Table of Contents
2017 Best Company to Work For winners Franciscan Health. Pictured are regional Presidents and CEOs Dean Mazzoni, Michigan City; Barb Anderson, Crown Point and Patrick Maloney, Hammond and Munster. Franciscan was also chosen as Best Hospital, Best Health Care Facility for Cardiology, Best Health Care Facility for Treating Cancer, Best Urgent / Immediate Care Clinic, Best Occupational Health Care Practice, Best Fitness and Wellness Facility.
Our readers make their picks in dozens of categories.
“The best of the best.” We all think quite highly of our state, and our region within the state. It’s the best, for sure, and no one will persuade us to believe anything different. So who is the best of the best? What businesses and organizations stand out among our area’s impressive crowd?
That’s what we try to reveal each year through Northwest Indiana Business Quarterly’s reader survey … we’re measuring the high opinions of our readers, who are business leaders but also customers across the business community. To those honored businesses and organizations, we say “congratulations!” And we couldn’t have done this without the countless readers who took time to vote in our online survey. Thank you for your participation in our annual celebration!
Community & Education
Best Companies to Work For
Northwest Indiana
Winners: Centier Bank | Franciscan Health | Horizon Bank | Porter Health Care System | Peoples Bank
Greater South Bend/Michiana
Winner: 1st Source Bank
Best University to Attain an MBA
Northwest Indiana
2017 Best University to Attain an MBA Purdue Northwest, also selected Best University for a Technical Degree. Students studying at the Purdue NW Westville campus library.
Winner: Purdue Northwest—Hammond, Westville
Runners-up: Indiana University Northwest—Gary | Valparaiso University—Valparaiso
Greater South Bend/Michiana
Winner: University of Notre Dame—South Bend
Runner-up: Indiana University—South Bend
Best University for a Technology Degree
Northwest Indiana
Winner: Purdue Northwest—Hammond, Westville
Runner-up: Ivy Tech Northwest—East Chicago, Gary, Michigan City, Valparaiso
Greater South Bend/Michiana
Winners: University of Notre Dame—South Bend |Ivy Tech North Central—South bend, Goshen, Warsaw
Best University Online Degree Program
Northwest Indiana
Winner: Indiana University Northwest—Gary
Runners-up: Purdue Northwest—Hammond, Westville |Ivy Tech Northwest—East Chicago, Gary, Michigan City, Valparaiso
Greater South Bend/Michiana
Winner: Indiana University—South Bend
Best Chamber of Commerce
Northwest Indiana
Winner: Valparaiso Chamber of Commerce—Valparaiso
Runners-up: Crossroads Chamber of Commerce—Crown Point, Merrillville | Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce—East Chicago, Hammond
Greater South Bend/Michiana
Winner: South Bend Regional Chamber of Commerce—South Bend
Best Location for Opening a New Business
Northwest Indiana
Winner: Valparaiso
Runners-up: Crown Point, Michigan City, Merrillville, Munster, Schererville
Greater South Bend/Michiana
Winner: Mishawaka
Best Minority or Veteran Owned Business
Northwest Indiana
2017 Best Ad Agency / Marketing Company, JM2 Marketing, Valparaiso. Pictured is John Marx and his staff.
Winner: JM2 Marketing—Valparaiso
Runners-up: Veteran’s Cafe—Merrillville, Fiddlehead Restaurant—Michigan City | Digital Graphics Solutions—Valparaiso
Greater South Bend/Michiana
Winner: Indiana Whiskey—South Bend
Banking & Financial
Best Bank for Business
Northwest Indiana
2017 Best Bank for Business Centier Bank, also recognized as Best Company to Work For, Best Bank for Obtaining a Business Loan, Best Bank for Customer Service. Pictured Milka Bastaic assists a customer in Centier’s Dyer branch.
Winner: Centier Bank
Runners-up: Horizon Bank | People’s Bank | 1st Source Bank
Greater South Bend/Michiana
Winner: 1st Source Bank
Runner-up: Centier Bank | Horizon Bank
Best Bank for Obtaining a Business Loan
Northwest Indiana
Winner: Centier Bank
Runners-up: Horizon Bank | People’s Bank | 1st Source Bank
Greater South Bend/Michiana
Winner: 1st Source Bank
Runner-up: Centier Bank
Best Bank for Customer Service
Northwest Indiana
Winner: Centier Bank
Runners-up: Horizon Bank | People’s Bank | 1st Source Bank
Greater South Bend/Michiana
Winner: 1st Source Bank
Runner-up: Centier Bank
Best Credit Union
Northwest Indiana
Winner: Tech Credit Union
Runners-up: Teacher’s Credit Union | Regional Federal Credit Union
Greater South Bend/Michiana
Winner: Teacher’s Credit Union
Runner-up: Notre Dame Federal Credit Union
Best Accounting Firm
Northwest Indiana
2017 Best Accounting Firm McMahon and Associates, Munster. Pictured is President / CEO Terry McMahon.
Winner: McMahon and Associates CPAs—Munster
Runners-up: Swartz Retson—Merrillville | Rowley & Company LLC—Michigan City
Greater South Bend/Michiana
Winner: Crowe Horwath—South Bend
Runner-up: Kruggel Lawton CPA—South Bend, Elkhart, St. Joseph MI
Best Wealth Management Advisory Company
Northwest Indiana
Winner: Centier Bank
Runners-up: Horizon Bank | People’s Bank
Greater South Bend/Michiana
Winner: 1st Source Bank
Runner-up: Centier Bank
Best Business Investment Brokerage Firm
Northwest Indiana
Winner: Edward Jones
Runners-up: Harbour Trust—Michigan City | Stifel—Crown Point | Oak Partners—Crown Point, Valparaiso
Greater South Bend/Michiana
Winner: Edward Jones
Legal & Insurance
Best Corporate Law Firm
Northwest Indiana
2017 Best Corporate Law Firm, Burke Constanza & Carberry, which was also named Best Law Firm for Business Acquisitions and Mergers, Best Law Firm for Litigation, Best Law Firm Specializing in Accident and Injury and Best Estate-Planning Practice. Pictured is Managing Partner George Carberry.
Winner: Burke Costanza & Carberry LLP—Merrillville, Valparaiso
Runners-up: Krieg DeVault—Merrillville | Hoeppner Wagner & Evans LLC—Merrillville, Valparaiso | Newby, Lewis, Kaminski & Jones LLP—LaPorte
Greater South Bend/Michiana
Winner: Barnes & Thornburg LLC—South Bend, Elkhart
Best Law Firm for Business Acquisitions and Mergers
Northwest Indiana
Winner: Burke Costanza & Carberry LLP—Merrillville, Valparaiso
Runners-up: Krieg DeVault—Merrillville | Hoeppner Wagner & Evans LLC—Merrillville, Valparaiso
Greater South Bend/Michiana
Winner: Barnes & Thornburg LLC—South Bend, Elkhart
Best Law Firm for Litigation
Northwest Indiana
Winner: Burke Costanza & Carberry LLP—Merrillville, Valparaiso
Runners-up: Eichhorn & Eichhorn, LLP—Hammond | Hoeppner Wagner & Evans LLC—Merrillville, Valparaiso
Greater South Bend/Michiana
Winner: Barnes & Thornburg LLC—South Bend, Elkhart
Best Law Firm Specializing in Accidents and Injury
Northwest Indiana
Winner: Burke Costanza & Carberry LLP—Merrillville, Valparaiso
Runners-up: Kenneth J. Allen Law Group—Merrillville, Valparaiso | Sarkisian, Sarkisian & Associates—Portage, Valparaiso
Greater South Bend/Michiana
Winner: Blackburn & Green—South Bend, Elkhart, Valparaiso
Best Estate-Planning Practice
Northwest Indiana
Winner: Burke Costanza & Carberry LLP—Merrillville, Valparaiso
Runners-up: Law offices of Gary Bonk—Schererville | Eichhorn & Eichhorn, LLP—Hammond
Greater South Bend/Michiana
Winner: Barnes & Thornburg LLC—South Bend, Elkhart
Best Insurance Agency for Business
Northwest Indiana
Winner: 1st Source Insurance—Merrillville, Michigan City, Valparaiso
Runners-up: General Insurance Services—Michigan City, La Porte, Valparaiso | MacLennan & Bain Insurance—Valparaiso
Greater South Bend/Michiana
Winner: 1st Source Insurance—Elkhart, Goshen, Mishawaka, Plymouth
Best Property & Casualty Insurance Company
Northwest Indiana
Winner: State Farm
Runners-up: 1st Source Insurance—Merrillville, Michigan City, Valparaiso | General Insurance Services—Michigan City, La Porte, Valparaiso
Greater South Bend/Michiana
Winner: 1st Source Insurance—Elkhart, Goshen, Mishawaka, Plymouth
Construction & Real Estate
Best Commercial Real-Estate Company
Northwest Indiana
Winner: McColly Real Estate
Runner-up: Commercial In-Sites LLC
Greater South Bend/Michiana
Winner: Bradley Company
Runners-up: Newmark Grubb Cressy & Everett | Holiday Properties
Best Commercial Construction Company
Northwest Indiana
Winner: Larson Danielson—La Porte
Runners-up: Tonn & Blank—Michigan City | Chester, Inc—Valparaiso
Greater South Bend/Michiana
Winner: Majority Builders—South Bend
Best Commercial Architectural Design Company
Northwest Indiana
2017 Best Commercial Architectural Design Company, Chester, Inc. , Valparaiso, who is also recognized as Best Information Technology Consulting Company and runner-up for Best Commercial Construction Company.
Winner: Chester, Inc—Valparaiso
Runner-up: Design Organization / Shive-Hatterly—Valparaiso
Greater South Bend/Michiana
Winner: Epoch Architecture + Planning—South Bend
Best Construction Company for Office remodeling and Expansion
Northwest Indiana
Winner: Larson Danielson—La Porte
Runner-up: Tonn & Blank—Michigan City
Greater South Bend/Michiana
Winner: Ziolkowski Construction—South Bend
Best Commercial Landscaping Company
Northwest Indiana
Winner: Lakeshore Landscaping—Valparaiso
Runner-up: Tim’s Landscaping—Griffith
Greater South Bend/Michiana
Winner: Foegley Landscape—South Bend
Best Residential Real-Estate Company
Northwest Indiana
Winner: McColly Real Estate
Runner-up: Century 21
Greater South Bend/Michiana
Winner: Cressy & Everett
Best Residential Development Home Builder
Northwest Indiana
Winner: Olthof Homes—St. John
Runner-up: Schneider Builders—Valparaiso
Greater South Bend/Michiana
Winner: Century Builders—Mishawaka
Runner-up: Place Builders—South Bend
Best Home Remodeling Construction Company
Northwest Indiana
Winner: Michiana Construction & Management—Michigan City
Runner-up: Schneider Builders—Valparaiso
Greater South Bend/Michiana
Winner: Peacock & Company—South Bend
Business Services
Best Place to Purchase Office Furniture
Northwest Indiana
2017 Best Place to Purchase Office Equipment and Supplies McShane’s Business Products & Solutions, who was also selected as co-winner Best Place to Purchase Office Furniture.
Winners: McShane’s Business Products & Solutions—Munster | Kramer Leonard—Chesterton
Runner-up: HDW—Merrillville
Greater South Bend/Michiana
Winner: Office Interiors—Granger
Best Place to Purchase Office Equipment and Supplies
Northwest Indiana
Winners: McShane’s Business Products & Solutions—Munster
Runner-up: Kramer Leonard—Chesterton
Greater South Bend/Michiana
Winner: U.S. Business Systems — Elkhart
Best Information Technology Consulting Company
Northwest Indiana
Winners: Chester, Inc—Valparaiso | Impact Solutions — Valparaiso
Greater South Bend/Michiana
Winner: U.S. Business Systems — Elkhart
Best Ad Agency / Marketing Company
Northwest Indiana
Winner: JM2 Marketing—Valparaiso
Runner-up: Group 7even—Valparaiso
Greater South Bend/Michiana
Winner: J2 Marketing—South Bend
Best Commercial Printer
Northwest Indiana
Winner: Largus Graphix Solutions—Munster
Runners-up: Reprographic Arts—Michigan City | BoyConn—Valparaiso
Greater South Bend/Michiana
Winner: Zipp Printing—Mishawaka
Best Employment Staffing Agency
Northwest Indiana
Winner: Staff Source — Hammond
Runner-up: Express Employment Professionals—Schererville, Valparaiso
Greater South Bend/Michiana
Winner: Peoplelink Staffing Solutions—South Bend
Runner-up: Specialized Staffing Solutions—South Bend
Best Local Telecommunication Company
Northwest Indiana
Winner: Midwest Telecom of America—Merrillville
Runners-up: Nitco—Hebron | Comcast
Best Local Internet Provider
Northwest Indiana
Winners: Comcast
Runners-up: Midwest Telecom of America—Merrillville | Nitco—Hebron
Greater South Bend/Michiana
Winner: Comcast
Best Commercial Interior Design Company
Northwest Indiana
Winner: HDW — Merrillville
Greater South Bend/Michiana
Winner: Office Interiors—South bend
Health & Wellness
Best Hospital
Northwest Indiana
Winner: Franciscan Health
Runners-up: Porter Health Care System | Community Healthcare System
Greater South Bend/Michiana
Winner: Memorial Hospital
Runner-up: St. Joseph Medical Center
Best Health Care Facility for Cardiology
Northwest Indiana
Winner: Porter Health Care System
Runners-up: Franciscan Health | Community Healthcare System
Greater South Bend/Michiana
Winner: Memorial Hospital
Best Health Care Facility for treating Cancer
Northwest Indiana
Winners: Franciscan Health | Porter Health Care System
Runners-up: Cancer Health Treatment Centers | Community Healthcare System
Greater South Bend/Michiana
Winner: Michiana Hematology Oncology
Best Urgent / Immediate Care Clinic
Northwest Indiana
Winners: Franciscan Express Care | Porter Care Express
Runner-up: Community Hospital Outpatient Centers
Greater South Bend/Michiana
Winner: MedPoint
Best Occupational Health Care Practice
Northwest Indiana
Winner: Franciscan Working Well
Runner-up: Workforce Health
Greater South Bend/Michiana
Winner: South Bend Clinic
Best Fitness and Wellness Facility
Northwest Indiana
Winner: Franciscan Omni Health & Fitness—Chesterton, Schererville
Runner-up: Community Hospital Fitness Pointe—Munster
Greater South Bend/Michiana
Winner: Beacon Health & Fitness—Mishawaka, South Bend
Meeting & Entertainment
Best Restaurant for Business Entertaining
Northwest Indiana
Winner: Gamba Ristorante—Merrillville
Runners-up: Gino’s Steakhouse—Dyer, Merrillville | Patrick’s Grille—Michigan City | Teibel’s—Schererville
Greater South Bend/Michiana
Winner: Café Navarre—South Bend
Runner-up: La Salle Grill—South Bend
Best Caterer for Business
Northwest Indiana
Winner: Comfort’s Catering—St. John
Runners-up: Great Lakes Catering—Michigan City | Suzie’s Café—Valparaiso
Best Meeting Site for Large Groups
Northwest Indiana
Winner: Avalon Manor—Merrillville
Runners-up: Blue Chip Hotel & Casino—Michigan City | Horseshoe Casino—Hammond
Greater South Bend/Michiana
Winner: Century Center—South Bend
Best Meeting Site for Small Groups
Northwest Indiana
Winners: Inn at Aberdeen—Valparaiso | Gamba Ristorante—Merrillville
Greater South Bend/Michiana
Winner: Inn at St. Mary’s—South Bend
Best Casino for Business Meetings and Events
Northwest Indiana
Winner: Blue Chip Hotel & Casino—Michigan City
Runner-up: Horseshoe Casino—Hammond
Greater South Bend/Michiana
Winner: Four Winds—New Buffalo, MI
Best Hotel for Business Travelers
Northwest Indiana
Winner: Blue Chip Hotel & Casino—Michigan City
Greater South Bend/Michiana
Winner: Inn at St. Mary’s—South Bend
Best Bed and Breakfast for Business Traveler
Northwest Indiana
Winner: Inn at Aberdeen—Valparaiso
Runner-up: Arbor Hill—La Porte
Best Site for a Corporate Retreat
Northwest Indiana
Winner: Blue Chip Hotel & Casino—Michigan City
Runner-up: Inn at Aberdeen—Valparaiso
Greater South Bend/Michiana
Winner: Oaks at SouthPaw Farm—Mishawaka
Lifestyle
Best Golf Course
Northwest Indiana
Winner: Sand Creek Country Club—Chesterton
Runners-up: White Hawk—Crown Point | Sandy Pines—De Motte
Greater South Bend/Michiana
Winner: Blackthorn Golf Club—South Bend
Best Golf Course for Charitable / Business Outings
Northwest Indiana
2017 Best Golf Course for Charitable / Business Outings, White Hawk, Crown Point.
Winner: White Hawk—Crown Point
Runner-up: Innsbrook Country Club—Merrillville
Greater South Bend/Michiana
Winner: Blackthorn Golf Club—South Bend
Best Automobile Dealer for Business Executives
Northwest Indiana
Winner: Schepel Buick GMC Cadillac–Merrillville
Greater South Bend/Michiana
Winner: Gurley Leep Automotive Group—Mishawaka
Best Place for Corporate Gifts
Northwest Indiana
Winner: Simply Amazing Market / Opportunity Enterprises—Valparaiso
Greater South Bend/Michiana
Winner: South Bend Chocolate Factory—Mishawaka, Michigan City, South Bend, Valparaiso
Congratulations to all of the Companies Selected
- Viewpoint: Shrinking workforce here to stay - November 24, 2021
- Hocus pocus! It is time for some strategic planning focus - October 29, 2021
- Commemorating 30 years - January 26, 2021
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