Counselor Top 40 distributor Proforma (asi/300094) is pretty much a household name in the promo industry. Founded in 1978, the family-owned and -operated firm has enabled dozens of its distributor owners to earn spots on the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies. Plus, more than 300 of its affiliates have achieved million-dollar or multimillion-dollar annual revenue.

But behind Proforma’s success is a collaborative company culture where employees feel valued, supported and understood.

Proforma (asi/300094) Tampa support center employees pose for a group photo during their team holiday party.

“It truly is like working with a family. Everybody’s here to help one another,” says Maria Montana, a business adviser who has been with the company for two-and-a-half decades. “I’ve always felt like I mattered, and I was important.”

Melissa Morey, who has been with the company a little over a year, says Proforma has something that the other companies she’s worked for doesn’t.

“There aren’t many other companies where you can be in a room full of VPs and directors, and you still feel like you’re at the same level as them. You have such great conversations, and it doesn’t feel like a hierarchy, which certainly makes me want to stay.”

Proforma is the type of place where everyone’s door always seems to be open, says Katlyn Stechschulte, Proforma’s brand identity manager. “Nobody is intimidating, and everyone is helpful and welcoming,” she says.

Both Morey and Montana added that Proforma’s work-life balance is top-notch. After a trade show, for instance, employees are given time and space to decompress before jumping back into work.

Support center employees in Cleveland celebrate the season of giving at their team holiday gathering.

Proforma doesn’t just create a positive environment for its employees; the distributor is also invested in giving back to the communities where it does business.

Every year, Proforma ties its holiday party to a charitable giving initiative. Last year, the distributor hosted holiday parties at its support centers in Tampa, FL, and Cleveland, OH, where team members contributed to wish list drives benefiting children in need in and around the two cities.