Top Workplaces 2021: Here are the best places to work in Columbus

Where are the best places to work in the Columbus region?

Columbus CEO's ninth annual program has named 77 companies as Top Workplaces for 2021.

More:Here's how Top Workplaces do it better

The winners were chosen based solely on surveys of 17,433 employees conducted by Philadelphia-based Energage, a workplace research firm that runs Top Workplaces programs across the country. To be considered, companies must have at least 50 employees in central Ohio.

The 2021 honorees are featured in the May issue of Columbus CEO and will be celebrated at a virtual event being planned for May.

Without further ado, here are the Top Workplaces for 2021. First, Special Awards, and then the main Top Workplaces rankings, categorized in small, medium and large companies based on number of employees.

Special Awards

The following special award recipients were chosen based on standout scores for employee responses to specific survey statements. Employees rate these statements on a seven-point scale from strongly disagree to strongly agree.

Leadership: 

• Large: Dan Snyder, Lower.com
• Midsize: Chad Hoffman, Richwood Banking Co.
• Small: Joelle Brock, Leading Edje

More:Here's Columbus' No. 1 large company, according to employees

More:Top Workplaces special award for Leadership: Richwood Bank

Direction: RevLocal

Managers: Syntero

New ideas: Gathi Analytics

More:Gathi Analytics is Columbus' No. 1 small company, according to employees

Doers: Durable Slate Co.

Meaningfulness: Homewatch CareGivers

More:Top Workplaces special award for meaningfulness: Homewatch Caregivers

Values: Ricart Automotive

Clued-in senior management: DHL Supply Chain

Communication: Grange Insurance

Appreciation: Northwestern Mutual Columbus

More:Northwestern Mutual ranks as top midsize employer in Columbus

Work/life flexibility: Lake Shore Cryotronics

More:Top Workplaces special award for work/life flex: Lake Shore Cryotronics

Training: Total Quality Logistics

Benefits: Diamond Hill Capital Management

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Top large workplaces in the Columbus area

No. 1: Lower.com

• Year founded: 2018
• Ownership: Private
• Sector: Mortgage lender
• City: New Albany
• Local employees: 468

No. 2: Grange Insurance

• Year founded: 1935
• Ownership: Cooperative
• Sector: Property and casualty insurance
• City: Columbus
• Local employees: 1,261

More:Grange, Rev1 strike partnership to identify emerging technologies for insurance products

No. 3: Ricart Automotive

• Year founded: 1953
• Ownership: Private
• Sector: Auto sales
• City: Columbus
• Local employees: 1,261

No. 4: DHL Supply Chain

• Year founded: 1969
• Ownership: Public
• Sector: Logistics
• City: Westerville
• Local employees: 685

Logistics:Top Columbus logistics companies, ranked by number of employees

No. 5: George J. Igel & Co. Inc.

• Year founded: 1911
• Ownership: Private
• Sector: Construction
• City: Columbus
• Local employees: 544

No. 6: Kenneth's Hair Salons and Day Spas

• Year founded: 1977
• Ownership: Partnership
• Sector: Personal care
• City: Columbus
• Local employees: 355

No. 7: Keller Williams Realty of Central Ohio

• Year founded: 2002
• Ownership: Private
• Sector: Agents / brokers
• City: Columbus
• Local employees: 1161

No. 8: Worthington Industries Inc.

• Year founded: 1955
• Ownership: Public
• Sector: Metal products
• City: Columbus
• Local employees: 1,648

Leadership:New Worthington Industries CEO Andy Rose leads with the art of dealmaking

No. 9: Cardinal Health

• Year founded: 1971
• Ownership: Public
• Sector: Healthcare
• City: Dublin
• Local employees: 4,410

No. 10: Fifth Third Bank

• Year founded: 1858
• Ownership: Public
• Sector: Financial services
• City: Cincinnati
• Local employees: 440

No. 11: Discover

• Year founded: 1986
• Ownership: Public
• Sector: Credit & finance
• City: Riverwoods, IL
• Local employees: 2,241

Banking:Top Columbus credit unions ranked by shares and deposits

No. 12: Summit Home Care

• Year founded: 2006
• Ownership: Private
• Sector: Specialty home healthcare services
• City: Columbus
• Local employees: 380

No. 13: Kimball Midwest

• Year founded: 1923
• Ownership: Private
• Sector: Wholesale distribution
• City: Columbus
• Local employees: 501

No. 14: Aldi

• Year founded: 1976
• Ownership: Cooperative/Mutual
• Sector: Retail
• City: Naperville, IL
• Local employees: 652

No. 15 Roush Auto Group

• Year founded: 1965
• Ownership: Cooperative/Mutual
• Sector: Auto dealership
• City: Westerville
• Local employees: 409

Top midsize workplaces in the Columbus area

No. 1 Northwestern Mutual – Columbus

• Year founded: 1857
• Ownership: Cooperative/Mutual
• Sector: Financial advisors
• City: Milwaukee, WI
• Local employees: 60

No. 2: RevLocal

• Year founded: 2010
• Ownership: Private
• Sector: Advertising & marketing - other
• City: Granville
• Local employees: 251

No. 3: Syntero

• Year founded: 1978
• Ownership: Nonprofit
• Sector: Behavioral healthcare
• City: Dublin
• Local employees: 172

No. 4: Insight, Digital Innovation

• Year founded: 1988
• Ownership: Public
• Sector: Professional services consulting firm
• City: Tempe, AZ
• Local employees: 130

No. 5: Lake Shore Cryotronics Inc.

• Year founded: 1968
• Ownership: Private
• Sector: Electronics / computers
• City: Westerville
• Local employees: 182

No. 6: Richwood Banking Co.

• Year founded: 1867
• Ownership: Public
• Sector: Community bank
• City: Richwood
• Local employees: 166

No. 7: Panda Restaurant Group

• Year founded: 1973
• Ownership: Private
• Sector: Restaurant
• City: Rosemead, CA
• Local employees: 144

No. 8: SS Bendure - Hartwig

• Year founded: 2007
• Ownership: Public
• Sector: Life insurance
• City: Columbus
• Local employees: 164

No. 9: HMB (now part of CGI)

• Year founded: 1995
• Ownership: Private
• Sector: Business & technology consulting firm
• City: Westerville
• Local employees: 205

No. 10: Kemba Financial Credit Union

• Year founded: 1933
• Ownership: Cooperative/Mutual
• Sector: Financial services & insurance - credit union
• City: Gahanna
• Local employees: 256

Best of Business:Top vote-getter: Kemba Financial Credit Union

No. 11: Elford Inc.

• Year founded: 1910
• Ownership: Private
• Sector: Building construction
• City: Columbus
• Local employees: 304

No. 12: Greif Inc.

• Year founded: 1877
• Ownership: Public
• Sector: Industrial packaging
• City: Delaware
• Local employees: 284

No. 13: Total Quality Logistics

• Year founded: 1997
• Ownership: Private
• Sector: Third party logistics
• City: Cincinnati
• Local employees: 139

No. 14: Friendship Village Columbus

• Year founded: 1978
• Ownership: Nonprofit
• Sector: Not-for-profit CCRC
• City: Columbus
• Local employees: 199

Senior living guide:Columbus options abound

No. 15: IHA Family of Urgent Cares

• Year founded: 1987
• Ownership: Private
• Sector: Urgent care
• City: Westerville
• Local employees: 158

Medicine:Mobile Med reviving the house call

No. 16: North Community Counseling

• Year founded: 1968
• Ownership: Public
• Sector: Behavioral health
• City: Columbus
• Local employees: 140

No. 17: KPMG LLP

• Year founded: 1953
• Ownership: Private
• Sector: Accounting
• City: Columbus
• Local employees: 251

No. 18: Hamilton Local School District

• Year founded: 1842
• Ownership: Public
• Sector: Primary / secondary school
• City: Columbus
• Local employees: 312

No. 19: Madison Health

• Year founded: 1962
• Ownership: Private
• Sector: Hospitals
• City: London
• Local employees: 335

No. 20: BDO USA LLP

• Year founded: 1910
• Ownership: Partnership
• Sector: Certified public accountants & consultants
• City: Chicago
• Local employees: 146

No. 21: T-Cetra LLC

• Year founded: 2007
• Ownership: Private
• Sector: Financial tech
• City: Dublin
• Local employees: 134

Technology: Here's a 2017 profile of T-Cetra

No. 22: Romanoff Group

• Year founded: 1981
• Ownership: Private
• Sector: Electrical
• City: Gahanna
• Local employees: 329

No. 23: Lindsay Automotive (Honda/Acura)

• Year founded: 1973
• Ownership: Private
• Sector: Auto dealership
• City: Columbus
• Local employees: 244

No. 24: Friendship Village Of Dublin Ohio

• Year founded: 1981
• Ownership: Nonprofit
• Sector: Healthcare - senior living
• City: Dublin
• Local employees: 295

Senior living guide:Columbus options abound

No. 25: Dasco Home Medical Equipment

• Year founded: 1987
• Ownership: Private
• Sector: Durable medical equipment
• City: Westerville
• Local employees: 160

No. 26: CGI

• Year founded: 1976
• Ownership: Public
• Sector: IT consulting
• City: Fairfax, VA
• Local employees: 280

No. 27: Bridgeway Academy

• Year founded: 2005
• Ownership: Nonprofit
• Sector: Special education & therapy center
• City: Columbus
• Local employees: 216

No. 28: MSC Industrial Supply Co.

• Year founded: 1941
• Ownership: Public
• Sector: Warehousing and distribution for industrial suppliers
• City: Melville, NY
• Local employees: 153

No. 29: AC Lens

• Year founded: 1995
• Ownership: Public
• Sector: Health & personal care
• City: Columbus
• Local employees: 201

Top small workplaces in the Columbus area

No. 1: Gathi Analytics

• Year founded: 2017
• Ownership: Private
• Sector: Enterprise data analytics
• City: Dublin
• Local employees: 50

No. 2: Fairway Independent Mortgage Corp

• Year founded: 1996
• Ownership: Private
• Sector: Mortgage lending
• City: Madison, WI
• Local employees: 68

No. 3: Leading Edje LLC

• Year founded: 2007
• Ownership: Private
• Sector: Custom software development & consulting
• City: Columbus
• Local employees: 70

Office Space:Leading Edje's new Bridge Park offices

No. 4: Durable Slate Co.

• Year founded: 1986
• Ownership: Private
• Sector: Slate roofing, masonry
• City: Columbus
• Local employees: 50

No. 5: ERPA

• Year founded: 1999
• Ownership: Private
• Sector: IT services
• City: Dublin
• Local employees: 80

No. 6: Homewatch CareGivers

• Year founded: 2003
• Ownership: Private
• Sector: Home healthcare services
• City: Columbus
• Local employees: 60

No. 7: Manifest Solutions Corp.

• Year founded: 1994
• Ownership: Private
• Sector: Managed services & outsourcing
• City: Columbus
• Local employees: 105

No. 8: Advanced Engineering Consultant

• Year founded: 1998
• Ownership: Private
• Sector: Private
• City: Columbus
• Local employees: 52

No. 9: Revolution Group

• Year founded: 1995
• Ownership: Private
• Sector: Technology services
• City: Westerville
• Local employees: 62

No. 10: Quality Supply Chain Co-op Inc.

• Year founded: 2010
• Ownership: Cooperative/Mutual
• Sector: Professional services
• City: Dublin
• Local employees: 74

No. 11: Loth Inc.

• Year founded: 1891
• Ownership: Private
• Sector: Workplace furniture and services
• City: Cincinnati
• Local employees: 50

Office Space:Loth has one space with two uses

No. 12: Agility Partners

• Year founded: 2016
• Ownership: Private
• Sector: Staffing - services
• City: Columbus
• Local employees: 80

No. 13: Union Home Mortgage Corp.

• Year founded: 1970
• Ownership: Private
• Sector: Mortgage lending
• City: Strongsville
• Local employees: 82

No. 14: Dawson

• Year founded: 1946
• Ownership: Private
• Sector: Staffing
• City: Columbus
• Local employees: 95

No. 15: Setterlin Building Co.

• Year founded: 1935
• Ownership: Private
• Sector: General contractor
• City: Columbus
• Local employees: 82

No, 16: Dynamix, a Veregy Co.

• Year founded: 1997
• Ownership: Private
• Sector: Building construction
• City: Columbus
• Local employees: 75

No. 17: Diamond Hill Capital Management Inc.

• Year founded: 2000
• Ownership: Public
• Sector: Investment management
• City: Columbus
• Local employees: 115

No. 18: Orthopedic Foot & Ankle Center

• Year founded: 1998
• Ownership: Private
• Sector: Orthopedic and podiatric surgeons
• City: Worthington
• Local employees: 67

No. 19: United Schools Network

• Year founded: 2008
• Ownership: Nonprofit
• Sector: Nonprofit
• City: Columbus
• Local employees: 107

No. 20: Northwoods

• Year founded: 1999
• Ownership: Private
• Sector: Custom software development & consulting
• City: Dublin
• Local employees: 124

No. 21: Air Force One Inc.

• Year founded: 1984
• Ownership: Private
• Sector: HVAC mechanical contractor
• City: Dublin
• Local employees: 89

No. 22: Premier Allergy & Asthma

• Year founded: 2011
• Ownership: Private
• Sector: Allergy & asthma
• City: Dublin
• Local employees: 52

No. 23: King Business Interiors

• Year founded: 1998
• Ownership: Private
• Sector: Commercial office flooring and furniture dealer
• City: Columbus
• Local employees: 69

No. 24: Silco Fire & Security

• Year founded: 1959
• Ownership: Private
• Sector: Fire protection and security
• City: Cincinnati
• Local employees: 66

No. 25: The Eco Plumbers

• Year founded: 2007
• Ownership: Private
• Sector: Plumbing
• City: Hilliard
• Local employees: 108

No. 26: Del-Co Water Co. Inc.

• Year founded: 1969
• Ownership: Nonprofit
• Sector: Water
• City: Delaware
• Local employees: 94

No. 27: Abitec Corporation

• Year founded: 1960
• Ownership: Parent company
• Sector: Ingredient manufacturer
• City: Columbus
• Local employees: 63

No. 28: Jorgensen Farms

• Year founded: 2002
• Ownership: Private
• Sector: Organic farm & event venue
• City: Westerville
• Local employees: 70

No. 29: First Federal Savings & Loan Association

• Year founded: 1934
• Ownership: Private
• Sector: Mortgage lending
• City: Newark
• Local employees: 61

No. 30: Fusion Alliance

• Year founded: 1991
• Ownership: Private
• Sector: Technology consulting
• City: Indianapolis, IN
• Local employees: 104

No. 31: WesBanco Bank

• Year founded:1870
• Ownership: Public
• Sector: Regional commercial bank with a "community bank" orientation
• City: Wheeling, WV
• Local employees: 105

No. 32: Colliers International

• Year founded: 2007
• Ownership: Private
• Sector: Full service commercial real estate
• City: Columbus
• Local employees: 123

No. 33: Continental Building Co.

• Year founded: 1984
• Ownership: Private
• Sector: Building construction
• City: Columbus
• Local employees: 84