Briggs Equipment Inc of Dallas ranked fourth on Chief Executive magazine's 2013 list of the best private companies for leaders.

Sales and leadership talent management firm Chally Group Worldwide of Dayton, Ohio independently evaluated private companies in supporting the research arm of New York-based publisher Chief Executive Group LLC.

The annual ranking was featured in the magazine's January/February issue.

First on the list was consulting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP of New York, the US member of PwC International Ltd. Second was construction firm and materials supplier American Infrastructure of Worcester, Pennsylvania. Third was the ground engineering and environmental services consultancy Golder Associates Corp of Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.

Briggs in the US invests about USD500,000 annually in management training programs, says Mark Steele, director of human resources for Briggs International Inc. Regularly, Briggs rotates up to eight individuals through positions during a five-year management training sequence for each person.

The effort includes cross-training time in sales, service and rental functions and deals also with other facets of the business, says Theresa Orton, manager of training and development for Briggs Equipment in the US.

In another initiative, Briggs contracts with Catalysts International of McKinney, Texas to provide career counseling and work with certain employees to develop their potential.

With 30 branches in 10 states, Briggs Equipment employs 761 staff and is the US unit of Briggs International, a wholly owned subsidiary of diversified Sammons Enterprises Inc of Dallas. An employee stock ownership plan owns Sammons with the plan including all US-based Briggs employees.

Briggs International has two other operations: Briggs Equipment SA de CV in Atizapán de Zaragoza near Mexico City has 10 branches in Mexico, and Briggs Equipment UK Ltd of Cannock, United Kingdom has 14 branches in England, Northern Ireland and Scotland.