TEC LABS RANKS #1 IN THE SCIENTIST MAGAZINE’S “BEST PLACES TO WORK IN INDUSTRY” 2007 SURVEY

Tec Laboratories, Inc. (Tec Labs) has been recognized by The Scientist magazine as the top company to work for in the magazine’s annual survey. Tec Labs ranked first out of 15 in the Small Company (fewer than 5,000 employees) category. The company’s truly family-friendly work environment, an extremely favorable Oregon location, an excellent lab, and the highest corporate ethical standards pushed Tec Labs into the top spot, according to feedback from the magazine.

“The wonderful thing about recognition like this is that it reinforces to us that we are doing the right thing,” said Steve Smith, president and chief executive officer of Tec Labs. “The Scientist magazine is a highly respected publication in our industry. So, to be honored by them is very humbling. We are just incredibly thankful.”

Maria Steckley, who works in Quality Assurance, echoes Smith, “The award from The Scientist solidifies my feelings about Tec Labs being a great place to work. A wonderful residual effect of protecting and maintaining a great work environment, like we do at Tec, is that gifts like this are laid at our doorstep.”

“I think Tec is an amazing company,” said Amy Stenberg, a quality assurance team member who started at Tec Labs as a high school intern. “We are privately held so this is all a direct reflection of the incredible people that founded Tec Labs and still own it. To have Tec recognized publicly like this is a great honor.”

The company celebrates its workforce with a monthly company picnic in which the tab for the catered meal is picked up, any monthly bonuses earned are handed out, and employees spend an hour complimenting each other for a kind gesture or a job well done.

Brandon Richards, quality control chemist, thinks having the recognition come from The Scientist magazine carries a lot of prestige. “The Scientist magazine is widely recognized as being up to date and current in the scientific field. It has an excellent reputation. So, being acknowledged by them is very reassuring,” said Richards.
List contains world-renowned companies

Tec Labs was joined on the list by some highly respected and extremely well known companies. Pharmaceutical behemoth Novartis took the number one spot among large companies.

The top five large companies:
1. Novartis, Cambridge, MA
2. Amgen, Thousand Oaks, CA
3. Merck & Co., Whitehouse Station, NJ
4. Sandoz, Holzkirchen, Germany
5. Wyeth, Madison, NJ

The top five small companies:
1. Tec Laboratories, Albany, OR
2. Transform Pharmaceuticals, Lexington, MA
3. Inspire Pharmaceuticals, Durham, NC
4. Biogen Idec, Cambridge, MA
5. Infinity Pharmaceuticals, Cambridge, MA

About the Survey

The Scientist asked industry-based readers in the Life Sciences field to assess their experiences and work environments against 45 criteria. The Life Sciences are generally recognized as the sciences that have to do with “organisms” like plants, animals and humans. The magazine used an in-depth web based survey and conducted follow-up phone interviews. Companies were separated into two categories; small (fewer than 5,000 employees) and large (more than 5,000 employees). The survey covered companies from 21 countries, including the U.S, Canada and Western Europe. The results appear in the May 2007 issue.

About Tec Labs

Tec Laboratories, Inc. is an innovator of over-the-counter topical pharmaceuticals and the developer of breakthrough technologies in this area. Founded in 1977, Tec Labs has been protecting consumers and industrial workers for more than 30 years. Their product line includes StaphAseptic, Tecnu, Tecnu Extreme, Calagel, Licefreee! and Corticool.

Other awards Tec Labs has won include “100 Best Places Companies” from Oregon Business magazine and the Excellence in Family Business Award from the Austin Family Business Program.