2026 Dynamic Dozen Culture Champion Award: Kevin Grinder

Kevin Grinder insisted on working at a place where he and colleagues feel valued and have a sense of belonging.

As director of marketing at Toth and Associates Inc., Grinder says it is part of his job to make sure employees feel included, are empowered to thrive, and have a sense of purpose.

“I walked into a company that already cared deeply about its people,” says Grinder. “My role, or one of my roles, is helping to strengthen that connection as we’ve grown internally and externally.”

He has been in his position nearly eight years, creating an internal newsletter aimed at connecting the 230 employees across five office locations. He deployed interactive surveys, celebrates employee milestones and serves as a mentor.

SBJ: How do you approach your job?
Kevin Grinder: I care about helping people grow but not just in their job duties, but as professionals and leaders. And so, I like being encouraging the providing mentorship where I can.

SBJ: Your role was a new one. What were the expectations when you were hired?
Grinder: It was to help take marketing efforts to another level. The company recently expanded into some other offices, and so my role to help grow our presence. It was marketing and growing our brand awareness and name recognition throughout our market sectors, clients and potential clients.

SBJ: Will you talk about one of your first internal jobs, to launch a newsletter?
Grinder: The newsletter was designed to be a connection for our employees, not just locally but across the satellite offices as well. The intention there was to celebrate wins, when we got new clients, new projects.

SBJ: What has been the result of the employee spotlights and special events?
Grinder: It’s great because we get to know people, not just who we are sitting next to in Springfield, but the people in Billings, Montana, or in Portland, Oregon, or in Kennewick, Washington, any of those other locations. These spotlights have definitely helped bring that together.

SBJ: What is your favorite part of your job?
Grinder: I feel like the work I do every day means something to the communities we serve. The work is always meaningful and I’m working alongside other people who know that and feel that too.

SBJ: One of the words that came up in your nomination letter was “inclusion.” Why is it important for you to make others feel included?
Grinder: I want people to feel like they belong. I want them to know they are valued, trusted. It’s ingrained in me, probably by my mother and family.

SBJ: What does this award mean to you?
Grinder: There are so many people involved in a culture. Having colleagues who recognize that I intentionally want to invest in them, that makes me happy.