A few fun facts about our Top Workplaces

Dayton-area businesses have interesting histories. Sometimes little-known details are the most compelling. Here are some noteworthy facts about this year’s Top Workplaces and the people who lead those companies.

• The Greentree Group, a technology consulting firm, takes its name from an inside joke between founders Sam and Carolyn Greenwood, as Carolyn's mother chronically forgot Sam Greenwood's name before the couple married.

• Orville Wright served on the Wright Memorial Public Library board from 1934 to 1957.

• Machinery company seepex produces the pumps that make icing for Oreos, Nutter Butters, Mounds and Almond Joy, as well as the distinct decorations atop Hostess cupcakes.

• Chris Wire, president of Real Art Design Group, got his start in the industry as an intern for the group.

• Miami Valley Steel Services has had five owners since 2005, but kept the same management team.

• Ginghamsburg Church, founded in 1864 by a part-time pastor, is one of the 10 largest United Methodist churches in the U.S., with 4,500 attending each week.

• Children's Medical Center of Dayton served 65,000 slushies to visitors in its emergency room and surgery centers in 2010.

• STADCO was originally named Sherman Tool and Die Co. The company was founded in 1948 to produce tooling and dies. Its machinery and automatics business was added as a side project in 1961, but by 1994 that became the company's sole remaining business, prompting the name change in 1997.

• Howard Stevens, the founder of personnel services firm Chally Group Worldwide, also is the founder of the Ohio Institute of Photography.

• Real Art Design Group began a spinoff venture in 2010, www.shoptrealmart.com, where employees sell jewelry, apparel and office supplies. The online store was inspired by the company's annual Christmas gift exchange.

Crown Partners is one of 53 companies who have been named to the Inc. 500 for five consecutive years.

LJB boasts more professional engineers that are also certified safety professionals than any other firm in the country.

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