Happy employees invigorate companies and help them grow. To honor companies that excel in creating work environments that keep employees happy and productive, The Business Journal sponsors the Best Places to Work Awards.

The newspaper has chosen 14 companies for this year's awards. Winners will be profiled in The Business Journal's Sept. 19-25 edition.

Winners will be honored at a reception from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Sept. 18 at The Villa Cuisine Scene, 4120 Baltimore Ave. in Kansas City.

Judges for the awards were Donald Feltham, director of compensation consulting for Gallagher Burgess Inc.; David Poole, vice president of consulting services for Right Management Consultants; and Dan Nilsen, co-founder of Bishop-McCann and a Best Places to Work winner last year.

Here's the list of winners:

Benefits:

• Small -- Adams-Gabbert & Associates Inc.

• Medium -- VML Inc.

• Large -- AMC Entertainment Inc./American Century Cos. Inc.

Community involvement:

• Small -- Adams-Gabbert & Associates Inc.

• Medium -- KCPT-TV

• Large -- Commerce Bancshares Inc.

Employee development:

• Small -- Walter P. Moore and Associates Inc.

• Medium -- YTC Services Inc.

• Large -- AMC Entertainment Inc./Kansas City Power & Light

Commitment to diversity:

• Small -- Genghis Khan Mongolian Barbeque

• Medium -- The Pager & Phone Co.

• Large -- Saint Luke's Health System

Family-friendly environment:

• Small -- Creative Courseware Inc.

• Medium -- VML Inc.

• Large -- Shawnee Mission Medical Center