Fort Worth Inc. - December 2017

WHITLEY PENN CARES

Whitley Penn is dedicated to providing a great place to work for our employees. As part of our commitment to health and wellness, the firm recently completed all of the steps required to become Blue Zones Project Approved.

FEATURES

44 Best Companies to Work For in Fort Worth:

Here we go again. Our second annual list of Best Companies to Work For in Fort Worth features 25 playmakers who are upping the game when it comes to employee satisfaction. From law firms and real estate developers, to banks and one rowdy dental company, this year’s winners go all out — some paying 100 percent of employees’ health premiums, one offering unlimited paid time off, and others offering beer on tap. No wonder these employees are happy.

( BIZZ BUZZ )

9 Bizz Buzz: Coworking spaces collaborate, and the deets on Reata’s new custom bourbon.

15 Comings and Goings: From office spaces to an outlet mall, Fort Worth has some big developments rolling in.

16 Stay Informed: Building something in Fort Worth? These guys probably know about it.

18 Face Time: The Greatest Gift Catalog Ever turns 10.

20 Around Cowtown: A conservation gala, a clay shoot, and more photos from local business events.

( EXECUTIVE LIFE & STYLE )

24 Distinctive Style: If the shoe fits, you make a business out of it.

26 Off the Clock: The comforts of home, the lap of luxury.

30 Office Space: Sure, custom coffee machines and remote control

window shades are cool. But the heart of this homebuilder’s headquarters is written on the walls.

34 Gadgets: Uber for tech repair and geeky gifts for your desk.

36 Wine & Dine: Everything you need to know about pairing food and wine at your next work party.

40 Health & Fitness: A salad that’s lettuce-free.

( COLUMNS / DEPARTMENTS )

74 EO Spotlight: The Fort Worth film industry is seeing Red.

76 Business Strategy/Running

Toward the Roar: A chance meeting turns into a major career move for Thomas Neely.

78 Analyze This/FW Chamber Report: How Amazon’s HQ2 turned the Fort Worth Chamber offices upside down.

80 Analyze This/Commercial Real Estate Report: Is Fort Worth’s workforce ready for Amazon?

82 Analyze This/Energy: The

oil and gas market is looking “wellsupplied.”

84 Analyze This/Insurance: When natural disaster hits your business.

86 Analyze This/Wealth: Business partners — you may want to take note of these new regs.

88 Analyze This/Legal and Tax: Ten management mistakes employers can make that could lead to legal trouble.

90 Business Leadership/ Management Tips and Best Practices: Performance reviews are not unimportant.

92 Business Leadership/ Successful Entrepreneurship: Rediscovering satisfaction as a business leader.

94 Business Leadership/ Startups: A word of advice from the general manager of Lockheed Martin Ventures.

96 Day in the Life: Saying “good morning” to every person on staff. Now that’s a way to start the day.

The Leon, by Marciante and Company

Sunlit Loft in Chicago

Amy Novacek Joshua, Texas

Best Companies

You’ve seen the surveys. The vast majority of Americans feel no connection to their jobs.

In other words, they wouldn’t do the work if they didn’t have to. The dissatisfaction might have something to do with little wage growth for years and a lot of expectations piled on the employees that we have. But the research over time points to another consistent factor: Employees who jump ship are most likely fleeing bad bosses.

Here’s where our 2017 class of Best Companies to Work For in Fort Worth comes in. The Best Companies Group, an independent research firm that specializes in identifying and recognizing great places to work, ran and judged our contest for the second year. Employers completed an online survey, detailing company policies, practices, benefits and demographics. Employees also completed a survey on how they viewed their employer.

What emerges is a detailed portrait of how some of the region’s best employers try to engage, compensate, recognize, reward and motivate employees. There’s no exact science.

Qualbe Marketing Group, a finalist on this year’s Best Companies ranking and a digital marketing agency headed by CEO Randy Meinen, is one that’s trying really hard. He runs Monopoly and book reading contests among his employees; has a game room and a basketball and pickleball court; brings in fresh healthy snacks daily; recognizes employees on a “Qual of Fame” and with “Rock Star Recognition” cards, and more.

One’s tempted to wonder what any of

this has to do with the business. In fact, we asked him that. “The goal is to create a community mentality and root for each other,” he told us.

One of the company’s key core values is mutual respect, and Meinen goes to the mat to try to foster a respectful culture. “We don’t laugh at people or make fun of people. We treat everybody with respect,” he says. “We do a lot of teaching. We try to have very little drama.”

It’s a little hard to argue with the financials. Qualbe placed on this year’s Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing U.S. companies, with $12.2 million in 2016 revenue and 55 percent three-year growth.

Origin Bank is another finalist. One of the company’s top benefits: Project Enrich, which gives 20-hours paid time off per year to employees who use it volunteering for charities of their choice. Origin likes to recruit employees who think of others beyond themselves, believing those kinds of people will go the extra mile to take care of customers. Of course, that’s why customers come to community banks; they’re in search of bankers who go the extra mile.

“We love stories about how we helped someone accomplish something they didn’t think could be accomplished,” Grant James, the bank’s regional president, told us. “We want every customer to feel like the only customer every time.”

That is the bank’s mission statement. And this issue is full of great stories about employers – large and small – that are on a mission to try to engage fickle employees.

Scott Nishimura executive editor

At Gus Bates Insurance, our clients rely on us to help guide them through the complex world of insurance and investments. But t before

INTEGRITYCREATIVITY CONNECTINGVISION

2018 FW INC.

ENTREPRENEUR OF EXCELLENCE AWARD

Join us as we celebrate the accomplishments of exceptional leaders in the Greater Fort Worth business community and award the second annual FW Inc. Entrepreneur of Excellence in the following business categories:

Commercial Construction

Health Care & Life Sciences

Hospitality

Manufacturing & Distribution

Media, Communications and Public Relations

Professional Services

Real Estate

Residential Construction

Retail Services

Transportation & Logistics

Supporter of Entrepreneurship “Special Recognition Award”

Thursday, January 11, 2018 Fort Worth Club

6:00 pm - Cocktail Reception

6:30 pm - Welcome + Dinner

7:30 pm - Awards Program

Black tie optional Program emceed by Four Day Weekend

$250 - Individual ticket

$2,500 - Table of 10

To purchase tickets, visit fwtx.com/fwinc/eoe

Presenting Sponsor

Whitley Penn

Supporting Sponsors

Frank Kent Cadillac | Origin Bank

( BIZZ BUZZ )

What Everyone's Talking About Around the Water Cooler

Whiskey Business

Don’t

be looking in stores for a bottle of this bourbon.

There’s only one place to find it.

BY MEG HEMMERLE

Scott Mauldin had a job to do: find the right bar or restaurant to work with to create a unique bourbon for Maker’s Mark Private Select.

The restaurant that immediately came to mind? Reata.

“They’re great people to work with, and I thought it would be nice for the people of Fort Worth to know that this product is out there,” said Mauldin, a Fort Worth native and on-premise manager in North Texas for beverage company Beam Suntory. “It literally is a one-of-a-kind brand that you can’t find at any other restaurant in America.”

Maker’s Mark Private Select Bourbon is a program that Maker’s Mark launched almost a year ago. The brand had never done a single barrel whiskey (it rotates its barrels so they all age the same way) and was trying to figure out a creative way to make the program individual to the bar or restaurant that was selecting it.

Four representatives of Reata flew to the Maker’s Mark Distillery in Kentucky, where they visited the tasting room to sample bourbon aged in different staves, or pieces of wood that make up the barrel.

There are five different types of oak staves to choose from: Baked American Pure 2, Seared French Cuvée, Maker’s 46, Roasted French Mocha and Toasted French Spice. The restaurant picks 10 staves to go into a barrel (over 1,001 different combinations can be done), the barrel is filled with Maker’s Mark Cask Strength bourbon, and it sits for about 12 weeks before being bottled and shipped to the restaurant.

“The combination Reata chose is unique to them. [It’s] the only place in the United States that has that combination of staves,” Mauldin said.

The bourbon was launched at Reata in the fall and is available only on-site at the restaurant for $18 a pour. The bottle also comes with a small book that describes the staves and flavors and how the bourbon was put together.

Mauldin’s favorite way to sip the bourbon is in a Glencairn glass with a single ice cube, but he advises to taste it neat first to see what you prefer before diluting it with ice or water. Be advised though — the bourbon is 110.9 proof.

“Most people are going to drink it neat or on the rocks,” general manager Russell Kirkpatrick says. “Because of that, we wanted a nice balanced expression that wasn’t too sweet or bold and could hit a lot of palates.”

Thompson’s Bookstore, too, plans to introduce its own unique bourbon at the beginning of next year.

All in This Together

In the midst of an uptick in their industry, three local coworking companies opt for collaboration over competition.

BY SAMANTHA CALIMBAHIN

The coworking industry had a big year in 2017, and its momentum is carrying on into the new year.

In 2017, Fort Worth saw coworking space/coffee shop hybrid Craftwork Coffee Co. open a second location along Magnolia Avenue. Common Desk later opened in Crockett Row at West 7th. Then in 2018, The Shops at Clearfork will welcome We Work, a New York-based coworking company that will open its fourth North Texas location, which will have the capacity to hold 850 members. Craftwork, too, plans to open a third location in

The Foundry District near West Seventh Street.

But as coworking grows in the city, three local players — Common Desk, Craftwork and Ensemble Coworking — are not looking to compete, but rather collaborate, hosting events together and referring prospective tenants to one another’s spaces. They held their first collaborative event in October, when the three participated in a coworking panel at Common Desk, moderated by TECH Fort Worth’s Hayden Blackburn. Craftwork CEO Riley Kiltz, Ensemble co-founder and chief connector Tamara Payne, and Common Desk co-founder and CEO Nick Clark discussed what coworking is, what makes each space different and where coworking is headed.

The three companies are hoping to host more events and have other coworking spaces get involved. According to Payne, this is just the beginning.

“If we approach this from a collaborative mindset, which is what coworking is all about, then we can actually better refer people to each other and, therefore, better serve small businesses and the entrepreneurial community in the Fort Worth area,” she says.

According to Common Desk marketing coordinator Megan Kaye Donahoe, part of the reason why coworking has grown is due to advancements in technology and the internet; thus, more people

Common Desk opened at Crockett Row at West 7th in October.

are able to learn skills remotely and work from home. According to employee engagement software company Officevibe, 40 percent of the workforce will be freelancers, temps, independent contractors or solopreneurs by 2020. Consequently, the need for space to work is also increasing.

However, despite the growth, Kiltz says Fort Worth’s market is “not necessarily saturated” — while several local companies may offer coworking, they collectively only represent a small footprint of the entrepreneurs and startups in the area.

“The freelance/remote workforce represents 20-30 percent of our labor force, so even with the influx of coworking spaces, there should be more demand than there is supply,” he says.

That’s why Craftwork, Ensemble and Common Desk are finding it better to work together and “lift up all of our brands for the cause of coworking,” Donahoe says. Another way they plan to collaborate is by referring potential members to one another if a space happens to not be a good fit.

Each space has its distinct characteristics when it comes to office design and employee culture, says Payne, who started Ensemble with co-founder and chief activator Dawn Shannon. Ensemble, for example, has a more “homey” feel. Craftwork, a smaller space, is designed with a minimalist vibe, and members tend to be “on the go” and like to “knock out their work and get in and out in an efficient manner,” Kiltz says. Common Desk, the largest of the three at 13,000 square feet, is designed with an industrial feel, while its culture offers a mix of independent workers and large, collaborative teams.

“It’s impossible for one brand and one space to meet every need that’s out there,” Donahoe says. “Every company is different, and every professional has a different set of needs and also just a different personality. Even though we would love to be able to host everyone and meet every single need, we know that’s not the reality.”

Craftwork Coffee Co.'s Magnolia Avenue location.

TEXAS

WE ARE NORTH TEXANS

When it comes to North Texas, we’re all in. We don’t just work here, our leaders and employees make their home here too. And as one of the nation’s largest nonprofit health systems, Texas Health delivers the care and compassion North Texans deserve, including hundreds of millions of dollars in charity care and community benefit last year alone.

CARE

NORTH TEXANS

We are proud to say more North Texans choose Texas Health hospitals for their care than any other system in the area. We are successful in effectively managing the total cost of care. And, with more than 350 locations – from hospitals and physicians’ offices to surgery and imaging centers – we offer the care you need, where you need it.

Our commitment to North Texas goes far beyond health care. In fact, Texas Health is also among the area’s top five largest employers. Plus, we have been nationally recognized as an exceptional workplace for culture, as well as for diversity, women and millennials.

The other issue is awareness — some members of the community still don’t quite understand what coworking is, Kiltz says. Craftwork, Ensemble and Common Desk hope to better educate the community through networking and events, such as its coworking panel.

But what makes a coworking space desirable as a tenant? Will Churchill, who owns the building at the corner of Magnolia Avenue and Henderson Street, where Craftwork is located, says it depends. Craftwork, in particular, works on Magnolia because it brings a balance of traffic — high traffic in early mornings through its coffee shop, low traffic in the day through its coworking space, and low traffic at night (therefore driving traffic toward other restaurants in the area). Coworking spaces also tend to bring in a younger clientele, Churchill says. According to Officevibe, 78 percent of coworkers are under the age of 40.

The key to a coworking space’s success, Kiltz says, is having great companies within the space.

“As an operator, you just have to set them up for success and let your members take it from there,” he says.

Craftwork, Ensemble and Common Desk are, after all, relatively new companies themselves. According to Kiltz, local businesses quite simply have that effect on one another.

“They’re all fighting for excellence, and they want Fort Worth to be something special, so when one of them succeeds, we're all able to celebrate,” Kiltz says. “That’s really special.”

Craftwork Coffee Co., Common Desk and Ensemble Coworking held a panel discussion in October.

COMINGS & GOINGS

BY MEG HEMMERLE

Schaeffer Outfitter, a Western wear company that began in 1982, moved to Fort Worth and celebrated the grand opening of its flagship storefront Nov. 11. Located at 6715 Corporation Parkway, Suite A, along Interstate 20, about 15 minutes west of downtown, the store will carry more than 90 different styles of Texas-made apparel manufactured in El Paso and other goods like ranch tools and American bison leather bags.

Tanger Outlets celebrated its grand opening on Oct. 27. The outlet mall, located off Interstate 35 and Texas State Highway 114, has more than 350,000 square feet of retail space. Brands like Banana Republic Factory, Vera Bradley and Tommy Hilfiger are among the more than 70 tenants in the development. The outlets are expected to create more than 900 full- and part-time jobs.

and other space. The project is expected to be complete in the fall of 2018, but the location will remain open during construction.

WeWork is coming to The Shops at Clearfork in 2018. The coworking space, which has more than 160 locations in 53 cities and 17 countries around the world, will open its Fort Worth location at 5049 Edwards Ranch Road and feature private offices, space for large events, and conference rooms for 36 employees.

Fort Worth Harley-Davidson is currently undergoing a massive expansion to its location at 3025 W. Loop 820 South. After renovation, the space will total 73,000 square feet, which includes 7,000 square feet of entertainment areas, a dedicated classroom for the Ride Academy,

Box Office Warehouse Suites, a new office space development constructed with over 150 shipping containers, is expected to open in January. Located at 1953 Golden Heights Road, just west of Interstate 35 West and south of Fort Worth Alliance Airport, the development will have 38 office suites and retail space available to rent. Rent starts at $875 for 320 square feet. For retail space, up to 2,240 square feet is available to rent.

Deciding to divorce is one of the most important decisions a person can face so it makes sense to know your options.

“One option is traditional courtroom litigation. Another option is collaborative law divorce.”

Although attorney Stephanie Foster Gilbert is prepared to be the warrior in your courtroom battle as she has been in thousands of Tarrant County divorce cases over the past 26 years, her preference is to be peacemaker in your interest–based negotiations through the dignified, private, child–protecting process known as collaborative law divorce which involves no court.

Stephanie Foster Gilbert is confident that the collaborative law process is a powerful way to generate creative solutions in family law disputes while minimizing financial and emotional damage to the couple and their children all the while promoting post–divorce psychological and financial health of the restructured family.

As a family law mediator and one of the first Tarrant County attorneys trained in collaborative law, attorney Stephanie Foster Gilbert will help you navigate through your divorce options and zealously represent you through the process of your choice.

Fort Worth HarleyDavidson

Contact attorney Stephanie Foster Gilbert today to discuss your options.

Box Office Warehouse Suites

Urban Legends

BY SAMANTHA CALIMBAHIN

One is a website. The other is a Twitter account. One is almost two years old; the other, 20. But both avidly follow every construction project, every groundbreaking, and every whisper of a new building heading to Fort Worth — so much, in fact, that they’ve become go-to sources for developers and architectural enthusiasts alike.

They’re FortWorthArchitecture.com and Twitter account @UrbanFortWorth, or Fort Worth Urban. Fort Worth Architecture offers a comprehensive guide to every major building in the

JOHN ROBERTS, FORT WORTH ARCHITECTURE DAY JOB: SENIOR ASSOCIATE AT HALBACH-DIETZ ARCHITECTS

FAVORITE BUILDING: KIMBELL ART MUSEUM

WHY? “THE KIMBELL ART MUSEUM IS MY FAVORITE BUILDING BECAUSE IT IS TIMELESS. [LOUIS] KAHN DESIGNED A SIMPLE, YET ELEGANT BUILDING THAT SEEMS TO FIT WITHIN THE CULTURAL DISTRICT. I REALLY LIKE HIS USE OF MATERIALS, THE BARREL VAULTS, AND LIGHT WITHIN THE BUILDING TO HIGHLIGHT THE ART, YET NOT HARM IT.”

AUSTIN JAMES, @URBANFORTWORTH DAY JOB: ASSISTANT MANAGER AT FORT WORTH CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU DOWNTOWN OFFICE

FAVORITE BUILDING: T&P STATION

WHY? “LOVE THE DECO ARCHITECTURE, BEAUTIFUL LOBBY, AND IT HAS TRAINS. TRAINS ARE COOL.”

city. It’s also home to the Fort Worth Forum, an online message board where developers — and those just interested in development — actively discuss projects around town. Fort Worth Urban provides updates and commentary on local projects, along with an urban development map of more than 200 projects around town.

So it’s no surprise that the people who run them — John Roberts (FortWorthArchitecture.com) and Austin James (Fort Worth Urban) — are friends. James himself has an account on the Fort Worth Forum, whose members regularly meet for lunch once a month, usually at Benito’s along Magnolia Avenue.

Roberts originally started Fort Worth Architecture in 1997 as a “poor man’s way” of writing a book, he says. He started with a listing of downtown buildings, along with information on their history and architecture, and has expanded since. The Forum was born three years after the website, in 2000. Since the launch of FortWorthArchitecture.com, the site has garnered more than 1.5 million visits. The Forum currently has more than 2,400 registered members.

James, who happens to live in Arlington (but hopes to move to Fort Worth as soon as possible), started Fort Worth Urban with simply an interest in Fort Worth architecture, which mesmerized him as a child when his family would travel downtown to catch Fort Worth Brahmas games at the Convention Center. Fort Worth Urban’s follower count reaches more than 1,800 — a list that includes names like Mayor Betsy Price and TCU head football coach Gary Patterson, along with other major players like Near Southside Inc. and the Trinity River Vision. Roberts and James run their respective sites without pay and intend to keep it that way.

“It’s been a lot of fun,” Roberts says. “I’ve really enjoyed doing this. This is something that I certainly have not regretted doing.”

John Roberts and Austin James

Photo by Tim Young

Season of Love

Entrepreneur Elliot Goldman’s nonprofit The Greatest Gift Catalog Ever enters its 10th giving season, having raked in a total $11 million through nine years.

BY SCOTT NISHIMURA

the mix?’” says Goldman, 45.

To launch the catalog, Goldman convened executives from charities he and his wife supported. Goldman invited them to blow holes in his plan, “like it was Swiss cheese.” Questions: mostly about accountability.

Here’s a way to be unexpectedly presented with a business opportunity.

“I sold a company one day, and I was looking at these catalogs all over the floor,” Elliot Goldman, a Fort Worth entrepreneur, says. “It was Christmastime. I said to my wife [Heather], wouldn’t it be neat if a holiday gift catalog of charitable causes to support existed?”

Instead of buying a sweater as a gift for $100, why not give that to charity, he reasoned. Heather Goldman said little, he recalls. “She knew she’d lose me for 2,000 hours,” the time Goldman estimates he spent over the next year launching

The Greatest Gift Catalog Ever.

The Fort Worth catalog, in its 10th year, has raised $11 million in gifts to the charities through nine years. This year, Goldman estimates it could bring in $2 million, including matching gifts. “I expected $50,000 in total charitable impact annually for 10 years."

The catalog hits during the high season for giving. The vast majority of U.S. giving occurs in the fourth quarter, mostly by individuals.

To the Goldmans, it was one way to organize their own giving, and he says it made sense to slip the catalog into his portfolio of ventures, which have included real estate, manufacturing, advertising, and promotional products. “I said, ‘Why don’t I just put one philanthropic company in

The nonprofit organization has a $125,000 annual operating budget, mostly for printing, distribution and communications. The budget is funded equally by community contributions, organizations in the catalog, and the Goldmans. It has one full-time volunteer, an employee on loan from one of his companies. And its offices are in a building near TCU, on loan from Goldman’s real estate company. The Goldmans receive no compensation. Participating charities – 21 for 2017 –receive 100 percent of gifts, plus matches offered by donors. They get connected to new donors. The organization is governed by a board of local leaders.

To ensure new organizations get a shot, and that he wouldn’t be in the middle of choosing organizations, Goldman set up a system in which two organizations would be selected randomly annually and asked to leave the catalog for a year. The catalog had 10 organizations its first year and 15 each year after that. For its 10th anniversary, it’s invited all previous participants in.

This year’s organizations: a Wish with Wings, Airpower Foundation, Alzheimer’s Foundation, The Art Station, Boys and Girls Clubs, Camp John Marc, Catholic Charities of Fort Worth, Easter Seals, The First Tee, Gill Children’s Services, Helping Restore Ability, Kids Who Care, LinkED, Meals on Wheels, Northside Inter-Community Agency, The Parenting Center, Recovery Resource Council, Ronald McDonald House, Union Gospel Mission, Victory Therapy Center, and The Women’s Center. Going forward, Goldman says it’s possible the catalog could grow into other cities. “This is the most effective way to me to participate in the community,” he says.

TCU Neeley School of Business

The TCU Neeley School of Business hosted Jamba Juice CEO Dave Pace and CFO Marie Perry for C-Level Confidential, a dinner and conversation with a select group of TCU MBA students on the TCU campus. Pace and Perry discussed business trends and emphasized the importance of empowering women in the workplace.

1 2 3 4 5 6

(1) TCU Neeley School (Seated left to right) Michael Swartz, TCU MBA; Paige Sabo, TCU MBA; Marie Perry, CFO, Jamba Juice; Dave Pace, CEO, Jamba Juice; Desiree Boyd, TCU MBA; Shirin Sajjadi, TCU MBA. (Standing left to right) Ed Riefenstahl, director of TCU MBA experiential learning; Carlos Martinez, TCU MBA; Michael Schoenfelder, TCU MBA; Trey Nelson, TCU MBA; Calen Jones, TCU MBA; Ankit Agarwal, TCU MBA; Elizabeth Hood, TCU MBA; and David Funkhouser, TCU MBA.

BRIT’s 2017 Conservation Award Gala Botanical Research Institute of Texas (BRIT) hosted its 2017 Conservation Award Gala on Wednesday, Sept. 27, at the Worthington Hotel to honor individuals and organizations that exemplify the ideals expressed in BRIT's mission.

(2) George Bristol, Adelaide Leavens, Carter Smith, Bob O'Kennon

(3) J. David Bamberger, Frank Yturria, Kerry Cornelius, Ed Schneiderw

ACME Brick

ACME Brick held its 12th Annual UTA/ American Institute of Architects (AIA) FW Sporting Clay Classic on Oct. 12. Proceeds benefit the chapter’s scholarship programs.

(4) Michele Hahnfeld, April Gwin, Yvonne Harrison, Jessica Pipkin, Becky Burrus

Combined Area Council Luncheon

Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce

Chairman Allyson Baumeister presented Howard Walsh III with the Chamber’s Legacy Award for the wise planning, care and stewardship of the new west Fort Worth Walsh development, at the Combined Area Council luncheon on Oct. 19. City Manager David Cooke spoke at the event.

(5) Howard Walsh III, Allyson Baumeister (6) David Cooke

Sole Mates

How Matt and Jacqueline Marciante married their love of fashion with business.

BY KAT BARCLAY

Step inside Matt and Jacqueline Marciante’s closet, and you’ll find mostly black, white and gray clothing — not too many prints or patterns, or anything really fancy or trendy either. If the couple had to give their style a name, it would be “Frank Sinatra meets Johnny Cash.”

“Black is my favorite color,” Jacqueline says. “Even our wedding was just white and black with hints of gold.”

The Marciantes’ love for classic style translates to their shoe and leather goods company, Marciante and Company, which launched earlier this year.

The Grapevine couple runs the business on the side of their day jobs — Matt is a screen printer in Fort Worth, while Jacqueline works in vocational ministry at Gateway Church. Married in 2015, they always half-joked about one day starting a business together because of their shared style and love for creativity — they just weren’t sure what that business would be like.

When Matt’s dad started his own footwear manufacturing company after spending about 30 years on the retail brand side of the work and western boot

industry, the conversation about starting a business became more serious.

“It was like we had these two things running parallel to each other — my love for shoes and her love for fashion and wanting to do something with that,” Matt says. “Then when my dad broke off to do his own thing, it sort of all just came together.”

So the couple got to work. Their first move was deciding on the company name. Then in April 2017, they found a manufacturer, and within two weeks, they created a logo, website and had the first samples of shoes.

The shoes are manufactured in Leon, Mexico, a town known for having some of the best leather in the world. With help from his dad’s connections in the industry, Matt found a small factory in Leon where the shoes are almost entirely handmade,

with only an occasional need for a sewing machine on certain designs, “which is really cool because you get to see the people’s passion for creating [the product] and all the hard work they put into it,” Jacqueline says.

The Marciantes wanted to design high-quality shoes that will last for years without going out of style. Most of the shoes have leather soles, which makes them long-lasting because they can easily

be resoled at a shoe repair shop. The shoes are also made true-to-size with a cork layer on the inside that molds specifically to the wearer’s feet, making the shoes more comfortable.

According to the Marciantes, the prices are significantly less than designer brand shoes, ranging in price from $130-$185.

“We’re sort of taking a backward approach to business,” Matt says. “[Our shoes] are not cheap, but what a lot of the huge brands do is drive the prices up because of the name and then find areas of the quality where they can cut corners. For us, we wanted to make the best shoe possible and sell it for the lowest price possible.”

So far, Marciante and Company has six different men’s shoes and five women’s styles of shoes. They also sell several small

Even the footwear itself has a story. Here, Matt shares the inspiration behind the names of each shoe.

THE WEST END “This blushcolored Chelsea Boot was named after a part of Dallas that's special to us because it's where we had our wedding reception. We had several men's Chelsea designs already and wanted to do something for women too that had a little more elegant look while still sticking with the same style. We feel like the blush color and the soft calfskin leather definitely accomplishes that with the same welt construction and leather sole as the men's Chelsea boots.”

THE LEON “This one is just our take on a classic dress shoe. The wingtip has been around forever, and there are so many different versions of it, we decided to really just focus on the quality of it rather than try to reinvent the wheel. It's classic, it's timeless, and it has some flair that an ordinary dress shoe doesn't always have. Named after the city where we make our shoes and influenced by the style and personality of our favorite local musician, Leon Bridges, The Leon is an essential part of any man's wardrobe.”

THE MARIE “We really wanted to try [to] do something unique and special. We love clean, minimal style, and thought it would be great if we could make the top of the shoe with one continuous piece of leather. It's simple, it's different — but we love it. Named after a family member, we feel like The Marie is going to be one of the signature shoes of our early collection.”

leather goods like wallets, keychains and makeup bags. They eventually plan to add even more products like hats and backpacks, but they are adamant about keeping footwear as the company’s signature item.

“We’re definitely taking it slow on putting new things out there,” says Jacqueline. “We don’t want to overwhelm the audience.”

From back to front: The West End, The Leon (in cognac and maroon), The Marie

The Marie

Homes Away From Home

Where to stay to make your business trip a pleasure trip.

BY RYAN TERRY

Rental-by-owner websites like Airbnb and VRBO have exploded onto the hospitality market, offering wow-worthy alternatives to the typical hotel experience. These properties in some of the country’s frequently traveled cities boast impressive luxury and an experience that’s worlds away from your usual hotel stay.

NEW YORK CITY

CENTRAL PARK

WEST PENTHOUSE

airbnb.com, from $1,500/night

Listing number: 20773181

Located near the corner of West 61st

Street and Central Park West, this fivebedroom, 5 1/2-bath penthouse offers views of the world-famous Central Park and the skyline of the Upper East Side. Among the amenities are a library with built-in bookshelves, a fully stocked chef’s kitchen, dual spa baths and a sauna. A winding staircase leads to the second level of the penthouse, where the master bedroom boasts its own view of the park through floor-to-ceiling windows.

THE CARRIAGE HOUSE

airbnb.com, from $1,100/night

Listing number: 16465236

This carriage house, built in 1826, is located in Greenwich Village, just blocks

away from Washington Square Park. The 1,800-square-foot, two-bedroom, twobath home still has its original brick walls and working fireplace, but its amenities are very much 21st century, from heated floors to a kitchen decked out with modern appliances. A custom hardwood staircase leads to the second-story mezzanine, while a second staircase leads from the great room to a private garden, adorned with eclectic greenery. The bedroom is outfitted with a California King bed, a luxurious tub, and a large steam shower.

LOS ANGELES

SUNSET STRIP VIEW PROPERTY

airbnb.com, from $1,000/night

Listing number: 13168316

Perched atop West Hollywood Hills, this three-story mansion features panoramic views of Sunset Strip on each floor. The three-bedroom, 2 1/2-bath home is decidedly modern from the decor to the architecture. Its master suite hosts a king bed overlooking the city. The kitchen sports mostly high-end appliances by Miele and Gaggenau, along with an espresso machine.

STEVE MCQUEEN HOLLYWOOD HOME

airbnb.com, from $1,295/night

Listing number: 14613430

This sprawling estate, designed for actor Steve McQueen, features contemporary decor and an elegant post and beam design. The house is flooded with natural light from the floor-to-ceiling windows that give visitors a 360-degree view of downtown Los Angeles and the Hollywood Hills. There is also a sleek swimming pool, an outdoor dining area, and plenty of comfortable seating where you can soak up the

Sunset Strip View Property in Los Angeles. Photo courtesy of Dana Meilijson and Ted Dhanik.

Power Up with FRUITS & VEGETABLES

Watching what we eat can help trim our waistlines, but the benefits of a plant-based diet extend far beyond belt size. Fruits and vegetables are so powerfully nutritious that they can lower blood pressure, reduce bone loss, and the risk of certain diseases.

In the original Blue Zones® areas of the world, those who have lived the longest consistently eat with a Plant Slant – a diet primarily consisting of fresh fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, and whole grains. Discover your superpowers by adding more fruits and vegetables to your plate.

SoCal weather. Four bedrooms share a part of the spectacular view — three of them have their own en suite bathroom, and one has its own private patio. The master suite features a king-sized bed and a gas fireplace, and in the spa-style master bathroom, you’ll find an open shower area and a luxurious tub with its own panoramic window.

CHICAGO GOLD COAST MANSION

airbnb.com, from $1,900/night

Listing number: 21041689

No need to take the stairs in this threestory mansion; take the glass elevator that runs through the home. The area surrounding the elevator on each floor is outfitted with turf on the ground and ivy along the walls, giving it an outdoorsy feel. With five bedrooms and three living areas, this spacious estate can host up to 10 guests. The top floor is home to the master bedroom, which boasts a king-sized bed and views of the city. The home also includes a four-car garage, a sauna room, and a wine cellar.

SUNLIT LOFT

vrbo.com, from $1,171/night

Listing number: 603477

This Chicago loft boasts 26-foot timber ceilings and a massive main room, which holds the kitchen, dining area, living area, a bar, and even some extra open space. A giant decorative disco ball hangs from the ceiling near the fully stocked kitchen, and between the kitchen and living area is a full-sized bar. An old brick smokestack serves as the spiraling staircase that leads to the master suite, which features a kingsized bed and a sofa. Finish a hectic day with a drink on the private rooftop patio.

HOUSTON MONTROSE HOME

airnbnb.com, from $1,400/night

Listing number: 16924877

The iconic Houston skyline can be seen from the third-floor terrace of this Texas home. Inside, you’ll still get plenty of sunshine through the abundance of windows that line the ample living areas of the house. The ground floor is home to a contemporary kitchen that makes way to an elegant dining room on one side and a

comfortable living room on the other. The second floor has two outdoor balconies (yes, two), and the third floor features a game room.

HOME NEAR NRG STADIUM

vrbo.com, from $6,000/night

Listing number: 997924

Built just over a year ago, this two-story home is just 2.8 miles from NRG Stadium, in case you make it to town during rodeo or football season. The five bedrooms of this home each have a private bathroom — the master has a standalone bathtub and large walk-in shower. The living room looks out into the backyard and patio, with both an outdoor lounge area and dining space. And, adjacent to the entrance is a grand piano.

DENVER

CHERRY CREEK HOME

vrbo.com, from $800/night

Listing number: 4457924

Art is everywhere in this four-bedroom, six-bath Denver home, from the sculpture of a deer’s head in the living room to decorative masks in the master bedroom. There’s also plenty of outdoor space — the front patio and interior courtyard both feature fire pits. Indoors, a beautiful sitting room features a baby grand piano and sectional sofa around a fireplace. The large kitchen is sleek and modern, fully equipped with two ovens, a microwave and stoves.

DOWNTOWN LUXURY LOFT

airbnb.com, from $850/night

Listing number: 7228382

Just blocks away from Coors Field, this ballpark district loft in downtown Denver feels like a luxurious bachelor pad, loaded with billiards, foosball, and an XBOX in the main room. A large cabinet holds two foldaway beds that conveniently retract when not being used. Exposed brick lines the walls of the loft, and visible ductwork adorns the ceiling. Both an outdoor balcony and rooftop deck offer views of downtown.

Sunlit Loft in Chicago

“We

CULINARY AMBITION

The front lobby at HISTORYMAKER Homes' headquarters.

Bikes, positioned vertically on the wall, are available for employees to borrow.

Message on the Wall

HISTORYMAKER Homes’ tricked-out office space has everything from conference rooms with remote control window shades to a coffeemaker that brews customized beverages. But the true heart of the company is found in simple words painted on the walls.

BY SAMANTHA CALIMBAHIN

Most employees at HISTORYMAKER Homes enter through the south side of the building, each day walking past words subtly etched into the concrete floor: “To honor God and enrich the lives of all our stakeholders as we delight customers one home at a time.”

That’s HISTORYMAKER’s purpose statement, written at both the employee entrance and reception lobby to serve as the company’s “foundation,” both literally and figuratively, says Laura Looney, executive assistant to the CEO.

The 68-year-old homebuilder’s company philosophies are a recurring theme throughout its two-story, 28,050-squarefoot space, tucked away in the Grapevine Station office park just off State Highway 114 and Texan Trail. HISTORYMAKER, which serves both the Fort Worth-Dallas and Houston areas, moved its headquarters from North Richland Hills to Grapevine in January to accommodate growth. And yet, despite more projects and higher revenues (HISTORYMAKER reports revenues more than doubled from $90 million in 2014 to $200 million in 2016), CEO Nelson Mitchell says the company hopes employees don’t lose sight of the values it was built on in 1949 — hence the core values, Bible

verses and inspirational sayings found on the walls throughout the building.

“We wanted the message, who we are, and the principles our company was built on to be a constant reminder to our employees, trade partners, and vendors,” Mitchell says. “That’s the reason for painting our core values on the wall. Who we are does not change, no matter the season nor the circumstances.”

Fort Worth-based architect Bennett Benner Partners handled much of the building’s design, marked by a modern, industrial aesthetic with pops of color and art throughout, along with recurring homages to the nearby Grapevine Vintage Railroad. Many of the art pieces come from Dallas-based Studio Art’s Desire (Freda Vaughan served as art and materials consultant, while Derek McLean was the contracted artist). Denton artist Cole Bridges painted company phrases and Bible verses on the walls.

Visitors entering through the main entrance on the north side of the office are greeted by a spacious entryway dominated by exposed brick, wood and concrete. A hallway from the visitor entrance leads to the company’s training room and cafe, separated by garage doors that can be opened to combine both spaces during company parties and events. HISTORYMAKER’s

four core values are painted in vintage-style on the walls: Christ Centered; Focus and Listen to the Buyer; Consistent, Predictable, Efficient; and High Performance.

“It was important that the space be an encouragement to our employees,” Mitchell says. “One way we chose to do that is by painting scriptures on our walls. You never know what someone is bringing into their workday from home. We wanted the office to be an uplifting and inviting space.” Above a booth-like space in the café is Ecclesiastes 3:13, a verse appropriate for its setting: “That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in their labor — this is the gift of God.”

A sliding barn door separates the cafe from the kitchen, marked by clean lines and a black, white and gray motif. The nearby breakroom features a Starbucks coffeemaker.

Bikes and helmets hang on a wall adjacent to the café and training room. Employees are welcome to use the bikes or helmets for quick excursions, like lunch on the nearby Main Street. Beside the bike rack is one nod to the railroad — a painted sign listing “outbound” destinations (that is, the names of the building’s conference and team rooms).

Team rooms are named after elements of the company’s history. The “ONM” Executive Conference Room, for example, refers

to HISTORYMAKER’s founders, Olen N. Mitchell, Sr. and son Olen Jr. (Mitchell’s great grandson Nelson is the current CEO.) Another room, “Reveille,” refers to the family’s line of Texas A&M graduates, as well as the continued relationship with the school through scholarships, speaking engagements and recruitment.

An iPad beside each conference room allows employees to book the space at a certain time. Green means the space is available; red means the room is reserved for a meeting.

Each meeting space also takes on its own character. The Fastback Team Room draws inspiration from the yellow railroad crossing sign on the wall. Chairs sport a pop of bright yellow upholstery, while three wooden hexagons form a coffee table. The Pikeview has two maps, one of Fort WorthDallas and the other of Houston, with dry

erase surfaces for writing (every conference and team room has at least one wall that acts as a whiteboard). The ONM Room features a conference table made from rail boxcar doors, again, paying homage to the railroad. The room offers ample natural

light, but on the days when it’s a little extra sunny, the room can darken with the help of remote control window shades.

Along with conference rooms, the office also sports private phone rooms. A bulb above the doorway indicates

The Pikeview Room has maps of Fort Worth-Dallas and Houston.

The kitchen in the executive hallway features a built-in coffeemaker.

The Fastback Team Room follows a yellow motif inspired by the railroad crossing sign on the wall.

A 75-pound plumb bob hangs over the staircase.

HISTORYMAKER Homes features open concept workspaces.

whether or not the room is occupied — when the employee turns on the lights in the room, the bulb outside the room also turns on. And when the lights are turned off, the bulb does the same.

More art is found on the building’s second floor, where painted vintage signs on the walls depict brand taglines: “More Home, Less Money” for HISTORYMAKER Homes and “Designed for Style, Built for Life” for Rendition Homes. Another piece, an industrial stenciled design in faux distressed metal, displays the words “Measure Twice, Cut Once” — an old builder’s saying that refers to the importance of doing something right the first time. More inspiration is found near employee workspaces, where Psalm 127:1 — a verse appropriate for the company’s line of work — graces the wall: “Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches

over the city, the guards stand watch in vain.” Also on the walls is a series of black-and-white photography taken by area sales manager Mark Barron.

An executive hallway, where the offices of the CEO and other high-level executives are located, boasts a small kitchen of its own, with a built-in Miele coffee machine that can create anything from a foamy latte to a cappuccino — custom-made, mind you, as users can create their own profile that stores a bank of their favorite drinks.

The workspaces themselves are open concept and offer some functional features like a meeting table with drawers underneath so employees can easily pull out files. Employee workspaces are spread both upstairs and downstairs.

The staircase connecting both floors is made of wood and metal. Hanging above is a 75-pound oversized plumb bob, a vertical reference line used in construction, used

decoratively in the office.

Outside, a 3,200-square-foot patio is dominated by a gray concrete and brick motif, with a dark metal pergola providing shade. There’s a grill, pizza oven, fire pit — everything one needs for a company cookout.

HISTORYMAKER is nearing one year in the building, which also features a showroom next door. Looney says employees have begun to settle in, decorating their desks and making use of the amenities. The new space, she says, just makes employees more excited to come to work. Work is a second home after all.

“We wanted it to be a place that felt like a second home because you spend so many hours of your day at your workplace,” Mitchell says. “We have a great ‘family’ culture here, so why not make it a place that is comfortable and fun for our employees.”

Company core values are painted on the walls of the cafe.

Gifts for Geeks

BY KAT BARCLAY

Fixing on the Fly

An undergraduate student ventures into the world of ondemand service startups with a tech repair company.

BY RYAN TERRY

Fixing phones started as a hobby and high school job for TCU senior Daniel Castaneda, but the young entrepreneur has evolved his hobby into FlyFix, an innovative startup business offering on-demand tech repair services. As a former employee at a chain cell phone repair center, Castaneda was all too familiar with the long waits and general inefficiency of existing brick-andmortar tech repair shops.

“Our aim is to completely eliminate that,” the economics major says. “We aim to create convenience and time efficiency, so we try to get it done within the hour.”

After he left his high school repair job, he continued to do repairs for friends and family, which is how he got the idea for FlyFix. He calls it the “Uber” of phone repairs, using the on-demand, contract worker model that has fueled many successful startups. Customers can either call in or submit an online request

at flyfix.com, and one of the technicians, called FlyTechs, will pick up the job and meet the customer to complete the repair at the requested time and place. Additionally, every repair is backed by a lifetime warranty.

The company officially launched Sept. 1, and after a month of operation, Castaneda and his partners have big plans for the future. FlyFix not only deals in repairs, but also recycling, refurbishing, and reselling preowned devices. In October, it began selling phone, tablet and computer accessories at its optional drop-off location at The Box on University Drive near TCU.

By the time he graduates in December, Castaneda plans to wrap up the startup’s seed round with $1.5 million. By next September, he intends to have planted FlyFix in every major metropolitan area of Texas. From there, he says, FlyFix will look to expand nationally, and even internationally to his family roots in Mexico.

Daniel Castaneda's company, FlyFix, repairs cell phones on demand.

Speks

Wine 101

Pair wine and food properly at that next business dinner.

BY MEG HEMMERLE

Business is tricky, but sometimes wine pairing and etiquette can be even trickier. The old rules of wine pairing no longer apply as strictly as they once did. According to Cadillac Wines’ sommelier Masumi Pinto, many people think that red wine is strictly meant for enjoying with a steak, while white pairs best with fish.

“Traditional wine rules are no longer as important as they used to be,” Pinto said. “You can drink a white wine with a steak; you’d want to match it with a bold, oak wine. Pinot noir goes exceptionally well with salmon.”

Here, a few tips on pairing wines and displaying perfect etiquette.

1. Match heavy foods with heavy wines and light foods with light wines. When pairing a white wine with a red meat meal or red wine with something other than steak, it is important to match the wine and food, body to body. “If you have a light dish, go for a light wine versus a bold one,” Pinto said.

2. Go for a high-acid wine. According to Pinto, cabernet sauvignon and a nice oak chardonnay from Napa Valley tend to be the most popular wines here in Texas, but when it comes to pairing food and wine, high-acid wines are best. A sauvignon blanc or cabernet will pair best with most foods. The high-acid wine works with the fat

How to Pour a Glass of Wine

It’s important to know that there is no one way to properly pour a bottle of wine. Every wine is poured differently based on a number of things like what glass is being used, the shape and size of the bottle and how much wine is left in the bottle. Some general rules for pouring a glass of wine is making sure the label faces the guest and that the neck of the wine bottle does not touch the rim of the glass.

By placing your dominant hand at the base of the bottle and slowly guiding the neck down for a delicate pour, you can guarantee not to overpour or spill.

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in the food to create a balanced blend. The wine makes your mouth water from the acid, which cuts the fat lipid from the food. This is why wine and cheese are one of the most well-known food pairings. Pinto’s favorite food and wine pairing is a French sauvignon blanc, particularly Sancerre, and goat cheese with honey.

However, for those who are new to drinking wine and unsure about what they like, choosing between a red or white is the first step. After deciding that, it’s best to start with an off-dry wine on the medium sweetness side that’s not too high in acid.

3. Dessert wines aren’t just for dessert. “Often people will finish with a dessert wine, but there are many different variations of it to be had throughout the meal,” Pinto said. “Wine is meant to be enjoyed; if you really love sweet or sparkling wine, you can drink it at any time during the meal. There is no one type of wine for one situation.”

4. Start sparkling. Pinto does advise that if you are changing drink orders throughout the night, you should try to start with a sparkling wine before ordering a white and then red. “Red wine is bold, so if you have that before white, you won't taste the white as much. You want to start light and make your way to bold,” Pinto said.

The Do’s and Don’ts of Ordering, Serving and Sipping

DODON'T

Hold the wine glass by the stem to avoid warming up the wine through body heat. Wine is best served chilled at around 55 degrees. By holding the wine glass at the bowl, the wine gets warmed up and loses some of its flavor and taste.

Drink from the same spot on the glass to keep it as clean-looking as possible and avoid mouth marks.

Trust your senses and taste buds about what wine you like best.

Cheers, bell to bell. When “cheersing” after a toast, lightly tap the bell of your glass to another. Avoid clinging at the rims because that is the most fragile part of the glass.

Enjoy it with other people. “My favorite thing about wine is the memories that are associated with it. Wine can bring you back to a certain time and place,” Pinto said.

If you bought a bottle at dinner and are leaving soon, don’t rush to finish it. Instead, ask for it to be recorked, and bring the bottle home with you to enjoy at a later time.

If you’re serving yourself, be sure not to overpour. The wine glass should be less than half filled so that it has room to breathe, and if you choose to swirl it, the wine doesn’t spill.

When tasting multiple wines, don’t swallow them all. The best way to taste each wine and its flavor is by swirling it around your mouth before spitting the wine out and cleansing your palate afterward. After a certain amount of alcohol consumption, your palate is no longer as strong. That is why when at large events, the “good wine” is served first.

Don't keep a bottle open for more than a week. Wine is best consumed two to five days after opening it.

Don't believe the myth that inexpensive wine is bad. “I don’t carry bad wine in my wine shop, but I do have affordable bottles,” Pinto said. “I have an exceptional red blend for $15. I think that’s a misconception, but you definitely have to know your producers once you get below a certain price point.”

LettuceFree P

BY KENDALL LOUIS

iattello Italian Kitchen was on Fort Worth Magazine’s list of Best New Restaurants in the November issue of the magazine. And, while a hearty fall dish of Saffron Cappelletti in a Lamb Ragu made the cover, it’s the salads that keep us going back to the bright and airy Waterside spot for productive and healthy business lunches.

Here, Executive Chef Scott Lewis shares his recipe for the fall Panzanella Salad so you can make a healthy green dish at home that doesn’t include low-fat ranch or a single leaf of lettuce.

Fall Panzanella Salad

• 1/2 of Granny Smith apple

• 3 yellow baby beets, chopped medium dice

• 3 purple baby beets, chopped medium dice

• 1/2 cup croutons

• 1/2 cup arugula

• 3 tablespoons golden raisins

• 1 tablespoon red onion

• 1 teaspoon chopped mint

• 1 teaspoon chopped basil

• 3 tablespoons red wine vinaigrette (see sub recipe)

• pecorino cheese

1. Cut Granny Smith apple into batons.

2. Roast baby beets in tin foil with EVOO and salt until tender. Let cool.

3. Cut sourdough bread into cubes and toss with EVOO. Season with salt and roast in the oven until golden brown.

4. Cut red onion into thin slices.

5. Hand tear basil and mint.

6. Make red wine vinaigrette (see sub recipe).

7. Add all ingredients to a bowl, then add red wine vinaigrette and season with salt.

Red Wine Vinaigrette

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon

• 1/2 teaspoon shallot

1. Put vinegar in a bowl with Dijon and shallot.

2. Slowly stream in the olive oil. Salt to taste.

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RAPID GROWTH: Rodeo Dental opened its first office on Main St near the Stockyards and currently operates 16 Rodeo offices across Texas. With five new offices under construction, Rodeo will be serving up it’s special flavor of dentistry to urban and rural families across the entire state of Texas.

WOW CULTURE: Rodeo has a distinctive set of core values that empower employees and promote individuality and self-expression. Its unique culture fuels deep emotional connections with patients and produces spontaneous, one-of-a-kind experiences that are so fun they light up social media venues. Rodeo’s dancing mascot, Moo Moo, is a family favorite and cultural Icon in the communities it serves!

PATIENT EXPERIENCE: Rodeo’s award-winning doctors and crazy staff team to provide awesome patient outcomes and genuine smiles. Every patient interaction is an opportunity to entertain – and

build trust. At Rodeo, parents have a voice and make all decisions regarding treatment options! Sound too good to be true? See what their patients say by reading 1,000+ 5 Star Google reviews at each office!

RODEO CARES: Rodeo Dental spends an enormous amount of time and resources in philanthropical endeavors. It has helped thousands of underprivileged kids get the dental care they deserve! Every Rodeo office is deeply ingrained in its surrounding community and regularly evangelizes the importance of oral health care to Moms, schools, and other organizations.

WHERE TO WORK TODAY?

FW Inc. takes its second annual look at the Best Companies to Work For in the Fort Worth region and finds employers spending a lot of effort trying to figure out what motivates their employees.

by Scott Nishimura

photography by Charles Lambert and Malinda Julien

Companies that offer a retirement savings plan

Companies that offer paternity leave

Brett Hobson, president of the 55-year-old Comfort Experts air conditioning and heating company based in Weatherford, has a succinct way of looking at his role. “As business owners, we’re glorified recruiters,” he says.

Companies offering employee health initiatives

9

Companies that offer telecommuting

Companies that reported they throw happy hours

2

Companies that offer day-of-hire eligibility in their health plan

18 16 1 5 22

Employer that offers unlimited paid time off

The Hobson family – founder Philip Hobson and wife Linda are still involved in the business, although their four children run it – has spent a lot of time looking at ways to create value for employees without sacrificing customer service. Members of the accounting department set their own schedules, because theirs is task-oriented work that needs to be done, but not necessarily in an 8 a.m.-5 p.m. window. Some employees bring their toddlers to work. HVAC technicians can choose a four-day work week with long days, or five.

“Employees are internal customers,” Hobson says. “It’s not easy. How can we be as flexible as we can without sacrificing the customer?”

FW Inc.’s 2017 Best Companies to Work For, the magazine’s second annual top employers contest, offers a look at what a number of area businesses – large and small – are doing to try to keep employees happy. Many of the companies are trying to meet employees’ complicated work and personal lives head on by allowing flexible hours where possible. Ways to keep fit, having fun while at work, and developing professionally are at the top of the list. So is two-way communication with the bosses.

One of our employers – it’s a scavenger hunt; see if you can find it! – offers unlimited paid time off. “It’s based on mutual respect,” the employer says. A number of our employers report they pay 100 percent of employees’ health premium, which can either be a strength or something for

employees to complain about, depending on what the plan offers.

How do we assemble this report? First, it’s independently run and judged by The Best Companies Group, a global independent workplace excellence research firm. Best Companies managed the registration process, conducted the two-part survey process, evaluated the data, and chose the companies that made the list. Deadline for registration was in the spring.

The contest is open to all publicly or privately held organizations, for-profit or not-for-profit. To be eligible for consideration, applicants must have at least 15 employees working in the Fort Worth region. Being headquartered here was not a requirement.

Part one of the assessment – threequarters of each company’s score – involved a confidential 76-question employee engagement and satisfaction survey, used to evaluate the employees’ workplace experience and company culture.

Part two of the assessment – representing the other quarter of each company’s score – consisted of The BCG Employer Questionnaire, used to collect information about each company’s benefits, policies, practices and other general information.

The combined data allowed the experts at BCG to conduct an in-depth analysis of the strengths and challenges that exist in each company.

BCG’s workplace assessment experts determined which companies were good enough to make the final list, and those companies were compared to one another and ranked in large- and small-size categories. Large companies are those with at least 250 employees companywide. This is a shift from the first year of the FW Inc. contest, when 50 employees was the dividing line.

Legacy Mutual Mortgage

Our first-place large company winner, Legacy Mutual Mortgage, often has to go to work when the rest of us are watching football. But Legacy's employees play hard, too.

Gary Linville, vice president and manager of Legacy Mutual’s Fort Worth branch, is quick to point out the company’s low turnover.

“The thing I’m most proud of is loyalty,” says Linville, who owned a mortgage firm he sold to Legacy in 2011, marking that company’s entry into Fort Worth. “I can walk you down the hall and tell you the years people have been here. It’s a fun environment. People are friends.”

Linville attributes the company’s growth and strength as a workplace to team play and dynamics, Legacy’s coaching and its loan officers’ savvy networking with “anybody who has the ability to refer business,” benefits, relaxed environment promulgated by senior management, and flexible hours.

“Some of it’s teams; some of it’s coaching,” he says. The company encourages employees to enjoy the flexibility in their hours, he says.

“We do what we need to do. You need to stay relaxed, because this is a pretty intense business.

“There are things in the business that happen on the weekend.”

A loan officer might get a call on Saturday, for example, from a real estate agent who needs to pre-qualify a prospect. Wait until Monday, and the opportunity’s most likely lost to a competitor. “I was at the Texas–OU game and got a call,” Linville says. “It’s a necessary evil. It happens in our industry, and it happens a lot.”

Legacy offers a bonus program for all team members, and it encourages team leaders to take their members on outings, like an afternoon at the State Fair. “We run hard, and it’s just the business,” Linville says. “But with that comes some fun.”

Another enticing benefit: Telecommuting options. One of Linville’s team members lives in Austin, moving there after her husband was transferred. “She doesn’t even go into that office,” Linville says. “It’s 45 minutes away. We worked it out.”

Another of Linville’s team members lives in Midlothian and telecommutes twice a week from home. “We just need to be flexible if it’s the right person,” Linville says.

JENNI JONES, LOAN OFFICER

Legacy Mutual Mortgage

“Legacy Mutual Mortgage is a diamond in the rough among employers. Over half of the local employees have been with the company for more than six years, with most of them spending double-digit years calling Legacy home. In fact, most employees would consider their co-workers as close as family members. The culture of the company is one filled with cooperation, teamwork, service to customers, and, most importantly, having fun. Legacy promotes growth and advancement from within and provides training and coaching for all employees. Monthly potluck lunches, Christmas parties with staff and referral partners, and company award trips with spouses are a few of the reasons the employees of Legacy would all agree that it is an honor to work here.”

WHAT THEY DO:

Fort Worth branch of San Antonio mortgage lender originates, underwrites and closes conventional, FHA, VA, Texas Vet and USDA mortgage loans. Legacy lenders have access to internal funds for our clients’ mortgage loans. Fort Worth office in September hit $150 million in loans so far for the year. Companywide, Legacy did $1.5 billion in loans last year.

EMPLOYEES: 17 Fort Worth, 327 companywide

WHAT EMPLOYEES

LOVE: Collaboration among employees in loan production teams; annual retreat in San Antonio for loan officers; monthly incentives and team-building events; competitive benefits that include 100 percent of health premium paid and choice of health plans and short- and long-term disability; spirit days; monthly potlucks; holiday parties; telecommuting options; flexible hours

COOL BENEFIT: Flexible hours

Gary Linville

Sarah Lyons

CENTURY 21 JUDGE FITE CO.

Multiple locations

WHAT THEY DO: Residential real estate sales, No. 4 Century 21 company in the United States

EMPLOYEES: Two, Fort Worth; 72 independent contract agents WHAT AGENTS AND EMPLOYEES

LOVE: Family agency owners and supportive, mentoring environment with annual “exotic trips” for highest performers. Fall family picnic with face painting, bounce houses, cake walks and costumes. Lobbies of branch offices can look like coworking spaces, with long tables and stools where Realtors collaborate.

“Support is very important,” Donny Teis, the Fort Worth regional manager, says. “We’re all trying to help each other out. There’s extensive training and mentoring. We know the owners, and the owners know us.”

COOL BENEFITS: Agents, as independent contractors, have flexible hours. Annual Passport to Paradise trip sends agents, employees, and guests to locations like Panama, Costa Rica and Mexico each year, based on listings; closings; staff promotions; referrals to Century 21 insurance, connections vendor network, property management and commercial department; charitable contributions and volunteerism to Easter Seals of North Texas; career development courses; 98 percent quality-service rating from the agents’ customers, and more.

SARAH LYONS, REALTOR

Century 21 Judge Fite Co.

“The fun and inclusive atmosphere! From the first time I walked into the office for career night, I instantly felt comfortable and welcome. It has been almost four years since I joined this family-owned company, and I have only grown more thankful for their support with each passing year. We have the backing of a global brand but the feeling of a family-owned business. The whole leadership team, including Jim Fite, our broker, is just a call away. On more than one occasion, I have had management mail personal notes to my husband, thanking him for his support in my career. They truly care about us both personally and professionally. I have even been given the opportunity to experience new countries through our Passport to Paradise trips. Being able to kick back on the beach with other agents from across the company is a real bonding experience and a great way to network with other agents from across DFW. I feel extremely thankful for my Judge Fite Family.”

ORIGIN BANK Fort Worth offices

WHAT THEY DO: Community bank, with eight North Texas offices and a loan production center in North Richland Hills.

EMPLOYEES: 24 Fort Worth, 662 companywide

WHAT EMPLOYEES LOVE: Wellness programs that include flu shots, health fairs and screenings, and gift cards for attaining points; holiday parties, employee picnics, game nights, team outings and cultural celebrations like March

At work in Burns & McDonnell's Fort Worth offices

of Dimes crawfish boil, college football tailgates; paid time off for volunteering at charities of employees’ choice; extra paid time off for volunteering at United Way agencies; annual incentive bonuses available to all employees that range typically between 4 and 20 percent of salary; tuition reimbursement of up to $2,500 per 12-month period; bank holidays; flexible hours; “dream manager” on staff to help employees.

COOL BENEFIT: 20-hours paid time off per year to volunteer for charities they choose. Bankwide, employees have put in a total 5,862 hours under the Project Enrich program since inception in 2013. Origin likes to recruit employees who enjoy serving others and are problemsolvers, Grant James, the bank’s region president, says. “A lot of what we do can be tedious, it can be frustrating, it can be confusing to the consumer,” James says.

“So many of the people who work for the bank are entrepreneurial. They’re self-starters. They’re independent thinkers.”

JUSTIN HOLT Origin Bank

“Collaboration drives a culture of success at Origin Bank. Since its founding in 1912, the bank has relied on relationships, not just transactions, to grow from a small community bank in northern Louisiana to a $4 billion bank with locations in four states. Origin Bank retains the community feel that appeals to those folks operating $100 million businesses or those who are simply looking for a loan for their first home. In every scenario, bank employees collaborate, internally and externally, to deliver optimal results.”

BURNS & MCDONNELL

Fort Worth office

WHAT THEY DO: Full-service engineering, architecture, construction, environmental and consulting solutions firm, based in Kansas City, Missouri.

EMPLOYEES: 70 Fort Worth, 5,315 companywide

WHAT EMPLOYEES LOVE: 100 percent employeeowned; entrepreneurial culture; employee ownership celebrations like birthday cookies; career development opportunities; year-end performance bonuses; charitable matching gifts program; MacCulture employee recognition gift cards. All employees receive a grant of shares when they join company and more at end of each year. ESOP also pays dividends. Wellness initiative pays $60 discount off of monthly health insurance premium. Employees earn points through biometric screenings, online health assessments, physical activities and preventative measures. Generous tuition program, offers 100 percent reimbursement of MBA expense. Company raised $230,000 in 2017 for at-risk youth.

COOL BENEFIT: Fort Worth office in Pier 1 head-

quarters building near downtown Fort Worth and the West 7th corridor. In-building gym, café, Starbucks, covered alfresco deck overlooking Trinity River access. Some employees bike to work. “We have this backyard where people play Ultimate Frisbee,” Olivia Ash, the Fort Worth marketing coordinator, says. “We’ve done cornhole out here.”

GUSTAVO RODRIGUEZ, DEPARTMENT MANAGER

Burns & McDonnell

“As employee-owners, we put our hearts into the success of our clients and our firm, and we see the direct correlation between our client’s success and our own success. This is a place where entrepreneurship and excellence meet. We collaborate on meaningful and impactful ideas alongside industry leaders from DFW, Texas, and across the country. And the work we do matters to our community, creating a huge sense of purpose. We’re passionate about making our world a better place, and we have the drive to make it a reality — all while making our careers as successful as we can imagine.”

Justin Holt

« Origin Bank recognizes community heroes before TCU home football games: Origin's Grant James and Caroline Thomas, with CEO Eric Niedermayer (center) of the Recovery Resource Center.

OLYMPUS PROPERTY

Fort Worth

WHAT THEY DO: Full-service multifamily investment and property management company headquartered in Fort Worth

EMPLOYEES: 160 Fort Worth full time, 375 companywide

WHAT EMPLOYEES LOVE: Strong benefit package; holiday parties; commissions and compensation; biggest loser weight challenge; awards program with paid time off; bonus; 100 percent health premium paid; flexible hours. Owners Anthony Wunderly and Chandler Wunderly promote core values that include family and fun. “We really put those values into place,” Kate Skaggs, the company’s

BANK OF TEXAS

Fort Worth area offices

WHAT THEY DO: Full-service banking and wealth management company

EMPLOYEES: 173 Tarrant County, 4,962 companywide

WHAT EMPLOYEES LOVE: Employee events and recognition; attentive leadership; wellness initiatives that include Naturally Slim weight-loss program, brown bag lunch webinars, biometric screenings

business manager, says. Fun means rallies; employee outings to Texas Rangers and Dallas Cowboys games and the State Fair; big Christmas party; employee “Shoutouts” on Fridays. Family means work-life balance and, for some, leaving early to take children trick-or-treating. “We’re all human,” Skaggs says.

COOL BENEFIT: 30 percent employee rent discount at Olympus properties

SARAH TURNER, DFW REGIONAL MANAGER

Olympus Property

“Since joining Olympus Property in 2009, I’ve seen the company not only grow in size, but talent. No matter your title, from groundskeeper to corporate team member,

the company gives you the tools you need to reach your goals. I left for a short time and came back because the culture was unmatched. The ‘Olympus Culture’ is a consistent theme throughout the organization. The owners and leadership team work diligently to ensure the culture here is second to none. It is important to create an environment that is customercentered, built on trust, working as a family, and of course working as a team and having fun along the way.”

for employees and spouses, paid health club membership, and boot camps; quarterly call for all employees; job shadowing and cross-training; volunteering during work hours; bonus plan that includes $500-$1,500 employee referral bonuses; annual employee event; birthday, potluck, breakfast meet and greet, new employee happy hour celebrations. Stephanie Reyes, a lending support specialist assigned to the health care banking segment in the downtown Fort Worth office, says she likes the lack of silos. “I know if I need help or somebody needs help, nobody balks,” says Reyes, who’s worked at the bank for more than five years. She also appreciates the professional development opportunities at the bank. “They really encourage everybody to seek opportunity for their own growth, professionally and personally. They encourage us to look anywhere. All you have to do is raise your hand.”

COOL BENEFIT: Long Live Your Ideas program with $10,000 cash prize added for one winner in 2017. In the program’s first year last year, three of the top five ideas were assigned to working groups to explore and implement, covering topics like referrals, document management, and social responsibility. In this year’s contest, 139 ideas were submitted. “The top four are currently being reviewed,” Cristie Escochea, vice president, regional community relations and marketing for the bank, says.

STEPHANIE REYES, LENDING SUPPORT SPECIALIST Bank of Texas

“I love working at Bank of Texas for several reasons, but one of the highlights is that I feel valued. It has been proven to me time and time again that my opinion counts and that I’m an integral part of the team. Our team is always willing to help out when needed, no matter the task or whether it crosses departmental lines. We’re all here to reach the same goal. I’ve also been encouraged to learn more and seek out opportunities for growth. There is a noticeable effort to maintain and groom the existing talent. We are a priority.”

Sarah Turner

Halloween staff meeting at Bank of Texas

FREEDOM POWERSPORTS

Fort Worth, multiple locations

WHAT THEY DO: Sell powersports equipment, parts, accessories and service through 14 dealerships in North Texas, Georgia and Alabama. Named No. 1 U.S. dealer in the PowerSports Business 2017 Power 50.

EMPLOYEES: 57 Fort Worth, 330 companywide

WHAT EMPLOYEES LOVE: Entrepreneurial, family culture, in which employees can advance; group dinners for teams that hit goals; bonus program; monthly volunteering with Ronald McDonald House. Kevin Lackey, the founder and CEO, started at the bottom in one powersports store and rose to own Freedom, so it’s no surprise the company spends a lot of time talking that story up with recruits. “He started as a porter and worked his way up,” Caren Quinn, the company’s U.S. recruiting director, says. “It gives people hope [that they can advance]. He’s very big on promoting from within; he wants all the managers to duplicate themselves.” Sarah McVean, the chief marketing officer, started as a photographer. “You build your own path through the company,” she says. “I kept raising my hand.” The 5-year-old company unleashes new stores in spurts; it projects to grow to 30

by 2020, and that presents opportunity to move up in progression that moves from sales to sales manager, general manager, and regional manager. Store sizes range from small four or five employees, to more than 30, like the West Fort Worth store. The company’s growth also presents challenges; Lackey has said it’s been constrained by the ability to develop new managers. “That’s something we’re working on,” McVean says. Freedom is focusing on its core values to develop new leaders, McVean says. “We had a core base,” she says. “We’ve diluted it. We’ve maxed out.”

COOL BENEFITS: Get to work with powersports equipment all day long and customers who want to have fun. “People are here to have fun,” Taylor Jasper, marketing specialist, says. “They come here for that.”

BILLY LENARD, SALESMAN

Freedom Powersports Fort Worth

“I’ve been working at Freedom Powersports since February of this year, and I have loved every second of it. The thing that sticks out to me is the family atmosphere amongst the employees and management. I know that if I needed help after hours, that I could call any one of them, and they would drop whatever they were doing to help, because that is what being a part of the Freedom family means.”

Billy Lenard

Selling powersports at Freedom's West Fort Worth store

RODEO DENTAL & ORTHODONTICS

Multiple locations

WHAT THEY DO: General dentistry, pediatric dentistry, orthodontics, endodontists, and oral surgery. Clinics have “concierges” who greet patients and give them office tours; full-size gyms for kids; movie theaters with surround sound; and Xbox 360 game centers.

EMPLOYEES: 100 Fort Worth employees and 15 doctors; 400 employees and 75 doctors companywide

WHAT EMPLOYEES LOVE: “Over the Top” birthday celebrations that include cake and office-wide skits and, often, roses for moms; wrapped gifts for pediatric patients with special needs; costume dress-up days; bonuses for driving improvements in the patient experience; cross-training in tasks like Xray, patient intake, insurance verification, taking dental supply inventory, chair-side assistance, gathering patient history, and charting treatment; annual all-expenses-paid family trips to Schlitterbahn and Six Flags Over Texas.

COOL BENEFIT: High Performance Culture and Wow Factor bonuses. Rodeo implemented one employee’s idea to assist children recovering in the office from complex procedures. “Mental exercises that are fun, face painting, unwrapping gifts, and spontaneous interactions that are funny are all part of the magic,” Maribel Noriega, the company’s vice president of human resources, says.

“This is now being done at all Rodeo Offices. The team member that came up with this approach led the training and implementation across the other offices — and was awarded a HPC bonus.”

Another team member came up with the idea to create an internal app that displayed employee birthdays and anniversaries for the upcoming week; Rodeo implemented that. Another employee promoted a concept of Smile Stations that contain special items like new dolls, books, and games that can be packaged into a gift box and sent to kids who required complex treatments or have special needs. “The Smile Station is now in use across the entire company,” Noriega says.

ANA GABRIELA “GABY” SILVA, PATIENT LOYALTY ADVOCATE

Rodeo Dental & Orthodontics

“When I first interviewed at Rodeo, I had no idea of what to expect — and I still don’t! What a crazy, spontaneous, and compassionate culture it is! As a patient advocate, I’m lucky enough to work in the Patient Loyalty team, which tees up the ultimate “wow” experience for our patient arrivals. We’re a virtual extension of each office and actually get to travel to meet the doctors and team in our Fort Worth, South Texas, Laredo, and Houston locations. With leaders that are obsessed with patient experience and a culture that values art, entertainment, individuality, and self-expression — I’m addicted to Rodeo! There — I admit it!”

Ana "Gaby" Silva

Patient advocates at Rodeo Dental

A fast-growing technology offers opportunity for advancement - Germany, anyone? - and a lot of incentive to get the work done. Meet the one company among our 25 Best Companies that offers unlimited paid time off.

Koddi's West 7th Street headquarters in Fort Worth

Koddi is a fast-growing business co-founded four years ago by Nicholas Ward and George Popstefanov, CEO of PMG, a Fort Worth digital marketing agency. Ward and Popstefanov created a platform as a specific solution, then decided to market it to big travel brands. Koddi was born.

“It was profitable in four months,” Jarrod

Simpson, the operations director, says. The company’s trajectory is two- to three-times growth each year, he says. (Koddi hasn’t yet disclosed sales.) It reports on its website that client companies, representing 215,000 hotel rooms, have experienced 41 percent booking increases using the Koddi platform.

The company’s culture is still developing. “We’re young, and we’re trying to figure out what things mean to us,” Marnie Robbins, the company's recently hired first HR manager, says.

Innovation, collaboration, excellence, and empowerment with flat structure are all values the company is building on. With its developers, Koddi sets priorities and gives them freedom to gravitate toward projects they’re interested in. “We have a firm understanding of what the priorities are,” Simpson says.

The company is also expanding opportunities for employees, having opened an office in Germany. More opportunities are coming that will give employees a chance to work remotely, Simpson says. “We really push and challenge our employees to know what they want to do,” he says.

Full transparency of how the company is doing is also key, with management providing monthly updates on performance. “I know I don’t have to question the health of the company,” Leah Richardson, Koddi’s marketing coordinator, says.

ZACHARY RECTOR, ACCOUNT MANAGER

Koddi

“Koddi gives its employees the ability to shape the direction of their own careers and empowers them to succeed. Every day at Koddi offers a unique challenge to overcome and the opportunity for personal growth. All of your coworkers are fully committed to one another's success and help each other learn. Koddi is a fast-paced, ever-changing and engaging place to work.”

WHAT THEY DO: Helps global travel brands maximize their digital advertising programs by providing an advanced reporting and bid automation platform for metasearch publishers.

Koddi serves nine of 10 largest U.S. hotel suppliers.

EMPLOYEES: 27

WHAT EMPLOYEES LOVE: Only employer on our 2017 Best Companies to Work For that offers unlimited paid time off. Free healthy snacks in office; office kegerator with local craft beer on tap; reimbursement for gym memberships; monthly companywide town hall meetings offer “full transparency”; dogfriendly; weekly lunch and learns; profit-sharing and bonuses; employees eligible to join benefit programs on day of hire; telecommuting options and flexible hours; flat hierarchy with few bosses and open-door policy for managers; timemanagement workshops; paid sabbaticals; happy hours; game nights and other office celebrations.

COOL BENEFIT: Unlimited paid time off. “It’s based on mutual respect, our employees’ time and position,” Marnie Robbins, the company’s HR manager, says. “If I need to take two weeks off at Christmas, that’s great. Do I have coverage?”

FORTE BENEFITS

Fort Worth

WHAT THEY DO: Designs, implements and manages group benefit plans and related human resources

EMPLOYEES: 19

WHAT EMPLOYEES LOVE: Empowering environment; professional development opportunities; monthly lunches and quarterly team-building exercises; 15 days paid time off after one year; outings to Texas Rangers games, cooking classes and Topgolf; bonuses; company pays 100 percent of health premiums and 100 percent of employee long-term care insurance; flexible hours; one-hour-long massage per month.

COOL BENEFITS: Flexible hours. One of the first things you notice in visiting Forte's offices is that employees don't arrive all at once to start the day; they trickle in. And there's no clock to punch. "We have single moms who work here," partner Jeff Farmer says. "We're all at different stages; we all have different needs at home." Forte also designs benefit plans, so it’s no surprise the company has a strong benefits package, including 100 percent of long-term premium care, an unusual benefit. “LTC is one of the most important coverages that someone can have,” Tabitha Biery, the company’s operations director, says. “LTC is best purchased while you’re young and healthy, and we wanted to provide this care in addition to longterm disability should the need arise.”

TABITHA BIERY, DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS

Forte Benefits

“Forte Benefits isn’tjust comprised of employees, rather a family who loves and respects one another. Built on a foundation of integrity and commitment to supporting each other, Forte’s culture is evident from the inside out. Our partners have worked hard over the years to create an environment where teamwork truly does make the dream work, and it shows in our customer service and service model deliverability. At the end of the day, Forte is committed to its family through a supportive culture and friendly office environment, which in turn allows the team to work comfortably, productively and efficiently.”

SATORI CAPITAL

Fort Worth

WHAT THEY DO: Investment firm founded on principles of conscious capitalism, the principle that businesses thrive when they look after the interests of all stakeholders. Satori invests in leadership teams of companies with $5 million to $25 million of EBITDA that have long-term vision, are committed to mission, and look to create value for all stakeholders.

EMPLOYEES: 25

WHAT EMPLOYEES LOVE: Satori spends a lot of time nurturing partners’ and employees’ mind, body and spirit. Its Optimal Living initiative helps employees be the best mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually. A number of employees work out together. Company pays for gym memberships, personal trainer, and health screenings. Chef-prepared daily in-house lunches are on the

house. Meditation precedes meetings. Advisers like Larry North provide regular coaching on topics like fitness, nutrition and stress management. Company pays 100 percent of employee health premium. Satori provides 25 days of paid time off after one year of service, highest among our 2017 Best Companies to Work For. Annual “gratitude” dinner. Flexible hours. Birthday bonus is a company gift to charity of choice, plus a day off. Employees can win extra money for their charities in an annual in-office charity pitch competition. Company picks up the tab when two or more employees share an Uber to work, or to travel to Satori’s Dallas office. “We create an environment that nurtures people so they can feel less stressed mentally,” Faith Geiger, who created the Optimal Living initiative, says. “If we take care of the whole person, then the intensity of the work flow doesn’t overwhelm.”

Satori employees work out weekly together at an off-site gym

JON GARD, DIRECTOR, INVESTMENT TEAM

Satori Capital

“No veil – no posturing – just unbridled authenticity. I was tired of accepting a world with two separate lives: Jon Gard the professional and Jon Gard the husband/ father/friend. Satori has allowed me to seamlessly merge these into one aligned and purposeful life. I am encouraged to show up as my authentic self, flaws and all, which unlocks my true potential and offers a sense of inner equilibrium, vulnerability, and deep fulfillment that can’t be found at traditional organizations. Our culture is like rocket fuel for the mind, body, and soul! I love my team members and cannot imagine working anywhere else.”

JIM ROSS LAW GROUP

Arlington

WHAT THEY DO: Law firm specializing in personal injury, criminal defense, family law, and business litigation. Jim Ross says he’s the most unusual lawyer around, and he might be right. Ross grew up in Detroit in an auto industry family, went into the Marines, then moved to Arlington to be near an aunt and was an Arlington Police officer for years, finishing as an undercover narcotics agent teamed with the Drug Enforcement Administration. “I spent a lot of time in court,” he says. “I thought, these lawyers suck. I can do better than that.” So in his mid-30s, he went to law school. He first worked with famed personal injury investigator Erin Brockovich and finally ended up hanging out his own shingle. He bumped along his first three or four years, then hit it big in a personal injury settlement he reached in a case he got on referral from a man he’d had a short talk with more than a year earlier. “We settled that for millions,” he says. Reflecting on the short conversation he had that led to the referral, he says, “if you just treat people right, it’ll come back to you.” With that clarified mission, Ross’ firm has shot ahead in the last three years, going to 30 employees from nine. On the side, Ross recently partnered up with Mercury Chophouse to open a steakhouse on the top floor of the north Arlington office building that houses his firm.

EMPLOYEES: 20

WHAT EMPLOYEES LOVE: Periodic in-office breakfasts and lunches. “We bring in lunch almost every week” on Fridays, Ross says. “Our employees’ favorite is Babe’s fried chicken.” Holiday parties; paid personal trainer; weight loss challenges with the trainer’s help; employee night at Drybar; massage chairs; flexible hours. “People here know family comes first,” he says. “You’re not going to lose your job because your child got sick and you have to be out.” Ross has been known to spring for medical bills that aren’t covered by the firm’s health insurance. He likes to tell his employees, “If you see something that makes this place better, let me know.” He takes them and families on outings to Six Flags Over Texas and the State Fair, all expenses paid. The company also sponsors and volunteers at various events.

COOL BENEFITS: Winners of the employee of the month contest receive $100 cash prizes, a day off, and covered parking for a month. Winners of the employee of the year contest (all monthly winners are eligible) receive $1,000 cash and three days off. What about a steak dinner, too? “That’s an idea,” Ross says.

RUSTIN BRUNSON, ATTORNEY

Jim Ross Law Group

“This firm has provided professional and personal opportunities that I would not have had at any other firm. This firm isn’t just an office where I spend my time during work hours. To consider it as such would be a slight to the co-workers I consider friends and Jim, who has invested in not only getting to know me and developing my career, but he has also taken time to get to know my family. I am very thankful for his mentorship and the opportunities for growth he has given me.”

Jon Gard

Meditation break at Satori

PACHECO KOCH

Fort Worth office

WHAT THEY DO:

Dallas company, with offices in Fort Worth, Houston and Celina, offers full-service engineering, land surveying and landscape architecture to public and private sector clients.

EMPLOYEES: 56 Fort Worth, 182 companywide

WHAT EMPLOYEES LOVE: Our first-place large company winner in the 2016 Best Companies to Work For ranking is back, this time in the small company segment, because the large employer segment shifts this year to firms with 250 or more employees. WHAT EMPLOYEES TALK ABOUT: PK’s family culture that includes office sports teams and fitness challenges; condensed work weeks that include half-day Fridays; Friday breakfasts; yoga; personal development workshops; company-paid fees for certifications; gym and restaurant in building. The company pays 100 percent of health premiums. Office sports include sand volleyball, dodgeball and indoor soccer league teams. An activities committee plans activities, including regular volunteer work at places like the Ronald McDonald House. PK, like many others among our Best Companies, employs a lot of younger workers. “They just want to feel part of the team,” Holly McPherson, a PK associate principal, says. “Outside work, activities are important to them.”

COOL BENEFITS: Work week includes 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday hours, and 7:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m. Fridays.

JACE MOTHERAL, ENGINEER

Pacheco Koch

“Since joining the Pacheco Koch Fort Worth office more than seven years ago, I have witnessed our transition from a small,

five-person office to the awesome group of professionals I work with daily. I have seen firsthand the effort that goes into ensuring every new hire first and foremost positively contributes to the office culture. This effort is one of the main reasons our various departments are able to work together and collaborate daily on numerous projects while still having fun. Starting on my first day at Pacheco Koch with an employee lunch, everybody I have met since then has made sure I feel welcome and has assured that I continue to receive the right opportunities for professional development and growth within the company. By providing several different training opportunities, Pacheco Koch and its team members ensure the appropriate training is received to succeed in your chosen field. A few of these opportunities I have participated in include mentor programs, lunch-and-learns, seminars, and manager trainings. Each of these trainings are led by experts in their field and act as a chance to bond and build stronger relationships with my coworkers. Another aspect that makes Pacheco Koch a great place to work is the after-work activities offered to the employees as well as their families. Pacheco Koch emphasizes involvement in the community, such as volunteering at the Ronald McDonald House and Tarrant County Food Bank, as well as participation in a variety of company sports teams – my favorites being the dodgeball tournament and sand volleyball games. These after-work activities help with team building and getting to know my fellow coworkers, or what I like to call my PK family, outside of the office environment. While I have had a great time working at Pacheco Koch already, I look forward to the bright future of this office and sharing my work weeks with not just coworkers, but my friends.”

PATTERSON LAW GROUP

Fort Worth

WHAT THEY DO: Personal injury law

EMPLOYEES: 16 full-time, nine part-time, Fort Worth and Arlington offices

WHAT EMPLOYEES LOVE: Family culture with ping pong table and in-office bar with Legal Draft Brewery beer on tap (one of the firm’s attorneys founded Legal in Arlington); happy hours and breakfasts; kids room; dog-friendly; flexible scheduling and telecommuting options. Annual onemonth “Squat Challenge” underway before the holidays; staff takes a break each day and plays music while doing a wall sit as a group. “Disclaimer,”

Becky Dobyns

Collaborating at PK's West Fort Worth offices

lawyer Anna Patterson says. “Our male attorneys are too lazy to participate.”

COOL BENEFIT: Telecommuting options. “PLG employs a significant number of single moms, who both love their kids and their jobs, trying to make both work on a daily basis,” Patterson says. “We understand how hard this can be and try to be as supportive as possible, because we know that our staff is our greatest asset. When possible, we work with our employees’ schedules and constraints, providing laptops and remote connections to our casefile system, or ask others to cover for them, promoting a teamwork atmosphere. At PLG, we believe that work should never come at the expense of family. In fact, experience has shown that people reach their highest

potential professionally when both their work and their family are valued.”

TINA JOSLIN Patterson Law Group

“There are many reasons that Patterson Law Group is a great place to work. Among them is that every day we see people at their most vulnerable and in pain. We are privileged to take those vulnerabilities and stand up alongside our clients to make sure that their voice is heard and that those who are responsible for their pain are held accountable. I get to do this with co-workers who are as passionate about the good we do in our clients’ lives as I am. That makes coming to work feel less like work, and more like a calling.”

QUALBE MARKETING

Haltom City

WHAT THEY DO: Digital marketing and technology company that builds businesses by optimizing websites, driving online traffic and closing sales online and over the phone. One product it represents: Dental coverage. Made the 2017 Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing companies, with $12.2 million in 2016 revenue and a 55 percent three-year growth rate.

EMPLOYEES: 66

WHAT EMPLOYEES LOVE: Collegial, collaborative culture; idea-generating system; free healthy snacks daily, free Friday “lunch and learn” on topics such as humility, and foods brought in on national food days; indoor gym, basketball and pickleball racquet court; family events like in-house family Trick or Treating; game room with ping pong, pool, and foosball tables and dart board and other games like corn hole; in-house library with “book war” contests designed to encourage employees to read; Monopoly tournaments with added profit-and-loss and cash flow statements to boost employees’ business savvy; “Qual of Fame” employee recognition wall and regular Rock Star recognition cards handed out by CEO Randy Meinen. WHAT THIS HAS TO DO WITH ANYTHING: Qualbe works hard to maintain a respectful, fun culture, Meinen

says. Some employees eschew office chairs for fitness balls. Through its idea system, Qualbe automated its commissions process, cutting a day of work to 30 minutes; started regular company-wide volunteer events including cleaning Gateway Park and collecting Hurricane Harvey donations; and even unlocked toilet paper dispensers so anybody can replace the rolls. “We work really, really hard, but we play really, really hard,” Meinen says. “We respect one another, encourage one another, build each other up,” Julie Lee, the office manager, says.

“It’s everybody coming together. That is us every day.”

BECKY DOBYNS, DIGITAL SPECIALIST

Qualbe Marketing Group

“It’s an amazing feeling when a company’s values not only line up with your own, but even challenge you to be a better person. That’s been my experience working at Qualbe. We put others ahead of ourselves, whether customers or coworkers. We have fun with lip-sync competitions, chili cookoffs and pickleball tournaments. We never stop learning through reading competitions and conferences. When employees encounter difficulty, supervisors encourage them and ask, ‘how can I help you succeed?’ Qualbe values and cultivates each employee so that we all have a role in building up businesses and building up people – together.”

FORREST PERFORMANCE GROUP

Fort Worth

WHAT THEY DO: Lead and design sales, management, customer service and executive training programs, and management coaching programs

EMPLOYEES: 16

WHAT EMPLOYEES LOVE: Friday “I’m Freaking Awesome” happy hours; employee outings to locations such as Topgolf and breweries; theme days; free snacks and beverages; team volunteering for Habitat for Humanity; 100 percent of health premium paid; Monday morning yoga; partial reimbursement to employees who have gym memberships. Company placed on the 2017 Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing U.S. companies with $2.9 million in 2016 revenue and 59 percent three-year growth.

COOL BENEFITS: It’s a sales training organization, so its offices are designed like a locker room, with inspirational messages in the tunnel-like hallway leading from the lobby to the offices. CEO Jason Forrest’s double-door entry is emblazoned with “I Am a Coach.” Employees and Forrest point to the company’s “I’m Freaking Awesome” Friday happy hours as an encapsulation of the company’s culture. Employees quit working at 4 p.m., pour themselves a drink, and head for the conference room, where trainers from five U.S. offices come in by TV link. Each employee takes a turn “validating” another for great work, and then tells the room why “I’m Freaking Awesome” as well. FPG is one of a minority number of companies in our list that pay 100 percent of employee health premium, but Forrest doesn’t brag about that. That just brought FPG alongside competing employers, in his view. “This organization is about trying to sincerely validate and appreciate other people,” he says. That’s what the company does daily, Forrest says, but it’s driven home by Friday cocktail hour, he says. “This is what we do every Friday.”

MARY MARSHALL

Forrest Performance Group

“I’m proud to work for FPG because it’s a group of people determined to recognize not only the achievements of our clients and company, but to celebrate the weekly achievements of each other. And the fact that we do it at our ‘I’m Freakin’ Awesome Happy Hour’ every Friday is not just icing on the cake, but a cherry in my Manhattan.”

EST GROUP

Arlington

WHAT THEY DO: IT consulting. Fastgrowing company, with a stable of partners including Dell, has made the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing U.S. companies two years in a row. It made the 2017 list with $28.7 million in 2016 revenue and three-year growth of 166 percent. Tim Spires, co-founder and president, says the company is headed for $45 million in sales this year, and he believes it will top $100 million by 2020. “We’re growing like crazy,” he says.

EMPLOYEES: 57 Arlington, 72 U.S.

WHAT EMPLOYEES LOVE: Work-life balance with flexible hours; Friday lunches; company outings; Whole Life healthy eating challenge; company-paid L.A. Fitness membership for employees and spouses; $150 quarterly bonuses for employees who check into L.A. Fitness 40 times per quarter; reimbursements for race fees; 100 percent health premium paid by company. “It is one of those added values that other companies don’t provide,” Spires says. “I want them to not worry about it.”

COOL BENEFIT: Drop into EST’s offices around noon on Friday, and you may get caught in a line of employees waiting to fill their plates from EST’s free Friday

lunches. On a recent Friday, the company brought in chicken from Babe’s Chicken Dinner House – fried and smoked, for those eating healthy. The office quickly filled with the aroma, as employees joined the line and loaded their plates. It’s a weekly opportunity for employees from EST’s three divisions to gather, Spires says. The company likes to say it wants its employees, customers and partners to have “the best possible experience.” “The motto doesn’t mean you’re perfect,” Spires says. “It just means we’re trying to be better than our competitors. The trick is how you measure it. And how do you keep it from being a slogan.”

TRINITY VALLEY SCHOOL

Fort Worth

10

WHAT THEY DO: K-12 private school with four-prong mission: Fine scholarship with its fulfillment at college, development of wide constructive interests, intelligent citizenship, and spiritual and moral development which promotes lasting values.

EMPLOYEES: 183

WHAT EMPLOYEES LOVE: Benefits, work life, monthly birthday breakfasts with the head of school, free flu shots and Fitbits, annual International Fair that promotes diversity and cultural awareness.

COOL BENEFITS: Bonus program includes $350 Above and Beyond Award, Christmas bonus awarded to all fulltimers, $500 Gary Krahn Education Award for faculty creativity. TVS pays 100 percent of employees’ health premium. “We feel in order to be competitive, to attract and retain the best faculty and staff, this is difference maker,” TVS’s Margaret Kramer says. “We want to make sure we take care of each other.” Ample benefits package includes short- and long-term disability and long summers. Charitable giving initiatives include Day of Service

for Upper School faculty and students; Day Without Shoes, a shoe drive; and Tarrant Area Food Bank. New head of school meets with teachers and staff in off-site dinner groups. After-school child care available at a discount.

GRACE CRUMLEY

First-grade teacher, Trinity Valley School

“Trinity Valley School is my happy place. It has breathtaking landscapes, magnificently well-maintained buildings, and access to all the tools needed for staff and students to accomplish great tasks. Teaching at TVS means having autonomy in the classroom, phenomenal benefits, remarkable opportunities for professional growth, and being supported by the most amazing administrative team that values us. My eyes have been opened to a community of employees, parents, and students who strive to be people of character,

every day … no matter what. Everyone is enthusiastic and helpful at our school. Kindness rules at TVS, and there is nowhere else I would rather be!”

BEVERLY KELLAR, EXECUTIVE MARKETING ASSISTANT EST Group

“I love working at EST Group because the leadership cares about their teams and those with whom we do business. Our president, Tim Spires, and CFO Patricia Spires are always looking for ways to reward their employees for their hard work and loyalty. EST Group hosts several ‘Date Nights’ throughout the year at movies, Lone Star Park and Rangers’ games. Employees are allowed to expense babysitting. EST Group also throws a lavish Christmas party at which we received an apparel gift, popcorn tins and Christmas bonuses. The company also provides lunch

for all of the employees every Friday. EST Group provides community support by giving money to the Legacy Scholarship Program, among others. I was even allowed to take a week to go down to Houston and help with Hurricane Harvey relief. We send cards, flowers or gift cards to employees, partners and customers who have lost loved ones, had babies or have had illnesses so they know EST Group cares about them. We have a casual, but professional working environment, and with all of the talk about sexual harassment in the media recently, it is refreshing to work in an environment that feels like family more than work.”

WORTHINGTON NATIONAL BANK

Fort Worth

WHAT THEY DO: Locally owned and operated commercial bank

EMPLOYEES: 51

WHAT EMPLOYEES

LOVE: Family culture with flexible hours so parents can attend kids’ functions and other pressing needs during work hours; free healthy snacks and beverages; company-paid gym membership; employee parties like summer family socials; biggest loser weight competition. Employees at every office rotate turns doing brief presentations on personal or business interests during daily 8:30 a.m. huddles. Eight-member Hoopla Committee plans social activities

and employee recognition. Bank expects employees to serve two nonprofits of their choosing.

COOL BENEFIT: CEO Greg Morse makes it known family comes first. Eighty-two percent of his employees are women, many of them moms, he notes. “If her kid’s sick,” he says, “I expect her to take off and take care of her kid. They don’t punch a clock – we feel that’s disrespectful – so they don’t get docked pay.”

LAURA JORDAN

Worthington National Bank

“Working at Worthington is like joining a family. Everyone works together as a team, supporting each other and cheering each other on. We celebrate accomplishments and band together to get through hard times, both personal and professional. Worthington treats their employees with compassion and understanding. They believe that family comes first, and they prove it by their actions. They expect dedication and diligence, and they live up to it themselves. All of this means that, at Worthington, you are surrounded by people who really love their job and who are really good at it!”

Laura Jordan

FORT CAPITAL

Fort Worth

WHAT THEY DO: Real estate development and investment

EMPLOYEES: 18

WHAT EMPLOYEES LOVE: Monthly Best Team Player recognition and bonus; Employee of the Month contest; celebrations when deals close; gym membership; free food.

COOL BENEFIT: Equity positions in deals for senior employees. How it works: “Once employees in senior positions have been here two years, they are given small equity interests in deals,” Sarah Betn Shapleigh, the marketing director, says. “The employee is not required to invest their capital in order to obtain the equity – it is sweat equity. Each position vests over a three-year period. It is available on a subjective basis,

but generally speaking, all deals have a piece carved out for Fort Capital employees. The amount each team member gets varies from deal to deal and dependent on their tenure."

SHANA CRAWFORD, DEVELOPMENT MANAGER

Fort Capital

“It is extremely rewarding to know you work with a group of people that really care about each other. That is what we have at Fort Capital. We all trust, support and invest in each other to not only grow this great company but also as individuals. Our leadership team is always eager to listen and receive feedback in order to make this company the best that it can be! Being such a small company, it’s difficult at times to compete with the large companies regarding benefits. Fort goes above and beyond to elevate our benefits year after year. This and so much more make Fort the best place to work!”

Fort Capital's Fort Worth headquarters

COMFORT EXPERTS

Weatherford

WHAT THEY DO: Air conditioning and heating contractor installs and provides service for complete HVAC systems

EMPLOYEES: 70 WHAT EMPLOYEES

LOVE: Close-knit culture driven by three generations of family members still running the 55-year-old business; flexible hours for certain employees like accounting and technicians; telecommuting options; performance bonuses; new employee referral bonus; quarterly giveaways like gift cards and trips; company outings; paid gym membership; free food in office. “We work together and play together,” founder Philip Hobson says. “We’ve helped develop a lot of people who own their own businesses, and we’re very proud of that.”

COOL BENEFIT: Flexible hours in accounting, and employees in the department are known to bring their toddlers to work.

“There’s no set schedule” for that department, Brett Hobson,

Philip Hobson’s son and company president, says. “It’s very task-oriented. There’s a given scope of work.” HVAC technicians can also choose to condense their work week in four long days, preserving a three-day weekend. Telecommuting is available for some employees whose jobs are appropriate and who have family conflicts. The Hobsons look to be as flexible as they can without sacrificing service. “It does no good to bring three in the front door if four are going out the back door,” Brett Hobson says.

LISA MADDUX, CUSTOMER SERVICE AGENT

Comfort Experts

“What makes Comfort Experts a great company to work for? First and foremost, we do what we say we will do for our customers. We stand behind our work 100 percent. Being in the customer service department for a company that is honest and cares about its customers makes my job much easier! Also, it is the people who own and run the company, the Hobsons. They are very family-oriented and will go above and beyond to help an employee deal with a personal situation instead of just turning their backs and wishing the employee well. Last year, one of my sons had a stroke, and Mr. Hobson not only kept my job for me although I had to be out of the office for six weeks, but he also covered my insurance cost while I was out. The day I got back, the entire company had made donations to give me to help me get back on my feet after the long break from earning. I have been with Comfort Experts almost 10 years, and I look forward to the next 10 as well.”

APEX CAPITAL CORP.

Fort Worth

WHAT THEY DO: Freight factoring company serving the trucking industry

EMPLOYEES: 225 Fort Worth, 243 companywide, with remainder in Memphis

WHAT EMPLOYEES LOVE: Family celebrations like Oktoberfest; liberal policy for employing family members, so long as there is no supervisory relationship; generous education reimbursement; profit-sharing; additional time off for meeting wellness challenges; on-site gym; yoga area; biometric screenings; game room. Company has committed 1,200 hours so far this year to crosstraining and job-shadowing program.

COOL BENEFIT: $15,000-per-year tuition reimbursement to full-time employees. Can you say MBA? “Our owner and

president, David Baker, feels very strongly about allowing employees the opportunity to improve themselves and, in the process, improve Apex,” Shelley Goodrum, the chief HR officer, says. “We currently have 21 employees taking advantage of the program, and we are on track to pay out over $100,000 this year. We also offer the benefit to employees who work part-time. Their reimbursement is set to the federal tax-exempt level of $5,260.” Apex also pays for certification classes, exams, and recertification classes for those in specialized fields, such as accounting, HR, and IT.

AERON LOPEZ, ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

Apex Capital Corp.

“Apex gives each employee the ability to find their true passion. Personally, I gained the knowledge I needed through Apex’s tuition reimbursement program, which assisted me

in completing my bachelor’s and master’s degrees. From there, I cross-trained within Apex to determine which role was most in line with my interests. Over the years, I have held positions in many departments. This foundation helps me succeed in my current role of account executive, which I absolutely love. I am very thankful to have found Apex and look forward to all that my future holds within this amazing organization!”

Kids in the workplace: not unusual at Comfort Experts

ANDERSON PLASTIC SURGERY & MEDSPA

Fort Worth

WHAT THEY DO: Plastic surgery, with emphasis on cosmetic plastic surgery, melanomas and reconstruction after cancer, with offices in Fort Worth and Weatherford. MedSpa, attached to the Fort Worth office, offers a variety of skin rejuvenation treatments.

EMPLOYEES: 16

WHAT EMPLOYEES LOVE: Anderson and his wife, Janie, started the practice and MedSpa out of a desire to teach others how to take care of their skin. “Protect your investment,” he likes to say. Employees have access to Dr. Robert Anderson’s surgical services and spa treatments. The office also has regular catered lunches; team-building activities; fit challenges; flexible hours; compressed work week allowed by scheduling; bonuses; and happy hours. The compressed work week is particularly at play in the spa, says Lauren Duke, Anderson’s business director. “People like to come after hours or on Saturday,” she says. “That provides a natural flex scheduling.”

COOL BENEFIT: Anderson offers his surgical services free of charge to employees after three years of service (employees pay extra for any facility charge outside the clinic and anesthesiology). After 90 days of employment, employees use the MedSpa for treatments, injections and products, paying for the products, but not the service. Anderson also removes moles or possible skin cancers for biopsy as needed. “He always has our best interests in mind, like a concerned father,” Duke says.

LAUREN DUKE, BUSINESS

DIRECTOR

Anderson Plastic Surgery & MedSpa

“I have never worked in such a compassionate, collaborative environment. Decisions they make for the business, the future of the company, the daily culture, are all built on the foundation of our family. They value our input and encourage groupthink. I can recall sitting across from Dr. Anderson in a team meeting four years ago, and I noticed his eyes were focused on my right forearm. After a few moments, he asked if I have always had that brown spot. I said ‘yes,’ but I think it has gotten bigger over the years. His response was, ‘before you

leave today, I want to remove that and get a biopsy, just in case.’ He always has our best interests in mind, like a concerned father. At Anderson Plastic Surgery & MedSpa, we invest in our team, our culture, our skills, and our future through training and development, team building, events and group celebrations. The goal is to grow a team of individuals who care as much about our patients as Dr. Anderson does. The result is this incredible group of men and women who have a deep-rooted pride knowing we work for the best and deliver the best care to every patient we see. If we can’t help them, we set them up with someone who can.”

Benefit: Free employee spa treatments at Anderson MedSpa

THE CENTER FOR CANCER AND BLOOD DISORDERS

Multiple locations

WHAT THEY DO: The Center’s nine centers in Fort Worth, Arlington, Weatherford, Burleson, Cleburne, Granbury, Mineral Wells and Stephenville treat more than 12,000 cancer patients annually.

EMPLOYEES: 196

WHAT EMPLOYEES LOVE: Holiday party; Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas luncheons; annual Blessing of the Hands; other celebrations like Pancake Day put on by service committee.

COOL BENEFITS: It’s a health care provider, and they provide health care benefits. On-site nurse practi-

tioners and physicians assistants see employees, the on-site pharmacy is available to employees, and tests like imaging that can be done on-site carry a small co-pay. “We really make it convenient,” the Center’s Valerie Bryan says. “It was fun to design it; we are a clinic, and there’s so much we can do here.” The company substantially subsidizes health insurance premiums, and coverage includes long- and short-term disability. Other related benefits: Health screenings and discounted membership to fitness center.

Bonuses include nurse retention payouts after two years of employment, annual profit-sharing (usually about 3 percent, assuming profitability), and Caring Coins rewards that make employees eligible for prizes like GoPro cameras in periodic drawings. “It’s a very special thank you for a very difficult job,” Bryan says.

ALBERT PARRA, M.D.

Physician, The Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders

“The Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders is a large, close-knit family. From the first day that I stepped into The Center’s doors, I felt at home. There is a warmth that exudes from the pores of the building and every member of our staff. The Center is a comprehensive cancer center that enables us to streamline health care so that every patient receives the best medical treatment available, while providing the compassion of a trusted friend or family member. I truly enjoy coming to work every day, and this allows me to provide care that is second to none.”

MUCKLEROY & FALLS

Fort Worth

WHAT THEY DO: Commercial contractor; cofounder Harold Muckleroy has been in business for 38 years. Partner is president Max Falls.

EMPLOYEES: 43

WHAT EMPLOYEES LOVE: 4 p.m. office closure on Fridays; quarterly company events; annual holiday, monthly birthday parties and “random” happy hours; companywide strategic updates from management; early holiday closings; merit bonuses; 100 percent of employee health premium paid for high-deductible plan. Employees can elect for a higher plan and pay extra.

COOL BENEFIT: Fitness: Employees can buy Apple watches through a corporate program for $100. “Everybody’s really motivated to go to the gym and use their Apple watches,” Haley Pluenneke, the marketing coordinator, says. Offices in Clearfork are just off the Trinity Trail. “I go running after work every day,” Pluenneke says. Muckleroy & Falls this fall negotiated a corporate deal with a gym across the street; employees pay just $200 a year to join.

MATTHEW MCDONALD, PRECONSTRUCTION MANAGER

Muckleroy & Falls

“Muckleroy & Falls is a uniquely blended company that was built on, and is still true to, its experienced leaderships’ values and trustworthy reputation, combined with an ambitious team that brings diverse backgrounds and skillsets together, exercising innovative technology and best practices to build a company that is committed to seeing the continued success of our community. We provide training and guidance, empowering our team members to serve in a leadership capacity while creating an environment, that from top to bottom, is passionate about their work and takes immense pride in providing products and service that exceed industry standards.”

We would like to thank our local team members who nominated us as one of the Best Companies to Work For in Fort Worth. Their personal expertise and experience allows us to customize our banking to best suit each guest. Stop by soon and let us know how we can assist you.

www.Origin.bank/FortWorth

Back Row (L–R): Justin Holt, Emily Parolek, Chris Hamilton, Leslie Reisdorfer, Mike Wood, Curtis Hamilton Front Row (L–R): Beth Bartels, Darla Brown, Grant James, Caroline Thomas, Paula Adams, Ryan Merrill

Red Sanders

Red Sanders could have pursued a career on the East or West coasts. He chose to “plant a flag” in Fort Worth and help lead a budding film industry.

BY SCOTT NISHIMURA

Red Sanders might have moved to Los Angeles or New York after he graduated TCU with a degree in radio, television and film. But while in college, he struck up a friendship with the Fort Worth entrepreneur David Minor, founder of the TCU Neeley Entrepreneurship Center. “All my friends were moving to L.A. and New York to pursue careers in the industry,” says Sanders, who grew up in Grapevine and had launched a DJ business. “I felt we could grow something here. And [Minor] was, like, why would you move? You can plant a flag and grow here. That same year, a little website called YouTube launched, and that changed everything. It decentralized production and created demand for video all around the world.” Sanders, 34, has become a flag-bearer for Fort Worth’s growing film industry. He’s 12 years into a robust video advertising business, Red Productions, which works for clients like the Dallas Cowboys, Red Bull, TCU and numerous nonprofits. Sanders later added a feature film business, Red Entertainment, which earlier this year premiered its fifth feature film, “A Bad Idea Gone Wrong." Sanders, who's opened an L.A. office, has lent his talents to the North Texas effort to land Amazon’s second headquarters. He’s moving his companies to new quarters on Fort Worth’s Near Southside, triple the size of what he has in Fort Worth’s West 7th corridor. Sanders’ companies have 11 full-time employees and represent 15 directors and directors of photography. The ad company works with 150 contract workers each year, Sanders, a Fort Worth Entrepreneurs’ Organization member, estimates.

Jump start: I went to Grapevine High School. My mom was an art teacher there and really got me started with the creative bug early in life. My dad and granddad taught me a lot about business.

What a video guy learned from David Minor, who built a landscape business and sold it for millions: So much of the day to day of how you run a business – good ethics, good operating procedures – is the same from one business to the next.

Early days: My first job for Red Productions was filming the TCU graduation as I

graduated. I had three camera people in the audience filming it. We sold DVDs. We landed some really great clients early on. We did work for Coca-Cola Bottling. Our motto was “Let’s get some good brands in, let’s service them well, and we’ll do more work with them.”

Ads versus feature films: Commercials are work for hire. We agree to the price up front, we do the work, we get paid. Films are a lot more speculative. We find the script, we get the rights to it, we get it matched up with the talent that needs to get made, and we get the capital for it, the investors, the distributors, and we

go make it. We share the ownership with our investors. The investors get their money back, plus a little preferred return, and the rest is split 50-50 between the creative and financing teams that made it.

A Bad Idea Gone Wrong: It will be making its final festival appearance at the Lone Star Film Festival, Nov. 11, 7:45 p.m., at the Palace Theater (downtown Fort Worth). It’s a comedy about these guys that break into this house and end up arming the alarm. They have to break out of the house that they’ve broken into. Then they find out they’re not alone in the house. It’s

a really creative and smart comedy that Jason Headley wrote and directed. Jason’s a commercial director we’ve worked with. We loved working with him. We shot it here in Fort Worth. We premiered it at South by Southwest; then Amazon picked it up for distribution.

What it cost to produce: It was less than a million dollars. Eighty-five percent of that stayed here.

What Fort Worth can do to encourage more film production: We are celebrating two years since we launched the Fort Worth Film Commission. Over the

past two years, they’ve pitched 170 projects, and I think 70 of those have come here. The state has incentives. We need to look at locally – and we are starting to do that through the [Fort Worth Convention and Visitors Bureau] - what can we do locally. San Antonio has already done this, where they added an incentive on top of the state’s incentive. We’re at a disadvantage because the surrounding states all have state income tax that they can rebate. If Fort Worth can add a little on top of what the state does, that would make us competitive with all the surrounding states.

A Life Distilled

Thomas Neely could have been satisfied with a successful business life. But he chose to throw himself into a small Fort Worth distillery.

BY JASON FORREST

Forrest Performance Group

Thomas Neely walked into a liquor store one day as a regular shopper, not expecting to audition for a new job. As it turned out, this day would be quite different than any other.

By December 2015, Neely had already been in the alcohol business for 20 years. And while visiting the liquor store one day

as a patron, he ran into one of the owners of a Fort Worth business called Trinity River Distillery. The company had been open for just four years at the time and didn’t yet have a facility open to the public, and Neely impressed them with his knowledge and savvy in the course of an otherwise run-of-the-mill conversation. Eight months later, Neely put pen to

paper as the company’s newest CEO, president and owner alongside the other four owners. He knew the hours at a small business would stretch him, and he’d routinely be pulled outside his comfort zone as a man asked to wear a number of different hats in the company. Given the fact that the alcohol industry markets to recreation, that would mean lots of odd hours and weekends spent promoting the brand and traveling for marketing and business purposes.

But he refused to let such an enticing opportunity pass him by. From the company culture to the product itself, Neely was sold on the tribulations and triumphs to come.

“I was just shopping at one of the stores by my house, and I ran into one of the owners, Don Alexander,” Neely said. “He was doing a tasting, and I tried the prod-

ucts. He and I spoke for a few minutes, and I talked about my background in the industry and basically just gave him some free advice. Don and some of the other owners called me back after that, and I guess we just got to the point where they decided they’d offer me a position.”

It turned out to be quite the decision. Sometimes, the safest place to be is the one that feels the scariest. Lions are designed to provoke fear. But the real danger lies with the smaller, quieter lionesses. In the animal kingdom, the lion’s job is to roar and send prey scattering away from the startling noise—right into the path of the waiting lionesses, the true hunters. Likewise, humans sometimes have an instinctive desire to shy from pursuits that look and sound scary. But often, running toward those challenges and conflicts is the best – or only – way to grow and meet our goals. In business, those who run from the deafening noise never reach their full potential, while those who turn and face the fear thrive.

Neely ran directly into the roar, and Trinity River is flourishing in part because of Neely’s decision not to play it safe.

In 2016, Neely’s first year, Trinity River doubled its revenue from the previous year, and they’re on pace to double it again in 2017 to nearly $3 million. Thanks to a locked-in sales team, a great product and some business-side help from Neely, the company is rapidly becoming one of North Texas’ fastest upand-coming whiskey and vodka brands. And they’ve done some things to shake up the market in the process.

One of Trinity River’s most distinctive qualities is the water they use in the distilling process. Instead of using tap water, or even purified water, they use rainwater collected from a basin on the roof of their Fort Worth warehouse. This smooths out their products, removes the bite and creates a more distinct flavor that gives them a layer of uniqueness all their own. Realizing this fact was perhaps undermarketed, Neely and the team put small water drops on the bottles and market them as

As a CEO of a small company – the distillery employs nine salaried employees and about 10 hourly – one of the realities Neely knew he’d have to juggle was the constant tug-of-war over his time.

“Time management is one of the most difficult things for a CEO or a president of a small company,” Neely said. “You’re tasked with having to be a part of every department. And not just having a weekly meeting with them; it’s day in and day out.”

For Neely, that means working with the individual sales reps on the ground and coaching them to best represent the product. It means setting the agenda for marketing programs to get the brand’s name into the public eye.

It means being in on the operations side, doing things like changing labels, filling orders or overseeing inventory. It means community outreach events like connecting with charities and hosting local events on weekends.

How do you juggle all those balls and do each one at peak efficiency and quality? That’s part of the roar Neely was running toward, and he and his team responded with unquestioned energy.

Not only has the team succeeded under the weight of its growing size and product demand, but it’s thrived as well, as one of Fort Worth’s most exciting young brands.

is

Jason Forrest

CEO of Forrest Performance Group, a global leader and designer of sales, management and corporate training programs. Forrest grew up “under the influence” of his father, a business owner and salesman, and mother, a persuasive speaking professor.

“Made With Texas Rainwater.”

The Hunt for Amazon’s HQ2

North Texas entities and leaders work together to try to land Amazon’s $5 billion second headquarters. But first, the daily “Amazon” breakfast.

BY BRANDOM GENGELBACH Executive Vice President of Economic Development

Commerce

So all the balls are now in Amazon’s court – scores of bids from cities across North America competing for the ecommerce giant’s massive HQ2, a $5 billion investment with immense economic impact and 50,000 employees, each earning an average of $100,000 annually.

North Texas’ monolithic regional pitch led by Fort Worth and Dallas marshals the full force of an alliance encompassing 7.2 million people, 14 cities of 100,000-plus population and the demonstrated ability to unite as one contender focused on capturing one unprecedented opportunity for the benefit of all.

We’re all on the same page – no mean accomplishment, considering the unprecedented scope of involvement by so many highly successful individual entities who subordinated personal agendas to serving the higher regional good.

Reaching that point involved chambers of commerce, mayors, county leaders, economic development officials, consultants, creative visionaries, researchers and many other players packing hundreds of previously unplanned hours into the HQ2 project over a span of just six weeks.

The massive effort began after Sept. 7 when Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos invited bids by Oct. 19 for HQ2 that will be “a full equal” to the 8.1 million-square-foot home

operation in downtown Seattle. My schedule was just one of many that were turned upside down. At the Fort Worth Chamber, decks were cleared and daily matters rescheduled to accommodate at least 56 Amazon HQ2 meetings and teleconferences between Sept. 13 and Oct. 19. Fort Worth’s HQ2 platter filled quickly with priorities such as:

• Our public-private leadership met quickly at the Fort Worth Chamber for a lengthy, passionate discussion about whether we should respond to the Amazon RFP as a Fort WorthArlington MSA or as part of a larger, Dallas-Fort Worth effort. Good points were made on both sides, but, ultimately, the size and scope of this project is such that leveraging the Dallas-Fort Worth metro of 7.2 million people gives us a better chance for success.

• On Sept. 26, an Amazon thematic brainstorm meeting was led by Red Sanders, president of Red Productions. City of Fort Worth and Chamber officials, developers and creatives discussed the distinguishing characteristics of Dallas-Fort Worth and how to “tell the regional story” in a compelling way. Sanders and the creatives shaped ideas around that. They’re also ready from a Fort Worth standpoint if Fort Worth becomes an HQ2 finalist.

• A daily 9 a.m. “Amazon” meeting and teleconference began at the Dallas Regional Chamber (DRC), opening lines of communication with and between all parties involved in the regional Amazon pitch. We discussed develop-

ments, where plans stand, deliverables that are due and who’s doing what. Attendees typically included cities’ officials, consultants, representatives from the creative community and other entities and individuals.

• Mike Rosa, DRC senior vice president of economic development, and I added a Saturday morning breakfast, meeting each other at the Fort Worth Club to discuss HQ2 developments, needs and outlook.

• Schedules were adjusted to make time for responding to numerous news media interviews and inquiries from the public.

• Daily compilation before 8 a.m. of HQ2 coverage from dozens of local, regional and national media outlets gives us a comprehensive look at competitors’ activity and emerging issues.

Our regional pursuit of HQ2 continues as we map strategy for the next round. We hope to know by year’s end who has made Amazon’s cut; we expect North Texas to be among the final contenders. Amazon plans to announce the winning bid next year and start HQ2 construction in 2019. No matter how all this ends, North Texas has already won as a region.

We’ve dug deeper than ever into who and what we are. We’ve discovered new dimensions of mutual respect, working together and where our greater strengths lie. We’re far better equipped with new data and sharper strategic thinking.

And we know that, as a region, our future holds a “next time” to shape a pitch. We’ll be ready. When you get Fort Worth and Dallas working together with all of the other regional players, it’s an all-star team that’s hard to beat.

Brandom Gengelbach is executive vice president of economic development for the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce and a regular contributor to FW Inc.

Fort Worth Chamber of

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Back to the Future: Fort Worth’s Workforce Needs

Is the region’s workforce ready for the needs of companies like Amazon? Our pursuit of Amazon’s second headquarters deepens conversations about workforce planning.

BY KAREN VERMAIRE FOX Executive Director Real Estate Council of Greater Fort Worth

Amazon and its new headquarters – anyone tired of talking about that yet?

As the City of Fort Worth, Chamber of Commerce and Convention and Visitors Bureau go through strategic planning for the coming years, the issue of talent has come up again and again. This conversation has deepened as the region tries to land Amazon’s second headquarters. Are we attracting the right talent? What do we need to encourage companies to move to Fort Worth, and who is available to train our current talent?

The Fort Worth Independent School District is addressing this with its commitment to graduating students college and career-ready. With a wide variety of programs of choice, students are being prepared to leave high school ready to go to work or further their education. The long-range facilities master plan, with help from the 2017 bond election, will update classrooms to meet these goals as well. Meanwhile, community partners are assisting with the development of meaningful programs for all Fort Worth ISD students. Lockheed Martin committed up to a $1 million multi-year grant to expand college and career-focused science engineering and mathematics programs for all district schools. Programs have been developed and implemented at Diamond

Are we attracting the right talent? What do we need to encourage companies to move to Fort Worth, and who is available to train our current talent?

Hill-Jarvis High School, Paschal High School, Polytechnic High School and Southwest High School. In fall 2018, the Fort Worth ISD will open the IM Terrell Academy for STEM and Visual and Performing Arts.

FWISD is also working to educate students in health care and biomedical sciences careers. The ISD’s Texas Academy for Biomedical Sciences provides students with a rigorous curriculum in an early college environment to prepare them for the demands of a career in biomedical sciences.

The partnership between FWISD and Tarrant County College is developing talent for our growing health care sector. TCC serves as one of the primary trainers for Tarrant County’s health care workforce.

Tarrant County College is also working with community leaders and local businesses to create programs to train, retrain and prepare future employees.

The Tarrant County College Opportunity Center is the place where TCC can leverage its course curriculum to meet

the training needs of local businesses in Tarrant County. For example, the CNC (computer numerically controlled equipment) course that teaches future employees to operate complex equipment was originally designed to fill the void of highly skilled workers needed to operate the sophisticated equipment that form metal parts. This course helps put those who are unemployed or underemployed back to work.

The economic surge of the participants in just this one class has the potential to hit nearly $2 million per year. It only takes half of the course graduates to maintain their entry-level salary, while one-fourth of the class advances to the mid-range salary of $29.41 per hour or $61,172.80 a year, and the remaining one-fourth eventually advances to top wages of $53.33 or $110,926.40 per year.

The CNC training course is just one of the short-term training programs TCC offers. Courses in composite manufacturing, computer repair technician, hydraulics and pneumatics and forklift safety also are available. Earning a certification in any of these areas can make a difference when job-hunting.

The college also works with businesses, community and economic development organizations and industry associations to develop the workforce. It is working to create customized training solutions including computer training, management and leadership courses, and language, safety and industry-specific technical trainings. TCC also works closely with economic development organizations, such as local chambers of commerce, to assist companies with their needs to train and grow their workforce.

Karen Vermaire Fox is writing this column for the Real Estate Council of Greater Fort Worth, a regular contributor to FW Inc.

As a student, Susan Ballabina was editor of the school yearbook, The Grassburr, president of the student section of the Vocational Home Economics Teachers Association and selected the department’s outstanding graduate.

As the executive associate director for Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, Dr. Susan Ballabina is credited with initiating programs and encouraging the adoption of new technology to reach larger audiences in bolstering healthy choices in food consumption and exercise.

Fort Worth Magazine is the only magazine in the city that subscribers pay for, and we prove our worth month after month. Other magazines might claim higher circulation numbers, but they aren’t telling the whole story. Those magazines are free. The result? Many of those publications end up in the trash or in forgotten piles of mail. Our magazine carries our city’s namesake and only arrives in homes where people have requested us by that name. It’s worth every penny.

Primed for “Well-Supplied” 2018

Energy forecasts call for higher production than consumption next year, even with Hurricane Harvey’s impact and OPEC’s production cut, the Dallas Federal Reserve Bank says.

BY SCOTT NISHIMURA

The oil and gas market appears headed toward a “wellsupplied” 2018, despite fading impacts from Hurricane Harvey and speculation that OPEC production cuts would pare inventories, the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas says in its third-quarter industry update.

“The destructive hurricane season that impacted the U.S. and Caribbean this year also threatened the oil and gas sector across the Gulf Coast. Yet only Hurricane Harvey substantially affected the sector, and many of Harvey’s effects are already fading,” the Dallas bank said in its October report.

“Prior to the hurricanes, much attention was focused on whether OPEC production cuts would successfully diminish bloated oil inventories. Pre-hurricane data from the U.S. point to some degree of success; however, increased production in several countries prevented more substantive progress. Looking ahead, 2018 forecasts suggest the market will be well-supplied next year even if production cuts are extended,” the Fed Bank said.

Harvey’s temporary impact: Hurricanes can significantly damage energy, disrupting oil and gas production, and causing outages at refineries and gasoline price spikes, the Fed Bank noted. “Harvey’s path ensured it would have a smaller impact on oil and gas production, but a relatively greater effect on refineries and petrochemical facilities,” the Fed said. Crude production in the Gulf of Mexico “experienced only a minor drop due to Harvey.”

At the worst, more than 10 Gulf Coast refineries were out or operating at lower capacity, reducing U.S crude processing at

“The production cut agreement by OPEC members and a number of non-OPEC members, such as Russia, has removed a significant amount of oil from the market. But the success of the cuts at lowering inventories and boosting prices has been partially mitigated by rising production elsewhere.”

– Dallas Fed Bank

refineries by more than 15 percent from normal levels, the Fed Bank said. “Retail fuel prices increased in the wake of Harvey due to refinery outages and pipeline issues. Gasoline prices increased about 30 cents per gallon, up about 11 percent in the first week of September. Additionally, there were short-lived shortages of fuel in parts of North Texas.”

Harvey’s effects “appear to be fading, but were not completely gone as of the end of the third quarter,” the Fed said. “While U.S. crude production has returned to prehurricane levels, refineries still appear to be operating at somewhat reduced rates.”

Bloated inventories: “Before the hurricanes, all eyes were focused on whether OPEC and non-OPEC production cuts would reduce bloated inventory levels,” the Fed Bank said. “U.S. data show some modest success, with inventories of crude oil declining at a somewhat accelerated pace in August and stockpiles of diesel shrinking over the entire summer.”

U.S. stockpiles of crude rise and fall during the year, determined in large part by

refinery maintenance, the Fed noted. “This year, inventories of crude oil only departed from seasonal norms in April and August, when they fell at an accelerated pace.”

Stockpiles of diesel, used as heating oil in parts of the U.S., typically grow in the summer when demand is off. “This summer, inventory levels outright declined over the course of the summer,” the Fed said.

Impact of production cuts: “The production cut agreement by OPEC members and a number of non-OPEC members, such as Russia, has removed a significant amount of oil from the market,” the Fed Bank said. “But the success of the cuts at lowering inventories and boosting prices has been partially mitigated by rising production elsewhere.”

Libya and Nigeria, exempt from production cuts, have substantially increased production since the end of 2016. The U.S. has also boosted production, behind renewed shale drilling activity. “Production growth in all three countries was enough to offset a substantial portion of the cuts in July,” the Fed Bank said. “Looking ahead, the level of offset is likely to continue growing in the fourth quarter. U.S. production has already returned to pre-hurricane levels and is expected to continue growing.”

Well-stocked for 2018: “Forecasts from two major energy agencies suggest the market should be well-supplied in 2018, even if OPEC production cuts are extended,” the Fed Bank said. The U.S. Energy Information Administration project “production will slightly exceed consumption next year.” And the International Energy Agency projects global production will exceed consumption, “even if OPEC crude output remains constant at the levels seen in August 2017. Production levels higher than this would further increase the expected oversupply.”

It Can Happen to You

Don’t think disaster can strike your business? Remember the downtown tornado? Here are tips for preparing yourself against the unthinkable.

BY SCOTT NISHIMURA

Hurricane Harvey’s destruction presents a new reminder to business to plan ahead and ensure they’re covered against interruptions. Here’s how, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency:

• Risk assessment: “The specific industry, size and scope of your individual company will determine your organization’s risk assessment needs. However, you should find out which disasters are most common in the areas where you operate. You may be aware of some of your community’s risks; others may surprise you.”

250,000

PRIVATE CARS AND COMMERCIAL VEHICLES FLOODED BY

• How your company works: “Carefully assess how your company functions, internally and externally, to determine which staff, materials, procedures and equipment are necessary to keep the business operating. Start by reviewing your business process flow chart, if one exists, to identify operations critical to survival and recovery. Include emergency

“Develop

professional relationships with more than one company in case your primary contractor cannot service your needs. A disaster that shuts down a key supplier can be devastating to your business.” – FEMA

payroll, expedited financial decisionmaking and accounting systems to track and document costs in the event of a disaster. Establish procedures for succession of management, including at least one person who is not at the company headquarters, if possible.”

• All hands on deck: “Decide who should participate in putting together your emergency plan. Include coworkers from all levels in planning and as active members of the emergency management team. Consider a broad cross section of people from throughout your organization, but focus on those with expertise vital to daily business functions.”

• Make lists of customers: “Make a list of your most important customers and proactively plan ways to serve them during and after a disaster. Identify key suppliers, shippers, resources and other businesses you must interact with on a daily basis.”

HURRICANE HARVEY’S ESTIMATED INSURED LOSSES — INSURANCE COUNCIL OF TEXAS BILLION

• Hedge against supplier shutdowns: “Develop professional relationships with more than one company in case your primary contractor cannot service your needs. A disaster that shuts down a key supplier can be devastating to your business. Finally, plan what you will do if your building, plant or store is not accessible.”

• Communicate: “Define crisis management procedures and individual responsibilities in advance. Talk with your staff or co-workers and frequently review and practice what you intend to do during and after an emergency. Consider setting up a telephone calling tree, a passwordprotected page on the company website, an email alert or a call-in voice recording to communicate with employees in an emergency.”

• Record-keeping: “Keep copies of important records such as site maps, building plans, insurance policies, employee contact and identification information, bank account records, supplier and shipping contact lists, computer backups, emergency or law enforcement contact information and other priority documents in a waterproof, fireproof portable container. Store a second set of records at an off-site location.”

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DEATHS CAUSED BY HARVEY

HARVEY

3 Reasons to Book Lucky Spur Ranch for Your Next Corporate Event

We’re officially at the tail end of 2017 — that means it’s time for your company to start planning the upcoming year. If you’re planning a corporate retreat, there’s no need to head too far away from the Fort. Here are three reasons to do it at Lucky Spur Ranch.

It’s super close to Fort Worth

Lucky Spur Ranch & Retreat is set on a beautiful piece of land in Justin, Texas — that’s only 25 miles from the heart of Fort Worth. Though it’s just a short drive from the bustling city, Lucky Spur has the feel of a relaxing country setting, making it ideal for a getaway with your team to plan for the year ahead or kick up your heels and celebrate your hard work.

It offers options for conference packages

Lucky Spur boasts a beautiful conference room with high speed internet and visual and audio equipment, making it easy to hunker down with your employees. There is also a large banquet hall with seating for up to 400 for holiday & year end parties! Lucky Spur’s catering team is more than happy to provide morning and afternoon drinks and snacks, as well as lunch and dinner service (if needed). These aren’t your average catered meals or brown bag specials, either — they are thoughtfully prepared and made from scratch with local and whole ingredients. You also have the ability to customize the menu to your tastes and specifications. Lucky Spur also offers several team building activities that you can add to your package, including fishing, and skeet shooting, just to name a couple.

You can stay the night

You don’t have to drive home if you don’t want to — there are several cabins available to book, and they can sleep around 25 people. Each cabin and shared space is decorated with care and quality with the guest’s comfort in mind.

The overnight retreat and meeting package includes breakfast, lunch and dinner; midmorning and afternoon refreshments; and a full-service bar between 5-9 p.m. You can set up the conference however you’d like, and Lucky Spur also offers basic audio and visual equipment. Your employees can take part in any of the onsite activities mentioned above, and no gratuities are added.

Let us help you plan the corporate event that your entire company will be talking about for years to come.

Partnership Checklist 101

Business partners, check your agreements: New regs set to take effect this year are supposed to help the IRS find unreported taxable revenue.

BY RANDY GARCIA

Partnerships are the flexible, familiar form of business entity used to organize and manage investors and their projects. As the result of 2015 federal tax legislation, enterprises that use partnerships should consider problems not anticipated by their agreements, in case of IRS audit.

Looking back, the soon-expiring TEFRA partnership audit regime, named after the Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 1982, was not very successful in helping the IRS find unreported taxable income hiding in partnership tax returns. The audit process was cumbersome for the IRS, and litigation was prevalent in disputes regarding what was a partnership item subject to a partnership audit and what was a partner item subject to the audit of an individual partner.

The Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 tried to provide a fix for large partnerships, but to no avail. Meanwhile, the number of entities being taxed as partnerships has been growing. A Government Accountability Office report from 2014 found the number of large partnerships, defined as having 100 or more direct and indirect partners and $100 million of assets, increased to 10,099 from 2,832 between 2002 and 2011.

Seeking to capture lost tax revenue, the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 eliminates the partnership audit procedures as we know them and implements supposedly

streamlined partnership audit procedures. Get ready, because the new centralized partnership audit regime is effective for tax years beginning after Dec. 31 this year. There’s an option to elect in early, but I know of no client who’s made it.

In Partnerships 101, aspiring tax professionals learn partnerships are “passthrough” entities; they don’t pay tax, but rather pass through items of income, gain, loss, deduction, or credit to the eventual taxpayer. The new rules change that: An IRS audit can turn partnerships into taxpayers responsible for “imputed underpayments,” the formal language for IRS audit adjustments that increase tax. And the rate used to calculate that tax? The higher or the highest individual rate (currently 39.6%) or the corporate rate (35%). And before you ask, that payment is nondeductible. There’s an election to have the tax assessed at the partner level to audited-year partners, but the underpayment penalty associated with the tax due is two percentage points higher with that option.

One of the questions I ask a client when preparing a new partnership tax return is, Who is the tax matters partner? Not anymore. The new rules require partnerships to designate a partnership representative – “PR” – to be point person with the IRS on audits, among other things.

The PR need not be a partner, but must have a substantial U.S. presence. The PR can bind the partners and partnership to settlements with the IRS, final audit adjustments, and court judgments. If a partnership fails to designate a PR on the partner-

ship’s tax return for the year in question, the IRS may designate one.

There’s an option to elect out of the new centralized partnership audit regime. If done, the IRS must follow the rules of auditing individual taxpayers to audit the elected-out partnership. To be eligible for this yearly election, the partnership must issue 100 or fewer K-1s and must not have partners that are partnerships or trusts. The latter will disqualify a good number of the partnerships in my practice.

What can be done to prepare for these rules? Determine who will be your PR and what accountability the PR will have to the partners. Also consider what protections the PR will have from the partners. Consider if you are eligible to elect out of the new regime and whether it’s a good idea to do so. Contemplate indemnification clauses in your partnership agreement, binding partners to be responsible for tax during years they are partners, even if the tax is assessed in later years. And, do your diligence when joining a partnership to ensure the above, at least, has been addressed. Proposed regulations for the new law appeared in the Federal Register on June 14. A first draft was made available in January. However, due to the Trump administration’s regulatory freeze, the regulations were never officially published. On June 13, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants asked the Treasury and IRS for a one-year delay in implementing the rules.

To delay implementation, Congress would have to act.

Randy Garcia, CPA, is a senior tax manager at Huselton, Morgan & Maultsby, P.C., a public accounting and consulting firm with offices in Dallas, Southlake and Fort Worth. He’s writing this column on behalf of the Fort Worth CPAs, a regular contributor to FW Inc.

Senior tax manager, Huselton, Morgan & Maultsby, P.C. Fort Worth CPAs

Scandal Alert

The same kind of fallout from recent NCAA scandals can occur in business. Employers must

be alert and cautious.

BY LESLIE L. HUNT Decker Jones, P.C.

In big-bucks deals, greed and even a sense of entitlement can be the basis for gifts of everything from steak and whiskey, to escorts, to sports cars, to envelopes stuffed with cash. Scenarios like this go viral when an FBI investigation becomes publicized or the NCAA assess sanctions.

Recent federal charges implicate an Adidas’ marketing director, four assistant coaches at NCAA Division I programs and several others in college basketball. The Louisville men’s basketball coach, Rick Pitino, lost his job in the fallout.

The same kind of thing can occur in the business world, where careers can be derailed. When businesses get in hot water, some will survive, but others are forced to close. Employers must be diligent when it comes to employee management issues. Ten mistakes employers can make:

1. Misclassification of employees as exempt from overtime when they aren’t. Because an employee is paid a salary doesn’t mean he/she is exempt. Many exemptions are not black and white, and chances are good that you have misclassified employees. A business can have multiple claims for improper classification, and plaintiffs’ lawyers are eager to pursue violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act. Remedies typically include double recovery of wages plus attorney’s fees.

Employers must be diligent when it comes to employee management issues.

2. Not having a policy prohibiting working overtime without prior, written approval. Some employers will benefit from a policy prohibiting overtime without prior, written approval. This means employees are not permitted to work more than 40 hours per week without permission.

3. Having blanket rules for employee background checks and inquiries about criminal history. If a business does, it is asking for trouble. Such a policy can have a discriminatory effect and be disliked by regulatory agencies. Policies should be reviewed by an employment attorney to ensure they relate to the job position and are not overly broad.

4. Asking improper questions or too many about medical-related issues. Have you asked the interviewee if he/ she is married? Do you ask employees for unnecessary details about medical matters? Every improper question increases the possibility of a lawsuit.

5. Failure to keep up with hours worked for all employees. Whether an employee is exempt or non-exempt from overtime pay, employers are required to keep up with hours worked.

6. Not understanding the concept of respondent superior. Business owners can be liable for an employee’s conduct, even if he/she didn’t do anything wrong.

7. Not training managers on basic employment law such as what to do when someone reports discrimination or sexual harassment in the workplace.

8. Failure to properly investigate and document poor performance, bad attitude, or complaints by coworkers.

9. Not knowing what laws apply to your business. If you have 15 or more employees, you must comply with the Americans With Disabilities Act. It’s tricky. Seek counsel.

10. Paying severance to an employee without getting anything in return. The law does not generally require payment of a severance benefit regardless of the number of years worked. If you choose to offer a severance, be sure to get a release of claims from the departing employee.

Leslie L. Hunt, a guest columnist for FW Inc., is a shareholder at Decker Jones, P.C. who advises employers on a broad range of employeerelated matters.

A Review of Reviews

How to keep performance reviews relevant in an era of 140 characters: Don’t punt them. Just make more time for regular feedback.

BY JUSTIN DORSEY, SPHR

There’s a confusing trend that has been gaining momentum over the last few years. The basic argument is that performance reviews are antiquated and need to be put to pasture. On a few levels, I get it. Supervisors may not have a clue about how to give constructive feedback to their employees. The majority of performance reviews are done annually, which doesn’t work in an era where the average attention span is 140 characters. Most HR folks have seen a supervisor save ammo all year and unleash it on an unsuspecting employee during his or her annual review. It basically goes like this:

Supervisor: “You were late for work on Thursday, June 17.”

Employee: “Um OK, it’s March 8, but I will definitely work on that.”

Supervisor: “The presentation you gave to the board in August did not meet my expectations.”

Employee: “I asked you to take a look at it, and you said it was good to go.”

Supervisor: “Well, I just need you to do better.”

We live in confusing times where people tend to avoid confrontation in person but openly bash things online. Perhaps we just need to reframe the way we view these discussions and have a conversation rather than a confrontation. The tone of performance reviews should indicate the supervisor cares enough about his or her employees not to let them repeat mistakes that could ultimately lead

Most HR folks have seen a supervisor save ammo all year and unleash it on an unsuspecting employee during his or her annual review.

to their dismissal. Measure what matters and hold people accountable. If someone is struggling, it’s much less expensive to repair than replace him or her.

The other issue is the format of the review. As a rule of thumb, if the review form looks like something you would fill out at the DMV when renewing your license, it probably won’t be effective. If you must use a paper form, design it in a way that guides the conversation rather than restricts it to a limited number of categories.

Many companies have taken the process online, which can be effective. But reviews are only as good as the conversations that accompany them. Make sure you cover the goals that were set previously, evaluate a few specific areas of their performance, discuss areas of success and improvement, and then set new goals. That’s it. Except for the most important part...

Listen!

Ask open-ended questions to find out how the employee is doing. Create a safe space where employees can speak openly without fear of retaliation. Are they enjoying their position, or are they overwhelmed? Could training improve?

Would they benefit from a more flexible work schedule? Are they interested in another role? What obstacles are preventing them from reaching their goals? Humble yourself and ask if there’s anything you can do to help. This is by far the most important part of any performance review.

Here’s the reality check: A performance review will expose weaknesses in the supervisor as well as the employee. If the relationship between supervisor and employee is shaky, the review will likely be a difficult conversation. Address the cause, not the symptom.

As for goal setting, here’s a tip. If you plan to have three goals, write two of them before the review and let the employee come up with the third one. You’ll be amazed at what they come up with and what it reveals about their motivation and aspirations.

There’s not a one-size-fits-all solution for organizations, but we need to be more intentional about giving feedback to our employees in a way that they will receive it.

I encourage you to read The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace by Gary Chapman and Paul White, if you need help figuring out how to connect with your team members. One of the most valuable conversations I’ve had in my career was with a former boss who cared enough to let me know I needed to step up my performance. Bottom line, don’t punt performance reviews; just be more intentional about setting aside time to give and receive feedback on a regular basis.

Justin Dorsey is writing this column on behalf of the Fort Worth Human Resources Management Association, a frequent contributor to FW Inc.

Senior human resources manager, Ben E. Keith Co.

Can’t Get No Satisfaction?

BY TONY FORD Success Fort Worth

If you are old enough to recall 1965, when Mick Jagger first belted out the chart-crushing pop-hit “Satisfaction,” then you know he and his band, the Rolling Stones, sought their satisfaction in sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll.

Sadly, for many people (especially stressed-out leaders), not much has changed. Too much work combined with little life balance is a world-class recipe for dissatisfaction and regret. When confronted with these circumstances, people often turn to unhealthy and self-destructive practices and substances to cope. If you are a leader who is experienc-

“If new information was all it took to make dramatic, positive life changes, we would all be super fit, wildly successful and incredibly satisfied.”

ing the loneliness and isolation that comes with being the ultimate decisionmaker, you may find it very difficult to get honest feedback and support. You may struggle even more when trying to identify outside influences and self-limiting beliefs that are negatively affecting your quality of life.

In a real sense, “you may be stuck,” but you don’t have to stay that way. Here are some steps you can take to regain control of your life and live out the values that produce good mental and physical health:

1. Rediscover your purpose – When was the last time

you asked yourself “what am I doing with my life?” If you are like most folks, the answer may be “I never have.” Well, as it turns out, today actually is the first day of the rest of your life. So setting aside time to have a serious conversation with someone who can help you gain clarity around your real purpose can change everything. Depending on the type of practical, medical, emotional or spiritual issues you are dealing with, that person can be a coach, consultant, mentor, physician, counselor or minister.

2. Recommit to learning – Never before in human history has there been this kind of “information explosion,” which renders yesterday’s knowledge woefully inadequate. In the past, becoming a “lifelong learner” was considered a good idea for anyone seeking to get ahead. Today, it is a base-line requirement for anyone who simply wants to keep up. Again, by identifying how we like to learn (books, audio, coaching, seminars, podcasts, university courses, CPE training, etc.), we position ourselves to gain satisfaction in our personal and professional lives.

3. Reintroduce yourself to new people and experiences – It is often said, “to have a friend, you must be a friend.” In the same way, to find purpose and satisfaction in life, we must engage life. Life satisfaction is often found in how we engage in the lives and activities of others around us. Finding ways to serve with, and learn from, other interesting people builds trust, nurtures understanding and feeds our need to be a part of something bigger than ourselves. It also provides us with opportunities to stretch and exercise our physical, emotional and spiritual muscles.

4. Reinforce new, healthy habits – If new information was all it took to make dramatic, positive life changes, we would all be super fit, wildly successful and incredibly satisfied. Unfortunately, new information is just the start of how we form new, healthier habits. The magic ingredients that transform information into actions are consistent practice and positive reinforcement. Consequently, gaining mastery of new habits is best accomplished alongside others who have similar goals. By joining a gym and participating in a regularly scheduled workout routine, we can change our physical health. In the same way, by engaging a coach, we can improve our personal and professional life balance, performance and satisfaction.

On television, Dr. Phil often asks “so, how is that working for you?” The purpose: forcing his interviewees to explain why their present actions aren’t creating the satisfaction they’re seeking.

Today, I’m asking you to reflect on the state of your own life in light of these four positive steps to gain more awareness, clarity of purpose and satisfaction. I also invite you to contact me if you have any questions about how to use these tools. I will be happy to direct you to a professional coach or other supportive professional who can help you gain traction in these areas faster. Remember: “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”

Tony Ford is an awardwinning entrepreneur with a history of starting and growing industry-leading companies. He now helps other businesses grow and sell their companies, and is program director for the 2018 FW Inc. Entrepreneur of Excellence awards program. He writes this column each issue of FW Inc.

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Pair Up

VC manager’s advice to Fort Worth entrepreneurs: Seek the right collaborations, pick small target markets, and fully understand their risks.

BY SCOTT NISHIMURA

Best strategy for entrepreneurs?

Chris Moran, general manager of Lockheed Martin Ventures, the VC investment arm of Lockheed Martin Corp., has a few ideas.

Seek the right collaborations, inside your venture and outside, Moran, responsible for leading Lockheed’s investments in small technology companies that support the company’s business objectives, told attendees at October’s Tech Fort Worth Impact Awards, the Fort Worth incubator’s ninth annual recognition of the potential global impact of emerging technologies.

Further, entrepreneurs, in picking their target market, should consider a smaller one where they can have greater impact, Moran said. And entrepreneurs should fully understand their risks and plan ahead for unexpected situations, he said.

For innovators, Moran advised, “test, fail, learn. Test, fail, learn.”

The luncheon celebrates clients and graduates of Tech Fort Worth programs and portfolio companies of the Cowtown Angels, the angel investing arm of Tech Fort Worth.

This year’s four honorees:

Aeroblaze Laboratory: A 4,000-square-foot Federal Aviation Administration-registered independent facility in north Fort Worth specializing in flammability testing for aircraft interiors. Andrew Feghali is the founder and lab manager. The facility is within 10-20 minutes of the Meacham, Alliance, Spinks and Dallas/Fort Worth airports.

Eosera: Eosera exists to “heal humans – not just physically, but emotionally and mentally, too,” developing products that address underserved medical needs. Its first product, which launched earlier this year, is EarWax MD, available on Amazon and in CVS stores nationwide. Its founders are CEO Elyse Stoltz-Dickerson and Joe Griffin, chief scientific officer.

Exact Diagnostics: The company helps health care labs verify accurate information and diagnoses. The company provides quality control materials and custom products for laboratories conducting infectious disease, oncology and genetic testing. Founder Richie Petronis heads the company’s commercial operations.

Go Vivid: Its product is DirectMe, a portable, adaptable and interactive electronic system designed to provide responsive route guidance and obstacle avoidance for sight-impaired individuals. Jennifer Hendrix is the founder and CEO.

“Tech Fort Worth is thrilled to give recognition to our clients that already are achieving measurable success,” Darlene Boudreaux, Tech Fort Worth’s executive director, said. “These entrepreneurs being recognized are committed to new or advanced technology to better our world. The opportunity to shine this spotlight on them is gratifying.”

Tech Fort Worth’s partners include the University of North Texas Health Science Center, City of Fort Worth and the University of Texas at Arlington.

Exact Diagnostics at the Impact Awards

Bo Soderbergh

Bo Soderbergh is in his 20th year of running the Tarrant Area Food Bank, which provides access to 500,000 meals each week. He still finds time to greet employees on their turf and shop daily for dinner at home.

and Charles are vital to our day-to-day functioning, leaving me free to spend time in the community.

11 a.m. Midmorning, I usually exchange a text message or two with my wife, Dr. Joyce Mauk, CEO of the Child Study Center.

noon Lunch is often a sandwich at home, one of the benefits of living 12 minutes away. If time allows, a 10-minute nap is always welcome.

7:30 a.m. I think about going to the gym or taking a walk. Generally not successfully, but the idea must count for something.

9 a.m. The workday begins with my walking around the building for a “good morning and how are you” with all staff. A nice way to start the day and set the tone. I have been doing this

for 20 years and like to think that it makes us feel like family.

9:30 a.m. I generally go through the Washington Post, New York Times and Wall Street Journal to check for stories of interest to the nonprofit community in general and specifically about hunger issues. I frequently share articles with staff.

10 a.m. Early in the

week, I sit down with Bennett Cepak, our associate executive director, and Charles Boswell, senior director of policy and programs. We look at the week that passed, the week ahead and discuss issues of interest. Our conversations are important opportunities to test ideas as well as share strategic and operational information. Bennett

support we enjoy; 800-plus food and fund drives will keep staff busy and the coffers full for a good while.

3 p.m. I address a class at TCU. I have always enjoyed talking about our mission, history and future.

On Fridays, lunch is frequently at the Rotary Club of Fort Worth. As past president, it’s good to stay in touch and chat with old friends and meet the many new members. One attractive feature is the excellent list of speakers.

1:15 p.m.

Less structured afternoons allow good conversations with staff, some planned but many spontaneous, touching on program ideas and issues. I have always believed that it’s important for me to move around the building and visit staff on their home turf rather than sitting in my office. This time of the year, conversations are frequently about the holidays, which traditionally have been the focal point of community support. Since 1982, early November has been the kickoff point for the massive community

In my 20 years as executive director, I have had the privilege of being a part of an organization that has experienced dynamic growth in program delivery and public support. TAFB now provides access to 500,000 meals every week, 24 million in a year! I really like speaking to students and find them engaged and interested. I generally like speaking, period!

5 p.m. I belong to the dwindling population that shops for dinner every day. Joyce and I firmly believe that two cooks in the kitchen is one too many. I enjoy shopping and do most the cooking. I try to frequent all our grocery partners.

6 p.m. Our evenings are uneventful. We primarily read, with interests ranging from history, biography and travel to mystery. Once a week, we’ll watch a recorded SNL or Masterpiece.

8 p.m. I play guitar, cycling between electric and acoustic, currently leaning toward acoustic.