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Inside Every Employee
View Case Studies on Award Winning Open-Book companies in various industries.
In 1978, Wayne H. Gey started Wayne Automatic Fire Sprinklers, a subcontractor in Florida’s construction market that designs and installs fire sprinklers. Today, it’s a full-service, fire-safety company that employs 460 professionals (designers, engineers, sales and service reps, purchasers and warehouse and support staff) in seven locations.
The 25+ employees of the Townsend Agency, an integrated-marketing company, help high-technology, B2B, and health/life sciences companies build brand equity by crafting or polishing their image and sharing it with the larger world. Their collective specialties include brand strategy, public relations, advertising, and creative and interactive services.
Headquartered in Los Angeles with facilities throughout the country, Thermal Engineering International (TEI) is a major supplier of heat-transfer technology to the electric power generation industry. Its 310 employees design, manufacture, and service advanced heat-transfer products such as condensers, boilers, boiler tubes, heaters, reheaters, exchangers, and other industrial products.
Texas Air Composites, Inc. is an award-winning “overhaul” facility that repairs the sheet-metal, composite, and welded structures of airplanes for commercial and regional air carriers. Its clients include Southwest Airlines, Delta Airlines, Comair, SkyWest, Air Wisconsin, America West, Frontier Air, Cathay Pacific, Mesa Airlines, and WestJet.
Stellar Call Centres, launched in 1998, is Australia’s leading provider of contact-management solutions for clients of all sizes and in all industries. Its 2,900 businesspeople, who handle more than 150 million calls each year, offer a wide variety of services, including sales generation, customer care, telemarketing, tech support, billings, collections, directory assistance, market research, surveying and back-office processing.
Founded in 1930 in Akron, Roadway Express is a leading transporter of industrial, commercial, and retail goods in the two to five-day regional and long-haul markets. It provides seamless transportation services throughout the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Puerto Rico as well as import/export services to more than 100 countries worldwide.
RSI (Reimbursement Services, Inc.) is an employee-benefits consulting firm that services more than 600 small-to-midsize businesses located in the Mid-Atlantic region. CEO David Friedman and his brother, Larry, VP of Culture and Learning Excellence, grew up in the family insurance practice started by their father, Stan, in 1978.
ReGen Technologies (Springfield, MO), an SRC company that has been playing the Game for the past four years, remanufactures John Deere engines and component parts such as connecting rods, fuel pumps, fuel nozzles, and the like. The $27-million company employs 110 people, 70% of whom are in production.
Pool Covers, Inc. is the nation’s largest distributor of automatic and manual pool covers. Launched by Bill and Bonnie Pickens in 1984, the organization now boasts 20,000 square feet of office and storage space and employs 40 employee-owners. In recent years, Pool Covers has moved into the safety product business, selling pool security systems, alarms, fences, and the like- a strategy that has helped nudge annual sales to $7 million.
Launched from the backseat of a 1962 station wagon, NTP Distribution (Wilsonville, OR) has grown by acquisition and investment to become the third largest distributor of recreational vehicle (RV) parts and accessories in the nation. Today, it stocks more than 12,000 products—everything from RV hitches to satellite dishes—which are shipped from three strategically - located distribution centers to a vast network of dealer-partners.
NewStream Enterprises, an SRC company that has been playing the Game since its birth in 1990, provides customized product-flow management services to manufacturing companies large and small. Its 60 employee-owners label, pack, store, control, and ship customers’ products all over the world.
In 1991, Jeff Lebesch and Kim Jordan launched New Belgium Brewing in the basement of their home. Today, thanks to many delightful brews and some excellent management practices, the $60-million company is the eleventh largest brewery (and the third-largest craft brewery) in the nation.
MSI Systems Integrators, a $134 million high-technology solutions provider based in Omaha, offers both product and consulting services in several areas including e -commerce, networking, printing, storage, servers, and software. Over the past decade, it has grown from 3 to 160 employees (mostly sales and tech people) who work out of ten offices throughout the Central Midwest.
Meadows Regional Medical Center is a 122-bed hospital that provides both primary and specialty medical and surgical services to several communities in rural Georgia. Estimated population served: 60,000. With a staff of 580+ (83% full time) and annual sales of $101 million, MRMC is the second largest employer in the region and a vital player in its economic revitalization.
MD International, established in 1987, supplies medical equipment to doctors, hospitals and health agencies in Latin America and the Caribbean. Business units cover medical specialties such as cardiology, surgery, obstetrics, critical care, ophthalmology, physical therapy and imaging.
McGinnis Sisters Special Food Stores has been a Pittsburgh institution since 1946, when Elwood and Rosella McGinnis opened a humble produce stand. Since then, their three daughters have transformed the mom-and-pop grocery into an $11 million purveyor of specialty foods—organic produce, homemade salads, fresh seafood, exotic cheeses, ethnic specialties, and prime cuts from its old-fashioned butcher shop.
Laron Incorporated, a $16-million, full-service, world-class machine and repair shop, serves regional utilities, power plants, global mining companies, and other large industrials that need “super-size” field and shop equipment repair work. The company’s 90 skilled (hourly) craftsmen weld, grind, mill, fit, install, survey, align, drill, rig, repair, test, and more.
Kindermusik International (Greensboro NC) is an award-winning provider of innovative music-education programs for young children (up to age 7) and their parents and caregivers. Its 5,200 licensed educators in 35 countries teach music and movement classes using Kindermusik’s own age-appropriate lesson plans, books, audio CDs, instruments, games, and other activities.
Launched in 1964 with a modest supply of black and white tuxedos, Jim’s Formal Wear (Trenton IL) has grown into one of the nation’s largest and most respected merchandisers of tuxedos, special-occasion finery, and accessories. Today, the company’s 500 employees, who operate 8 regional distribution centers and 16 retail stores, service nearly 4,000 dealers—mostly mom-and pop bridal and tuxedo shops.
Imperial Sugar Company, one of the nation’s largest processors of refined sugar, markets its product to grocery stores, food manufacturers, food-service distributors, and the like. A respected name in the food trade for more than 150 years, Imperial’s sugar is sold under several brands, including Imperial®, Dixie Crystals®, Spreckels®, Pioneer®, Holly® and Wholesome Sweeteners™.
Interactive Hotel Solutions (IHS) has been selling hotel reservations in the online travel market since 2001. It’s a fun, fast-paced, $57-million business that employs 35 young go-getters who serve as programmers, technicians, sales reps, customer-care professionals and administrators.
High Grove Partners, LLC is a full-service landscape-management company that develops and beautifies office parks, commercial buildings, private homes, and other community-based projects in and around its home markets, Atlanta and Charlotte. Profit centers include land planning, landscape design, design and build work, maintenance, floriculture, irrigation, and turf care.
Green Mountain Coffee Roasters (Nasdaq: GMCR) is a specialty coffee company nestled in the mountains of Vermont. It’s a socially-responsible and principled organization that employs about 620 people who buy, roast, and market high-quality coffees to supermarkets, convenience stores, food-service outlets, offices, and assorted coffee lovers in the Northeast, along the Eastern seaboard, and well beyond.
Founded in 1991, Genesis Technologies sells and services office products (laser printers, copiers and fax machines) and distributes more than 5,000 IT-related hardware products and supplies to business clients nationwide. Based in Northbrook (IL), with offices in Milwaukee, Phoenix and Dallas, the $17-million company made the Inc.
Gasper Corporation, a 20-year-old software-development company that was launched from its founder’s basement, has grown exponentially to become a wholly-owned subsidiary of a large public company. Its various software products and services help customers—roughly 146 in 38 countries— manage their automated teller machines and other online financial-services devices.
This $134 million high-technology solutions provider offers both product and consulting services in a variety of areas including e -commerce, networking, printing, image, storage, servers, and software. Over the past decade, it has grown from 3 to 160 employees (mostly salespeople and programmers) who work out of ten offices throughout the Midwest.
When Ed Wallace bought a struggling 13-employee Harley shop in 1994, he had high hopes and big plans. He had no clue, however, how successful his dealership would ultimately become. In nine short years, Destination Harley-Davidson grew ten-fold, expanding to 100,000 square feet, 180 employees and annual sales of $40 million.
The employee-owners of Community Psychology & Education Services (CPES, Tucson AZ) help children and adults with disabilities (and their families) by providing residential, educational, treatment, and vocational programs. Launched in 1980 by two psychologists with an annual budget of $70,000, CPES now employs 675 and manages an annual budget of $20 million.
Citizens Transfer & Storage, a full-service moving and storage company that’s been managed for 85 years by members of the Belton family, provides local, regional and cross-border relocation services to individuals and to companies of all sizes. The Tucson-based company’s state-of-the-art storage facilities can accommodate just about anything: popular items include new furniture, bulk items, household goods, documents and pallets of merchandise.
Founded in 1988 by Bill and Joyce Collier, BC Group International makes, distributes, and services biomedical testing equipment for everyday medical machinery such as patient monitors, infusion pumps, and x-ray machines. The company’s 21 employees cater to a global marketplace, generating annual revenue of nearly $4 million.
For the past two years, Dan Sieg, Battlefield Harley’s general manager, has been leading the dealership’s short, smooth ride to profitability. Armed with an annual budget, complete with monthly projection for sales, expenses and profit, Sieg and owners David and Jennifer LeVan have taken open-book management to their entire crew of 36, teaching them how to sell with inte grity and fatten the bottom line.
Launched in 1990 as a wireless gateway for paging carriers, Aradiant Corp. quickly grew into a $30 million state-of-the-art call center handing six million messages per month. But when the Internet and cell phones became popular, Aradiant nearly folded.
Aquascape Designs, a dominant player in the domestic water-gardening market, makes and sells easy-to-install pond “kits” to residential and commercial clients through a vast network of wholesalers, retailers, and installers. Its patented products include water filters, pumps, liners, algae treatments, and the like.
Whole Foods Market, founded in 1980, is the world’s leading retailer of natural and organic foods, with 185 supermarkets and several distribution centers in North American and the United Kingdom. Grown largely through mergers and acquisitions, the Austin-based company (Nasdaq: WFMI) has 39,000 team members and posts annual sales of $4 billion.
Critz Inc. is an award-winning auto dealership that sells new and pre-owned cars and trucks (BMW, Buick/GMC, Mercedes-Benz), replacement parts and accessories. It also provides a full range of auto-repair and maintenance services. With a few showrooms in Savannah, Critz—and its 70 associates— enjoy a strong reputation in the industry for top-notch sales and service.
In 1989, university student Brian Scudamore bought a used pickup truck and started a junk-removal service. Today that service, 1-800 GOT-JUNK?, is the world’s largest junk-removal franchiser, with more than 200 locations covering 48 of the top 50 metro areas in North America.
Skeleton Key was founded in 2004 and began offering services to customers in 2006. There are four offices established throughout Missouri in St. Louis, Columbia, Joplin and Nixa, as well as an office in Lunenburg, MA. This company with seven staff members and one contractor offers specialized computer services, technology consulting, Mac/PC integration, networking and application development to meet the needs of any business.
In 1991, Gary Quick launched Quick Solutions Inc. (QSI) to capitalize on the growing demand for outsourced information-technology consulting services and business/project-management solutions. Headquartered in Westerville (OH), with offices in Columbus and Charlotte, QSI has more than 200 employee-owners who generate annual sales of $27 million.
In 1999, Terry Morrill and his sons bought a small paving-stone business. Today, it’s called Pacific Outdoor Living, and it’s Southern California’s leading designer and installer of high-end landscapes (stone and turf) and aquascapes (ponds and water elements).
Cal-Tex Protective Coatings manufactures a wide variety of sealants and vehicle-care products for the automotive industry. It also provides world-class service and support to its national dealer network. In 2005, insiders say Cal-Tex suddenly “woke up” when leaders there set up an 87% ESOP and later hired a Great Game coach to help fine-tune its quarterly mini-games.
The Booksource Inc., a $31-million distributor of educational trade books, is on a mission to provide teachers across the country with ageappropriate paperback books children will actually read. At the close of 2004, the St. Louis-based company was tracking to do $20 million in sales through its retail division alone, but due to the loss of a large contract, the owners decided to abandon the retail market and focus exclusively on the wholesale market.
Founded in 1978, Bay Shore Systems manufactures, sells and repairs low-clearance, versatile drilling equipment for challenging, limitedaccess site conditions. It also provides contractors and excavators with a wide variety of cutting-edge drilling solutions, technical services and product support.
Ginger Bay Salon & Spa, near St. Louis, is a $4-million provider of high-end beauty and personal wellness services. Opening the books in 2008 to its 70 creative professionals was the salon's first solid step on its path to sustainable financial health and employee ownership.
Federal Companies, based in Illinois, is a $30-million provider of warehousing and logistics solutions. Since 2003, its 290 employees have been playing The Great Game to strengthen their 16 profit centers, enhance their ownership culture and become a market leader in the Midwest.
Chuck Latham Associates (CLA) is a leading broker in the specialty retail areas of pet care, equine products and sporting goods. Its capable team (120 full-time and up to 1,000 part-time associates) helps client's exceed their distribution goals by providing sales, marketing and retail services and expertise.
Founded in 1942 and based in New England, Springfield Spring is a $6-million manufacturer of precision-engineered springs, stampings and assemblies for many industries, including electronics and medical devices. Its 38 associates have been winning The Great Game since 2003.
McGinnis Sisters, based in Pittsburgh, is a $19-million family-run business of three popular, upscale food markets that sell a variety of gourmet delicacies, signature dishes, ethnic specialties and farm-fresh produce, meats and cheeses. The company‟s 215 team members (87 are full-time) have been using Great Game principles since 2005.
The Macayo’s family-owned restaurant tradition began in 1946, when Woody and Victoria Johnson opened their first café in Phoenix. Today, Macayo’s Mexican Kitchen is an award-winning chain of 14 restaurants that ring up annual sales of $35 million.
Anthony Wilder Design/Build Inc., a $7-million home remodeler based near Washington, D.C., provides high-end architectural design and construction services. The firm launched The Great Game in 2006, after six years of practicing its own version of open-book management.
Three state-of-the-art, full-service wellness clubs make up Gainesville Health & Fitness Centers (GHFC). Its 375 employees cater to 28,000 members who participate in hundreds of programs that promote fitness, alleviate chronic illness and help solve long-term medical problems.
Founded in 1950, Virginia Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Co. is Virginia’s largest property and casualty insurer, with nearly 790 employees in more than 100 offices statewide. The Richmond-based organization provides a wide range of annuity products and insurance lines, including home, life, health, auto, business and farm.
Nick’s Pizza & Pub Ltd., founded on open-book principles in 1995 by Nick Sarillo, is a purpose-driven company that operates two (going on three) popular family-style restaurants located near Chicago. Known for its delicious food, excellent service, friendly atmosphere, great value and rustic décor, Nick’s employs 180 team members who serve about 10,000 guests every week.
Stellar Asia Pacific and its global network of affiliates deliver contact management and business-process solutions to some of the world’s most admired companies. With about 6,000 employees in 24 offices, Stellar handles 300+ million contacts and 100 million transactions every year.
Houston-based Hilcorp Energy, launched in 1989, is the nation’s fourth largest private producer of onshore crude and natural gas, with annual revenue in excess of $900 million. Its explosive growth has been fueled by acquisition, leading-edge exploration/drilling technology and 560+ enterprising employees.
The Great Game of Business
3055 East Division Street
Springfield, MO 65802
(800) 386-2752
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