I've never won an Oscar, Grammy or Tony — and probably never will — but I know what it is like to be singled out for excellence.

Not just me, of course, but my entire agency, the Surface Transportation Board, which was named best small agency in the annual "Best Places to Work in the Federal Government" for 2009.

The study was based on survey data from the Office of Personnel Management. More information can be found at www.bestplacestowork.org.

The board has 150 employees and is charged primarily with regulating the freight railroad industry. Many employees came from the board's predecessor agency, the Interstate Commerce Commission, when it was abolished in 1996.

My secrets of success? The truth is there are no fancy gimmicks or practices. It comes down to hiring great job candidates and keeping them happy and productive. And we have a pretty good record of that.

First, we are very selective when it comes to new hires because there are few openings as a result of our low turnover rate. I should know. I was rejected the first time I applied to STB. But I stayed focused and learned more about managing, got more experience and, fortunately, had the opportunity to apply for my position again in 2008.

What we have at STB is a true partnership between management and human resources, the ideal situation for any agency. HR is at the table with management before the hiring process begins: discussing needs, filling positions, reviewing policy and making sure everyone receives the desired outcome.

Of course, as a recently hired HR director, I cannot take credit for this environment; these relationships were forged long ago and have evolved and improved over time. My role now is to sustain these relationships and improve HR service to our management, employees and external customers.

Second, we try to keep employees happy and productive by emphasizing a healthy work-life balance. We encourage staffers to telecommute. We built a small but well-equipped gym. There are Hawaiian-shirt Fridays, in which even board members participate.

If there is a secret to STB's success, it probably has to do with the type of employees we have. The board is part boutique law firm, part administrative court and part university economics department — supported by a first-class administrative staff. Many of our employees are highly educated in various fields, but all recognize the need to work collaboratively to get the board's job done. A single complex case before the board could involve lawyers, economists, environmental experts and engineers. Such work is usually fast-paced and always intellectually challenging, especially for those who enjoy problem-solving on a big scale. A sense of teamwork and mutual respect is a byproduct of the way STB operates.

My greatest challenge, like many of my HR colleagues, is keeping up our standards while dealing with a significant loss of knowledge because of projected retirements. Our human capital plan, developed last year, emphasizes leadership succession planning along with performance appraisals and awards and attorney hiring and retention.

The top ranking on the Best Places to Work study has already helped in recruitment. We were recently looking to fill a demanding job, and candidates we interviewed mentioned our top ranking.

Paula M. Chandler is director of human resources at the Surface Transportation Board, an independent agency that regulates the railroad industry and is administratively affiliated with the Transportation Department.