14 Wisconsin Companies Rank Among America’s Best Employers: Forbes

Forbes has the verdict out on which company is America's best employer and the company that takes the number one spot might be a slight surprise to you.

No it's not Google — which finished in second place — but rather Costco, the wholesale retailer. As Forbes notes, the company has not fallen below third place over the past three years and a big perk offered by the company is health insurance for part-time employees.

In third place is Recreational Equipment Inc., or REI, marking the first appearance for the company on Forbes' list. And its place on the list is likely to do with the company's unique ownership structure. As explained in Forbes, REI is a consumer cooperative, and anyone who pays the one-time $20 membership fee and spends at least $10 a year receives an annual dividend.

Costco, Google and REI rank at the top on Forbes' list of 500 best large employers. To compile the rankings, Forbes split employers into two groups, midsized — companies with 1,000 to 5,000 employees — and large employers — companies with 5,000 or more employees. Among the best large employers, 14 Wisconsin companies made the list and among the best large employers.

The Wisconsin companies that made the list of best large employers are:

#81
Kwik Trip/Kwik Star
Retail, Wholesale
La Crosse, Wisconsin

#136
SC Johnson
Packaged Goods
Racine, Wisconsin

#176
Northwestern Mutual
Insurances
Milwaukee, Wisconsin

#212
Plexus
Professional Services
Neenah, Wisconsin

#257
Rockwell Automation
Semiconductors, Electronics, Electrical Engineering, Technology Hardware & Equipment
Milwaukee, Wisconsin

#296
Bemis
Engineering, Manufacturing
Oshkosh, Wisconsin

#297
Schneider National
Transportation and Logistics
Green Bay, Wisconsin

#301
American Family Insurance
Insurances
Madison, Wisconsin

#330
WEC Energy Group
Utilities
Milwaukee, Wisconsin

#365
Epic
IT, Internet, Software & Services
Verona, Wisconsin

#396
Johnson Controls
Engineering, Manufacturing
Milwaukee, Wisconsin

#399
Ashley Furniture Industries
Engineering, Manufacturing
Arcadia, Wisconsin

#411
Oshkosh
Automotive (Automotive and Suppliers)
Oshkosh, Wisconsin

#485
Great Wolf Resorts
Travel & Leisure
Madison, Wisconsin

-----

patch.com file photo