This is a story that deserves national exposure since it is so rare we see such displays of largess. Robert Kern, founder and recently retired CEO of Generac Power Systems, gave bonuses to his former employees out of his own pocket. This was done without an announcement, press release or any media trapping whatsoever.
Jeff Dries has worked at the company for nine years and said he got a check for about $10,000.
"People had gone home for lunch and checked their mail like they normally do," Dries said. "They just got broadsided" by the checks.
Dries said he and his wife plan to use their gift as a down payment on a house.
"I know it's going to change a lot of people's lives," he said of the gifts.
I add here that I was an employee of Generac (in the portable generator division) for a short time before my division was sold just prior to Y2K. I only had limited encounters with Mr. Kern, but anyone you talked to that knew him always spoke of his loyalty to his employees. Much was made about the fact that the company did not lay off employees in hard times. Mr. Kern himself never sought attention, even inside the company. While he preferred to tinker with product design, he was a brilliantly shrewd businessman, timing his sale of the portable generator division perfectly before the market went through the floor after Y2K. Sure this news surprised me, these stories are so rare. But in the analysis, it was just Mr. Kern returning some loyalty. Read more at the link below.
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JS Online: Generac Workers Get A Holiday SurpriseTechnorati Tags:
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