SANTA FE, N.M. – For the fourth year in a row, the New Mexico State Land Office (NMSLO) is a recipient of the 2026 Albuquerque Journal Regional Top Workplaces Award, Land Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard announced today, once again ranking well above the national benchmark in the Meaningful Work category, demonstrating that employees feel like their jobs are a part of something meaningful. The State Land Office ranked #4 in the category of mid-sized employers (150-499 employees) in the Southwest Region (Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas).
“Employees love their jobs because their jobs make a difference for New Mexico,” said Commissioner Garcia Richard. “I’m so grateful to work with all of these wonderful people. I often say this is the best job I’ve ever had, and that in large part is due to the great people who work at the State Land Office and genuinely strive to make New Mexico a better place to live for everyone. This has been the most successful administration in the State Land Office’s history, and it wouldn’t have been possible without this world-class staff. Every single one of our employees truly deserves this award.”
During Commissioner Garcia Richard’s tenure, the NMSLO has achieved and exceeded many goals that have contributed to the pride employees take in their work, including:
- Earning a record $15 billion for New Mexico’s public schools, universities, and hospitals in the past eight years.
- Plugging 900 abandoned oil and gas wells at no cost to taxpayers, saving New Mexicans at least $90 million according to conservative estimates.
- Increasing the amount of renewable energy under lease on state lands by 700%.
- Protecting thousands of acres of our most sacred landscapes and cultural properties throughout the state.
- Securing deals for affordable housing developments in Albuquerque, Las Cruces, and Rio Rancho, as well as other job-creating projects
The awards are presented by human resources company Energage, and are based solely on employee feedback to an anonymous survey that measures 15 culture drivers that are critical to the success of any organization, including alignment, execution and connection.
The State Land Office finished in the top 5% within the public sector for Work-Life Flexibility and employees’ willingness to refer others to work for at the agency.
The State Land Office finished in the top 7% in the following categories:
- Work Life Balance: Employees have the flexibility they need to balance their work and personal life.
- Company Direction: Employees believe New Mexico State Land Office is going in the right direction.
- Employee Appreciation: Employees feel genuinely appreciated at New Mexico State Land Office.
- Innovation: Employees believe new ideas are encouraged at New Mexico State Land Office.
- Leaders In-The-Know: Employees believe senior managers know what is really happening at New Mexico State Land Office.
- Meaningful Work: Employees jobs make them feel like they are part of something meaningful.
- Strong Values: Employees believe that New Mexico State Land Office operates by strong values.
- Open Minded: Employees believe New Mexico State Land Office encourages different points of view.
The State Land Office has also won three previous National Top Workplaces Awards from USA Today, ranking in the top 100 nationally, and three Top Workplaces Women-Led Awards from Business Wire.
New Mexico Land Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard has overseen the New Mexico State Land Office since 2019. In that time the agency has earned more than $15 billion for New Mexico public schools, hospitals, and universities. Over 13 million acres of state trust land are leased for a variety of uses, including ranching and farming, renewable energy, business development, mineral development, and outdoor recreation. The State Land Office has a dual mandate to use state trust land to financially support vital public institutions, while simultaneously working to protect the land for future generations.