2008 Choice Employers, 5-24 Employees, No. 1: Creative Ink Architects

Four-day work weeks, health insurance paid at 100 percent and an office in the woods are reasons why Brad Erwin isn't leaving Creative Ink Architects LLC anytime soon. In fact, the project architect was dreading having to accept an offer someplace else when he was applying for jobs because he didn't think Creative Ink was going to come through.

"Creative Ink was the last one and was the one I was waiting and hoping for," Erwin says. Five years later, he's no less enthused. A Chicago native, Erwin moved to the Ozarks after his wife accepted a job here, and Creative Ink grabbed his attention.

"I think it was a more dynamic firm," he says. "It was relatively young. It had a huge diversity of projects and scale."

Creative Ink was born in 2000 when owner Robert Stockdale ventured out on his own after years in the architecture profession. Originally from New Jersey, Stockdale moved to St. Louis in high school and, once in the professional world, spent 14 years at HOK, the largest architectural firm in the country.

Family brought Stockdale to the Ozarks, where he designed for Bass Pro Shops before moving to Columbus, Ohio, for a short stint at The Limited.

Strong roots soon pulled the family back to Springfield, where Stockdale worked for Wischmeyer Architects. He quickly grew the office but left because of a difference in managerial philosophies. After a brief time at Ness-Stockdale Architects, Stockdale opened his own firm, choosing its name carefully.

"It's Creative Ink Architects, not Robert Stockdale Architects," he says. "We wanted to create a brand and a company about itself, it's brand, it's services. It's not about any one individual."

And when it comes to hiring, he keeps the future in mind. "When you bring on staff, you do it with the intention of keeping them permanently, a long-term relationship," Stockdale says. "We're not a sweat shop. We don't build up our staff and reduce our staff. ... We try to keep it consistent."

"It's a constant process. In my opinion, it's silly to wait a year to discuss what's going on."

New, full-time employees receive two weeks of vacation, one week of sick pay and seven paid holidays, which include a floating personal day. There's no waiting period to take vacation. Employee and dependent health-insurance premiums are 100 percent company paid, to the tune of $120,000 a year.

"That was a decision we made a long time ago," he says. "It's good for our staff, and what's good for your staff is good for the firm. ... It's money I could have if we didn't have that, but ... I think it's a way to attract people."

A former two-room house built in 1907 nestled in the woods by Galloway Trail was renovated and expanded, and the firm moved there in 2006. Everyone has access to daylight. Last spring, a family of seven deer were frequent visitors. "I think everyone's more productive," Erwin says. "It's great. You can take 30 seconds, kick back in your chair ... and look out on nature."

An optional four-day work week started a year ago, and about half of the firm's 17 staff members participate, Stockdale says, noting that a shortened work week decreases gas consumption and drive time and increases family time.

Creative Ink matches dollar-for-dollar up to 3 percent in a Simple individual retirement account plan, and employees are vested immediately.

Staff mentoring is informal but consistent. "We have a concerted, conscious effort to work with younger people to bring them along," Stockdale says. "You've got to take care of the people, and the dollars will take care of themselves. It doesn't work the other way."