Top Workplaces 2025: The Midwest Companies Cultivate Growth and Consensus
The Midwest Companies is ranked 39th among small employers on the Chicago Tribune’s list of Top Workplaces. Founded in 1969, the company began with a 5-acre nursery and has expanded over 50 years to 700 acres of nursery facilities in St. Charles and Virgil, Illinois, as well as Glenn, Michigan.
Business Operations
They grow and distribute plants to landscape architects and other professionals through Midwest Groundcovers. Recently, they added Midwest Trading Horticultural Supplies, which produces and sells soil to nurseries and horticulture businesses. Both operate under the family-owned umbrella of The Midwest Companies.
Family Leadership
The business was founded by Peter Orum and his wife, Irma. Currently, their daughter Christa Orum-Keller and her husband Craig lead the company, continuing the family legacy.
Workplace Recognition and Culture
The company’s ranking is based on a survey conducted by Energage in Exton, Pennsylvania. At the nurseries, employees care for shrubs, flowers, and plants used in landscaping projects across the Midwest, including well-known sites like Millennium Park’s Lurie Garden in Chicago.
“For Orum-Keller, defining the company culture is vital to having a successful business and ensuring they find the best employees for the job.”
This focus on culture has contributed to their continued recognition as a top workplace.
Author’s summary: The Midwest Companies, a family-run business with deep regional roots, thrives by emphasizing company culture and expanding its horticultural services across the Midwest.