NMDP Ranks Second in its Sixth Consecutive ‘Best Places to Work’ Recognition
Distinction marks the second time NMDP has earned No. 2 ranking; the non-profit’s employee-centered culture and mission
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MINNEAPOLIS, Aug. 21, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — NMDPSM, a global nonprofit leader in cell therapy, announced it was named a “Best Places to Work” by the Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal for the sixth consecutive year. Ranking No. 2 in the ‘extra large’ company category, NMDP was commended for creating a positive, mission-driven employee culture where people are empowered to grow and thrive.
Since its inception nearly 40 years ago, NMDP has grown and evolved from a small team to a global workforce dedicated to saving lives. Through its groundbreaking cell therapy research, donor registry management, reliable infrastructure and logistics, transplant center network, patient and caregiver support, and technical innovation, the Twin Cities-founded nonprofit recently celebrated facilitating more than 150,000 transplants, giving a second chance to patients across the U.S. and abroad. Based in Minnesota, 2,000 employees collaborate with colleagues worldwide to support patients and families facing life-threatening blood cancers and diseases.
“NMDP has achieved so many important milestones in 2026—from impacting 150,000 lives, to new programs and innovative new research that expands access which are driven by the passion and commitment our people bring to our work and to fulfilling our mission,” said Amy Ronneberg, CEO of NMDP. “I am so grateful to be a part of an organization-wide community who are inspired by hope and by knowing that each of our individual roles at NMDP contributes to helping save lives. As we head toward our 40th anniversary, I want to thank every team member who have made NMDP one of the best places to work through their dedication to making the impossible, possible.”
Saving lives through cell therapy
For many NMDP employees, the organization’s mission is personal. Forty-six current employees have donated potentially life-saving blood stem cells; ten have received these donations themselves, often inspiring them to choose careers at NMDP. Nearly 130 serve as professionally trained couriers, spending their time transporting donated cells to transplant centers across the U.S. and world to ensure patients can have a second chance at life.
For Eliza, an NMDP workup specialist who supports donors from the moment they match with a patient through scheduling lab work, learning she was a match gave her a new perspective on her work. Inspired by family connections to NMDP, she joined the registry her first week as an employee. In just three weeks from being contacted as a potential donor to completing her peripheral blood stem cell donation, Eliza’s cells helped save the life of a 65-year-old man battling myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). She says she felt supported throughout the process and would do it again in a heartbeat.
“Our mission is to save lives through cell therapy, and how we achieve this is through our people who carry it forward every single day. Their hard work, creativity and dedication is the driving force that is helping us create a future where every patient has access to life-saving cell therapy,” said Ronneberg. “Earning a Best Place to Work distinction six years in a row—and our second No. 2 win—reflects the culture we’ve built. Together, our steadfast commitment to donors, patients, volunteers, supporters, and partners is fueling breakthrough research and service to expand broader access to transplant to more patients.”
Learn more about the people behind our mission and how you can join us at nmdp.org/careers.
About the 2026 Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal ‘Best Places to Work’ Awards
Together with Omaha, Neb.-based Quantum Workplace, the Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal identified 70 companies in the region that scored high marks from their employees when asked to rate their employers on a variety of questions related to leadership, communication and more. The honorees are ranked by their employee survey score in the August 22 Best Places to Work special publication of the Journal, featuring all 70 winners.
About NMDP
At NMDP, we believe each of us holds the key to curing blood cancers and disorders. As a global nonprofit leader in cell therapy, NMDP creates essential connections between researchers and supporters to inspire action and accelerate innovation to find life-saving cures. With the help of blood cell donors from the world’s most diverse registry and our extensive network of transplant partners, physicians and caregivers, we’re expanding access to treatment so that every patient can receive their life-saving cell therapy. NMDP. Find cures. Save lives. Learn more at nmdp.org.
Media Contact:
Jess Ayers
jayers@nmdp.org
