ERC Announces NorthCoast 99 Great Workplaces in Northeast Ohio

CLEVELAND - September 1, 2009 - For the 11th consecutive year ERC is proud to announce the winners for its NorthCoast 99 Awards! These organizations, recognized as great places to work in Northeast Ohio, excel in the attraction, retention and motivation of top performers. There were 24 new winners this year as well as five ten-time winners. The 2009 NorthCoast 99 winners represent a wide range of industries including manufacturing, non-profit, hospitals, advertising/marketing, and finance, insurance, and real estate and span 11 counties in Northeast Ohio.

The 2009 NorthCoast 99 winners have maintained great places to work even amidst difficult economic times and have demonstrated a true commitment to attracting, retaining, and motivating top performing employees despite challenging circumstances. In fact, over 95% of winners continue to offer wellness programs, provide opportunities for their employees to make suggestions, pay for training and development opportunities, and offer flexible scheduling options. This year’s theme, “Pioneer and Persevere" acknowledges that in spite of facing unusual economic challenges, NorthCoast 99 winners have clearly continued to build great workplaces for top talent in the spirit of innovation and perseverance.

This year ERC will be recognizing its 2009 NorthCoast 99 winners for their workplace accomplishments on Wednesday, September 16th at LaCentre Conference and Banquet Facility in Westlake, Ohio. The sold-out event honoring the winners will feature a keynote speech by Chris Gardner, the man that inspired The Pursuit of Happyness.

NorthCoast 99 is sponsored by Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, CareerBoard.com, CareerCurve, Cinecraft Productions, Inc., FirstMerit Bank, Frantz Ward, Inside Business Magazine, Oswald Companies, Staffing Solutions Enterprises, WVIZ/PBS and 90.3 WCPN ideastream.  The program is also endorsed and supported by the Cleveland Society of Human Resource Management (CSHRM), Northern Ohio Human Resource Planning Society (NOHRPS), and JumpStart Inc.

For a complete list of NorthCoast 99 winners and more information about their workplaces including profiles of the winners, please visit www.northcoast99.com. Also, starting September 17th, follow NorthCoast 99 on Twitter for thought-provoking ideas about creating a great workplace.