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For the fourth consecutive year, Toeniskoetter Development, Inc., and Toeniskoetter Construction, Inc., have been named as one of the best places to work in the Bay Area, according to the annual ranking by the Silicon Valley Business Journal and the San Francisco Business Times. Toeniskoetter was selected in the category of firms with 25-49 employees.

The award comes as no surprise to Toeniskoetter’s longtime employees. JR Romero, Facilities Superintendent, says, “This is a family-owned company, and they treat you like family.” Even more, “Here at Toeniskoetter, they value you as an asset, and they empower and trust you to do your job.  We’re a five-star organization -- the bar is high, and that’s where you want to be,” adding, “Every day, I try to raise that bar a little higher.”

Romero recalls a difficult time last year when his father was undergoing cancer treatment, and he was taking turns with his siblings for doctor appointments and treatments. It was a relief not to have to worry about what his bosses would think. “They knew my situation, and they just said, ‘Do what you need to do, JR. Don’t even ask.’” As Romero puts it, “You know what the expectations are and what you need to do. There is no one looking over your shoulder to make sure you do it.”

Among the longtime employees is Dan Amend, President and CEO of Toeniskoetter Construction, who began his career at Toeniskoetter “literally in the basement,” he says, as a high-school intern back when his mom had to drop him off. He views the company’s high employee rating as a function of ownership viewing everyone as having the ability to go as high as they want to. “Work needs to be meaningful. Our goal is to create a place where your value is really felt,” Amend explains. “We’re always looking for opportunities for growth and stretching, whether it’s fostering an employee’s own initiative or encouraging someone to reach beyond their current skill set, and we’re right there with them, even as they move beyond their comfort zone.”

The company’s support is genuine, but also borne of necessity. “We’re a lean company that is opportunity-driven itself,” Amend points out. “When we find new and different business opportunities, it often means our staff has to try something new. That’s where you can grow careers and stretch skill-sets -- we call it adding arrows to our quiver.” The result is that Toeniskoetter views each individual as highly valued and important to the effectiveness of the organization. “Keeping everyone motivated, excited, and growing is key to the success of the company,” he says.

When you view your company as a “family,” you know that you are valued as more than just an employee. “There’s an awareness of everyone as a ‘complete person’ with a family and outside interests of their own,” Amend explains. Whether it’s flex-time for family matters or support for volunteer activities, employees know the company has their back.

“Everyone has lives and families outside their jobs,” says Erin Toeniskoetter, who joined the family business two decades ago and is now Vice President of Toeniskoetter Development. “Both Chuck [Toeniskoetter, the company’s founder] and Dan are big family people, so it’s no surprise that the company culture reflects that.” That company culture also includes the commitment to excellence. “Doing things the right way and the best way is how we conduct ourselves, both internally and externally,” she adds. “Our people are Number One.”

The Business Journal assessment is based on employee responses to a detailed questionnaire, which is then evaluated and scored by a third-party research company. Workers rate their employers on such values as trust in leadership, collaborative culture, personal engagement, and satisfaction of individual needs through benefits and perks.