Magazine names River Design 'best place to work'

During any given work week, river

survey technician Josh Lenderman might be camping near Mission

Creek, scouting rivers around Babb or floating the Madison River.

If time lends itself, he’ll sneak in a little hunting or wet a line

after the day’s work is complete.

For an outdoors fanatic like Lenderman,

it’s good to be an employee at River Design Group (RDG) in

Whitefish.

“My office space is Glacier National

Park, Ennis or Mount Hood, Ore.,” Lenderman said.

For the second consecutive year the

local company that specializes in river restoration and dam removal

has been recognized by “Outside” magazine as one of the best places

to work in the nation. The annual list ranked the company 22nd out

of 50 nominees — up from No. 27 last year.

Along with full health care and

retirement benefits, the company’s 18 professional-level employees

enjoy flexible schedules, a cubical-free work space, a large campus

with a dog park and an “unspoken” powder-day rule in the

winter.

“Outside” wrote, “At RDG...there are

steelhead days for midweek casting during times when rivers are

choked with fish but not other anglers.” The magazine noted their

best attributes as flex time, fitness opportunities, and community

and environmental support.

Hydrologist Jonathan Ferree spends

weeks at a time out at remote river sites — a duty he quite enjoys.

He recently spent a long stint in the middle of Oregon near the

John Day river. He was 50 miles from the nearest town, holed up in

a cabin with no cell phone service or water.

“They put me out there because they

know I like it,” Ferree said.

The “office athlete” brings along a

mountain bike, running shoes and good books to pass the down time

after work.

Ferree, who has worked at RDG since

2003, says his position at the company fits his outdoor lifestyle

well — maybe too well since there’s not much motivation to move

on.

“I could go work in Portland and make

more money,” he said, “but what would I give up in return?”

One of his life goals, he said, has

been to have a career in a ski town and “be happy.”

Administrative assistant Jessica Barta

calls RDG a family-friendly company that supports each of their

employee’s extra curricular pursuits. The company recently

sponsored her at an all-womens fishing tournament.

Controller Chris Long says she’s worked

at small businesses for 30 years and that “these guys are getting

it right.” She notes there is almost zero turnover — unless someone

leaves to pursue higher education — and the company’s progressive

benefits. Male employees enjoy paternity leave, a benefit she calls

“ahead of its time.”

Engineer Mitch Price notes the work

environment, both indoors and out. The company office is located on

a few acres off of U.S. 93 South in an old bed and breakfast cabin.

There are no cubicles in the two-story building, creating an open

flow between each department.

“We can bounce ideas off each other,”

Price said. “It fosters really good communication.”

Principal and founding shareholder Matt

Daniels says that the “Outside” award is a good reflection on

Whitefish, too.

“It says that we are able to sustain a

business here that is in demand,” Daniels said. “It would be

different if we were in Salt Lake City. The quality of life here is

important to us.”