Vice Presidents Justis Smith and Jonathan Rowe

Not every company needs college graduates. Fast-growing property preservation company Rowe Enterprises in Hampton in north Florida maintains homes and other property for banks, brokers, attorneys, investors and mortgage servicing companies. Given the post-meltdown abundance of foreclosed homes, family-owned Rowe has been busy, growing 30% per year in recent years.

To service homes from Palm Beach to Tennessee, it relies on approximately 50 licensed independent contractors — many of whom were personally known to the Rowes or came through referrals before signing on. For Rowe’s 29-member in-house staff that directs those contractors, common sense, data-entry skills and maturity are the prerequisites, says vice president and co-owner Jonathan Rowe. “What it comes down to is motivation,” he says.

Some employees and managers have associate’s degrees; some don’t. CEO and co-owner Jerry Rowe himself has only a high school diploma. Though it’s small and pays entry-level workers just a few dollars over minimum wage, Rowe’s hiring process mirrors that of larger organizations: A screening, initial interview and a call-back focusing on fit with Rowe and its client-centered teams. Benefits include a 401(k) match and 100% coverage of health care premiums for employees and their dependents. “We treat everybody like a family, or try to,” Rowe says.