Best Places to Work in Collections Winner Profile: Williams & Fudge

Employees at Rock Hill, SC-based Williams & Fudge (W&F) are always considered family, an endearment that helped propel it to first place in the Medium Company category of insideARM’s Best Places to Work in Collections 2009 award program.

“We love everybody and we try to make sure that they all stay happy,” David Williams, executive vice president at W&F, told insideARM.

One way the company shows love to its 216 employees is through its commitment to remaining fair, and making sure that the firm — and everyone at the firm — is profitable.

“We try to make sure [employees] have all the resources they need.” He added, “We do pay them well. People want to work for you when you pay them well. That’s been the way we’ve done it since the beginning. We try hard to make sure that when we’re profitable, everybody else is profitable too.”

W&F also gives its employees the opportunity to help in their community. The student loan ARM company recently held its 5th annual bike race and donated over 100 bikes to the local United Way.

“All the employees get real into those kind of things. They all have bought into the W&F concept of giving back to the community,” Williams said.

The firm’s love for its employees and the surrounding community brought a lot of good news in 2009. Along with taking the Best Places to Work in Collections 2009 first place position in its category, the company also won the 2009 Best Companies Supporting the Arts in America (BCA Ten) award.

According to Williams, the editor of Rock Hill’s local paper nominated the firm for the BCA Ten award because it gives money and resources to several local art organizations.

The agency tries to contribute to the community as much as possible. One way W&F was able to help was through the renovation of its current building, an old cotton factory built in the town in 1881.  

Williams said, “We were a big textile community up until 20, 25 years ago and even more recently. That’s what our community was built on.”

The old factory, now a historical landmark, displays artwork and artifacts from local residents and the local museum.

“People do look at it and appreciate what we’ve done for it,” Williams said. “People like the character of the building. We have people that come and visit and that kind of thing.”    

Along with frequent visits, W&F’s building also hosts plenty of community events.

Events that have taken place at the building have given W&F the opportunity to talk to important national and local political figures about what the firm does. Company officials use the opportunity to teach people about the collections business, what the firm does, and the impact the firm has on the economy.  The company also uses its building to tell the story of a collection agency giving back to its community.

Of course, working together to help the community has also created closer relationships between employees. Williams said employees often help each other with their accounts and other personal matters, contributing to an enjoyable work environment.

“The biggest thing is knowing that employees enjoy working here,” Williams said. “That really makes you want to get up and go to work every day.”

To view more on Williams & Fudge, and the rest of the 25 Best Places to Work in Collections honorees for 2009, please visit http://www.insidearm.com/go/best-places-to-work