2000s Decade Award Finalist: Duck Creek Technologies Inc.

At most companies, staff members are known as employees who attend group gatherings called meetings, but that’s not the case at Bolivar-based Duck Creek Technologies Inc., where employees are known as “ducks” that come together at “flockings.”

While the company might joke about its name, however, it is all business when it comes to building, selling and managing software tools for insurance companies worldwide.

Duck Creek was founded in 2000 by Doug Roller, his brother John and sister-in-law, Rebecca.

In 2005, according to www.duckcreektech.com, the company was named one of the fastest-growing private companies in America by Inc. Magazine, landing at No. 63 on the Inc. 500 list that year. And it was No. 229 on the Inc. 500 list in 2006.

Though the company’s revenues dropped to $27 million in 2009, from $29.5 million in 2008, Doug Roller, chairman of the board, attributes the decrease to clients delaying services because of the economy. He says the company expects to grow revenues to $45 million in 2010.  Duck Creek clients include Auto-Owners, RLI Corp., United Healthcare and European carrier AXA UK, the Web site said.

Duck Creek has grown to include offices in Farmington, Conn., Columbia, S.C., and London.

On July 14, the company announced its acquisition of Duck Creek Technologies Europe Ltd., which was founded in 2007 to introduce the companies products and services to the European insurance industry.

Even with its broad reach – many of Duck Creek’s 57 clients are outside the Ozarks – Roller says the company has a direct impact on the local economy and work force, employing 202 people. Roller says he expects Duck Creek’s staff to grow by at least 210 by year’s end.

And these aren’t just any jobs. Roller says the technological nature of the business means that most Duck Creek employees are well-educated and tend to command top pay.

“Most of our employees are college graduates or are interns working towards their degree,” Roller says. He notes that programmers and technicians typically can earn between $40,000 and $100,000 a year, and the company also offers a comprehensive benefits package.

In addition to paying local workers, Duck Creek also brings visitors – and their money – to the Ozarks.

“We regularly bring in people from around the world, and when we have visitors, they stay at the hotels, eat in the restaurants and visit our local attractions,” says Jody Chaffin, director of administrative services at Duck Creek.

The Duck Creek Team also works to improve quality of life in southwest Missouri. The company’s benefits package includes a community service day during which each employee can use to run in charity marathons, play in fundraising golf tournaments, or volunteer at local schools, churches or other organizations.

“Our employees have used their days as bell ringers for the Salvation Army, and when we’ve had disasters such as the Stockton tornado, some have used their day to help their communities clean up,” says Chaffin, who notes that while employees aren’t required to report how they volunteer their time, they are encouraged to help out in the communities where they live.

Those service days, he said, are just part of the company’s role in the regional economy.

“When our employees are volunteering or helping raise funds, those are dollars these organizations won’t have to find elsewhere,” Chaffin adds. “They’re saving the local economies and governments from having to chip in.”[[In-content Ad]]