- consum er ▁services , ▁E c umen ▁provides ▁national ▁senior ▁housing ▁development ▁services , ▁clin ical ▁consult ing ▁and ▁management ▁services ▁to ▁third ▁parties . ▁ ▁E c umen ▁has ▁more ▁than ▁ 1 2 , 0 0 0 ▁customers ▁and ▁emp lo ys ▁approximately ▁ 4 , 0 0 0 ▁people . ▁Its ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁reven ues ▁were ▁$ 1 2 5 . 8 ▁million . ▁E c umen ▁was ▁named ▁ten ▁for ▁straight ▁years ▁( 2 0 0 4 ▁to ▁ 2 0 1 4 ) ▁as ▁one ▁of ▁Minnesota ' s ▁" Best ▁Places ▁to ▁Work " ▁by ▁the ▁Min ne apolis / St . ▁Paul ▁Business ▁Journal . ▁ ▁History ▁E c umen ▁began ▁as ▁a ▁Luther an ▁social ▁services ▁ag ency ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 2 , ▁providing ▁fost er ▁care ▁services ▁to ▁children ▁or phan ed ▁in ▁the ▁Dak ota ▁Conf lict . ▁By ▁the ▁early ▁ 2 0 th ▁century ▁had ▁it ▁become ▁a ▁full - time ▁operator ▁of ▁senior ▁housing ▁and ▁services ▁in ▁Minnesota . ▁ ▁The ▁company ▁has ▁been ▁known ▁under ▁several ▁different ▁names ▁throughout ▁its ▁history . ▁In ▁ 1 8 7 6 ▁it ▁became ▁the ▁Board ▁of ▁the ▁Society ▁of ▁Mer cy . ▁In ▁ 1 9 2 3 ▁it ▁became ▁the ▁Board ▁of ▁Christian ▁Service , ▁and ▁ 1 9 6 2 ▁it ▁was ▁named ▁the ▁Board ▁of ▁Social ▁Ministry . ▁Finally , ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁it ▁became ▁E c umen , ▁from