Puget Sound Business Journal named Murphy & Associates as the #1 Best Place to Work in the State of Washington on Thursday, August 16th. The award was based on employee survey results and marks a milestone for the company. “This is the fourth year in a row that we have been nominated, and we are beyond thrilled that we won. It really is a testament to the great work that our staff does in supporting employees out in the field” said VP of Partner Management, Judi Brittin.

The competition was stiff; hundreds of companies threw their metaphorical hats into the ring, and a total of twenty-five companies made it to the final selection round in the Large Company Category. A group of six employees represented Murphy & Associates at Best Workplaces festivities at Safeco Field. Along with winning first place, highlights included all you can eat hot dogs and an encounter with the Mariner Moose.

There have been some exciting changes to our internal team since the last newsletter went out. If you have called in or stopped by our office in the last few weeks, you may have noticed a new face behind our front desk. After almost 2½ years running the phone lines and the frontlines, Nikki Morley, our Partner Management Coordinator, has moved over to the Partner Management side of the office to become more entrenched in the recruiting and on-boarding processes. While she will miss getting to meet everyone who comes through the door, she is very excited to grow her responsibilities and take this next step in her career.

With Nikki’s move, we have brought on Sophie Samson as our new Office Coordinator.

As Sophie becomes more familiar with our company and employees, we thought it was only fair for you to get to know her better as well.

What brought you to Murphy & Associates?

I was seeking an opportunity in a new field and Murphy & Associates came very highly recommended.

Tell us a bit about your background.

I recently graduated from Western Washington University with a degree in Business Management. Over the years I’ve shifted through various positions in the equestrian industry. What began as a “summer job” of working for a photographer morphed into the creation of my own small photography business. As I became more involved with competitions I began to work more closely with management and for the past few years have worked for shows as an “in-gate”. It’s essentially air traffic control for a competition ring. I was delighted to add Thunderbird Show Park to my resume this past season, they have been one of my favorite venues to compete at so being able to work within their team was an opportunity I really valued.

When not at work, what do you enjoy doing?

Horses are my passion. I began riding at the age of 4 and have been hooked since. I competed in showjumping throughout my junior and college years but took a brief break after I graduated. I’m excited to be getting back into as I’m acquiring a youngster to work with for the foreseeable future.

Binge-watched anything good lately?

It’s nothing new but I’ve rediscovered my love of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”, which is a show a haven’t watched since middle school. It brings back a lot of fond memories.

What’s your perfect Saturday entail?

Getting a group together for an evening of board games at Mox Boarding House.

We are so happy to have watched Nikki flourish in her role and become a more integral part of our Partner Management team, and we’re excited for Sophie to join our team, and can’t wait to see where she takes her role with us in the future.

If there is one thing Murphy & Associates is famous for, it’s our quarterly events. While St. Paddy’s Day bashes & Happy Hours are always an enjoyable time, we’ve decided to take this quarter’s event in a different direction. With the Season of Giving fast approaching, we have chosen to partner with Delridge Neighborhoods Development Association (DNDA)-Nature Consortium for a group volunteer activity.

We would love for you to join us on December 1st, from 10am until 2pm as we install native plants and possibly remove invasive plant species like English ivy from this important urban forest located in the Duwamish Head Greenbelt. Bring your water bottle, weather-appropriate clothing, and closed-toed shoes, and we will provide lunch for all volunteers. All ages are welcome to join us, but those under 18 will require a waiver signed by a parent/guardian. Please email Nikki if you need a waiver to fill out (waivers can also be downloaded from their website)

Nature Consortium is a grassroots, community-based organization whose mission is to connect people, arts and nature. Their Urban Forest Restoration Program is committed to restoring Seattle’s largest remaining forest, the West Duwamish Greenbelt. This important ecological resource spans nearly 500 acres on the eastern slopes of West Seattle and includes 182 acres of public park land. Pollution from industry developments in the area has made the Duwamish River one of the most polluted rivers in the country. The West Duwamish Greenbelt remains an important part of the Duwamish Watershed because it serves as a buffer between the polluted industrial corridor and nearby residences.

Nature Consortium fosters a journey of discovery for people to find their individual passion, empowerment and action. By partnering with DNDA-Nature Consortium, we hope to instill some of their core values in ourselves and those who join us, like connecting art and nature, building community, modeling sustainable behavior, and, most importantly, having fun!

Over the past few years, Murphy & Associates has offered short-term Lynda.com licenses to employees for training purposes. For the most part, we received positive feedback about the training program. Lynda.com’s recent overhaul of their subscription policy, however, has led us to re-evaluate our approach.

A little background is in order. Back in the day (i.e. 2017), Lynda.com enabled companies to hold a number of transferable user licenses. This worked great for us; Murphy & Associates held on to twenty licenses and M&A consultants could check out licenses for three-month stints. Over the 2017, about 50 different employees took advantage of the licenses.

With the dawn of the new year, however, Lynda changed its name to LinkedIn Learning and eliminated our ability to transfer licenses. Bummer. But change can be good. Although we love Lynda/LinkedIn Learning, it is not the only game in town, and online classes aren’t the only way to enhance your skills. With that in mind, we have updated our training policy, and liberated ourselves from Lynda’s shackles (a little dramatic, but you get the picture).

For 2018, we will match employee training expenses, up to $100 per year per employee. For example, if you want to take Certificate Class on Java from Coursera that costs $200, we will pay for $100 and run the other $100 as a pre-tax expense on your next paycheck. If the class is $300, we will pay for $100 and run the balance as a pre-tax expense. If the class is $150, we will pay for $75 and run $75 as pre-tax. You get the drift, right?

The upshot is that there is no longer a waiting list for training, nor is there a limit on the type of resource you utilize. You can use the tuition subsidy for a professional seminar, an online class on Udemy, an individual account on LinkedIn Training or a to help pay for a certification class. If interested, please contact our operations team for more information.

On January 20^th, Murphy & Associates hosted its annual post-Holiday party at Newcastle Golf Course. The roulette wheel was spinning, the dice on the Craps table were rolling and the cards at the blackjack were flying as M&A employees and their guests vied for chips that converted to raffle tickets at the end of the night. Technically, we didn’t run afoul of any state gambling regulations, so please don’t call the Vice Squad.

That is not to say that the raffle prizes weren’t legit. Because they were… too legit to quit, in fact. They included a travel package featuring a voucher for Alaska Airlines tickets and “travel sundries”, an X-Box, and a Woodinville Wine Package that included a couple of bottles from Three of Cups Winery (which, not coincidentally, is owned by a couple of M&A consultants).

Non-Raffle related awards were given to a handful of M&A consultants that have been with us for five and ten years. In all, 2017 marked the 5^th year anniversary for eleven of our consultants and the 10-year anniversary for two consultants. Whenever we recognize M&A consultants for longevity, we are reminded that we are incredibly fortunate to be partnering with such high-caliber and reliable professionals.

Finally, as the night wound down and the dealers packed up their casino tables a few ne’er- do-wells (including the entire M&A internal team) lingered by the bar, picking over the remains of the dessert plates. Plans are already being made for next year’s holiday party. Should we have the magician come back? Do a karaoke night? Re-visit the trivia contest? We welcome suggestions for entertainment options.