Warren, Mich. – Oct. 12, 2005 – PR Newswire The top 10 Elite Winners of Metropolitan Detroit’s 101 Best and Brightest Companies to Work For were revealed today by the Michigan Business & Professional Association (MBPA).

The most prestigious award, “Best of the Best,” was presented to Rock Financial/Quicken Loans of Livonia, which excelled in all categories, particularly Compensation and Benefits, Employee Education and Development, and Community Initiatives. David Hall, executive vice president of the company, accepted the award.

Other Elite Award winners of 2005 include: Barton Malow Company in Southfield; Comcast in Southfield; Enterprise Rent-A-Car in Farmington Hills; Fishbeck, Thompson, Carr & Huber in Grand Rapids (with operations in Farmington Hills); Mill Steel Company in Grand Rapids (with operations in Melvindale); HarleyEllis in Southfield; Henry Ford Health System in Detroit; Menlo Innovations in Ann Arbor; and Volkswagen of America in Auburn Hills (see following list). The Elite winners are selected based on their high scores in all categories, and then named an Elite winner for the particular category in which they excelled. These companies represent the best in innovative and forward-thinking human resources.

“The winners of the Elite Awards recognize the value of their employees and have gone beyond traditional human resource practices to recruit, motivate and retain their employees,” said Jennifer Kluge, executive vice president of the Michigan Business & Professional Association. “They also recognize the value of diversity, work-life balance and community initiatives.”

Through its dedication to creating human resource practices that help its employees reach their full potential, Rock Financial/Quicken Loans has excelled in creating a company culture that values and rewards employees, and provides open dialog between the company leaders and its employees.

Following are some examples of Rock Financial/Quicken Loans standing human resource practices:

  • Generous tuition reimbursement program and 100 percent reimbursement for continuing professional education.
  • Company scholarship program for children of employees.
  • Wellness incentives and reimbursement for fitness center membership.
  • Child care subsidy and adoption reimbursement.
  • Top-performing employees can earn free trips to places like the Bahamas, Miami or Las Vegas. This spring 400 team members earned a * four-day trip to Paradise Island in the Bahamas.
  • Spot recognition of cash and gift cards ranging from $25 to $200.
  • “Ticket Window Thursday” gives away free tickets to concerts and sporting events and is announced by the CEO every week over the public address system.
  • A “Front Page Dinner” is held each month with the CEO and president hosting the 30 top loan officers at a posh restaurant.
  • Free cappuccinos, slurpees and popcorn at the workplace.
  • The Michigan Business & Professional Association, based in Warren, Mich., is Michigan’s largest organization of small to medium-sized businesses, representing more than 20,000 members that employ more than 160,000 people. The MBPA is sister association to the Michigan Food & Beverage Association.
  • 2005 TOP 10 ELITE WINNERS
  • METROPOLITAN DETROIT’S 101 BEST & BRIGHTEST COMPANIES TO WORK FOR
    *Elite Award Category Winner Headquarters
    *Communication Henry Ford Health System Detroit
  • Community Initiatives Comcast Southfield
  • Compensation and Benefits Volkswagen of America, Inc.Auburn Hills
  • Diversity and Multi-CulturalismBarton Malow CompanySouthfield
  • Employee Education and DevelopmentMill Steel CompanyGrand Rapids
  • Employee Engagement and CommitmentFishbeck, Thompson, Carr & HuberGrand Rapids
  • Recognition and Retention Harley Ellis Southfield
  • Recruitment and SelectionMenlo Innovations Ann Arbor
  • Work-Life BalanceEnterprise-Rent-A-CarFarmington Hills
  • “Best of the Best” Overall WinnerRock Financial/Quicken LoansLivonia

# # #