Outside magazine has named Hanson Dodge Creative (HDC) -- America’s leading active lifestyle agency known for its work with outdoor brands like Trek Bicycle, Wolverine, Thule and Outdoor Nation -- among the top 30 companies across the U.S. in its 2012 Best Places to Work list.
Milwaukee-based HDC cracked the prestigious list, ranking 30th out of 100 finalists. Clif Bar, New Belgium Brewing and Goal Zero were also among those named in the top 30 list. The survey results were announced today during the summer Outdoor Retailer Show in Salt Lake City.
This is the fifth year that Outside has produced its Best Places to Work ranking. Since its inception, HDC is the second Wisconsin-based company to ever make the list, following Racine-based Johnson Outdoors in 2008. That year, the magazine ranked companies based on the number of employees versus an overall top 50 list. This year, Outside reverted back to the same selection guidelines used in 2008.
“Being named by Outside as a top company is a true honor,” said Ken Hanson, HDC chief executive officer and founder. “We’re committed to making the world more active, and maintaining an environment that draws talented people who share our enthusiasm is key. Each day our team comes together to deliver world-class creative for the top active lifestyle brands. We strive to be a place where creativity and activity thrive.”
HDC was named to the list after submitting a thorough overview of the company’s culture, employee health and wellness lifestyles, and overall commitment to being active. HDC’s creative work environment encourages employees to live an active lifestyle each day and offers free, onsite opportunities including Trek bicycles, kayaks, yoga classes and a newly opened fitness center in the building. In addition, HDC social events often have outdoor themes. Recent examples include employee Trek trikester races on the streets of Milwaukee, a citywide scavenger hunt and a team outing at the local mountain bike park.
“In an economy where everyone is trying to simply increase productivity, we made a concerted effort to create a positive work-life balance,” said Hanson. “It’s not uncommon to hear people sharing stories of their most recent marathon or bike race. This spirit of the athlete really makes our office a fun, vibrant place to work.”
A full list of companies named in this year’s Top Companies list can be found in the September issue of Outside, now available in retail outlets and online.
Outside is America's leading active lifestyle brand. For more than 30 years, Outside has covered travel, sports, adventure, health, and fitness, as well as the personalities, the environment, and the style and culture of the world Outside. The Outside family includes Outside magazine, the only magazine to win three consecutive National Magazine Awards for General Excellence, The Outside Buyer’s Guides, Outside Online, Outside Television, Outside Events, Outside+ tablet edition, and Outside Books. For more information, visit Outside online.
Hanson Dodge Creative is America’s leading active lifestyle agency. The full-service firm specializes in helping global brands attain market leadership through the strategic integration of world-class branding, relationship marketing, social media, e-commerce and advanced interactive technology. Clients include Wilson Sporting Goods, Trek, Wolverine, Briggs & Riley Travelware, Thule and Kmart. Established in 1984, Hanson Dodge Creative is located in Milwaukee's Historic Third Ward. For more information, call 414.347.1266.