AUM: $10.1 billion
Employees: 30
Bridgeway Capital Management Inc. views its role as an employer through the eyes of its employees — make that partners — as firm management refers to them.
From that perspective, the Houston-based firm aims to motivate its partners through empowerment, communication and personal growth, said Tammira Philippe, president and director. That holistic approach is fueled by the basic principle that happy people work better and work harder, ultimately contributing to the success of the company.
Bridgeway is now a three-time winner in Pensions & Investments' Best Places to Work in Money Management program.
Leadership has put significant energy into that approach, researching the science of what motivates people and implementing those findings into its management style, arriving at what the firm calls servant leadership, she said.
The basis of servant leadership is the understanding that management is there to serve employees and put them in position to succeed, not vice versa.
Ms. Philippe further stressed the competitive nature of Bridgeway. "We like to win,'' she said, and believes this attitude keeps its partners focused on goals and the principle that success breeds success.
Among the core practices behind Bridgeway's servant leadership model is getting obstacles out of the way of employees and giving them the resources they need. The fruits from that approach ultimately flow to the end user — their clients, Ms. Philippe said.
And employees have taken notice. "There is a high level of trust and purpose at the organization, which leads to a high degree of autonomy when doing your job,'' one partner wrote in the BPTW survey.
Community impact also is also a big part of life at Bridgeway. The firm gives half of its annual profit to charitable causes and emphasizes serving the community, Ms. Philippe said. According to the firm's website, Bridgeway has given money and time to more than 500 non-profit organizations.
