Founder Stacey Alcorn makes her large Chelmsford-based operation feel like a small family business by staying in touch with all of her agents and being responsive to their needs, both professional and personal. Comprehensive educational resources and constant adaptation to a changing industry cement the brokerage’s reputation as an outstanding place to be a real estate agent.
View from the top: “Every year since we started, I send out an email on Thanksgiving morning, and I list all 800-plus agents by name, and why each individual is special to the company,” Alcorn says. “I want people to know that they are not a number. I want people to know that I care about them.”
Learning and adapting: Realtor Dan O’Connell joined LAER more than 20 years ago because he wanted to develop his own real estate team, and his previous boss resisted the then-emerging business model. LAER, however, encouraged his vision for growth. And that open-mindedness permeates the business. Alcorn is willing to try new software, new payment systems, and new sales approaches. “We’re in an ever-changing business and she realizes that,” O’Connell says. “She’s always out there looking for the next thing that’s going to help all of us be successful.”
There for you: When project specialist Ashley Gendreau had a complication from surgery earlier this year, one of her first texts was to Alcorn, who replied right away asking if there was anything she could do. Gendreau was struck by the level of caring from the top. “It said a lot when I was going through a tough time,” she says. “You know that people are there for you.”
Explore the winners’ lists (by company size) and more:
- Top largest companies (1,000+ employees)
- Top large companies (250-999 employees)
- Top medium-size companies (100-249 employees)
- Top small companies (50-99 employees)
- Check out the full special issue
To participate in the 2026 Top Places to Work Survey, visit bostonglobe.com/nominate
Sarah Shemkus is a regular contributor to the Globe Magazine. Send comments to magazine@globe.com.