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Suzy's Swirl earns nod for excellent company culture

Jim Knight spends a chapter in his book "Culture that Rocks" exploring the strong culture of froyo concept Suzy's Swirl.

February 2, 2015

Froyo concept Suzy's Swirl has earned a nod for its strong culture in a new book by Jim Knight, "Culture that Rocks."

Knight dedicated a chapter of his book to the brand, which he calls "fun, quirky and clever. "

Suzy's Swirl's internal culture is guided by a well-developed mission statement, employee training program and its customized rewards program -- such as Suzy's Swirl Nike sneakers given to every employee on their six-month anniversary.

"Customer brand loyalty thrives in environments like this," Knight wrote, highlighting the company's  internal culture and its many customer-facing initiatives.

"We worked really hard to build a concept that epitomizes who we are as people and what we value in life: family, friends and giving back. It is an honor to be featured in Jim's book and to be recognized for doing work that we love," said Suzy's Swirl co-founder Kathleen Wood in a company press release. "We wanted to create a concept that added value to the lives of the people who work for us and visit us, and we work every day to ensure its success."

Suzy's Swirl was launched by Kathleen Wood and her sister, Sue Tierno, in Gurnee, Ill., August 2012. Since then, the concept has opened a second location in the Chicago suburb of Lake Bluff .

Wood was in the process of developing Suzy's Swirl with her brother-in-law, Joe Tierno, when we unexpectedly passed away. That's when her sister Sue stepped in to help carry out the dream they all shared as a family.

"Suzy's Swirl was built by love and courage and there was no better way to honor the memory of my husband than by moving forward to create something truly remarkable," Tierno said. "Being included in Jim's book is a testament that through vision and collaboration, every goal can be achieved."

Jim Knight's book, "Culture that Rocks," is now available on Amazon.