Our readers choose top business and lifestyle options.
by Rick A. Richards
Unsolicited gifts are the best kind. Just ask several Greater South Bend and Mishawaka businesses. Thanks to readers of Northwest Indiana Business Quarterly, several businesses were chosen to be the best at what they do.
For Thom Villing, president of Villing & Co., a public relations and marketing firm, the recognition was both a surprise and humbling. “It makes us feel good knowing that what we do is working,” says Villing.
Matt Rose, director of sales and marketing at the Century Center, was more succinct: “That’s really cool.”
We think so, too. Here are the results of this year’s annual reader’s survey.
Best Company to Work
Winners: Memorial Health Systems, Horizon Bank and U.S. Cellular in Mishawaka.
“At Memorial, we’re excited to receive the honor,” says Maggie Scroope, manager of communications and media relations at Memorial Health Systems. “We try to go above and beyond to make this a great place to work. We feel as long as our employees are happy at work and happy at home they will continue to provide good quality service to our patients. An honor like this will make it easier for us to recruit good people.”
Craig Dwight, president and CEO of Horizon Bank, thanked readers. “It is an honor to be acknowledged like this. It is a test of our internal values and for our company. It is a real pleasure to come to work where 99 percent of the people we hire want to come to work.”
Dwight says the honor brings a tremendous amount of pride to the bank and its employees. “I’m fortunate to be a part of this team.” Because Horizon is a community bank is why readers responded so favorably, says Dwight. “We do a good job of caring for people. Our customers have real access to decision makers and that makes a huge difference.”
Matt Kasper, director of sales for U.S. Cellular, was completely surprised by the announcement. “I’m extremely proud. It helps underscore that the culture we’ve built in the company for employees to take care of the customers first is working.”
Kasper says U.S. Cellular is built on service and providing the opportunity for employees. “This is quite humbling. This will certainly help in our recruiting efforts because it shows working her is a viable career option. Kasper says the recognition provides validation for the company’s training and service efforts. “It shows we have the right values in place.”
Best Meeting Site for Small Groups
Winner: Hilton Garden Inn, South Bend.
Runners-up: Gillespie Conference Center, South Bend; Century Center, South Bend; and Palais Royale, South Bend.
“This is a great honor,” says Summer Holman, director of sales and marketing. “This does offer some validation that our programs and training are on track but we’re always looking for ways to improve.”
Best Meeting Site for Large Groups and Best Convention Site
Winner: Century Center, South Bend.
Runners-up: Palais Royal, South Bend; Hilton Garden Inn, South Bend; and Windsor Park Conference Center, Mishawaka.
The 75,000-square-foot Century Center has been a fixture in downtown South Bend for more than 35 years, and Matt Rose, director of sales marketing, says the recognition means a lot to him personally and to the center. “This is the first ‘Best Of’ we gotten in anything in my two years here. This gives us a real sense of pride for all the hard work we do at the Century Center.”
Best Hotel for Business Events
Winner: DoubleTree, South Bend.
Runner-up: Hilton Garden Inn, South Bend.
Best New Restaurant for Business Entertaining
Winner: Café Navarre, South Bend.
Owner and chef Kurt Janowsky was stunned that his restaurant was the choice of NWIBQ readers. “We’ve only been open nine weeks. This means people tried us and we served their needs. It means the ambiance was conducive to what they want, the food was good, the service was good and the acoustics worked.”
Best Accounting Firm
Winner: Crowe Horwath, South Bend.
“This is exciting news,” says Gary Fox, a partner in the firm’s South Bend office. “Northwest Indiana is our home and we’re still here. I’m excited about being named best accounting form. I think the fact we get that kind of recognition is because of the hard work our people put in.”
Best Advertising Agency for Business
Winner: Villing & Co., South Bend.
“We work to keep the right balance between the creative process and the fundamentals of marketing,” says President Thom Villing. “You can’t have one without the other.
Best Bank for Business
Winner: 1st Source Bank, South Bend.
Runners-up: Horizon Bank, Michigan City, and Key Bank, South Bend.
“We’re very delighted and very honored by the selection,” says Joe Kuzmitz, manager of the Business Banking Group at 1st Source. “We’re very serious about working with our clients. We have a clear objective to take care of our clients’ long term and to understand and help them meet their goals. To hear that we were selected for this honor as the best, that’s great feedback that we’re achieving our goals.”
Best bank for Customer Service
Winner: Horizon Bank, Michigan City.
Best Bank for Obtaining a Business Loan
Winner: 1st Source, South Bend.
Runners-up: Horizon Bank, Michigan City.
“What’s important is what comes with the money,” says Kuzmitz. “We keep their best interests in mind. We provide advice. We make sure the money can be repaid. If it doesn’t work out then no one wins. Good banking is building a relationship that works to achieve what’s right for the client.”
Best Credit Union
Winner: Teachers Credit Union, South Bend.
Runner-up: Notre Dame Federal Credit Union, South Bend.
Best Chamber of Commerce for Business
Winner: St. Joseph County Chamber of Commerce.
“We’re really pleased to hear of this honor,” says Paul Laskowski, vice president of the St. Joseph County Chamber of Commerce. “This shows we’re doing what we need to do to support business. This makes me feel good because it validates what we do every day.”
Best Commercial Real Estate Company
Winner: CBRE/Bradley, South Bend.
Runner-up: Cressy & Everett.
“This is a fantastic honor,” says Brad Toothaker, president of CBRE/Bradley. “This definitely means we’re impacting business well. This makes me real proud of the management team here. To me, I’m proud of all our people because it takes each and every person to get this done.”
Toothaker says that building a company that has an attitude of quality and caring for its clients is what makes it successful. “We provide our people with next level opportunities and that keeps us growing,” he says.
Best Corporate Law Firm and Best Law Firm for Mergers and Acquisitions
Winner: Barnes & Thornburg, South Bend.
Runners-up: Tuesley Hall Konopa, South Bend; and Baker and Daniels, South Bend.
“We are honored to be recognized in this annual rating of law firms throughout your readership,” says Philip J. Faccenda Jr., managing partner of Barnes & Thornburg’s South Bend office. “We strive to provide value to our clients for a variety of issues that they may face.”
Best Hospital
Winner: Memorial Hospital, South Bend.
Runner-up: St. Joseph Medical Center, Mishawaka.
“We are honored to be a part of this list, and to provide the best possible care for patients and their families,” says Philip A. Newbold, president and CEO of the newly affiliated organization combining Elkhart General Hospital and Memorial Health System. “Our goal is to be a national model for medical excellence; however, our greatest reward is the satisfaction of helping patients return to health day after day.”
Best Urgent/Immediate Care Clinic
Winner: MedPoint, including locations in Granger, Mishawaka, South Bend, Lakeville, Elkhart and Valparaiso.
Best University to Attain an MBA
Winner: University of Notre Dame Mendoza School of Business.
Best Place to Purchase Office Furniture
Winner: Office Interiors, Granger and Mishawaka.
Best Business Leader Advocates
Winners: Jan Fye, director of the North Central SBDC; John Phair of Holladay Corp.; Dave Wood, mayor of Mishawaka; Jeff Rea, president and CEO of the St. Joseph County Chamber of Commerce; and Phil Newbold, president and CEO of Memorial Health Systems.
“I’m a little taken aback by this,” says Fye. “I love working with entrepreneurs and to be told I’m helping them and that things worked is validation. Often in this business you don’t see an immediate impact. This can’t help but make me smile.”
Best Women Owned Business
Winners: Framed, South Bend; Selah Salon, Mishawka; St. Margaret’s House; South Bend; and Valley Screen Printing, Mishawaka.
Best Automobile Dealer for Business Executives
Winner: Lexus of Mishawaka.
Best Home Remodeling Construction Company
Winner: J.D. Holm & Sons, South Bend.
Best Golf Course
Winner: Blackthorn, South Bend.
Runner-up: Warren Golf Course at the University of Notre Dame.
“Absolutely we are honored. We try our best to make sure the conditions and service we provide to golfers is the best. This shows us we are doing what we set out to do,” says Rich Love, director of golf at Blackthorn.
Best Golf Course for Charitable/ Business Outings
Winner: Blackthorn, South Bend.
Best Resort for Executives
Winner: Swan Lake Resort, Plymouth.
Best Health & Wellness Facility
Winner: Memorial Health & Fitness Center, South Bend.
Best Collegiate Spectator Sport
Winner: Notre Dame Women’s Basketball.
“We’re humbled and grateful for the honor the readers have given us, especially from the fans in northern Indiana who have enjoyed the experience here and helped us set an attendance record this year,” says Chris Masters, associate athletic media relations director for Notre Dame. “
Best Professional Spectator Sport
Winner: South Bend Silver Hawks.
Write-Ins
Best Hotel for Service and Amenities: The Inn at St. Mary’s, South Bend. “Always the best experience.”
Best Residential Home Care: Hubbard Hill Retirement Community, Elkhart. “Locally owned, faith-based exceptional customer service and patient care located in a beautiful rustic setting.”
