Bosses Day: Who are America's Top 5 leaders?

On Bosses Day, we are reminded of the hundreds of things bosses do to make life at work both profitable and even, sometimes, something to look forward to.

Here are our picks for America's Top 5 chiefs. Got a quibble? Let us know on Twitter.

(Like a good boss, what we promised yesterday we deliver today.)

Honorable mentions:

•Stille family, owners of Nugget Market: In 81 years, not a single layoff for this West Coast gourmet supermarket chain.

•Jeffrey Hollender, CEO and Chief Inspired Protagonist, Seventh Generation: Beyond his company’s ecofriendly products, Mr. Hollender is a passionate advocate for environmental causes from corporate responsibility to sustainable palm-oil production. Employees at Seventh Generation are encouraged to question the boss – and get a host of incentives to make their lives more green.

5. Jerry Reese and Tom Coughlin, General Manager and Head Coach, New York Giants

Since teaming up in 2007, Reese and Coughlin have won 70 percent of their games and a Super Bowl title – with player costs at 6 percent below the league average. That's 83 percent more victories per dollar of payroll compared to the league average, the best rate in the NFL.

Mr. Coughlin is no hand-holder, to be sure. But the combination of Coughlin's tough love and Reese's deft player evaluating touch have built a team that manhandles opponents week after week.

4. Seventeen owners, South Mountain Co.

At South Mountain Co., a construction and design firm that specializes in energy efficiency, five years of service lets any of its 32 employees buy into the company. When the recession hit, the 17 employee-owners had to decide how to make it through a drop in projects. They stopped contracting out some work. They did community projects for little gain. They took on small jobs. And didn't hand out a single pink slip.

At a place that spends 6 percent of revenue on worker benefits including 100 percent of healthcare costs (and even 50 percent of one employee's adoption), being a boss among bosses is truly sweet.

3. Dan Gilbert, CEO of Quicken Loans

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