Good Works
- Dec
- 22
Posted on December 22, 2011 by Nora DePalma
2011 was quite a year for natural disasters. Everyone at O’Reilly-DePalma and at our clients stayed safe, although there were some close calls. For people whose lives have been upended, who have lost homes, towns and loved ones, we wonder how they find hope again.
Then we met a great organization that is delivering hope on a daily basis: GreenTown Joplin. An offshoot of Greensburg GreenTown, GreenTown Joplin is helping the Missouri town that was devastated by a tornado last May to rebuild sustainable and durable new homes and buildings.
We met GreenTown founder Daniel Wallach and his wife, Catherine Hart, when he was invited to speak at a Green Builder Media event this summer. Wallach lives about a half hour away from Greensburg, KS and was moved to take action after witnessing the aftermath of a similarly-horrific tornado in 2007. Together with city and county officials, business owners and local residents, GreenTown set up a system for residents to source unbiased research on how to build high-performance, healthy homes.
Greensburg not only rebuilt, but created jobs through a new industry, attracting eco-tourism groups from all over the world to study emerging environmental technologies. Or as Wallach calls it, a permanent trade show.
What could be a better investment for building, home and architectural brands than a permanent exhibit demonstrating the real-world performance of environmental products?
For Joplin, Wallach and his team are in a race to secure financing from individual and corporate sponsors to fund the estimated 60 percent of projects waiting in the wings for financing before public interest wanes.
O’Reilly-DePalma and the Green Earth PR Network selected to financially and materially support GreenTown Joplin as a gift to our valued clients this year. Wallach’s story of hope was amazing, and resonated with us as the building industry begins its own rebuilding from disaster.
Can you help Joplin? Here’s how:
1. Make an individual donation (via PayPal) and become a member here.
2. Join as a corporate member here.
3. For product donations and more, call Daniel and the GreenTown team at 620-723-2790.
- Oct
- 21
Posted on October 21, 2011 by Nora DePalma
This week has been full of great news and good works, so we’re excited to give a shout out to three of our wonderful clients today and celebrate some amazing achievements.
First of all, we’re pleased to announce that Uponor’s Pro Site, UponorPro.com, has earned the “Outstanding Website” award in the Web Marketing Association’s 2011 competition. Congratulations to the Uponor Team for this great win!
American Standard Brands also had some good news recently: their innovative FunBath tub conversion kit was awarded the Parent Tested Parent Approved Seal of Approval for Fall 2011. We definitely would’ve wanted one of those tubs when we were kids.
Last but certainly not least, we were thrilled that Mr. Steam raised over $1,000 for the Decorative Plumbing & Hardware Association’s scholarship fund through Hank’s Ride. Many thanks to everyone at Mr. Steam for their time and generosity, and also to Hank for the pedal power.
- Sep
- 22
Posted on September 22, 2011 by Nora DePalma
We’re doing extra laps and push-ups today in honor of our friend Hank Darlington who pushed off this morning on his Maine to Florida bike ride. Hank will be averaging more than 70 miles a day for the next 26 days.
In other words, averaging his age in mileage every day.
We want to take a nap on our couches just thinking about it.
Hank is ready to roll
Hank and our client, Mr. Steam, want us to get off our couches, however, and start actively pursuing wellness. Which is why Mr. Steam partnered with the Decorative Plumbing & Hardware Association (DPHA) to deliver regular updates on Hank’s progress, along with fitness tips from Fun and Fit, to get us all up and moving.
Follow along with Hank’s ride on the Mr. Steam Steamtherapy Facebook page or following the Twitter hashtag: #hanksride.
Hank and Mr. Steam are also working to raise money for the DPHA Scholarship Foundation, which provides two $3,000 scholarships to a child or grandchild of DPHA member companies for post-secondary education.
O’Reilly/DePalma kicked in $100. Surely you can do $10, $25, $50 or even a $100? It’s uber-convenient with Pay Pal and you don’t even need an account.
This contribution is tax-deductible as a charitable contribution, since DPHA is recognized as a section 501(c)(3) organization with the IRS.
And now, if you’ll excuse us, we’re going to get our workout done today.
- Aug
- 1
Posted on August 1, 2011 by Nora DePalma
This is a tale of two companies forging a very different path to profitability: Patagonia and Trader Joe’s. One is a story I heard. The other is a story I Iived.
Patagonia: At the recent Emerald Circle summit hosted by our wonderful friends at Green Builder Media, one of the most compelling speakers was Patagonia CEO Casey Sheahan. Faced with a recession-generated business slowdown, Sheahan came home one day and told his wife Tara that he thought he would be instituting layoffs.
Tara asked him: “Are you leading from fear or are you leading from love?”
Not a question I suspect a lot of CEOs get. Or consider. Businesses exist to make money, not to help people feel the love. But it made Sheahan stop and think. Did he have alternatives? Had they found all the possible efficiencies? The market would be back at some point. What about the costs of recruiting and training? Eventually, he decided on the following:
• No layoffs, but severely limited raises and no bonuses.
• Direct and honest communications with employees about the decision and the implications.
• Reducing other operating expenses by 20 percent.
Not every job was saved. The reduction in operating expenses meant identifying and terminating the few poor performers. No one likes to tell anyone they no longer have a job, but taking a hard line helped keep everyone else employed.
“Jack Welch was famous for his strategy of focusing on the 5% of employees who were poor performers,” Sheahan said. “I like to focus on the 95% who are good to excellent.”
Results: “Business didn’t just increase. It went through the roof,” Sheahan told us. He said his employees became more motivated than ever, realizing that things could have gone very differently. The resulting loyalty improved both retention and performance.
The good performers were rewarded. The business and Sheahan were rewarded.
Which brings us to Trader Joe’s.
Our son worked at a Trader Joe’s for about a month when he was involved in a horrible accident on his way home from work. Here is the note he sent to Trader Joe’s last month:
Last fall, October 21 to be exact, I fired up my motorcycle and headed on home. Not 5 minutes in to the ride, a car attempting to make an illegal u turn cut from the right lane in to the left and I collided with them. Long story short, I spent 6 weeks in the hospital, and was lucky to be alive.
My crew only knew that I did not show up for work the next day, until one of the EMT’s came by and informed them of what happened.
On my first return visit there was practically a line of people waiting to greet me. I couldn’t believe it. They had only known me for a month, but everyone welcomed me back as if I was family. Genuine feelings and concern were shown by every single person. I have never experienced anything like that before.
As I had only been employed for a month, I did not qualify for any leave. When I returned, my Captain assured me I was welcome to return as soon as I was ready.
I have now been back to work for almost 6 months. I still have various problems that limit me to working 4 days a week, and sometimes force me to leave early. The family here has stepped in every chance they have to help me through the work day.
None of this is shown in the job description or any benefits package. It just goes to show what a company built on simple values can create not just for its customers, but for its employees. The grocery business is about stocking shelves. The TRADING business is about building relationships and maintaining them through consistency, integrity, and apparently, random acts of kindness performed on a regular basis. WOW.
Alex is definitely a performer, a hard-worker with exceptional customer service skills. Trader Joe’s clearly recognizes that. But in a recession, there’s no reason to think they could not have easily replaced him.
They chose to stand by him.
Results: Many of our friends already shopped Trader Joe’s for their unique shopping experience. Now, no one in our circle of friends and colleagues will shop anywhere else, given the choice. More Trader Joe’s business results here.
A brave new world for business? Not for all; some brands will continue to invest in obfuscation to tell their story. Other will invest in government lobbying power to avoid competition.
Others will compete just as fiercely, but—dare I say it?—with love. Because that’s what consumers are increasingly demanding, according to studies like this showing that consumers are taking values into account in their purchase decisions.
It’s the return on relationships. And it works.
- Mar
- 24
Posted on March 24, 2011 by Nora DePalma
Fix a Leak Week, an annual event sponsored by the Environmental Protection Agency’s WaterSense Program, is designed to encourage Americans to fix running toilets, dripping faucets, and other household leaks, which combined waste an average of 10,000 gallons of water annually per household. This year, Fix a Leak Week ran from March 14-21, 2011.
American Standard Brands marked the occasion by co-sponsoring a free workshop in Marietta, GA titled “Go Green and Save Green.” The workshop was led by Nick Marine of Marine Plumbing, Georgia’s first Certified GreenPlumber® and showed participants how to check for leaks, and how to install retrofit kits that conserve water and reduce household expenses.
View the complete press release for additional details about the event, or click through the event photo gallery below.
Picture 1 of 8
Nick Marine, Georgia's first certfied GreenPlumber, shows how a toilet works.
- Mar
- 15
Posted on March 15, 2011 by Nora DePalma
Conserving water at home has paid off in a big way for Tim Buhler 
of Glenbeulah, Wis., who has been announced the winner of a week-long eco-vacation from the Responsible Bathroom sweepstakes, sponsored by American Standard Brands. The sweepstakes were hosted at the Responsible Bathroom website, where entrants could earn extra chances to win by pledging to save water in various ways around the house.
Buhler’s wife Lonnie and children Ryan, 21, and Shannon, 17, will enjoy a seven-day eco adventure in Costa Rica. Included in the vacation package is a wildlife tour on the Sarapiqui River, a zip line tour of the Arenal Volcano, and the chance to help plant trees in a local reforestation project.
Over thirty runners-up in the contest also received water-saving American Standard FloWise Showerheads, designed to deliver an invigorating shower experience with up to 40 percent water savings over conventional showerheads.
Follow the link to view the complete press release and learn more about the sweepstakes winners.
- Dec
- 13
Posted on December 13, 2010 by Nora DePalma
American Standard Brands was recently 
in the news for collaborating with John-Michael Gigliotti, a 14 year old autistic teenager and highly knowledgeable toilet fan, to help him improve the restrooms at a public park in his hometown of Camden, PA.
John-Michael has been fascinated by toilets since the age of 3 and learns all he can about the different styles, brands, and flushing mechanisms available. Earlier this year John-Michael was given a tour of American Standard’s Piscataway, NJ-based factory, where he thoroughly impressed the staff with his knowledge of the brand’s product line.
The company donated the toilet of John-Michael’s choosing to his family and has also agreed to donate plumbing fixtures to update the restrooms at their local park at his request. American Standard representatives asked John-Michael to identify what is needed at the park and the company will then donate product to meet his specifications.
John Michael’s father, Camden City Council Member John Gigliotti, sent a lovely note to the company thanking them for their generosity and for their engagement with his son, saying, “it is going to take this spirited type of thinking and approach to help transition many of these children into adulthood and obtain semi-independent living with meaningful employment.”
- Oct
- 1
Posted on October 1, 2010 by John OReilly
On Sept. 12, dozens of special-needs children, along with their parents and friends, helped to commemorate the groundbreaking of their new ballpark in Lakeville, Minn., which is specially designed to be a barrier-free, handicapped- and wheelchair-accessible baseball and softball field.
According to Richard Peick, Uponor Engineering project manager, “This league means so much to the children and their friends and families. Uponor is proud to be a Grand Slam Club sponsor of the new ballpark and we also look forward to donating more of our time to the league.”
Click here to view the complete press release and download high resolution images.
- May
- 21
Posted on May 21, 2010 by Nora DePalma
Today four trade professionals stepped up to donate their time - as well as a few American Standard products - to help make a little dream come true for Adele Lester, the mother of a 23-year old soldier who was badly wounded in Afghanistan. Adele’s kitchen received a much-needed update including a new faucet, sink, and garbage disposal as part of the Angie’s List Wishmakers program, which provides opportunities for contractors and other service providers to give back to their communities.
It was truly touching to watch this group of talented trade pros volunteer their time in this way. Fortunately the rest of Adele’s community will get a chance to watch as well, as CBS, NBC, and FOX Atlanta all had affiliates in attendance, and a reporter from the Marietta Journal was also there.
Hope you enjoy your new kitchen, Adele!
- May
- 17
Posted on May 17, 2010 by Nora DePalma
American Standard Brands, manufacturer of a wide range of kitchen and bath products, has partnered with The Home Depot Foundation and Habitat for Humanity of San Antonio (HFHSA) for the 2010 Community Building Invitational on May 18 - 20, 2010.
“American Standard is proud to work with The Home Depot Foundation to address the critical needs facing our communities today,” says Don Devine, president and CEO of American Standard Brands.
American Standard is donating plumbing fixtures for 15 Habitat for Humanity homes in San Antonio, TX. The products, which are all WaterSense®-certified by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), include the Cadet® 3 Right Height® 1.28 gallons per flush (gpf) toilet, the Cadet Single Control 1.5 gallons per minute (gpm) faucet and the Colony® FloWise® 1.5 gpm showerhead.
“This partnership with The Home Depot Foundation and Habitat for Humanity provides us with yet another opportunity to make a positive impact on the community and the environment, and for that we are most grateful,” adds Devine.
Click here for more information, including the press release.
