"I think it's very exciting," said Midwest Surveys executive assistant Terry Stewart.

It's not the biggest company in Calgary, but according to the experts who judge the best, Midwest Surveys is one of them. 

"In the surveying world, we are a good sized company, but it's always been our desire to maintain an even smaller company culture than our numbers would suggest now," said Jim Halliday, president of Midwest Surveys.

Four hundred and seventy five people work for Midwest. They do mapping, drafting and surveying for clients in the oil and gas business. And all of those workers, both in the office and in the field, hold a 25 percent share in the company. 

"That, I think, allows people to participate at a different level  in the company. It gives them something they can work towards, and be proud of," said Halliday.

Company ownership is one draw for employees, but there's another:  No rigid scheduling - no manager standing around with a whistle calling coffee breaks. 

"We don't do that. When we get tired or fatigued, we may get up and go for a walk, grab a coffee, go to somebody else's office, have a bit of a chit-chat, and then go back to work. And that's our break," said Brent Gordon, manager of human resources.

"How many companies can claim three consecutive years in the top 50?" said Terry Stewart. 

"We ask our employees in their travels to take some photos of western Canada," said Halliday. The best of them are reproduced in the annual company calendar.  Plus, the shooters get company prizes. 

"There's a huge difference from the company I worked with before.  There was a lot of tension, a lot of politics, and I don't find that here at all," said Zoe Nixon, who works in the drafting department.

"We got married in January last year, and I was actually on probation when I first started here, and they let me go for two weeks.  (Is that the sign of a good company)?  It is, it's the sign of a great company.  Thank you, my boss," said Amand Napastuk, who works in the accounting department.

Midwest is one of three Alberta companies to make the top 50 in Canada this year.  Given the level of competition, that in itself is no small accomplishment.

As for the stringency of the top 50 evaluators, those folks don't fool around. Seventeen companies were tossed off the list this year and 16 last year. But Midwest hung in there, and in fact improved its ranking. If nothing else, that suggests Midwest Surveys, here in Calgary, is doing something right.