EDUCATION

Patterson Elementary School
gilbert.k12.az.us/schoolpgs/patterson/pattersoninfo.php
The first elementary school to be honored by the Phoenix Business Journal and BestCompaniesAZ as one of the best places to work in the Valley, Patterson Elementary School didn’t just crack the list for small companies in 2007, it came in at No. 16. In a field like education, where recruiting quality teachers is about as tough as landing an all-star center from the NCAA Final Four on your NBA team, being a desirable school goes a long way in maintaining staff consistency and keeping parents satisfied with their children’s education. One of the oldest schools in the Gilbert Public Schools District, Patterson, which opened in 1976, has managed to keep tenured teachers happy through ongoing training, an open communication policy and creative collaboration in the classroom. The result has been three years in a row of “Excelling School” status by the Arizona Department of Education. But the proof is in the student body as well, a quarter of which resides outside of school boundaries but makes the trek to Patterson for a top-notch education.

HOSPITALITY

Pointe Hilton Resorts
pointehilton.com
In the hospitality industry, good customer service is one of those key factors that keeps guests in hotel beds and makes them book rooms time and time again. The Pointe Hilton Resorts in Phoenix (Pointe Hilton Squaw Peak Resort and Pointe Hilton Tapatio Cliffs Resort) have scored well in that area, earning AAA Four-Diamond ratings. Maintaining those distinctions is a responsibility that lands squarely on staff shoulders. It seems to be a duty they enjoy, as the 1,500 employees also voted the resorts the No. 1 place to work in the Valley in 2007 as part of the Phoenix Business Journal’s annual survey. There’s the obvious benefit of working in a vacation atmosphere, but working at a Pointe Hilton Resort also exposes employees to a philanthropic environment (the company supports several local and national charities through donations, scholarships and awards). At press time, employment opportunities with the resorts included front-desk management and cooking.

LAW

Perkins Coie
perkinscoie.com
You might have to endure endless lawyer jokes, but at least as an employee of international law firm Perkins Coie you can brag that you work for a six-time winner of Fortune’s best places to work award. The company was also recognized this year by Working Woman magazine for its proactive policies in supporting women’s careers and providing a work-life balance with things such as flex time, childcare, lactation rooms, women-focused mentoring and leadership programs. The firm’s focuses range from patent litigation to white-collar criminal defense. But it’s not all work and no play – Perkins Coie boasts both an employee art show and a corporate band (in July, the Perkins Coie Band competed in Fortune’s Battle of the Corporate Bands competition). Perkins Coie employs more than 650 lawyers in 14 offices in the U.S. and China. The Phoenix office is called Perkins Coie Brown & Bain and is located at Central Avenue and Thomas Road.