Washington Group Intl. named one of “North America’s Top Companies for Leaders”

 Washington Group Intl., one of the nation's largest engineering and construction firms, was ranked eighth in “North America’s Top Companies for Leaders” list by Hewitt Associates, FORTUNE magazine and The RBL Group.

By Consulting Specifying Engineer Staff September 19, 2007

Washington Group Intl., Boise, Idaho,up in the top 10 were companies including General Electric, Procter & Gamble, and IBM.

Global human resources services company Hewitt Associates, in partnership with FORTUNE magazine and human resources consulting firm The RBL Group, announced the list of the top 20 companies today. More than 200 leading companies in the United States and Canada were considered for the in-depth study based on criteria including leadership practices, company reputation, leadership culture and values, and business performance. The top 20 were chosen and ranked by an esteemed panel of judges that included authors, professors, business executives, and executive coaches.

Washington Group was also named one of the “Top 20 U.S. Companies for Leaders” in the last such study by Hewitt, which was in 2005.

“We are honored to have Washington Group International continue to be recognized as a top company for excellence in leadership and performance,” said Stephen G. Hanks, Washington Group’s president and chief executive officer. “Our intense focus on employee development makes Washington Group a company that not only delivers superior performance for customers and stockholders, but also makes it a great place to work and grow.”

The Top Companies for Leaders Study is based on approximately 550 global organizations with an average employee size of 27,000. Almost 70 percent of the participating companies had revenues of $500 million or more.

A three-step screening process was used to identify the finalist companies. A panel of expert judges in four regions then selected and ranked the 2007 Top Companies for Leaders in Asia-Pacific, Europe, Latin America, and North America.

Companies selected as the 2007 North American Top Companies for Leaders include, in order:

1. General Electric Company2. Capital One Financial Corporation3. The Procter & Gamble Company4. General Mills, Inc.5. McKinsey & Company6. IBM7. Medtronic, Inc.8. Washington Group International9. Eli Lily and Company10. Avery Dennison Corporation11. McDonald’s Corporation12. Whirlpool Corporation13. Lockheed Martin Corporation14. Cummins Inc.15. Caterpillar Inc.16. Colgate-Palmolive Company17. Sonoco Products Company18. 3M Company19. American Express Company20. Liz Claiborne, Inc.