ThoughtWorks Named One of the Year's 101 Best Companies to Work for in Chicago

CHICAGO, July 22 /PRNewswire/ -- ThoughtWorks, Inc., a global IT consultancy focused on enterprise Agile software development, announced it was named one of "Chicago's 101 Best and Brightest Companies to Work For," by the National Association of Business Resources (NABR). ThoughtWorks has more than 250 employees working from its Chicago headquarters, with over 1,000 additional employees located at offices around the globe.

"At ThoughtWorks we strive to provide an environment and culture that leads to both technical innovation and personal growth," said Craig Gorsline, managing director Americas. "We encourage all ThoughtWorkers to participate in shaping a work environment that is highly productive, collaborative and constantly evolving to keep pace with the technology we build and the clients we serve."

As a global leader in helping organizations adopt and leverage Agile development to transform IT and business operations, ThoughtWorks is a recognized industry leader based on both business success and contributions to the industry community. Company employees are active in developing and sharing best practices that help shape the industry. ThoughtWorks also has developed some of the earliest free, open source Agile tools (Selenium® and Cruise Control®) that were integral in helping Agile become the mainstream practice it is today. In addition, it contributes countless hours of support for non-profit causes, an example being engineering services it is providing to develop the Grameen Foundation's Mifos platform, technology that helps provide much-needed micro-financing as a means for people living in poverty to conduct business, improve living conditions and access health care services.

This year's winners practice innovative strategies and represent best practices in human resources in industries as diverse as the automotive, insurance, hospitality, communications and nonprofit. An independent research firm evaluates each company's entry based on key measures in various categories. They include communication, community initiatives, compensation and benefits, diversity and multiculturalism, employee education and development, employee engagement and commitment, recognition and retention, recruitment and selection, small business and work-life balance. The "101 Best and Brightest Companies to Work For" program is presented annually in three markets: metro Detroit, Chicago and west Michigan.

"The selection, recognition and awarding of this year's 101 companies allows our organization to showcase their best practices," said Jennifer Kluge, president of NABR. "The honorees have clearly demonstrated why each of them would be an ideal place for employees to work. Companies that capitalize on their greatest resource – their employees – know how to attract and retain top talent."

All recognized companies will be honored by the NABR on Mon., Aug. 2 at the Oak Brook Marriott. For more information or to register please call (866) 321-1822 or visit (www.101bestandbrightest.com).

About the National Association for Business Resources

Based in Warren, Mich., the National Association for Business Resources (NABR) is a business organization of small- to medium-sized businesses, representing more than 20,000 members who employ more than 200,0000 persons nationally. Members include attorneys, physicians, architects, accountants, construction companies, banks, retailers, wholesalers, manufacturers and the like. Member businesses receive numerous benefits, including free legal and financial consultations; discounted technology, automotive and office products; employee training and recruitment assistance; and competitive insurance rates. Visit NABR online at www.nationalbiz.org.

About ThoughtWorks

ThoughtWorks, Inc. is a global IT consultancy providing Agile-based systems development, consulting and transformation services to Global 1000 companies. It has pioneered many of the most advanced and successful Agile methods of software development and best practices used in the industry today. At its core, ThoughtWorks helps its clients maximize investment and performance across a portfolio of complex, business-critical applications, while reducing time and risk. Its products division, ThoughtWorks Studios, offers tools to manage the entire Agile development lifecycle through its Adaptive ALM solution™, comprised of Mingle®, Go® and Twist®. ThoughtWorks employs 1,300 professionals to serve clients from offices in Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, India, the United Kingdom and the United States. For more information please visit: (www.thoughtworks.com).

SOURCE ThoughtWorks, Inc.