Dennis, Sara and Dave Bassford (left to right) have kept Moneytree in the family.
On Halloween day in 1983, husband, wife and brother power trio of Dennis, Dave and Sara Bassford opened the first branch of Moneytree in Redmond. Since then, it's grown into an enormous payday loan company with more than 1,200 employees in five states, but still manages to have a personal touch. "I see Dennis, Dave and Sarah about once a month, and every time I see them, they know my name and always remember what is going on in my life," one employee reports, while another says it's "a large company with a family feel. You feel like you know everyone!" The warm-and-fuzzy sentiment extends to their community outreach, which gives corporate money to more than 20 charitable organizations around the country. The Bassfords also pay higher-than-industry-average wages, supply company-paid benefits and tuition assistance, and ensure that their employees have flexible time to spend with their families. Moneytree might have come a long way, but it's still a mom-and-pop operation at heart.
*Listed in alphabetical order
