Area businesses receive Best Places to Work Awards

The Third Annual Best Places to Work Awards were held on May 9, sponsored by the Workforce Development Board of Okaloosa and Walton counties in partnership with the Niceville/Valparaiso/Bay Area Chamber of Commerce, the Fort Walton Beach Chamber, the Destin Chamber, the Crestview Chamber, the Walton County Chamber, the Economic Development Councils of Okaloosa County and Walton County and Florida's Great Northwest. 
The Best Places to Work Awards recognize those companies, which score the highest in specific categories such as having the lowest turnover of employees, spending the most on employee training and development, having a high participation in a company sponsored Bonus Program and Health, Dental and Life Insurance coverage, supporting employees attendance at conventions and other events and encouraging group events such as birthday celebrations, company cookouts, and other company "fun" events. There were over 50 local employer applications submitted for the designation.
The 2008 winners are Destin Flooring Inc., Small Business Best Places to Work; Okaloosa Gas Company, Medium Business Best Places to Work; and O'Sullivan Creel LLP, Large Business Best Places to Work.
"The goals of the Best Places to Work program," noted Martha Miller, a Vanguard Bank and Trust vice president, a Workforce Board member and emcee of the event, "are to identify organizations that excel in recruitment and retention of their workforce, to educate the public on the qualities of a superior workforce and to raise the quality standard of every worksite."
Winners were given an engraved Waterford Crystal Vase and a Best Place to Work banner for display in their business.