Carlile Patchen & Murphy offers proof as finalist.
Business Law Firm
Vorys, Sater, Seymour & Pease wins the verdict, and Bricker & Eckler again is judged runner-up.
Family Law Firm
Carlile, Patchen & Murphy is again granted first place, and Petroff Law Offices gets a new verdict as finalist.
Labor & Employment Firm
Vorys, Sater, Seymour & Pease is judged winner, while Bricker & Eckler stays No. 2.
Litigation Firm
Vorys, Sater, Seymour & Pease repeats as winner, as Bricker & Eckler makes the case for second.
MEETINGS & EVENTS
Audiovisual Production Company
Mills James is in the spotlight again, with Live Technologies still showing up in second place.
Caterer
City Barbeque smokes the competition to win, as Cameron Mitchell Premier Events is seated in second place.
Attraction for Visitors
Columbus Zoo and Aquarium continues to show visitors the best time, with OSU Athletics holding the ticket for second.
Country Club
Scioto Country Club again scores No. 1, and Muirfield Village Golf Club keeps its rank as runner-up.
Meeting Space/Conference Center
Greater Columbus Convention Center books first place, and sparkspace stays runner-up.
Private Golf Course
Muirfield Village Golf Club remains the leader, and Scioto Country Club holds on in second place.
Public Golf Course
Golf Club of Dublin remains champion, with Safari Golf Club emerging as a new finalist.
Promotional Products Company
Artina Promotional Products offers the goods to hold first place, and Leaderpromos repeats in second.
PERSONAL PERKS
Auto Dealer
Byers Auto rolls into first place again, and Roush Auto Group follows closely behind.
Automotive Services
Safelite Auto Glass is tuned up to win first and Three-C Body Shops comes in second.
Fitness Facility
Planet Fitness muscles into the top spot, pushing LifeTime Fitness to second place.
Jeweler
Diamond Cellar continues to outshine, with Worthington Jewelers sparkling again as finalist.
Private Flight Service
NetJets again soars above the competition, and Wheels Up cruises into second place.
Spa/Salon
Charles Penzone Grand Salons stays fresh in first, while Kenneth's Hair Salons & Day Spas maintains second-place chair.
REAL ESTATE
Retirement Community
Friendship Village Columbus moves into first place, and Friendship Village of Dublin relocates to second.
Commercial Interior Design Firm
KP Designs & Associates furnishes first place, and Moody Nolan is installed in second place.
Custom Home Builder
Romanelli & Hughes finishes No. 1 again, and Bob Webb Group stays strong at No. 2.
General Contractor
Corna Kokosing builds another win, as Renier Construction lays a new foundation in second place.
HVAC Company
Atlas Butler remains hot as the top pick, while Buckeye Heating and Cooling is a new choice for runner-up.
Landscape/Nursery
Oakland Nurseries again blooms in first place, and Strader's Garden Centers harvests another second-place.
Real Estate Agency, Residential
HER continues to show well as No. 1, and Keller Williams Greater Columbus Realty again markets itself as finalist.
Real Estate Agency, Commercial
HER closes on first place again, while CASTO stays runner-up.
Residential/Multifamily Developer
M/I Homes shares its perennial No. 1 spot withEdwards Communities, and Kaufman Development becomes a new No. 2.
Roofing Company
Able Roofing stays on top, and Feazel again covers as finalist.
Commercial Developer
CASTO moves into first place, and Edwards Companies occupies second place.
WORKFORCE
Employee Benefits Firm
Accelerated Benefits-USI wins first place and Willis follows as runner-up.
Executive Coach Firm
Focus3 reaches the goal of first place, bumping Gallagher Consulting Group into second.
Executive Search Firm
Dawson still fills the bill for readers, while Acloché remains their No. 2 choice.
Employer (500+ employees)
Ohio State University keeps its reputation as best employer, as IGS Energy is promoted as a new No. 2.
Employer (Under 500 employees)
City Barbeque serves up another win, and Wellington School is a new runner-up.
Temporary Employment Agency
Dawson holds onto first-place position, and Acloché again makes the cut as finalist.
BEST OF THE REST
Large Nonprofit (Annual revenue over $7 million)
Mid-Ohio Foodbank takes in another No. 1, while the Columbus Foundation gets new recognition as runner-up.
Small Nonprofit (Annual revenue under $7 million)
Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio collects first place, and Dress for Success Columbus slips to second.
Startup
2 Tones Brewing Co. is a refreshing new first-place pick, and Nikola Labs powers its way to second.
Suburb to Do Business
Dublin continues to beat out the competition, and Westerville stays second.