2014 - At Patterson-Schwartz, strength locally grown

#2 – LARGE EMPLOYERS
At Patterson-Schwartz, strength
locally grown
Written by Aaron Nathans, The News Journal – Top Workplaces August 16, 2014
Employees say a collaborative culture uses the company's small size to
its advantage
Independent, locally owned real estate companies are increasingly rare, said Joe Pluscht, the president and CEO of
Patterson-Schwartz.
Having one not only works out well for the community it serves, he said, it also registers as a meaningful way for
employees and agents to spend their days.
Patterson-Schwartz, based in Hockessin, has earned a second-place ranking among large businesses in the 2014 Top
Workplaces survey, conducted by The News Journal Media Group with WorkplaceDynamics of Exton, PA.
The company, founded in 1961, was recognized for what employees and agents there say is a collaborative corporate
culture that uses the company's relatively small size to its advantage.
"We're kind of the last independent standing" in Delaware, Pluscht said. Larger companies have expressed interest in
buying Patterson-Schwartz, but the owners, Christopher S. Patterson and Charles E. Schwartz II, have always believed the
leading firm in an area should be locally owned and operated, he said.
The company has 350 sales associates, all independent contractors, he said. There are also about 50 employees who
support the sales associates, in areas like financial services, marketing and technology.
In a survey of employees, employees and agents said they found their co-workers helpful and encouraging, praised the
flexibility and pay, and the opportunity to learn to do their jobs better.
Three-quarters of the company's business, Pluscht said, is in New Castle County, with the rest in Kent and Sussex
counties, as well as in Cecil County, Maryland, and southern Chester County, Pennsylvania.
The company listens to concerns of the people who work there, said Marcus DuPhily, assistant manager in the Greenville
office. He said he has walked into Pluscht's office with recommendations about improving the company's intranet, and
had the recommendations enacted.
The company is compassionate enough that it absorbed some of the impacts of the financial downturn on agents for
several years, DuPhily said.
Shana Delcollo, an agent and assistant manager in the Hockessin office, said the company is "always training," helping
people understand how to stay on top of the latest technology.
"You feel like you're part of a team, your opinion counts and matters. Everyone's very approachable," Delcollo said.
In times good and challenging, Pluscht said, the company's guiding principles remain to "serve our customers in
everything we do." Pluscht said he tries to reflect that in his leadership, "and hopefully that transcends to the other
individuals in the organization."
Being a smaller company, there aren't a lot of layers of leadership, he said.
"As market conditions change, we can adjust accordingly, very quickly."
T4
THE NEWS JOURNAL iii
SUNDAY, AUG. 17, 2014
delawareonline.com
2014 TOP WORKPLACES WINNERS
Sunday News Journal
LARGE WORKPLACES
400 or more employees
Company
Delaware City Refining Co. LLC
Patterson-Schwartz Real Estate
WSFS Bank
Corporation Service Co.
Capital One
Dover Downs Hotel & Casino
Discover Financial Services
AAA Mid-Atlantic Inc.
Christiana Care Health System
Comcast Cable
Founded
2010
1961
1832
1899
1994
1995
1985
1900
1888
1963
Ownership
Public
Private
Public
Private
Public
Public
Public
Non-profit
Non-profit
Public
Sector
Petroleum, gas, & petroleum products
Real estate
Bank and Trust Company
Legal and Financial Services
Financial services/banking
Casino, hotel and harness racetrack
Direct banking & payment services
Membership organization
Integrated health care system
Telecommunications & cable
Locations
1
7
41
5
3
1
1
5
43
25
Employees
509
424
774
792
2100
1450
1169
845
9760
1250
Company
Phillips & Cohen Associates Ltd.
Exceptional Care for Children
Newark Charter School
Schell Brothers
Founded
1997
2006
2001
2003
Ownership
Private
Non-profit
Public
Partnership
Locations
1
1
2
1
Employees
110
124
172
118
Trinity Logistics Inc.
Leon N. Weiner & Associates Inc. and Arbor Management
LLC
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Fox & Roach
Horizon Services Inc.
Morris James LLP
Del-One Federal Credit Union
Chesapeake Utilities Corp.
Public Defender’s Office
Delaware Guidance Services for Children & Youth Inc.
Seiberlich Trane Energy Services
Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant
Children & Families First
Easter Seals Delaware/Maryland E. Shore
Buccini Pollin Group
1979
1949
Private
Private
Sector
Collections
Non-profit
Public charter school
Integrated development, construction, & management
3rd Party Logistics Brokerage
Development & property management
1
21
143
114
1886
1989
1932
1960
1859
1964
1953
1993
1994
1884
1948
1993
Private
Private
Private
Non-profit
Public
Government
Non-profit
Private
Private
Non-profit
Parent company
Private
5
1
6
10
8
6
5
2
3
5
4
13
322
260
162
106
224
161
189
100
228
248
305
114
Noramco Inc., a Johnson & Johnson company
Delaware Electric Cooperative
Dynamic Physical Therapy
Wayman Fire Protection Inc.
E Revolution Ventures Inc.
N.K.S. Distributors Inc.
Artisans’ Bank
1979
1936
1995
1972
1986
1950
1861
Public
Cooperative/Mutual
Private
Private
Private
Private
Cooperative/Mutual
Agents / brokers
Residential hvac plumbing company
Law firm
Credit union
Energy provider
State government
Human and social services
Industrial services
Casual dining
Human and social services
Human and social services
Integrated development, construction, & management
Pharmaceutical manufacturing
Delaware electric
Healthcare - services
Fire Protection and Life Safety Services
E-commerce / brick & mortar
Wholesale distribution
Community banking
2
1
17
1
3
2
12
151
139
200
100
112
130
119
MIDSIZE WORKPLACES
100-399 employees in the region
GROWTH ENGINE
Morale, innovation boost Delaware Refining Co. earnings and hiring
TOP WORKPLACES: FAST FACTS
96
30,462
12,379
35
Number of companies surveyed.
Number of employees surveyed in all firms
in all category sizes.
Number of employees who responded to
surveys in all firms in all category sizes.
Minimum number of employees needed in
order to join in the survey.
SPECIAL AWARDS IN LEADERSHIP
LARGE
COMPANY:
Joe Pluscht,
President
and CEO at
PattersonSchwartz
MIDSIZE
COMPANY:
Chris Schell,
CEO of Schell
Brothers
SMALL
COMPANY:
Kyle
McDuffie,
president of
CSols Inc.
Aug.