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Some local firms slide in status Annual list ranks state's best workplaces By David Preszler Southern Oregon companies appear to have taken a step back as some of the best places to work in the state. Five Rogue Valley companies made Oregon Business Magazine's 2000 list of the 100 best companies to work for in Oregon, down from six a year ago. And the rankings of several Southern Oregon firms slipped down the ladder. Darex Corp., Bear Creek Corp., Sabroso Co., Oregon Shakespeare Festival and LTM Inc. were the Southern Oregon-based firms to make the list. Two other Oregon companies that are big employers in the Rogue Valley also made the list: Providence Health System and PacifiCorp. The magazine ranks companies by giving points in five categories: pay and benefits (up to 35 points), employee involvement (20 points), community involvement (15 points), advancement and training (15 points), and workplace culture (15 points). Ties are broken by the highest scores in the categories, beginning with pay and benefits. About 200 eligible companies turned in applications. Providence, which has about 1,000 employees in Jackson County, ranked highest on the list, coming in at No. 10. It was 29th a year ago. PacifiCorp, absent on the 1999 list, ranked No. 70. The parent company of Pacific Power has 108 employees in Medford and 54 in Grants Pass. Ashland-based Darex Corp., long the region's leader on the annual list, dropped from No. 16 in 1999 to No. 42 on this year's list. The magazine still lauds the firm for its "excellent support for college and continuing education" for employees. The article doesn't mention what may be behind the drop: For the first time in its history, Darex laid off workers in 1999, trimming its staff by 12 percent in June. Bear Creek Corp., Jackson County's largest employer with about 1,200 year-round employees in the Medford area, slipped from 17th last year to No. 72 on the 2000 list. It was praised for its on-site wellness workshops, adoption assistance and bilingual training program. Medford's Sabroso Co., which has 300 employees, came in at No. 75, up from No. 81 in 1999. The magazine lauded its cross-training and apprenticeship programs for employees. Oregon Shakespeare Festival of Ashland, with 325 employees, ranked 77th, down from 73rd. It was praised for its community outreach programs and employee longevity. Medford-based LTM Inc. was the only Rogue Valley on this year's list that didn't make it in 1999. The construction supply company, which has 180 employees, ranked No. 100. The magazine noted its efforts to involve front-line employees in decision making and to reimburse employees for continuing education. Asante Health Systems, which ranked 78th last year, wasn't included this time around. Today's Edition : News | Sports | Business | Weather | Tempo | Classifieds Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 2000, Medford, Oregon USA