GATE Recognized as One of Jacksonville's Best Places to Work

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Convenience store operator GATE was named one of the Best Places to Work here for 2013, according to a ranking published in the Jacksonville Business Journal.

Businesses were ranked by Quantum Workplace, a third-party company that specializes in measuring workplace satisfaction. The list splits companies into three categories based on size, and GATE ranked third among large businesses with 250 or more full-time employees.

"What began as a single-service station more than 50 years ago grew into the organization we know today thanks to the hundreds of men and women who have and continue to dedicate themselves to this company's success," said GATE President John Peyton. "The caring culture we share here can be felt throughout every facet of our business. Relationships and commitment to continuous improvement are the values that carry the day -- and that is something special."

Quantum Workplace set up an online survey for the Jacksonville Business Journal and employees of the city's companies were given several weeks to respond to questions about their workplaces. Each company was required to have a certain percentage of employees respond based on its total number of employees, with small businesses requiring a higher percentage of responses than larger ones.

GATE is a privately-held, diversified corporation headquartered in Jacksonville, Fla., and is the 17th largest company in Florida. According to its corporate website, the retailer strives to go "beyond convenience" and is currently building state-of-the-art facilities that better meet the needs of its customers "by offering a spacious floor plan, expanded fueling capacity, bright and clutter-free interiors, well-lit exteriors, a broad selection of merchandise and services and, above all, well-trained, courteous personnel."

Among operations in several industries, including real estate, hospitality and construction materials, GATE operates 66 convenience stores throughout the Southeast in Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina and South Carolina.