National Employee Ownership Month – An Employee-Owner Perspective

October marks National Employee Ownership Month for thousands of ESOPs and employee-owned companies across the United States. Here at Adworkshop and Inphorm, we are mid-way through a month of festivities, ESOP awareness and community outreach. Read on and see what we are up to during our four year ESOP anniversary!

A look back:

Adworkshop became an ESOP in 2007 –but it wasn't until the sale of the stock in 2009 that the employees actually became owners of stock. I came on board in 2008, joining the Adworkshop team as a public relations account manager with the PR division, Inphorm. Just a few months later, I owned stock in the company. Some ESOPs allocate stock or ownership to employees after one year of service, but Adworkshop's Principals and founders, Tom and Adele Connors, decided to do things differently. At the plan's inception - each current, full-time employee was deemed eligible to participate in the ESOP, regardless of how long their employment had been. And so, I became an employee-owner.

Since becoming an ESOP, a lot has happened in our world of full-service marketing and digital public relations. We've weathered a recession, added staff – and lost a few fellows to jobs outside of our Adirondacks – yet we have remained profitable. As an ESOP, we really have no choice. We sink or swim, succeed or fail by our own perseverance and hard work. As a team, we need to be on our game every day at the office. The agency's longevity and growth depend on us. We are the future of Adworkshop and Inphorm.

Looking forward:

Each October, we celebrate National Employee Ownership Month by giving back. Throughout the month, we dedicate our time to ESOP education and community outreach. We also take time to enjoy team-building and events like the Essex County Business After-Hours Social.

On October 13th, Adworkshop will host the Business After-Hours Social for the Essex County business community at our Cold Brook Plaza office. Doors open at 5:30 pm, and we invite you to join us for hors d'oeurves featuring ingredients from local farms, as well as various beverages including wine and locally made beer from the Lake Placid Pub and Brewery. Guests who bring a non-perishable food item to donate to the Lake Placid Ecumenical Food Pantry, including canned goods, soap, detergent, etc., will be entered to win a 32GB iPod Touch.

Additional door prizes include:

Compass Printing Plus - $50 Gift Certificate.The Spa at the Mirror Lake Inn - $45 Gift Certificate for use toward a new service such as a Shellac Manicure. Generations Restaurant - $25 Gift Certificate for use toward a lunch or dinner for two.

Adworkshop is sponsoring a month-long food drive to benefit the Lake Placid Ecumenical Food Pantry and will match all donations. The food pantry provides food, clothing,and energy and transportation assistance for more than 140 families in the Lake Placid area every month. The pantry is a 501(c) (3) organization that depends 100 percent on volunteer efforts. Donations can be dropped off at our office at 44 Hadjis Way, Lake Placid.

We will also participate in the Olympic Regional Development Authority's team-building Corporate Challenge. We will be divided into teams to develop – and test – hockey skills and curling techniques. The Winter Olympic Games put Lake Placid on the map, twice. ORDA's corporate challenge will help us realize our Olympic dreams– for an afternoon at least.

An afternoon of Olympic glory, and an ESOP to ensure our success indefinitely. It feels good to be an employee-owner at Adworkshop and Inphorm.