No. 7 Medium Company: Millhiser Smith Agency

The 41 employees at Millhiser Smith Agency enjoy a variety of amenities and perks.

There are the adjustable-height desks, the TV in the break room, the free massages on Valentine’s Day and the three paid volunteer days per year. And that’s just for starters. The insurance agency also provides a wellness program, lunch-and-learns, in-house monthly massages for a fee, paid membership in local networking/volunteer groups, summer hours and flexible schedules.

In one response to what makes Millhiser Smith Agency one of the Coolest Places to Work in the Corridor, one employee wrote:

“All the programs and events that are put on to show employee appreciation (bowling day, picnic lunch, holiday party). The Fun Club that helps recognize every employee’s anniversary and puts together a fun event once a month. The wellness program offers the opportunity for employees to get a massage every month. Also, good vacation benefits, flexible work scheduling, nice/positive/friendly coworkers.”

While another said Millhiser Smith employees make it a cool place to work:

“Working with the community/meeting new individuals daily, working with such great people makes it an environment you want to come to, and the leadership in this organization is respectful, honest and makes you want to work harder.”

Millhiser Smith COO Lynne DeVore echoes that sentiment, saying employees are attracted to the company and stay because of its “nice atmosphere, caring leadership team, family-oriented, welcoming and friendly colleagues, competitive benefits (and) opportunities to make the work day fun/enjoyable, supportive environment.”

The company is working toward achieving Blue Zones certification as a way to further improve the workplace environment, she said.

One of the largest locally-owned independent insurance agencies in Eastern Iowa, Millhiser Smith has been located at 3100 Oakland Road NE in Cedar Rapids since 1979.

Gigi Wood