AUA: $23 billion
Employees: 44
Innovest Portfolio Solutions LLC prides itself on a family-friendly, nurturing culture. Its latest initiatives have focused on grooming employees for their next career steps.
The Denver-based investment consultant and outsourced CIO, for example, recently launched the Next Gen Society for staff managers with partnership potential, said CEO Richard Todd. Management recently recruited an inaugural group of three and plans to add members each year. The members will take an ongoing course in leadership that will include meeting authorities in the field. "It's an elite group," Mr. Todd said.
Grooming and assisting others is a priority throughout the company. Innovest offers a Monthly Service to Others Award, a $100 gift card for an employee who pulls another employee up. Staff members have won for staying late to help a colleague.
"We don't want careerists — someone that will do anything to reach the pinnacle, even if it's at the expense of others," Mr. Todd said. "We want an environment where people are rewarded for training others." That way, when an employee becomes a candidate for promotion, his or her successor is prepared to step up, he added.
All employees are paired with a mentor — a colleague who can help work through any number of personal or professional concerns. It's particularly helpful to young professionals juggling work and family, Mr. Todd said. When the program started several years ago, employees could choose their mentor, but that was a mistake, he said. Now the company assigns mentors. "The mentor can't be your friend. There has to be some distance," he added.
Family-friendly benefits include tuition reimbursement, paid time off for community service and flexible work schedules.
"Management shows gratitude toward the staff," one employee wrote. "We respect our management team and want to help the company succeed because they always make us feel that we are a part of their success."
One fall highlight is "Crocktober," where employees bring in ingredients for a weekly crockpot meal. Recent dishes: chicken tortilla soup and beef stroganoff.