Ingredients for a Best Place to Work: Ball Pro (asi/38120) is, in the most literal sense, a family business – President Adam Hanson has been packing golf balls since his father, Tim, bought the company in 1992 when he was 8 years old. Now co-owner alongside Vice President of Finance Nikki Meester (23 years in) and Vice President of Operations Nick Meester, Hanson says the culture his father established from day one has always been the North Star. “We really followed my dad’s lead – it was about the longevity of employees and making sure they feel really special,” he says. “The key to our success has been these employees.”

Ball Pro (asi/38120) employees dress up for Halloween.

That people-first philosophy plays out in tangible ways. The ownership team keeps a deliberately flat structure – any of Ball Pro’s 80 employees can walk into an owner’s office at any moment, no agenda required. Nick Meester, who left for the corporate world for a decade before returning in 2019, says the contrast was stark. “I was tired of the red tape,” he says. “I really missed Ball Pro and what that culture was.” The difference, he explains, is that employees are treated less like numbers and more like long-term partners in the business.

In fact, when an employee once approached Meester about resigning, the conversation shifted toward what they wanted from their career – and how the company could support that. More than two decades later, that same employee is still with Ball Pro. “We try to make sure we can help them do what they want to do, whether that’s here or someplace,” Meester says.

Top Benefits & Perks: Ball Pro employees enjoy summer cookouts, food truck days and regular team outings that have included trap shooting, pub crawls, horseback riding and (naturally) Topgolf. The company distributes Minnesota Twins season tickets to staff throughout the year. As Nikki puts it: “We love having these people here. A lot of them we’ve known for quite a while now.”

Parting Tip: Preserving a company’s culture is important, especially amid rapid growth, Hanson says. “We’re intentional about keeping the same family values and culture my father built the business on,” he adds.

If Ball Pro Were a TV Show, It Would Be The Office. The company’s culture – flat leadership, open-door conversations and plenty of shared outings feel closest to a workplace where people genuinely enjoy being around each other and celebrate small moments together, Hanson and the other co-owners say.