Kalispell KIDDS and Park Side Credit Union have received the Montana State Employers’ Council’s Employer of Choice Award for Flathead County. 

“These businesses go above and beyond, and they really showcase what we value as exceptional businesses,” said Roberta Diegel, business advocate for the Montana Department of Labor and Industry. 

Kalispell KIDDS earned the award for the small business category of less than 25 employees, while Park Side Credit Union was named the top large business of 26 or more employees.

The businesses will compete at the state level for the Montana Employer of Choice Award. Winners are based on employee benefits offered, website, workplace culture and community orientation.

KALISPELL KIDDS is a dental office specializing in pediatric work. Four individual employees submitted nominations for owners Dr. Reed Thompson and Dr. James Cannava, and office manager Cooke Thompson.

Kalispell KIDDS has 11 employees, including two dentists, several dental assistants and clinical supervisors. 

Staff are treated like family and are constantly encouraged to grow and better themselves as part of their employment, according to the nominations. The office conducts several team-building activities each year, such as trips to Big Mountain Aerial Adventure Park and rafting on the Clark Fork River, which allows the team to bond and get to know one another outside the office. The employers also take employees’ children shopping at Christmas so they can buy gifts for less fortunate children and donate the gifts to a Salvation Army program. 

“They treat us like family; they call us family,” said dental assistant Brittanie Bagley, one of four KIDDS employees to nominate the employers for the award this year. “They put in a lot of work, but they make it fun.”

Members of the team are also given incentives to continue their education, such as additional pay or bonuses. Congratulatory lunches are offered to staff members who pass exams and reach higher certifications. 

Two years ago, the employers paid for the staff to travel to New Orleans for continued education. Later this year the staff will travel to Seattle for more advanced classes. 

“They’re always doing something new, always trying to make this the best place to work,” Bagley said.

PARK SIDE CREDIT UNION, based in Whitefish, has 81 employees. 

The staff at Park Side said they feel involved in all large decisions made at the firm, and ideas are always welcome from anyone who wants to step forward. From monthly all-inclusive meetings to discuss new programs to semi-annual staff surveys, all input is accepted and encouraged. 

“There is a very open-door policy, from human resources all the way up to the CEO,” said Lynda Sundberg, an administrative assistant who submitted the nomination. “If you see an issue and you have a solution for it, or think you might, everyone is willing to listen, and a lot of those ideas have been put into place.” 

Sundberg said the credit union creates a healthy workplace by being open and honest with the staff in all aspects, be it the decision to build new branches, rebranding decisions or other internal changes. At monthly meetings those involved with changes attend so staff members can ask questions and give input. 

In addition, Park Side practices active community involvement year-round. The Park Side Partners program, currently in its fourth year, has donated more than $58,000 to 11 local nonprofits, as well as over $3,000 to 100 local residents through the #ParkSidePays program. 

The credit union also has a program that allows staff to accrue hours they volunteer at Park Side-sponsored events and use these hours for paid time off. 

Not only are employees encouraged to give back, but family members, including children and grandchildren, are invited to participate as well, which helps to instill the volunteer spirit in the younger generation, the nomination letters noted. 

“This place is like a second family; that’s really the only way to put it,” Sundberg said. “They’re a caring group, always moving forward, and always making sure everyone is involved.”

THIS is the fourth year the awards have been presented. Diegel helped found the awards program several years ago when the Montana State Employers’ Council began looking for ways to highlight exceptional employers. She implemented the first awards program in Flathead County, and later went on to create the matrix used to score businesses at the county and state level. 

For more information on Kalispell KIDDS, visit online at www.kalispellkiddsteeth.com. For Park Side, visit www.parksidefcu.com. 

Reporter Brianna Loper may be reached at 758-4441 or by email at bloper@dailyinterlake.com.