From grimy roughnecks to suit-wearing CEOs, Marketplace Chaplains serves all those who are in need in the growing oil and gas industry, and are currently serving a half dozen oil and gas companies and nearly 10,000 employees in North America, along with thousands of their family members as well.

Houston-based Hilcorp Energy Company is one such client company. Hilcorp became the highest ranking oil and gas company in America with a 7th place ranking on the 2013 FORTUNE Magazine’s “Top 100 Best Places to Work” list, thanks in part to a unique partnership with Marketplace Chaplains. Hilcorp uses the employee benefit of corporate chaplains for its 1,000+ employees to extend ‘complete care’ for employees and their family members.

“At Hilcorp, we look for three things in our employees – energy, intelligence and ethics,” said Founder, Chairman and CEO Jeff Hildebrand. “We are very fortunate to have chaplains like Clois Smith and others to care for our employees and family members. Chaplains are a wonderful ministry of help and care for our employees and a meaningful way to be able to help each other. We need this in our company and other companies do as well,” said Hildebrand.

The oil and gas industry has traditionally been based in Texas and the Southwest where many of the energy deposits are located, but Marketplace Chaplains’ work has spread across the border to Canada as well.

Marketplace Chaplains are currently serving Encana, headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, and Troyer Ventures, Ltd. in Fort St. John, British Columbia.

“I want to help my employees,” said Steve Troyer, CEO of Troyer Ventures, Ltd. “However, I wanted someone to help me make it deeper, wider and more effective. I’m still the, ‘boss,’ who hires and fires workers so sometimes my people don’t want to talk to me about their personal problems. I’ve found they will talk with a Care Team member, a third party, as an insider, but still an outsider.”

Pioneer Natural Resources’ Vice President, Paul McDonald, said a simple trip on the company elevator proved how much Marketplace Chaplains mean on his rough and tumble business. “I was in the elevator a couple of days ago when one of my employees told me how much she appreciated the fact that we had implemented the chaplain program. Not knowing anything about the issues at hand, I still knew she was being cared for on a personal level. This was not the case prior to Marketplace Chaplains.

“Regardless of title or location, many of our employees are dealing with significant life issues. The power of Marketplace Chaplains is that they are in the people business and therefore they impact both our employees in the field offices as well as the employees in the corporate offices,” he continued.

Pioneer has been ranked as one of the 2nd Best Places to Work in Dallas-Fort Worth among large companies because of their great corporate culture, some of which includes prizes and trips for their employees, but McDonald knows there is something more important. “The significance of Marketplace Chaplains is that we take that extra step in telling people we care about them that transcends a nice trip,” he said.

“In working with our field people, if I don’t hear anything, then everything is working well. They just don’t call or email to give positive feedback; however, Marketplace Chaplains has been the exception,” said Larry Paulsen, Vice President, Administration and Risk Management/Human Resources, with Pioneer Natural Resources, based Irving, Texas.

“This past year I have had at least 10 calls or emails thanking me for making the chaplains available to minister to our people.”

The care for the thousands of men and women in the oil and gas business takes a special chaplain and that is just what Houston- area Chaplain John Yeates brings. Growing up in an oil family (his dad owned his own oil company), he knows exactly what it’s like for the employee and their family members.

“I used to be one of those guys. I worked in that business before, so I certainly know what they are going through.”

Yeates grew up in the West Texas oil capital of Midland, and now lives in the new oil and gas mecca of Houston where he sees the business every day up close and personal.

“You certainly have a wide variety of employees and you just have to be real with those guys. They won’t respond to a real “churchie- type” person, but they will respond to reality,” he continued.

Houston-area Chaplain Ron Burton saw plenty of reality recently when he boarded two barges and tug boats tied up outside of Beaumont in the Gulf of Mexico.

“A lot of those guys are there for 28 straight days, and then off 14, and don’t have anyone to talk to or share with,” he said of his meeting with Martin Marine, part of Marketplace Chaplains newest oil and gas client Martin Resource Management Corporation in Kilgore, Texas.

“A lot of times when we first come into an oil and gas company, they don’t really think they have any need for us and then when oil blows out or something else happens, they see the true need for a caring chaplain,” continued Burton.

The need is even greater for those companies who have taken advantage of the latest oil and gas boom and have found some of the problems that come from that success as well.

“As J-W Energy Company has grown over the past decade from approximately 15 offices in 7 states with 300 employees to over 80 offices throughout 14 states 1,800 employees, our ability as management has become hindered as it pertains to meeting all the needs of our employees,” said Gene Gradick, President of J-W Energy Company.

“With the help of Marketplace Chaplains, our reach is extended through their vast network of chaplains throughout the states that we work in. Someone is literally a phone call away when it comes to serving our employee’s needs. We value our employees and their families, but as we grew it became impossible to know them all and to be able to assist when issues arose and the chaplain service helped us fill that void. With the large number of employees that we have (and their families), the needs can vary anywhere from grief counseling, funerals, weddings or hospital visits. The need is always there and the chaplains deliver,” he continued.

Company CEOs often look for hard data on how the chaplain service is helping their employees and Texon President Terry Looper didn’t have to look far.

“One fact is… we have never had a complaint by one employee over the years with what Marketplace Chaplains say or do at Texon, and obviously we have had many compliments. The chaplains have married some of our employees, along with helping others out of jams. Marketplace Chaplains has been a true blessing to Texon and all the employees,” said Looper.

Dallas Chaplain Charlotte Turner said the wide range of people Marketplace chaplains encounter in the oil business is what makes the program truly effective.

“Whether it’s the District Manager, the rig hand or the inventory clerk, the problems of life come to everyone and when they surface, chaplains can help hurting employees and their families walk through them,” Turner said.

Wood Group Mustang Vice President Corporate Services Don A. Leinweber, never knows for sure what he will be facing when he comes into his Houston office, but has found his partnership with Marketplace Chaplains has made his personal and professional life much easier.

“Wood Group Mustang is engaged in the highly competitive oil and gas industry where people vote with their feet when it comes to where they work. Partnering with Marketplace Chaplains has helped us live up to our “People” core value, fulfilled an employee need to discuss tough issues in a confidential manner, and has been a differentiator for us in our industry,” said Leinweber.

“In times of need, and on routine office visits, the services of Marketplace Chaplains have been called upon to assist our employees through difficult times, or sometimes just to be there to listen. Their services have always been discreet, welcomed, and appreciated by all. Having this unique benefit for our employees differentiates us in the oil and gas industry,” said Leinweber.

Chaplains are there, drilling for the needs, hopes and hurts and offering help to those in the North American oil and gas business.

Finding the right employees in a suddenly booming car economy has been a challenge several U.S. dealerships are facing proactively aligned with the unique strategic service of Marketplace Chaplains.

Dallas-based Huffines Auto Dealerships sells more than 13,000 new and used vehicles a year and principal dealer Ray Huffines, President and CEO, said having Marketplace Chaplains in his multi-location company helps him find and attract the right employees.

“We believe continuity is very valuable to our organization and our customers. Our emphasis on training includes Marketplace Chaplains who come by our dealership weekly, connecting with our employees to help our team members handle any personal issue they may need to talk about.”

Marketplace Chaplains is a voluntary, confidential, non-denominational service currently serving client companies in 44 states, 957 cities and 2,928 service locations, in 23 different service industries, providing care, support and encouragement to over 525,000 employees and their family members.

“The Chaplains conduct weddings, funerals, visit our team members in the hospital and, otherwise serve our large and growing team,” Huffines said.

Roger Burdick, Owner and President of Driver’s Village, a large auto dealership which covers a former shopping mall in upstate New York, said having Marketplace Chaplains has been a huge help for his service.

“They (chaplains) keep my business problems small. I could not possibly do what they do in ministering to 300+ employees. They have made a significant impact on the emotional and spiritual lives of my employees, drawing us closer as a family,” said Burdick.

With the auto business predicted to rise to new heights in 2013, Mike Peebles at Barbee’s Freeway Ford outside of Denver, Colorado, knows it’s critical to have the right employees in place for both the boom and lean times.

“Marketplace Chaplains is something I can credit for getting and hiring the right people for our business,” Peebles said. “You never know what is around the corner in the auto business. I’ve seen a bit of everything and I would certainly recommend Marketplace Chaplains.”

Many dealers and clients of Marketplace list their Chaplain Care Team service as a benefit on their websites. Those owners who tangibly offer this level of care see many high-quality employees attracted to their dealerships.

Marketplace Chaplains’ President and COO Dick De Witt spent most of his early career in the Institutional frozen food brokerage business and knows having the right sales people are a vital part to business growth.

“In years of abundance as well as those times of testing, amidst success and stress, it’s gratifying to see and hear these auto dealers celebrate the presence of dedicated Marketplace Chaplains for their employees and their family members 24/7,” said De Witt.

McKinney, Texas, based Encore Wire Corporation, WIRE, on the NASDAQ, has seen 23 years of increased sales with a record number of employees and increased revenues. And as a result, President and CEO Daniel Jones has also seen the problems that arise from such success.

“We have discovered it’s easy to find the money, but it’s difficult to find and hire the right people to work in our companies, and that’s where Marketplace Chaplains has been a big help,” said Jones.

Marketplace Chaplains has nine chaplains assigned to Encore who visit on a regular rotating basis, offering care, help, compassion and a listening ear to employees and their family members.

“We have chaplains helping us identify potential new hires and have made them part of the new employee training process. They (chaplains) know what we are looking for, what to expect, and they help us narrow down our search from viable applicants.

“We feel the chaplains help bridge the gap between old and new employees, management and workers, and that gives us a better handle on our rapid growth at Encore,” continued Jones.

Since 2007, Encore has seen its employee count rise from 750 employees to the now more than 1,100. The corporate campus in McKinney just north of Dallas, Texas, has grown from 68,000 square feet to nearly 2 million.

“This is the largest number of Marketplace Chaplains we ever had at Encore, but we feel they are needed for the many problems and issues our employees face and bring to work with them every day. We consider this a big part of our success,” Jones added.

Encore Wire is a manufacturer of commercial wiring which is used in businesses all over the country, sports teams’ facilities including the new Dallas Cowboys Stadium, college campuses and some residential areas as well.

While the business has been in existence for more than a half-century under former chairman Vince Rego, Marketplace Chaplains began its service with them in 1996.

FORTUNE magazines “100 Best Companies to Work For” seven-time recipient, Houston-based client company, David Weekley Homes, has seen downtimes in the past, and is currently seeing a boom in the housing market.  David Weekley of David Weekley Homes has utilized Marketplace Chaplains for more than a decade through thick and thin.

Chairman of the Board, David Weekley, said listing the David Weekley Homes Chaplain Care Team as a benefit on the company website attracts top talent. One employee recently wrote on a survey, “Just the existence of the DW Homes Chaplains helps to set the tone for the level of integrity and morals expected from its employees. It really attracted me here, as it showed me they (DWH leaders) had a vested interest in my overall well-being, not just in what I could do for the company.”

Founded in 1984, Marketplace Chaplains currently has 2,736 chaplains serving in 44 states, 938 cities and in 2,885 service locations, providing dozens of comprehensive services from hospital visitation, grief counseling, weddings to funerals, as well as other issues – all at no cost to employees.

“It’s encouraging to see proactive business executives utilize the services of chaplain care during the good and the bad times. Business, like life, fluctuates, and chaplains are there to care, offer help, support and encouragement to employees and their family members no matter where the bottom line falls,” said Richard S. De Witt, Marketplace Chaplains’ President and COO.

Marketplace Chaplains is the country’s original and leading workplace chaplain provider with more than 2,700 men and women serving across 44 states, 4 foreign countries and 1commonwealth, providing much needed help and hope to over half a million employees and their family members.

“Some employees may expect an older pastor, religious-type figure to show up at their office, but that’s certainly not what they are getting with me,” said Dallas Chaplain Joseph Bennett, whose previous workplace resume prior to service with Marketplace Chaplains, included being a professional clown bringing joy and smiles to many.

“Having chaplains with broad experiences is certainly beneficial for us as we have such a diverse dichotomy of employees and family situations,” said The Whitmore Manufacturing Company CEO Jeff Kilpatrick, in Rockwall, Texas.

“I have found that some employees simply do not want to talk about personal things with co-workers and/or management, so having chaplains in our midst with multifaceted life experiences is very helpful to our employees who have vastly different needs and problems,” continued Kilpatrick.

Among the chaplains represented by Marketplace Chaplains, there are three West Point graduates, a former helicopter pilot, a former police detective, and a textile salesman.

“I try not to bring it up unless someone else mentions it, but I believe everything you do in life prepares you for something you will do in the future,” said Michigan Division Director Greg Duvall, who graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, and flew U.S. Army helicopters during combat missions in Somalia.

“I think my military experience is why I’m so fired up about how chaplains are able to connect with people, and that experience has really helped me bond with employees and their individual needs,” continued Duvall.

Duvall, oversees a large group of Marketplace Chaplains who serve client company Gordon Food Services large number of employees in Michigan.

“I had an employee tell me he had to be out because of a change of command for his National Guard unit and he wanted to share that with me. Because of my military training, I understood what a big deal that was for him.”

Anita Lundquist, Activities Director at Victoria Gardens, a senior living & care center client in Allen, Texas, said the three Marketplace Chaplains who serve her location all have different histories, differing experiences, and come on opposite days to serve her senior-aged clients.

“As a chaplain, you have to be able to relate to a lot of people, and it’s a huge benefit to have three unique chaplains with three different perspectives who can help so many people. When we have new people (clients) come to Victoria Gardens, it is the chaplains who are often times the first people they speak to because we want them to know they have someone who cares and is available to them,” added Lundquist.

Marketplace Chaplains’ President and COO Dick De Witt, an Air Force veteran himself, said, “It’s no surprise chaplains help so many.  We are filling a unique niche in the business and senior-living world by constantly caring for others with compassion, helping the hurting men and women of America’s workforce and the aging population.”

This unique strategic initiative has helped companies handle unforeseen events as diverse as Hurricane Sandy, workplace shootings or company downsizing.

Andrew Zolli, co-author of the book, described the thinking in his recent New York Times op-ed piece, Learning to Bounce Back “[A] new dialogue is emerging around a new idea, resilience: how to help vulnerable people, organizations and systems persist, perhaps even thrive, amid unforeseeable disruptions. Where sustainability aims to put the world back into balance, resilience looks for ways to manage in an imbalanced world.”

Zolli and Healy define resilience as “the capacity … of a person to maintain its core purpose and integrity in the face of dramatically changed circumstances…”

It was exactly that type of resilience needed when Hurricane Sandy struck Foremost Manufacturing in New Jersey late last fall. Chaplains Jay Olivo, Del Beiber and John Knaack sprang into action, working with Foremost Manufacturing Owners, Joan and Herb Schiller, to care for their company, and most importantly, their employees and family members.

The company was without electricity for several days and employees had to be sent home because of lack of power and work at Foremost. “Our chaplains have always been willing to provide whatever assistance needed in both crisis situations and support roles,” said Joan Schiller.

Marketplace Chaplains, formed in 1984, currently serves in 2,875 service locations, covering 44 states, 940 cities and 4 foreign countries and 1 commonwealth, with more than 2,700 chaplains serving and caring for over half a million employees and their family members.

Marketplace Chaplains have dramatically helped with the new trend of “presenteeism” among employees, where they are physically at work, but distracted and unproductive because of crises occurring in their lives or those of their family members.

Being able to deal with crises and bouncing back, “resilience,” is one coping skill innate to some people (employees), and Chaplains are yet another means of coping for others.  Chaplains help employees and their family members cope with whatever is going on and serve as a support system (sometimes the only support system people have). “Our Marketplace Chaplains have supported my employees both on and off our workplace premises,” Schiller added.

“Their (Chaplains) capabilities reach far beyond ours in meeting our Teammates’ personally in times of crisis,” said McLane Food Service Human Resources Manager, Terry Cameron.

Employees and their families encounter the many challenges that life brings to us all…most of which are not work related, but which they do bring to work in some form or fashion. But they are not the kinds of problems that an employee would generally seek help from their employer,” Cameron continued.

“It’s encouraging to see resilience being defined as one of the six new trends for 2013. Marketplace Chaplains have helped provide the care, resources and tools needed for employees to be and to become resilient for more than a quarter century,” said President and COO Dick De Witt.

“Chaplains are there to help the hurting, the happy and the vulnerable in today’s workplace, and these innovative company leaders are seeing the vital need to provide this benefit for their employees and family members.   If employees are resilient to the ups and downs in life, then the companies will be as well,” De Witt continued.

Marketplace Chaplains’ client leaders, Jim Grant, Owner of East Ridge Fast Lube, was the 2012 winner of Operator of the Year award; Kevin Davis, Owner and COO of Fast Change Lube & Oil, Inc., was the 2011 winner; and Tim Embry, Owner and CEO of American LubeFast, garnered the title in 2007. The common thread for all of these award recipients is they all use the strategic initiative of Marketplace Chaplains in their businesses for their employees and their family members.

“I’m able to offer my employees a type of service that is much more than just a regular paycheck,” Davis said. “The purpose of the award is to commend and honor the operators in our industry who go above and beyond what is expected of them in the marketplace, and that is what I feel I’m doing by utilizing the Marketplace Chaplain service,” Davis continued.

Fast Change Oil & Lube, Inc. has 23 facilities spread across Kentucky, Tennessee, West Virginia and Virginia, making it impossible for Davis to personally reach out to his stores on a daily basis, but he learned firsthand the difference a Marketplace Chaplain has made in his business and for his employees.

“I’ll never forget when one of my managers called me personally to express, through many tears, what having a chaplain meant to him when one of his family member’s died,” Davis said. “The chaplain brought food to the hospital, helped with the funeral service and stood with us through the grief. I will never forget that as long as I live.”

Embry has dozens of stores all over the Atlanta area and in 25 different cities throughout Georgia and the Southern portion of the US. He said having chaplains at each of his stores helped pave the way for the national industry honor.

“Chaplains have changed the heart and soul of my company and we’ve become a better company too,” Embry added.

Embry said for a large operator it simply makes good business sense to use the chaplains to take care of his hundreds of employees. He cited the American LubeFast company turnover rate has dropped from 185%, which is near the national average for the fast lube business, to 125% since he implemented the use of Marketplace Chaplains.

“The 60% reduction in turnover has saved me thousands of dollars in training expenses alone,” Embry said. “Basically, the turnover savings has paid for the expense of our chaplains company-wide.”

He also said company shrinkage, better known as theft or missing inventory, has been lessened by

1.5 percentage points, which is a savings of $200,000 – yet another savings he attributes, in part, to the chaplain service.

“The chaplain’s presence denotes an emphasis in morals and integrity that our employees seem to respond well to, which affects the overall corporate culture of our company,” Embry continued.

Marketplace Chaplains provide dedicated support and care on a comprehensive basis to employees and their families in dozens of areas including: hospital visitations, weddings, funerals and confidential discussions on and off the job.

“In the fast pace of life and the even faster pace of these quick lube companies, people always have needs and it’s gratifying to see these award-winning companies honored for going above and beyond the call of duty to help their employees and their respective family members.  Just knowing we are a small part of the equation thrills my heart,” said President and COO Dick De Witt.

“We need local people to help with local needs involved with local citizens living in our homes,” said Andy Eby, Vice President of Bickford Senior Living, “and Senior Living Chaplains really helps with that in a special way.

“Offering Senior Living Chaplains adds to our culture of caring for our entire company, and helps us meet the individual needs of the whole person (our employees) of whom a vital part is spiritual,” Eby continued.

The 2013 census report shows that in the last decade, children under age 18 made up a significant component of the annual population growth and exceeded the growth of those ages 65 and older. But by 2011, these patterns had reversed. The number of people under age 18 declined by 190,000 between 2010 and 2011, while the number of elderly increased by 917,000.

These staggering statistics, coupled with Marketplace Chaplains’ goal to offer superior care and compassion to those in need, led to the addition of specially trained Senior Living Chaplains to serve senior living clients, their families and, just as importantly, the caregivers that serve them – often in times of crises.

“Our Marketplace Chaplains give our staff support to not only accomplish their job, but to also deal with the uncertainties at home that we all face at one time or another such as health or family issues,” said Teddy R. Price, President and CEO of Central Management Company, LLC., in Winnfield, Louisiana.

Senior Living Chaplains provide dedicated support and care on a comprehensive basis to senior living communities’ employees, residents, patients, staff and their families. Some of these services include support at the end of life; help with the loneliness seniors and their caregivers often face; group activities to build morale; to plan, conduct and attend funerals, in addition to the other services provided.

“The chaplain team has a real concern for our residents and their family members; they have exceptional listening skills. Chaplains give residents and staff an opportunity to vent and relieve some of their problems and stress. This saves the director time and energy and keeps some of the problems separate from work duties,” said Carol Rigsby, Director of Bickford House of Raytown, in Raytown, Missouri.

“Our chaplain is a great asset and assists with a variety of activities to build rapport with residents. They are comfortable and open with her,” added Angie Cozadd, Director of Bickford of Burlington, in Burlington, Iowa.

“The aging of the U.S. population doesn’t diminish the many needs or problems people face but may in fact increase them. That’s why these innovative companies are utilizing Senior Living Chaplains in their facilities to help their residents, patients, caregivers and employees deal with the certainties that coincide with aging,” said Richard De Witt, President and COO of Marketplace Chaplains.

Hilcorp uses the employee benefit of corporate chaplains for its 1,000 + employees to extend ‘complete care’ for employees and their family members.

“At Hilcorp, we look for three things in our employees – energy, intelligence and ethics,” said Founder, Chairman and CEO Jeff Hildebrand after receiving the award, the first ever for his multi-billion dollar company.

“Chaplains are a wonderful ministry of help and care for our employees and a meaningful way to be able to help each other. We need this in our company and other companies do as well,” said Hildebrand.

The idea of employee satisfaction leading to increased productivity is not a totally new concept as multiple corporate studies have shown a direct correlation between the two.

The annual survey in FORTUNE Magazine is considered one of the most prestigious honors.  (http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/best-companies/2013/snapshots/7.html?iid=bc_lp_arrow1) Google takes the crown for the 4^th time, as the top company on the list, with Hilcorp, founded in 1989, being the highest ranked Texas company. It began utilizing Marketplace Chaplains in 2004.

Marketplace Chaplains, formed in 1984, currently serves at 2,865 service locations, in 44 states, 936 cities, 4 foreign countries and 1 commonwealth, with more than 2,700 chaplains, caring for over half a million employees and their family members.

Houston’s David Weekley Homes, also uses Marketplace Chaplains to help and care for their employees and their family members, and is a three-time FORTUNE Magazine “Best Places to Work” winner. David Weekley has also seen how providing this level of care attracts the best people to work for his company.

“’Our company has been recognized as one of FORTUNE’S “Best Places to Work,” said CEO David Weekley. “The chaplain program is a low-cost employee benefit that has garnered us more loyalty than our other ‘standard’ benefits and has resulted in lower turnover, improved morale and a general sense of ‘caring’ on the company’s part about our employees’ ‘well-being,’” he continued.

Regal Marine, one of the largest manufacturers of luxury pleasure watercraft, judged its Marketplace Chaplains program to be the #1 benefit offered by the company, by a vast majority of its 600 workers.

Austaco, Ltd., a chain of more than 60 Taco Bell franchises in the South and Central Texas area was named Taco Bell Elite Franchise after adding Marketplace Chaplains to its benefit package, and has seen its turnover rate drop from 300 % to 100 %, as well as its “shrink” or theft be the lowest in the industry.

“I’m grateful to see that this prestigious publication, FORTUNE Magazine, has recognized Hilcorp Energy Company and its visionary Founder, Chairman and CEO Jeff Hildebrand, for doing what so many other client companies are doing, using Marketplace Chaplains for their employees and their family members,” said Dick De Witt, Marketplace Chaplains’ President and COO.

A January 2013 survey by Sodexo, www.sodexousa.com, a leading provider of integrated food and facilities management services with 6,000 locations in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, listed the third trend to look for in 2013 was, ‘Inspiring a Connection to People, Community and Brand .’

“Most talented (workplace) candidates today are often seeking more than just a paycheck. They are looking for values match. Companies are finding they can attract, motivate and retain top talent by creating meaningful work environments…,” the report said.

That’s exactly what Joe DeRosa and his Midwest chain of DeRosa’s Restaurants, which operates under a variety of names, did when they brought in Marketplace Chaplains to help their employees and family members.

“Having Chaplains who know our employees, personally and on a confidential level from weekly worksite visits, to share their joys and sorrows, brings peace of mind,” said Togie, a longtime DeRosa HR executive. “For me, knowing they (chaplains) are a phone call away at any time, for any reason, be it a joyful or sorrowful one, they are there to lift us up and that not only makes them part of our corporation but part of our family.”

One study of recent college hires found that 86% of them would consider leaving an employer whose social responsibility fell short of their expectations. Another Sodexo survey found that 71% of all new employees arrived on the job with high levels of engagement, but after six months it dropped to 57%.

“In today’s busy times and leaders wearing more ‘hats,’ than ever, the peace of mind having Chaplains on our team to assist with needs of the employees is truly a gift,” Togie added.

Mike Matetich, owner of Jupiter Chevrolet, said “With the hustle and bustle of today’s business world, it’s very comforting when an employee comes to me and says ‘Thank You’ for caring about me and my family by having the Chaplains service.”

“When my employees’ personal problems are being dealt with and they are focused on their work, then they are able to provide much greater customer service, which leads to very high customer satisfaction,” added Shannon Rodden, owner of No Limit Motors with North Texas five dealerships.

“The revenue, profit growth, Return on Investment (ROI) of companies with programs focusing on social responsibility are 10% greater than those companies without them,” according to a Watson Wyatt consultation survey in 2008.

Marketplace Chaplains based in Dallas, Texas, has a staff of over 2,700 chaplains serving in more than 23 different industry types, in 44 states, 932 cities, 4 other countries and 1 commonwealth, and  2,843 client service locations, caring for over half a million employees and their family members.

A recent Harvard Business School article stated that customer loyalty, not simply customer satisfaction, was the key to a truly successful, sustainable business.  It also highlighted that customer loyalty came from the added value and services which were produced by loyal employees who felt valued when company leadership extended care and their values to their staff.

“It’s clear that the trend for 2013 businesses is the same for every year – take care of your employees’ needs, both at their workplace and home, with the use of Marketplace Chaplains and they will take care of the company, which benefits both,” said Dick De Witt, President and COO of Marketplace Chaplains.

Martin Resource Management Corporation, Hilcorp Energy Company, Pioneer Natural Resources, Mustang Engineering Inc., and J-W Operating Company, are all using Marketplace Chaplains for their employees and family members to help power a new year.

“It’s been great and it’s very helpful for us,” said Melanie Mathews, Vice President of Human Resources for Martin Midstream, the company’s public name, with locations all over East Texas.

In the few months Marketplace Chaplains has partnered with Martin Mainstream, they have already performed a wedding for an employee who works at the corporate office, conducted hospital visits and made dozens of worksite visits.

A large nationwide oil & gas company, whose corporate offices are in Oklahoma City, OK, uses the weekly chaplain and 24-7 crisis response service to aid their hundreds of employees.

Among the employees helped was an employee who was dealing with an older teen child who was in rehab. Another employee helped was a committed father and husband whose wife left him. The holidays were exceptionally difficult for him and his children because of the family disruption.  The employee said he anxiously looks forward to the chaplain’s visit each week as he seeks a friend to listen, and appreciates the encouragement about the future.

“In each of these areas, Marketplace Chaplains have been there to offer assistance to employees, who in many cases would have no one else to turn to on a personal, on-site basis,” said Chaplain Area Team Leader Dan Rainey, who oversees chaplain operations at the large nationwide oil & gas company located in Oklahoma City.

Nationally, Dallas-based Marketplace Chaplains serve 23 different industry types in 2,842 locations, covering 44 states and 931 American cities.

“We have seen that even a new year can still bring the same “old” energy-draining problems to the workplace, which is why these forward thinking CEOs are choosing to provide Marketplace Chaplains continuously for the betterment of their companies and the employees who sustain them,” said Richard De Witt, President and COO of Marketplace Chaplains.