John AbramsJohn Abrams

Co-founder and Co-founder and PresidentPresident

South Mountain South Mountain CompanyCompany

Martha’s VineyardMartha’s Vineyard

South Mountain CompanySouth Mountain Company

Design/buildDesign/build Renewable EnergyRenewable Energy Energy Services Energy Services

DivisionDivision Employee Owned Employee Owned

(17 owners, 33 (17 owners, 33 employeesemployees

Annual revenues Annual revenues around $9 Maround $9 M

Design/BuildDesign/Build

Design/build is when buildings (or Design/build is when buildings (or anything else for that matter) get built anything else for that matter) get built with the design and construction process with the design and construction process united united

Continuous interaction between the Continuous interaction between the architects, building science, and architects, building science, and construction managers to establish best construction managers to establish best practices in energy efficiency, practices in energy efficiency, conservation, and quality craftsmanship. conservation, and quality craftsmanship.

Sustainable Building PracticesSustainable Building Practices

Technological Technological InnovationsInnovations

Local MaterialsLocal Materials Environmentally Environmentally

Friendly productsFriendly products Reclaimed WoodReclaimed Wood

EnergyEnergy

PV panels and wind PV panels and wind turbinesturbines

Energy auditsEnergy audits Deep energy retrofits Deep energy retrofits

to existing buildingsto existing buildings

Employee OwnershipEmployee Ownership

““One of the great successes was the One of the great successes was the realization in the mid 80's that until we realization in the mid 80's that until we spread the ownership of this company spread the ownership of this company out we would never have the kind of out we would never have the kind of commitment we want. It would always be commitment we want. It would always be a benevolent dictatorship. People might a benevolent dictatorship. People might be compliant, but not as actively engaged be compliant, but not as actively engaged as they could be”as they could be”

Employee Ownership (Cont.)Employee Ownership (Cont.)

Tend to Tend to

1.1. create long-term stable jobs, create long-term stable jobs,

2.2. have more equitable and have more equitable and environmentally sustainable business environmentally sustainable business practices practices

3.3. be connected and accountable to their be connected and accountable to their community community

Affordable HousingAffordable Housing

In US, home ownership a commodityIn US, home ownership a commodity Lack of commitment to communityLack of commitment to community Affordable housingAffordable housing

1.1. Owners take care of homes Owners take care of homes (investment)(investment)

2.2. Fosters well-being (family values)Fosters well-being (family values)

3.3. Community involvementCommunity involvement

John on Employee OwnershipJohn on Employee Ownership

http://http://www.youtube.com/results?search_querywww.youtube.com/results?search_query==john+abrams&search_typejohn+abrams&search_type=&=&aqaq=f=f

What I learned from John and What I learned from John and SMC SMC

1.1. Employee ownership- dedication, Employee ownership- dedication, commitment, job means more than a commitment, job means more than a paycheck= your futurepaycheck= your future

2.2. Empowerment- allow employees to Empowerment- allow employees to grow skill set, promote from within, grow skill set, promote from within, encourage personal growth= increase encourage personal growth= increase employee satisfaction= sustainable employee satisfaction= sustainable businessbusiness

US SteelworkersUS Steelworkers

The USW and Mondragon to establish manufacturing The USW and Mondragon to establish manufacturing cooperatives that adapt collective bargaining principles to the cooperatives that adapt collective bargaining principles to the Mondragon worker ownership model of “one worker, one vote.”Mondragon worker ownership model of “one worker, one vote.”

““We see today’s agreement as a historic first step towards making We see today’s agreement as a historic first step towards making union co-ops a viable business model that can create good jobs, union co-ops a viable business model that can create good jobs, empower workers, and support communities in the United States empower workers, and support communities in the United States and Canada,” said USW International President Leo W. Gerard.  and Canada,” said USW International President Leo W. Gerard.  “Too often we have seen Wall Street hollow out companies by “Too often we have seen Wall Street hollow out companies by draining their cash and assets and hollowing out communities by draining their cash and assets and hollowing out communities by shedding jobs and shuttering plants.  We need a new business shedding jobs and shuttering plants.  We need a new business model that invests in workers and invests in communities.”model that invests in workers and invests in communities.”

http://http://www.usw.org/media_center/releases_advisories?idwww.usw.org/media_center/releases_advisories?id=0234=0234