Edge Wireless, a wireless communication company headquartered in Bend, was named the best large business of the 100 Best Companies to Work For in Oregon in a survey by Oregon Business magazine.

Other Central Oregon companies on the list were: Bank of the Cascades, which ranked 18th among the large companies; AmeriTitle, which ranked 36th among the large companies, and broadcasting and marketing company Combined Communications, which ranked 31st among the small companies.

The list recognizes 50 large companies, which have more than 250 employees, and 50 small companies. The survey relies mostly on employee satisfaction scores in five categories: attraction, retention and rewards; work environment; decision making and trust; performance management, and career development and learning. The sixth category was based on information companies provided about health care coverage and other employee benefits, said Brandon Sawyer, research editor for Oregon Business magazine.

Each of the survey’s six sections had a possible score of 100, for a total possible score of 600. Edge Wireless’ total score was 517.

Last year the company was ranked as the second-best small company to work for in Oregon, when it had fewer than 250 employees.

Today the company has 296 employees, including 158 in Bend.

Christa Summers, director of human resources for Edge Wireless, said several factors could have contributed to the company taking the top rank.

The company absorbed the increase of nearly 13 percent in premiums for employee health insurance. The business also boosted pay for customer service and retail staff.

”We did a compensation evaluation over the last year and made adjustments,” Summers said.

”We were competitive with other call centers, but employees must learn not only voice, but data, which makes it more complicated to respond to customer inquiries. So, we reward them more for what we ask of them.”

The company spent $300,000 on pay increases this year, she said.

It has a call center and headquarter operations in Bend. It has retail sales and technical facilities in the other states. In addition to the staff in Bend, the company has 46 employees in Oregon, and 92 in California, Idaho and Wyoming.