USA Today has recognized the New Mexico State Land Office as a Top Workplaces USA award winner for midsize organizations, marking the second consecutive year the agency has received this honor. The recognition comes after more than 2,220 organizations participated in anonymous employee surveys for the national challenge.
Previously, the State Land Office earned the Woman-Led Organizations Award in 2023 and 2024, as part of the Top Workplaces Culture Excellence national awards. This accolade is awarded to organizations led by women who demonstrate outstanding leadership. Additionally, it was named a Regional Top Workplace by the Albuquerque Journal in both years through Energage’s annual Top Workplaces Awards. Energage is a human resources and technology research company that collaborates with USA Today on national awards and with the Albuquerque Journal on regional awards.
Stephanie Garcia Richard, Commissioner of Public Lands, expressed her pride in her team: “Our employees deserve the recognition they’re getting because they do such amazing work on behalf of their fellow New Mexicans every day,” she said. “I couldn’t possibly ask for a better staff. They are the reason we’ve been able to continually bring in record revenue for our public institutions.” She emphasized that the new award acknowledges their efforts to create a balanced work culture where employee well-being is prioritized.
The survey conducted by Energage revealed that 92% of employees would highly recommend working at the State Land Office, while 94% believe that strong values guide its operations. Furthermore, 92% feel that their well-being is prioritized by the agency.
Under Commissioner Garcia Richard's leadership, several policies have been implemented to promote fairness and diversity within the organization. These include prioritizing diversity in leadership roles and addressing pay equity disparities. The mission of the State Land Office involves generating revenue for schools and other public institutions through responsible leasing of state lands for various purposes like energy production and agriculture. Since 2019, these cultural changes have contributed to record-breaking revenue each year, with earnings exceeding $2.56 billion last year alone.
