Top Workplaces 2025: The Midwest Companies uses its deep roots to cultivate growth and consensus

Top Workplaces 2025: The Midwest Companies Cultivates Growth and Consensus

The Midwest Companies is ranked 39th among small employers on the Chicago Tribune’s Top Workplaces list. The company first took root on a 5-acre plot in 1969. Over the past 50 years, it has expanded to 700 acres of nursery facilities located in St. Charles and Virgil, Illinois, as well as Glenn, Michigan.

Business Growth and Expansion

The company grows and distributes plants to landscape architects and other professionals through its division, Midwest Groundcovers. Recently, it expanded by adding Midwest Trading Horticultural Supplies, which produces and sells soil to other nurseries and horticulture businesses. Both operations are part of The Midwest Companies, a family-owned business founded by Peter Orum and his wife, Irma.

Leadership and Company Culture

Today, The Midwest Companies is managed by Peter’s daughter, Christa Orum-Keller, and her husband, Craig. The company has earned its place on the Top Workplaces list based on a survey conducted by the consultancy Energage in Exton, Pennsylvania.

Employee Role and Impact

At the nurseries, employees care for shrubs, flowers, and various plants used in landscaping projects. Their plants have contributed to notable sites such as Chicago’s Millennium Park Lurie Garden and other locations throughout the Midwest.

“Defining the company culture is vital to having a successful business and ensuring we find the best employees for the job.” — Christa Orum-Keller

Summary: The Midwest Companies has grown from a small nursery into a large family-run business that values strong culture and employee engagement, fueling its success and regional impact.

more

Chicago Tribune Chicago Tribune — 2025-11-07

More News