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http://www.omniture.com --> Sections Home Page Local News AP News Blogs Archives Business Classifieds Event Calendar Forums Life Opinion Obituaries Multimedia Photo Gallery Readers Photo Gallery Sports Tempo Weather Road Cams Special Coverage 2006 Britt Festivals --> Shop Our Valley AutoFinder HomeFinder JobFinder Search Our Valley Special Sections Distinctly Northwest Readers' Choice Homelife Magazine Joy Magazine Oregon Golf Info Oregon Wine Info Other Publications Local Links Ashland News eSouthernOregon Newspapers In Education Personals Moving Here Movie Listings TV Listings Volunteer Customer Service Advertise With Us Media Kit Place Classified Ad Contact Us FAQ's Home Delivery Site Map --> Email Story to a Friend March 6, 2007 Click image for larger view Oregon Business magazine has named Ashland Food Cooperative, where shoppers have a wide selection of organic and natural foods to choose from, No. 46 on the list of best small companies to work for in Oregon. U.S. Cellular was ranked the best employer among large businesses. (MT file photo) U.S. Cellular wins second No. 1 rating Oregon Business magazine chose it the best place to work for a company of its size By greg stiles Mail Tribune Making Oregon Business magazine's list of top places to work is a stretch for some companies, and being No. 1 is an outright dream. So it was easy to imagine Calvin Emigh's euphoria last week when his U.S. Cellular unit was named No. 1 among companies with more than 250 employees for the second straight year. "We were able to do it again," said Emigh, U.S. Cellular's highest-ranking manager in Medford. "We're pleased and obviously humbled." Although there are just 138 U.S. Cellular employees in Emigh's sales region, the Chicago-based wireless phone company is grouped with large companies based on its overall employment. "The associates' results were just as positive and even more so in some cases than last year," said Emigh, who supervises 14 retail sales locations along the coast, in the Rogue and Umpqua valleys, and central Oregon. "It was a real win for us. Over the past seven years, our associates have embraced our dynamic operation to the point they are able to overcome and deliver the ideal customer experience all the time — they embrace change. We love change, whether it's coming from competition or from opening new stores." Advertisement After U.S. Cellular closed its 160-employee Medford call center, the company stepped up efforts to maintain employee satisfaction, Emigh said. "Our focus has been assuring a balance between home life and work life," he said. "Career development has been an objective as well," he said, noting that U.S. Cellular has developed 14 managers, including seven from Jackson and Josephine counties, who transferred from Oregon to supervisory jobs in the Midwest. U.S. Cellular has been listed among the magazine's top employers for the past four years. It reached No. 11 in the rankings in 2004 and moved up to No. 2 in 2005. The wireless company topped large businesses in five out of six broad categories ranked by employees, but failed to break into the top five in the category of employer benefits. Several other Southern Oregon employers were recognized in the rankings. United Risk Solutions of Medford finished third overall among small companies, placing third in five of six categories. The insurance, risk management and consulting firm was not rated in 2006. Hakatai Enterprises, a glass mosaic tile distributor in Ashland, was No. 38, and Ashland Food Cooperative joined the Top 50 at No. 46. Among other large employers, Avista Utilities, whose Oregon operations are based in Medford, moved up five spots to No. 21, while Umpqua Bank dropped from No. 9 to No. 24. Rounding out the large company top five were Microsoft, Qualcomm, Carr Auto Group, and Edge Wireless. The leading small company was River City Travel of Portland, followed by Columbia Printing and Graphics, United Risk Solutions Inc., Bridge City Legal Inc., and Performance Health Technology. Reach reporter Greg Stiles at 776-4463 or e-mail [email protected] . Would you like to respond to this story? If so Click Here to visit our forums. Advertisement Copyright © 1997-2007 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback online casinos news Home Security Systems Online Casino Reviews Trunks, Footlocker Fundraisers UK Homeowner Loans Casinos Canada Cord Blood Banking Discount Hotel Reservations Texas Electric Choice Compare Electric rates in Texas Windermere Van Vleet Men's Clothing Debt Help New Hampshire Primary