St. Lucie celebrates 2026 workplace award winners
Business leaders, human resources professionals and community partners gathered for the 25th Anniversary Best Places to Work Treasure Coast Awards Celebration, recognizing St. Lucie County employers for workplace excellence. Hosted by Personnel Dynamics Consulting and the HR & Business Leaders Council of Florida at voco Sandpiper All-Inclusive Resort, the milestone event named nine organizations as 2026 Best Places to Work recipients and honored two local leaders as 2026 HR Professionals of the Year.
2026 Best Places to Work Award Recipients
The 2026 honorees were recognized in three employer categories:
Small Employer Category
- Loblolly
- Manpower
- United Way of Lucie & Okeechobee
Mid-Sized Employer Category
- Boys & Girls Clubs of Lucie County
- Sandhill Cove
- Lucie County Tax Collector
Large Employer Category
- Lucie County Fire District
- Lucie County Sheriff’s Office
- City of Port Lucie
For 25 years, the Best Places to Work program has recognized St. Lucie County employers that demonstrate strong human resources practices and a commitment to building workplaces where employees can thrive.
Impact of Best Places to Work Recognition
The program extends beyond an awards presentation. Participating organizations complete a comprehensive survey measuring key workforce practices and receive individualized information to benchmark performance, identify opportunities for improvement and learn from effective practices used by other employers, individualized information that can help them benchmark their organization, identify opportunities for improvement and learn from effective practices being used by other employers.
Over its history, Best Places to Work has recognized employers representing businesses, nonprofits, government agencies, schools and other organizations throughout St. Lucie County. Many organizations have returned to the program year after year, making the Best Places to Work designation an enduring symbol of an organization’s investment in its workforce.
“This 25th anniversary gives us an opportunity to celebrate not only this year’s winners, but 25 years of organizations choosing to invest in their people,” said Sarah Torres, SHRM-CP, president and co-founder of HRBLC. “A great workplace doesn’t happen accidentally. It is built through leadership, culture, opportunity, trust and the everyday decisions organizations make about how they value their people. The employers recognized today are helping raise that standard throughout our community.”
25 Years of Best Places to Work
Best Places to Work was created by workplace expert Gerry Hoeffner, who has spent decades helping organizations better understand the connection between people practices and organizational performance.
The St. Lucie County program evaluates participating employers across 38 workforce measurements, including employee turnover, organizational growth, employee development, advancement opportunities, insurance and retirement benefits and other practices that influence an organization’s ability to attract and retain its workforce.
The impact of a Best Places to Work recognition can also extend well beyond the awards ceremony. Organizations earning the Best Places to Work award can use the designation to strengthen their employer brand, celebrate employees, communicate their workplace culture and differentiate themselves when recruiting and retaining talent.
“As employers, we’re competing for talent every day, not only with the organization across the street, but with employers throughout South Florida and beyond,” Torres said. “Being able to demonstrate that your organization is genuinely committed to its people matters. Best Places to Work gives employers an opportunity to evaluate what they’re doing well, learn where they can improve and, for those receiving this recognition, proudly tell their story.”
2026 HR Professionals of the Year
The celebration also recognized the 2026 HR Professionals of the Year:
- Corrie Johnson of the City of Port Lucie
- Sarah Torres of Treasure Coast Food Bank
The HR Professional of the Year Award recognizes human resources professionals whose leadership, innovation, integrity and commitment to people have made a meaningful impact within their organizations, their profession and their greater community.
HR Pros Help Make Best Places to Work Organizations What They Are
Johnson and Torres were honored for their contributions to the human resources profession and the workplaces and communities they serve.
HR professionals often work behind the scenes, supporting employees through difficult moments, developing leaders, strengthening culture, navigating change and helping organizations succeed. The HR Professional of the Year Award brings that work to the forefront and recognizes leaders whose impact extends beyond their HR departments.
Celebrating the Past and Building What’s Next
The 25th anniversary of Best Places to Work represents both a celebration of the program’s history and an opportunity to continue strengthening workplaces throughout St. Lucie County and the Treasure Coast.
Through Best Places to Work, HR Professional of the Year and broader programming, HRBLC seeks to bring HR professionals and business leaders together to celebrate success stories, share ideas, strengthen leadership practices, develop talent and address workforce challenges affecting employers throughout the region.
About the HR & Business Leaders Council of Florida
The HR & Business Leaders Council of Florida (HRBLC) brings together human resources professionals, business leaders and community partners through professional education, strategic networking, leadership development and social impact. HRBLC works to create opportunities for leaders to learn from one another, build meaningful professional relationships and strengthen the organizations and communities they serve.
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