How to find "progressive" firms

January 6, 1999

Jim Van Sistine, Business Intelligence Specialist
Hoffman Corporation

Hello again Buslibbers:

I wanted to send a "thank you" to all who offered guidance on my search for a list of progressive firms in the Midwest. While I didn't meet the exact parameters I was given, I did come fairly close. Our list ended up consisting of around 100 companies gathered from multiple sources:

I called the chambers of commerce and employment bureaus in each state and asked them for assistance. Some were helpful, others not so helpful, but overall it was worth it. I was able to find a list of high growth industries (on EbscoHost at the local library), and then I searched our Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce database for companies in those industries. It didn't cover the entire Midwest, but it sure was a good start. From there, I did a little digging on each company and weeded out those that did not fit the goals of the project.

I also called business journals in the major cities of the Midwest. No list like the one I was looking for was ever published, but all of the people I spoke to at the journals were quick to offer suggestions. They were quite helpful.

A portion of the list also came from searching for companies that had recent IPOs. Again, digging had to be done on them individually, but it was a good way to find companies that were growing.

The final part of our list came from our HR department. Our headhunter and consultant both suggested that we search for small companies filling high-tech positions full-time. They said this showed progression for small companies. With this list I looked at how the companies described themselves and their benefits, which was also suggested as a way to determine a progressive company.

When all of these portions were put together, I had come up with a list that I was proud of and my user was happy with. A challenging project to say the least, but very educational for someone with less than a year in the profession. Thanks to all who offered help, I couldn't have done it without you.

- Jim