How do you create a new logo that appeals to everyone? A McMurry design team faced that formidable challenge. Angie’s solution was letting people customize their McMurry logo. “If it becomes yours, what’s there not to like?” she asks. “My logo is a picture of me, laughing. I’m usually in a pretty good mood and love to laugh. I think the image represents me pretty well.”

“We get to choose our own logos! How cool is that? Everyone who hears about this is just blown away. It is always a conversation starter and it is representative of a workplace that has long since valued freedom, encouraged empowerment and trusted its people to run the business by making good choices.”

There are eight McMurry values. They are decision making guides that replace big ugly corporate rule books. No one better exemplifies the values than Amy, who won last year’s V8 Award. “Flowers brighten everyone’s day and my logo isn’t any more complex than that.” Not surprisingly, Amy gave her $5,000 V8 Award prize to her colleagues.

"It represents what I do and love doing … finding ways to make anything better," says Linnea, who led a team that won $10,000 for McMurry’s top innovation last year. “Besides, it’s an energy efficient bulb that speaks to our environmental leadership.”

McMurry is renowned as an open workplace. Staff even see the financials and share in annual profits. “I took this picture in Ireland, home of my relatives. I used the Pentax camera I bought with my profit sharing check. To me, the image combines family and work, where I thrive on strategy and producing quality always.”

McMurry has made many acquisitions and that has benefited a lot of people, including Saul, who was promoted to his current position after his former company was bought by McMurry. “It’s the 1973 MGB I restored. The car came with me when I relocated from New York and philosophically it represents why change is good.”

Embrace Change is one of the eight McMurry values and Jill thrives on it. “Pink gerbera daisies are my favorite flower. To me they represent the growth and change I’ve experienced working here and the growth and changes still to come.”

“My logo is pretty obvious,” says Matt who oversees advertising sales for Amtrak, one of McMurry’s big brand clients, a list that includes 145 of the Fortune500 companies and companies like CVS/Caremark, GlaxoSmithKline, USAA, United Health Care, Wellpoint, Johnson Controls, CBS, Waste Management, 24 Hour Fitness and Aon.

“I have liked ladybugs since I was a little girl. They have always fascinated me and they are a symbol of good luck,” says always cheerful Anita. “The theme of my daughter’s room is ladybugs, so when I see my McMurry logo, it reminds me of her.”

No, Pamela doesn’t have a foot fetish. Instead, she says, “Life is an adventure. Just like the beaches I’ve been to in Florida, Boston, Cozumel, Puerto Vallarta and the Greek Islands. There’s something freeing about going barefoot in the sand.”