Vanderbilt University and Medical Center named one of Fortune's 100 Best Companies to Work For

Vanderbilt University and Medical Center has been named as one of America's top places to work by Fortune Magazine.

The institution landed at number 98 on the list of 100 companies. Vanderbilt was one of 15 companies that made the list for the first time. Other companies included Zappos.com, DreamWorks Animation SKG, salesforce.com, T-Mobile and Accenture.

It is the fist time an educational institution has appeared on the list. It is the only Nashville based company to appear on the list, and one of two Tennessee based companies - the other is FedEx, which is based in Memphis.

Vanderbilt is one of few Nashville employers who offers domestic partner benefits for gay and lesbian couples, and just this past year, implemented a new non-discrimination policy that covers the transgender community by adding gender identity to its nondiscrimination clause. Vanderbilt has some 21,041employees.

Additionally this past year it moved to hire a full time  new director for LGBT life and opened the KC Potter Center for its GLBT students. In 2005 Vanderbilt University Medical Center launched a series of print and television ads in an effort to reach out to Middle Tennessee's gay and lesbian community.

To complie the list Fortune polled more than 81,000 randomly selected employees at 353 companies, using a 57-question survey. Two-thirds of a company's score was based on survey results and the balance was based on studies about demographics, pay, benefits, communication and other factors, it said.

In ranking Vanderbilt the magazine said "Employees and their dependents get a 70% tuition subsidy at any college in the country. Hospital offers a WOW (Work on Weekends) shift for nurses and other workers who want to be at home during weekdays."

"This is the first time we've made the list, and importantly, it marks the first-ever inclusion of an academic institution," said Vanderbilt Chancellor Nicholas S. Zeppos in an email to Vanderbilt's facutly and staff. "This is a milestone of which to be very proud - and I am!  I am proud of you - all 21,000 faculty and staff - for making Vanderbilt the special place we have long known it to be.  With our world-class faculty, dedicated staff and talented students, Vanderbilt is much more than a workplace; it is a community of diverse people and opinions with a great sense of collegiality and camaraderie."

More than 16,000 of Vanderbilt's employees work at Vanderbilt Medical Center (VMC), which was just this past year named as one of the Nation's top hospitals by U.S. News and World Report. VMC's leader said the ranking had been a long time goal and reflected the hard work done by employees.

“Being in the company of some of the nation’s greatest businesses is a remarkable achievement. This has long been a goal of ours and reflects the value of the work we do, our commitment to the people we serve but most importantly a commitment to and belief in each other,” said Dr. Harry R. Jacobson, vice chancellor for health affairs, “I am honored to work in this great university family and proud to be associated with the 16,000 people who work at the medical center, who come here every day and work wonders.”

To be eligible, companies must have more than 1,000 U.S. employees and be at least 7 years old. The rankings are based on levels of credibility, respect, fairness, pride and camaraderie in the workforce.

Since 2002, FORTUNE has approved Vanderbilt’s nomination for the recognition each year, but the university had not advanced until this year. Members of the Quality of Work Life task force have made inclusion on the prestigious list a top priority over the years. The task force is co-chaired by Susie Lyons, manager of employee programs for the medical center, and Marilyn Holmes, manager of Health Plus, Vanderbilt’s wellness program.

“No matter what happens with the economy, the demand for talent will remain,” said Andy Serwer, managing editor of FORTUNE. “Great companies know that super-motivated, happy, world-class employees are an incredible competitive advantage.”

The full list will be published in FORTUNE’s Feb. 2 issue and will begin appearing on newsstands the week of Jan. 26. It can also be accessed along with additional information at the Great Place to Work Web site at www.greatplacetowork.com.                             

The complete list:

  1. NetApp
  2. Edward Jones
  3. Boston Consulting Group
  4. Google
  5. Wegmans Food Markets
  6. Cisco Food Systems
  7. Genentech
  8. Methodist Hospital System
  9. Goldman Sachs & Co
  10. Nugget Market
  11. Adobe Systems
  12. Recreational Equipment (REI)
  13. Devon Energy
  14. Robert W. Baird
  15. W.L. Gore & Associates
  16. Qualcomm
  17. Principal Financial Group
  18. Shared Technologies
  19. OhioHealth
  20. SAS
  21. Arnold & Porter (D.C. law firm)
  22. Whole Foods Market
  23. Zappos.com
  24. Starbucks
  25. Johnson Financial Group
  26. Aflac
  27. QuikTrip
  28. PCL Construction Enterprises
  29. Quicken Loans
  30. Bingham McCutchen
  31. CarMax
  32. Container Store
  33. JM Family Enterprises
  34. Umpqua Bank
  35. Kimley-Horn & Associates
  36. Alston & Bird
  37. TDIndustries
  38. Microsoft
  39. Paychex
  40. EOG Resources
  41. Camden Property Trust
  42. Plante & Moran
  43. Rackspace Hosting
  44. NuStar Energy
  45. King's Daughters Medical Center
  46. American Fidelity Assurance
  47. DreamWorks Animation SKG
  48. Mattel
  49. Intuit
  50. Burns & McDonnell
  51. Ernst & Young
  52. Booz Allen Hamilton
  53. Stew Leonard's
  54. Erickson Retirement Communities
  55. Salesforce.com
  56. KPMG
  57. Novo Nordisk
  58. PricewaterhouseCoopers
  59. Scripps Health
  60. Scottrade
  61. Deloitte
  62. Griffin Hospital
  63. Mayo Clinic
  64. Milliken
  65. Texas Instruments
  66. MITRE
  67. Children's Healthcare of Atlanta
  68. Southern Ohio Medical Center
  69. National Instruments
  70. Stanley
  71. Men's Wearhouse
  72. Nordstrom
  73. Chesapeake Energy
  74. Alcon Laboratories
  75. Atlantic Health System
  76. Lehigh Valley Hospital & Health Network
  77. Northwest Community Hospital
  78. Marriott International
  79. Baptist Health South Florida
  80. Bright Horizons
  81. S.C. Johnson & Son
  82. Perkins Coie
  83. eBay
  84. Juniper Networks
  85. Arkansas Children's Hospital
  86. CH2M HILL
  87. Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe
  88. Publix Super Markets
  89. Herman Miller
  90. FedEx
  91. Gilbane
  92. Four Seasons Hotels
  93. Valero Energy
  94. Build-A-Bear Workshop
  95. Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants
  96. T-Mobile
  97. Accenture
  98. Vanderbilt University
  99. General Mills
  100. SRA International
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