HOUSTON--For the ninth consecutive year, Houston-based Transwestern has been recognized as one of the “Best Companies to Work for in Texas” by Texas Monthly.

This year, the company ranked No. 5 on the list in the large employer category (500 employees or more); it's the second consecutive year Transwestern has been ranked in the top five.

“Fostering an office environment that reflects Transwestern's guiding principles and culture is a priority for us,” Jack Eimer, president of Transwestern's Central region, told GlobeSt.com. “We promote healthy lifestyles through wellness competitions and encourage collaboration across service lines through Transwestern Young Professionals and an annual putt-putt tournament that benefits the Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children.

“Building relationships with each other and encouraging teamwork across service lines not only creates an environment in which people want to work, but it also allows Transwestern to be more productive and provide a higher level of service to our clients.”

Texas Monthly, the Texas Association of Business, Texas Society for Human Resource Management and Best Companies Group determined the honorees, recognizing the top 100 places of employment in Texas. Company rankings were based on workplace policies, systems, philosophies, practices and demographics. Surveys in which employees rate their work experience were responsible for approximately 75 percent of the total ranking score.

A list of this year's winners can be found at BestCompaniesTX.com.