NJBIZ Honors Kessler Foundation as a 2012 Best Places to Work in New Jersey!
WEST ORANGE, N.J.—Kessler Foundation has been named one of the Best Places to Work in New Jersey by NJBIZ in the medium category (15-249 employees). This survey and award program identifies, recognizes and honors the top places of employment in New Jersey that benefit the state's economy, its workforce and businesses. The Best Places to Work in New Jersey program is made up of 100 companies split into two groups: 52 small/medium-sized companies and 48 large-sized companies.
“Kessler Foundation is honored to be recognized as one of the best places to work in New Jersey,” said Rodger DeRose, president and chief executive officer of Kessler Foundation. “All of us at the Foundation share the enthusiasm to our mission to improve the quality of life for people with disabilities, which undoubtedly contributes to our success. Thanks to the innovative thinking, hard work and dedication of our employees and Board of Trustees, we get to come to work every day and know that we’re changing lives.”
With two locations in West Orange, N.J., Kessler Foundation works to improve the quality of life for individuals with disabilities through rehabilitation research and employment opportunities. Through Kessler Foundation Research Center, scientists discover rehabilitation techniques to improve mobility and cognitive function for people with various disabilities. Some individuals, who were once paralyzed, are now walking. Foundation scientists are investigating the impact of better mobility on secondary complications of spinal cord injury—including poor bone density, circulation and heart and lung health. People with traumatic brain injury and multiple sclerosis are improving their ability to think, learn, and remember. Stroke survivors are learning to navigate their surroundings and regaining communication skills. Kessler Foundation’s research has been cited around the world.
Through grant making, Kessler Foundation Program Center improves the employment rate of people with disabilities. According to the 2010 Kessler Foundation/NOD Survey of Americans with Disabilities, only 21 percent of working-age people with disabilities are employed compared with 59 percent of those without disabilities. In the past six years, Kessler Foundation has distributed nearly $25 million in grant funding to other non-profits and social enterprises that create or promote employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities. Just in N.J., Foundation grant funding has led to job training and employment for more than 2,500 people with disabilities. In 2011, for the first time, Kessler Foundation opened its Signature Employment Grants to programs across the nation.
Companies from across the state entered the two-part process to determine the 100 Best Places to Work in New Jersey. The first part consisted of evaluating each nominated company's workplace policies, practices, philosophy, systems and demographics and the second part consisted of an employee survey to measure the employee experience.
The overall registration and survey process was managed by Best Companies Group (BCG). BCG also analyzed the data provided and used their expertise to determine the final rankings.
The award program, created in 2005, is produced by NJBIZ. NJBIZ, program sponsors and partners will honor this year’s 100 Best Places to Work and announce their ranking during an awards dinner and ceremony on Wednesday, April 25, 2012 at the Hilton East Brunswick. For more information on the Best Places to Work in New Jersey program or to reserve your seats to the event, please visit www.njbiz.com/events.
The program sponsors are: Gibbons, P.C. and Novo Nordisk. The program is in partnership with Garden State Council SHRM, The New Jersey State Chamber, Employers Association of New Jersey and the New Jersey Economic Development Authority.
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Contacts:
Lauren Scrivo, 973.324.8384, 973.768.6583 - c, [email protected]
Carolann Murphy, 973.324.8382, [email protected]
