2025 Orange County Top Workplaces

Page 1


OR ANGE COUNTY’S TOPWORKPL ACES

Ifyou want to reallyknowwhat’s happeningatwork, askthe people on thefront lines.

That’sthe foundation of theTop Workplaces award. Forthe 18thyear, employee survey companyEnergagehas partneredwithTheRegistertohonor the best places to work in Orange County

Thisaward can’tbebought; it has to be earned,based on employee feedback Winnersare chosen throughascientific survey process. Positive employee feedback equals recognition. Workplaces that don’thavestrongfeedbackare excluded from thewinnerslist.

Energage crunches thedatabased on a26-question survey that takesjusta few minutestocomplete. The survey asks employeesfor their feedback on such factorsaspay andbenefits, direction leadership,meaningfulness,and appreciation. Energagescorescompanies based on theresponses.

Organizationsdonot payany fees to survey employeesortoearnaTop Workplaces designation. If they choose organizationscan purchase thesur vey data.Thereisnoobligation forwinnersto purchaseany productorser vice

Forthe 2025 winnerslist, 5,085 organizationswereasked to survey their employees, and186 agreed to do so

Basedonthe survey feedback,145 have earned recognition as TopWorkplaces in Orange County “Top Workplaces awards areacele-

brationofgood news,”saidEricRubino, CEO of Energage.“ Theyexemplifythe significance of apeople-first workplace experience,remindingusthatemployees arethe heartofany thriving organization.”

To qualifyfor TopWorkplaces recognition,employers must have at least 35 workersinthe region.B eginning this year,employers aregrouped by the overall size of their organization, andthe number of employeesinvited to survey, whichmight include employeesoutside OrangeCounty. Employersare grouped into similarsizes to best compare similaremployeeexperiences.They are ranked within thosegroupsbased on the strength of thesur veyfeedback.

EmployersearnTop Workplaces recognition if their aggregatedemployees feedback scoreexceeds national bench-

marks. Energage has establishedthose benchmarks basedonfeedbackfrom about30millionemployees over 19 years. Survey resultsare validonlyif35% or more employeesrespond;employers with fewerthan85employees have ahigher response threshold,requiringresponses from at least30employees.

Whymight aparticularemployernot be on thelist? Perhapsitchose notto participate, or perhapsitdid andemployee feedback scores were notstrong enough.Energagealsorunstests on survey feedback andinsomecases may disqualify an organizationif, forexample, ahighnumberofemployees said they felt pressuredtoanswerpositively

To participate in the2026 TopWorkplaces awards,orfor more information, go to thenominationpageat https://www.ocregister.com/nominate.

5trends at work:What new statistics are showing

Across industries, here arefive major themes shapingthe modernworkplace, accordingtoBucketlist, aVancouver-basedemployeerecognition company, whichjustreleasedatreasuretrove of interestingdataaroundthe workplace

1

Flexibility is here to stay: Hybrid andremoteworkaren’tjustpandemic-era solutions; they’vebecome foundational to howpeoplework, Bucketlist says. Employeesare seeking autonomy over when andwhere they work,and organizationsthatofferflexibility areseeingstrongerretention,higher productivity,and broader talentpools The office hasn’tdisappeared,but itsrole has changed. Amongemployees whoare exclusivelyremote, 6in10saidtheywere “extremelylikelytochange companies” if notofferedremoteflexibility.Another interestingdatapoint:Remoteand hybrid roles attract60percentofjob applications, yettheyaccountfor just 20 percentofjob postings, suggesting many companies are notoffering what employeesare seeking.

2

Recognition has moved beyond ‘nice to have’: Recognition of workplace accomplishmentsisno longerseenasa softbenefit. It’s directly linkedtoengagement, performance, andretention —and employeesare asking formoreofit, Bucketlist says. Employees want recognition that is timely, meaningful, andvisible acrossthe organization. When done right, recognition cancreate aculture of appreciation that drives real businessoutcomes. Andhere’saremarkable stat:Employees whofeelrecognized are73percentlesslikelytoexperience burnout, Bucketlist says.

3

Well-being demands real investment: Mental health andwell-beinghavetaken centerstage.Stress, burnout, anddisengagement areat all-timehighs,especiallyamong younger generationsand frontlineteams,Bucketlist says. Employeesexpectmorethan surface-levelperks; they want to feel genuinelysupported.This meansrethinking workloads, buildingpsychological safety,

andgivingpeoplepermissiontounplug, Bucketlist says. Anothercompellingdata point: 92 percentofworkers sayitisver y importanttothemtoworkfor an organization that values their emotionaland psychological well-being.

4

Growthisa two-way commitment: Workerswantmorethan apaycheck. Theywantclear pathstogrowth, Bucketlist says. Whetherthrough reskilling, upskilling, or cross-functionallearning, developmentis becominga make-or-breakfactorinre-

tention. Organizationsthatinvestintheir people signalthattheycareabout their future —and that builds trust, loyalty, andlong-termperformance.Consider this:68percent of workersare awareof coming disruptionsintheir fieldsand are willingtoreskill to remain competitively employed,Bucketlistsays.

5

Culture still wins: The most resilientorganizationsare thosewith strong cultures rooted in trust, recognition,purpose,and adaptability,Bucketlistsays. These aren’t things that

happen by accident. Theyrequiresystems, commitment, anda willingnesstoevolve.

The best companies do it right, Bucketlist says: 71 percentofhighlyengaged organizationsrecognize their employeesfor jobs well done

Bob Helbig is media partnerships director at Energage,a Philadelphia-based employee survey firm. Energage is thesurvey partner for TopWorkplaces.

ADVERTISING TEAM

Kyla Rodriguez SVP Advertising advertising@scng.com

Carla Asmundson Regional ClassifiedManager

Jennifer Barry

Multimedia AdvertisingRepresentative

Laura Padilla

Multimedia AdvertisingRepresentative

Gordon Clark

Multimedia AdvertisingRepresentative

Genesis Gutierrez

Multimedia AdvertisingRepresentative

David Graham

Multimedia AdvertisingRepresentative

Claudia Villar

ProjectManager

Mary AnneRozinsky

ProjectManager

CUSTOMCONTENT TEAM

CarolineWong Sr.DirectorofMarketing cawong@scng.com

TomHalligan Creative Director

Marissa Chamberlain

Senior GraphicDesigner

Caitlin Adams &JamiDerby Writers

Congratulationstothe 2025 TOPWORKPLACES Honorees!

Thousands of innovativebusinessleaders, passionate entrepreneursand world-class companies call Orange County home

These organizationsoperate with aclear mission, strong leadership andvisionfor success.They also genuinelycareabout their employees, andinturn, their employeescareabout thewell-beingofour Orange County communities andneighbors.

It is an honortointroduce youtothese inspiringcompanies through our18thAnnualTop Workplaces Awards andpublication. Thisyear, 145 localbusinessesand organizationshavebeenrecognized as best-inclassplacestowork.

The OrangeCountyRegisteriscommitted to shininga spotlight on the localpeopleand businessesthatstrengthenour communities.

We hope youenjoy this specialpublicationcelebrating thetop-ranked businesseswithinTop Workplaces.

RonHasse Publisher,The OrangeCounty Register President, SouthernCalifornia News Group

SHUTTERSTOCK IMAGES

Behr

BEHR PAINT COMPANY is celebratingits 18th year as an Orange County Register TopWorkplace.This incredible,nearlytwo-decade-long milestone forthe SantaAna-based headquartersisnot just an award; it’s apowerfulvalidationfromthe company’sown people.“Being recognizedasaTop Workplace for 18 yearsisanincrediblehonor,and it’s adirectreflectionofthe people whomakeupour Behr Paintfamily, said RichardMaus, Sr.VPofPeople Services. Behr’s sustainedsuccess is rooted in therich, family-centric cultureithas built, itsunwavering commitmenttoits teams, andthe drivefor innovationitchampions righthereinOrangeCounty.

Foundation of aTop Workplace culture

Behr’s cultureisfounded on a simple, powerfulprinciple: doing theright thingfor itsteammembers consumersand communities. The companybelievesthatifits teamsfeel valued,supported,and empowered, they will,in turn,takeexceptional care of itscustomers.This philosophy guides ever ydecisionB ehrmakes, from itsbenefits anddevelopment programs to theway itsteammembers interactwithone another.

The companyfosters an environmentofcollaboration andopen communication, viewingitselfasone unifiedteamwhere ever yvoice matters.Whether apersonhas been with Behr for20years or 20 days, their perspectiveiscrucial.B ehrencourages team memberstobring their wholeselvestoworkand challenge thestatusquo,fostering theentrepreneurialspiritthatfuels itsinnovation. The commitmenttogrowthisclear Behr investsinprofessionaldevelopment,mentorship, andprovides clear pathsfor advancement. The company wantsits employeestobuild alongterm career there.

As Maus summarizes thelasting legacy, “Ultimately, oursustained successcomes down to aculture of trust, respect, andsharedpurpose.Our team membersknowthat their contributionsare meaningful

andthattheir well-beingisour top priority.That dedicationisthe true secret behindour 18 yearsasa Top Workplace,and we areprofoundly grateful forit.”

Localpride fuels global innovation

The continuous localrecognition, especially from itshomeinOrange County,has aprofoundand positive effectonB ehr’steams.For ever yone, from theorder pullersinthe distribution centerstothe corporate staff,thislocal acknowledgment is powerful validationthattheir work is making arealimpactright here in thecommunity.Itboostsmoraleand createsasharedsense of pride that transcends individual departments. It reminds Behr that itsgoalisnot just to be anationalleader,but also to be atrusted neighbor

Thislocal pride fuelsglobalbreakthroughs.This year wasa remarkable period of innovation,drivenbyB ehr teams. In partnershipwithGoogle, thecompany launched ChatHUE™, an AI-powered colorselection tool on Behr.com. As Sr.VP/Headof Marketing,AndyLopez,explains, this combines Behr’s proprietar y colordatawithGoogle’sAItodeliverapersonalized, expert-guided experience,makingconfidentcolor

choices areality foreveryone. Behr also successfully announcedits 2026 Colorofthe Year,Hidden Gem, whichimmediately inspired new projects andgeneratedbuzz across internationalmedia outlets.

Drivingthe future: sustainability and community

Beyond theawards, howdoes Behr measuresuccessinthe Orange County market? Whilethe company closelymonitorskey performance indicatorslikecustomerfeedback, satisfaction scores, andmarket share—seeingsustained growth in this competitivehomemarket—its successisequally visibleinits commitmenttosustainabilityand the community Sustainability is at thecoreof Behr’s innovationstrateg y, drivingit to be aleader in developing low- and zero-VOC products andcontinually seekingtoreduce itsenvironmental footprint. Aprime example is the first-to-marketproduct innovation, BEHR PREMIUMPLUS® ECOMIX™ Plant-Based*Paint &Primer. Thisis thefirst100% all-acr ylic paintwith USDA CertifiedBiobasedcontent markingasignificantmilestone in Behr’s commitmenttoproductsthat arebetterfor people andthe planet. Furthermore, itsconnectiontothe

“Ultimately, our sustainedsuccess comes down to a culture of trust, respect, and shared purpose.”
-RICHARD MAUS, SR. VP OF PEOPLE SERVICES, BEHR PAINT COMPANY

Orange County community is fundamental.Thecompany partners with variouslocal nonprofits, providing both financial supportand product donationstoorganizationsthatare strengtheningthe community,from housingshelterstocommunity centers.AsLopez notes, this active role paints thefullpicture:“ Thiscombination of strong customer loyalty, growingmarketpresence, anddeep community involvementpaintsa comprehensivepicture of oursuccess in ourhometown.”

Making life more colorful Behr’s mission, to “MakeLife More Colorful,” extends farbeyond thepaint on walls. To thecompany,it’sabout thepositive impact it strivestohaveonpeople’slives. For itscustomers,itmeans empowering them to create spaces that bringthem joy. Forits team members, it means fosteringavibrant,inclusive culture whereeveryonecan thrive,grow, and feel valued.And forthe communities, it meansbringingcolor andsupport whereit’sneeded most throughits philanthropicefforts.

“Whatmakes me proudestto work at Behr is,without adoubt,our people.Every day, Ihavethe privilege of workingalongsideateamthatis notonlyincredibly talentedbut also deeply committed to ourvalues and to oneanother.Thereisa genuine senseoffamilyherethatyou don’t findjustanywhere.”Maussaid.

*This productcontainsaminimum of 20% plant-based ingredients, verifiedthrough thirdpar ty labtesting in accordance with ASTM D6866.

Congratulations to the2025 Orange County TopWorkplaces!

The TopWorkplaces processbeginsinearly summer,firstwithanomination. Thenemployees aresur veyedbythe Register’s program partner, Energage. Employee surveysare anonymousand only thosecompanies achievingthe topresults aredesignatedasTop Workplaces. Newcomersto thelistofhonoreesin2025 include AvalonBayCommunities,B& BSpecialties,TheBaldwin Group, Hilton Grand VacationsInc., Laura’s House, andVITAS Healthcare In total, 145 companies were honoredthisyear. Here’s howthe list of honorees breaks down by category : 39 large companies (with500 or more employees), 61 midsizecompanies (with100–499 employees) and 45 smallcompanies (99 or feweremployees). Congratulationstoall thecompanies representing thebest places to work in OrangeCounty.

21. Americor Funding, Inc.

22. Freeman

23. City of Irvine

24. CBIZ

25. Sonesta International Hotel Corporation

26. WintrustFinancial Corporation

27.Restaurant365

28. Applied Medical

29.Hilton Grand Vacations Inc

30.The Waterfront Beach Resort, aHilton Hotel

31. Panda Restaurant Group

32. Fifth ThirdBank

33. ConsolidatedAnalytics 34. VITAS Healthcare

PERFICIENT

SInternational,

1. The Energy Coalition

2. Moulton Niguel Water District

3. Raymond Southern California

4. W. L. Butler

5. TAIT &ASSOCIATES, INC

6. Pinner Construction Co., Inc.

7. Tarsus Pharmaceuticals

8. OrthAlign

9. ArroyoTrabuco GolfClub

10.Orange County Rescue Mission

11. Wright Ford Young

12. iTrustCapital

13. Coury and Buehler PT

14. AntisRoofing &Waterproofing

15. Patterson Autos

16. Laura’s House

17.ExoAnalyticSolutions

18. KYAServices

19.Sequoia Equities, Inc.

20.Coyne &Associates Education Corp

&Supple Co., Inc. 58. Property ManagementProfessionals

SM AL LC OM PA NI ES

Moffett Plumbing &Air

Cole Services 7. Trilogy Financial Services, Inc. 8. Millie and Severson

Giant Lending

Trusted Mortgage Capital 12. US Alliance Group ,Inc. 13. RBA Builders 14. Beyond Blindness

BoostHealth Insurance

16. Datanetiix Solutions, Inc.

17.Bober,Peterson &Koby, LLP

18. NeurOptics

19.Bluepoint Mortgage

20.IronOrbit

21. IPS-Integrated Project Services

22. OpenGym Premier

23. Church &Casualty Insurance Agency

24. Strategic Sanitation Services

25. Everett Dorey LLP

26. Previon

27.CDF Labor LawLLP

28. Fortra Law

29.Ori-gen

30.OptiMentality

31. NexInfo

32. Consolidated Contracting

33. Love 2Learn Consulting LLC

34. Veri-Tax, LLC

35.ConsumerDirect, Inc.

36. Quantum ePay

37.Brokers First Funding

38. Thomas Gallaway Company, LLCdba Technologent

39.Southland Physical Therapy

40.ElToroWater District

41. Robert Half

42. KimcoStaffing Services/KTimeHR

43. Western Resources Title Company

44. The GDR Group

45. Kagan Publishing &Professional Development

Thankyou forsharing ourpassion fordeliveringthe best apartmentlivingexperienceinSouthernCaliforniaand for voting AMCa TopWorkplace forthe TenthYear! Multi-Family Investing, Management,and Renovation in Southern

Is it ajob or acareer?These6 steps canhelp

“How many of youhaveacareer?” Iloveaskingthisquestion in workshopswithemployees. Whilea fewraise their handsimmediately,the majority often look at each otherasifunsure. Even when workingisdonevirtually, youcan feel that cautious pause. Buthere’sthe truth: just by choosingtowork, you’ve set yourself on acareerpath.

Acareerisn’t just ajob;it’sa journey with purpose, meaning, anddirection.It’s ajob with time-based context, reflecting both histor yand growth.Afulfilling career doesn’t only define what youdofor aliving—itdefines whoyou are.

The comedian ChrisRockoncesaid, “Withacareer, thereisnever enough time.Withajob,there is always toomuch time.” It’s asentiment that resonates, especiallyfor thosewho feel stuckinwhat they consider “justajob.” Foremployersand managers,thisdistinction holds importantinsights.

Most organizationsrelyonamix of routine, even menial,work—tasks that arerepetitive, physical, andoften demanding. Butdoesthatmeanit can’t be meaningful?Ibelieve we canelevate almost anyworkconversationfromjob to career by understandingwhatdrives each individual andconnectingwiththeir purpose.

Take Hector,our neighborhood windowwasher. Aman in his60s, he’s worked six to sevendaysaweekfor decades handlingladdersand scrubbingwindows, rain or shine. Butwhatstandsout about Hector is hissmile andthe genuinejoy he finds in hiswork. He knowshis clients by name andtreatsevery window he cleans with thesamepride.For him, it’s notjust aboutwashingwindows—it’sabout giving families afresh perspective. Hector’s job is cleaning; hiscareerisbuildingcommunity

My father spentover30years in the automotive industry,initially loving his work as abusinessmanager forGeneral Motors.But after leadership changes, thosefinalyears felt more like an endurance test toward retirement.Hereached hispensiongoal, buthis true purpose emergedonlyafterretiring: to read ever y bookthatmatteredtohim—a “career” in

lifelonglearningthathepursued passionatelytothe endofhis days. Ilearned from my father’s experience Watchinghim grindthrough thoselast years, Imadea vowtonever stay in aposition that drained my soul.Whenmyjob at Exxonstarted feelinglesslikeacareer andmorelikeajob,Imoved on.That decisionset me on apathtoa role that’s givenmealmostlimitlessroomtogrow. Howcan youkeepyourcareeron track, moving toward your goals? Here aresomesteps to consider:

1. Do aHappinessCheck: Areyou genuinelyhappy andgrowing?Orare youjust covering thebills?Ifitfeels like adead end, it’s time fora change

2. Find aCareerCoach: If youhave accesstoCatalytic Coaching, you’re ahead of thegame. Your directmanager acts as a coach, guidingyou throughdevelopment If youdon’t,consider hiringanexecutive coachtohelpchart your path forward.

3. Beginwiththe EndinMind: Look deeply andask yourself fundamental questionslike, “WhatdoI really want to achieve?” Imaginethe path to getthere, andstart taking steps.

4. Find Your SpecialPurpose: Aim forworkthataligns with your talents andwhatyou enjoy. ToolslikeGallup’s CliftonStrengthsand Marcus Buckingham’sStandOutAssessmentcan help you identify what drives you.

5. Strategize forProgress: If your current jobdoesn’t supportyourcareeraspirations, plan apathfor ward.Evensmall steps in theright direction—like moving to adifferentdepartment—can setyou on track.

6. Executethe Plan: Ever yjob that doesn’t contribute to your goalsisjust procrastination. So,takeactionand make it count.

If you’re ever in an audience whereI ask, “How many of youhaveacareer?”I hope you’ll raiseyourhandproudly and confidently.Let’s allworktowardcareers, notjustjobs, andbuild futuresthatmake us proud.

MOULTONNIGUEL WATER

District hascementedits standing as aTop Workplace fornearlyadecade, adesignation GeneralManager and CEO JooneKim-Lopez attributes to arelentlessfocus on creating a safe,collaborative andempowering environment.

The district’s continuedsuccess, whichincludes beingnamed aTop Workplace forthe ninth consecutive year,isnot amatterof chance accordingtoKim-Lopez

“Top Workplaces is an honor that is hard to achieve,hardtokeep andthatiswhy we areso proud,” Kim-Lopez said,“Allthe [Moulton] magicianshavetoworkreallyhardat it allthe time.”

The waterdistricthas been honored as both an Orange County anda USA TopWorkplace

The CEOemphasizedthatthe district’s foundation is builtonits people,not perksorpay.“It doesn’t matter what sector,itdoesn’t matter what perks, it’s notevenabout the pay, it’s aboutthe environmentwe create,”she emphasized.

Acoretenet of that environment is safety andtrust.Whenemployees speakup–evencallingout thosein positionsofinfluence shechampionsthatasa displayofcourage

“Creatingasafe environment wherepeoplefeelphysically,emotionallyand mentallysafeismy

number onepriority,”she said.This commitmentisbased on abelief in herstaff’sinherentvalue: “Employees aremorethanassets to an organization,theyare thepower,theyare the heartbeat.”

The cultureisalsohighlycollaborative, builtonthe “HEROprinciple”—Honesty,Effort,Respect,and Oneteam—whichwas establishedto foster unity andsharedsuccess.

“TopWorkplaces is an honor that is hard to achieve,hard to keep and that is why we are so proud. ”
-JOONE KIM-LOPEZ, CEO MOULTON NIGUEL WATER DISTRICT

“Collaboration is part of our DNA,”Kim-Lopez explained.“ They celebrateeachother’s successes, and know that asuccessinone department is shared by ever yone.” This approach allows forinnovationand creativity,asteammembers feel safe to take calculated risks.

The district’s focusonits people andculture,she stressed,isdirectly linkedtoits public servicemission, whichistodeliver high-quality drinking water, recycled waterand wastewater services to more than 170,000 customersinsouth Orange County

BecomingaTop Workplace is not “aneasything,” Kim-Lopez noted, butit’scritical. “This is thefoundation to ensuring asystemthatser ves ourcustomers,” she said,explaining that their cultureofaccountability helpsthe district “maintainits outstandingrecordinterms of safeguarding anddistributingthis incredibly valuable resource.”

Kim-Lopez,who hasover30years of public service experience,also foundedthe CaliforniaDataCollaborative, anonprofitgroup focused on bringing bigdatasolutions to the waterindustr y. Shemaintains that thedistrictteam“feelsthe commitment”toOrange County andlives that commitmentevery day.

Ultimately,the CEO sees Moulton NiguelWater District’s TopWorkplaces designation as acelebration of “the best part of ourorganization ourpeople,”she said

Gary Markle is Chief Catalyst at Catalytic Coaching andsenior business partner with Energage Energage is the survey partner for TopWorkplaces.
SHUTTERSTOCK IMAGES
Sponsored content by MoultonNiguel WaterDistrict

TopWorkplace ConsumerDirect credits technology and

helppeopleprepare forabetterloan andsavemoney.Our data shows theaverage American has40to90 points they canadd to theircredit scorein less than 30 days andwe provide theDIY toolstohelpthem achieve it.”

“Our goal is to putthe powerin theindividual’shands,maximize theirscore andtheir financial potential, so they candothe shopping they candecide,theycan getthe best deals,”Coulter says.

EARNINGFIVE CONSECU TIVE yearsonthe Orange County Top Workplaces is adistinction reserved fordynamic, innovativecompanies; andConsumerDirectfits thetop of this bill

CEO DavidB.Coulter,who describes himself as a“serial entrepreneur,” launched ConsumerDirect in 2003 followinga frustratinghome buying experience with an inaccurate credit report.In Januar yofthis year,hemoved hismorethan110 employeesintotheir newlocationin Ir vine,a50,000-square-footoffice, completewithakids’ room,mothers’ room,offices, conference roomsand ashow-stoppingwater featureinits convention hall stylelobby

The new, welcomingoffice digs arejustone of many ways Coulter prioritizes hisemployees.

“I work very hard on ourculture andit’sbased on threewords,communication, communication, communication,”hesays. “Everyonehere is ashareholder.Everyoneheregets a voice.Everyonehereisencouragedto speakupand share.

Coulteremphasizes that cross-department collaborationis vitaltoa healthycompany culture, andthat meansopendoors andopenearsfor all newideas,nomatterwhere they come from.He’seveninstituteda financial incentive forgood ideas that getimplementedand extendspublic acknowledgementtoemployees for making suggestions.

“Tome, rigidcorporate hierarchy canbesodestructive to acompany, becauseyou neverknowwhenyou have adiamond in therough,unless youempower their voice,and you’ve gottobreak down thebarriersbetweenthemand their managers and even to me as CEO.”

Taking care of business

In addition to making them feel heard, Coulterensures that his employeesfeelseenand valued.He describes ConsumerDirectasfamily first, amajority-minoritycompany,comprised of about60percent womenemployees, andemphasizes a strong work-life balanceculture

“Weare able to attractpeoplefor thosereasons,but oneofthe really bigreasons is,whatwedo. …[W]e

Those DIYtools areconnected to 70,000 financialinstitutionstohelp maximize one’sfinancialpotential

On average,customers cansave between$5,000 and$6,000 on a carloan, or between$50,000 and $60,000 on amortgage.

Over theyears,ConsumerDirect has savedcustomers over $3 billionin interest on auto andmortgageloans

In addition,customers canbetter manage their onlinebanking information andonlineprivacy profile Coultersays, “it’sfun to stop data brokers from sellingyourinformation.”

“And allthatattractsalot of talenttoConsumerDirect. So,it’sthe threethings. It’s ourproduct helping people,itiscommunication, anditis ever ybody’sashareholder.Thoseare importantthings to ourcontinued growth as acompany.”

Moving withthe times

Financial services is acompetitive market, andadaptingtothe timesis vital.

“I made thedecisionearly on that either we’regoing to be amarketing companyortechnolog ycompany, Ichose atechnolog yroute,and it took alot longer to do,” Coultersays, noting that thecompany haspowered throughCOVID,highinterestrates andinflationand that “our technology hasled theway.”

He addedthatthe companyhas grownsubstantially andisprojected to do $140 millioninrevenue this year andprofitability.

ConsumerDirect’sprimary productissmartcredit.com, whichoffers

andallowsusers to identify andremove their information from online data brokerswhile earninggift cards from popularbrands. Anotherinteresting technolog yisMaxAI, an Ai data engine that allows ConsumerDirecttocreatetailor-made financial strategies foreachcustomer.

Everyonehere is ashareholder. Everyone here getsa voice.Everyone here is encouraged to speakupand share

simple information to customerspresented clearly. “Peoplelog in andwe saywhatyourcreditmeans,” Coulter says. “There’sDIY tools. We even tell people things like thebestpay-down date foryourcreditcard.

The companyholds 17 registered trademarks and23issued patents. AmongthemisHogo, an appfilled with brightly coloredcharacters availableonthe Google Play and Appleapp stores. The free version includes $25,000 in fraudinsurance

“Technolog yhas ledthe wayand we’vebuilt ourown AI,”Coulter says. “Theamountofdatathatwehave is quiteextraordinar y. We have up to 9,000 data points persubscriber. Nowwe’re able to do some really amazingthings with that to help them. Ultimately,helping people is what ConsumerDirectsets outtodoevery day.

“Weliketohaveevery employee feel that they arelevel with ever yoneelse. They’re connectedtoour mission. Yousee theimpactoftheir work andhow it is changing people’slives andsavingpeoplemoney,” Coultersays. “Thosetypes of things areprobablythe most satisfying for myself andthe entire company.

SevenGable

Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.