Stew Leonard's Named One of Best Places to Work in Conn.

Stew Leonard’s has earned the distinction of being one of the Best Places to Work in Connecticut 2011, courtesy of the Hartford Business Journal and Best Companies Group. From its beginnings more than 40 years ago as a small dairy store with just seven employees, the Norwalk, Conn.-based grocer has grown into a nearly $400 million dollar business with more than 2,500 associates in four stores, three of which are in the Nutmeg State. The remaining store is in Yonkers, N.Y.

The statewide survey and awards program aims to identify, recognize and honor the best places of employment in Connecticut, those which benefit the state's economy, its workforce and businesses. This year’s list of the Best Places to Work in Connecticut features 25 companies.

“My father taught me that you can’t have a great place to shop without first making it a great place to work,” noted Stew Leonard’s president and CEO Stew Leonard Jr., whose father opened the original store in 1969. “Our family business has been dedicated to providing the best customer service and highest-quality food for more than 40 years, and we couldn’t do it without the enthusiasm, commitment and passion of our Team Members in Norwalk, Danbury and Newington.”

The two-part process to determine the Best Places to Work in Connecticut consisted of evaluating each nominated company's workplace policies, practices, and demographics, which accounted for about 25 percent of the overall evaluation, and a survey to gauge the employee experience, which accounted for about 75 percent. The combined scores determined the top companies and how they ranked. Harrisburg, Pa.-based Best Companies Group, which administers similar programs for companies and employees across the United States, managed the overall registration and survey process, and also analyzed the data to determine the final rankings.

The list of the 25 Best Places to Work in Connecticut and the companies’ rankings will be unveiled at a special awards ceremony on Thursday, March 24. The rankings will additionally appear in a special supplement from the Hartford Business Journal.

For more information on the "Best Places to Work in Connecticut" program, visit http://BestPlacesToWorkinCT.com or call Jackie Miller at 877-455-2159.