160 years later, Davenport & Company is still a Top Workplace in Richmond

When Davenport & Company LLC first set up shop in 1863, it started with a mission to build strong relationships with clients by delivering valuable, trustworthy services.

With its headquarters in Richmond, the employee-owned wealth management and financial advisory services company operates various firms across the Mid-Atlantic. Their services include traditional stock and bond brokerage, professional money management, financial and retirement planning, market research, insurance and public finance.

Now, 160 years later, it is still making the same promises and maintaining its core values. Every day, more than 450 Davenport associates – including 200 financial advisers – offer financial advice that the firm says embodies the golden rule.

This has garnered them numerous accolades throughout the years, including national recognition for leadership and industry contribution.

This year, Davenport & Company holds on to its title as a Top Workplace in the Richmond area. The company claimed second place as one of the best midsize places to work in the region.

"As an employee-owned business, we take pride in the expertise and service we offer our clients, and we expect the same level of respect and caring toward each other, so that we all succeed," Brenda Madden, senior vice president of human resources, said.

According to the company, it has continued to earn this recognition through a number of factors, most notably, its commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.

"Davenport is committed to developing a workplace that includes associates of diverse backgrounds in order to utilize their experiences and talents to achieve our business goals," the company's website says.

The company fosters an inclusive workplace culture in regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, veteran's status, pregnancy or childbirth-related medical conditions and more.

This culture begins with recruitment and selection and continues with compensation and benefits, training, social and volunteer programs and events. Everyone who works for the company is promised an equal opportunity.

According to the company's website, Davenport is a member of the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association's Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Council, as well as a participant in the SIFMA Invest! Program, which connects students at historically Black colleges and universities and minority-serving institutions to career opportunities across capital markets.

Davenport & Company also helped found the Richmond Cristo Rey School as a job-partner. The school provides industry exposure, tuition and work experience to high school students in underserved communities. The company's paid summer internship program offers opportunities for minority students to gain work experience and exposure for future careers.

The company also launched Davenport Shares, an employee-led philanthropic initiative focusing on monetary contributions and volunteer efforts to charitable organizations in the community. This includes Junior Achievement, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Bikes for Kids, school supply drives, local food banks and many others.

"This recognition validates the Davenport culture as an employer that truly cares for its employees' well-being, in and outside of the office," Madden said.