Valley Medical Center has received First Place honors in the non-profit category of Seattle Business magazine’s Best Companies to Work For 2011.

This marks the 10th consecutive year that VMC has been named a Best Company to Work For in the Pacific Northwest, and the second time to be selected as the No. 1 non-profit in the state.

According to Seattle Business, “This is the year that separates true best companies from pretenders. An economic contraction the country hasn’t seen since the Great Depression has put pressure on all aspects of a business. Layoffs, pay freezes and cuts, benefits pruning—all have been the norm during these turbulent times. Many employees are simply thankful to have a job, and are less concerned with health club memberships and other perks. …These are the companies that have survived turbulent times and managed to keep their employees happy.”

To help determine the 100 Best Companies to Work For, Seattle’s Gilmore Research Group compiled data submitted anonymously by employees of the nominated companies.