Cedars-sinai
medical Center 24 No.
ployees are working on state-of-the-art
energy-efficiency and renewable-energy
initiatives. The utility was recently awarded
a $128 million Department of Energy smart
grid stimulus grant, which will help pay for its
$300 million smart grid project.
with projects queueing up and hiring on the rise,
there’s never a dull moment. By robert l. mitchell
27 Cerner Corp. Training days for IT: 10 training It employees is key to the success of this
North Kansas City, mo.-based provider of
clinical and administrative It systems to
the healthcare industry. It has a promote-from-within philosophy and offers separate
technical and managerial career tracks. Cerner
also reimburses employees for external training,
including work toward certifications.
It team members C TO Ray Duncan, CIO Darren Dworkin, David Starr, Asma Saif
and Tess Settergren.
28 Caesars entertainment Corp. No.6fordiversity
this las Vegas-based gaming company, the
biggest in the world, knows how to talk the
talk. Its workforce communication initiatives include one-on-one meetings between employees
and their managers, team meetings, roundtable
discussions, and town hall meetings hosted by
the senior leadership team. In late 2010, Caesars
introduced a wellness program through which
employees can receive discounts on insurance
premiums by taking preventive health measures.
A healthy sense of mission, and a democratic management style: That’s what makes Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles a special place for database administrator Dawn Faircloth.
“People here are given the opportunity to take part in the decision-making process,” she says.
“We are a consensus-driven culture,” says Darren Dworkin, senior vice president and CIO. “A lot of
our focus is around getting employees more involved in decisions that affect their work.” Cedars-Sinai recognizes that I T initiatives directly contribute to the quality of patient care. “Of all of the
places I’ve worked, Cedars has the strongest sense of organizational mission,” Dworkin says.
Although IT is working on a “spectacular array” of projects right now, including providing
access to the electronic medical records system via mobile devices such as iPhones and iPads,
Dworkin says striving to accommodate every new request is part of the IT culture. The pace can
be hectic, he says, but the work is rewarding. “I don’t think there’s anyone who’s worried about
getting bored here.”
29 the Vanguard Group Inc. Womenin IT:29% Minorities inIT: 30%
this malvern, pa.-based investment firm
keeps the best projects for its It staffers.
Large custom development initiatives account
for about 80% of Vanguard’s development budget, and they are completed in-house, giving IT
workers an opportunity to engage in hands-on
development work. The IT department also offers
formal job-rotation and mentoring programs, as
well as personalized development plans.
25 Cme Group Inc. No.2forcareer development at this Chicago-based
company, which owns the Chicago mer-
cantile exchange and the Chicago Board of
trade, a cross-section of It employees came
together recently to plan and execute the com-
pany’s first internal technology fair. A similar
group of IT employees launched the company’s
first-ever technology career fair. A formal
work/life balance committee has developed
plans for improving work schedule flexibility.
26 sacramento municipal utility district No. 5forbenefits
smud is one of the largest locally owned
electric utilities in the u.s., and its It em-
30 Heartland payment systems Inc. Women in IT: 24%
It staffers at this princeton, N. J.-based
payments processor, which handles credit-,
debit- and prepaid-card transactions, are
always learning. The company offers education opportunities on-site at the Heartland Service Center, with classes provided by Ivy Tech,
the nation’s largest community college system.
