PPB January 2020

L ately, it seems American Solutions for Business employees are everywhere—and we’re not only referring to the promotional products industry. Staff and salespeople of the Glenwood, Minnesota-based distributor have been dedicating their efforts, outside of the workplace, to bettering the local and national communities; a mission that’s very near and dear to the company, and one that’s modeled from the top-down. “Employees have teamed up to build houses for Habitat for Humanity, helped pack lunches and care packages for children in need, cared for animals in local humane societies, hosted bake sales and raffles for various causes, and organized and participated in Relay For Life,” says Taylor Borst, head of communications and public relations “Volunteerism is incredibly important, especially when the customer holds the same core values as us.” American Solutions for Business was built on the philosophy that flowers only bloom in rich soil, Borst says. For a business to succeed, its employees should be provided with the tools to prosper, but, ASB believes, so should the greater community. “We have a culture of caring,” says Borst. “The very core of who we are as a company can be defined by how much we care for our customers, our community and for each other.” It’s ASB’s company culture that encourages employees to partake in opportunities— like dedicating an afternoon to local highway cleanup with Adopt A Highway; stocking, bagging and loading groceries for families in need through the United Way of Douglas & Pope Counties’ Food Drop; and donating more than 50 computer monitors to Minnewaska Area High School to complete its new Applied Technology Computer Lab. But it’s also the leadership of Larry Zavadil, founder and CEO, and his son, Justin Zavadil, executive vice president, that encourages continued philanthropic work. Both father and son were born and raised in the small lake town of Glenwood, home to just 2,527 people, according to the 2017 U.S. Census. For them, along with some of their employees, clients and those affiliated with the organizations they help, Glenwood will always be home. But ASB encourages all of its employees, and its more than 650 national sales associates, regardless of where they live, to help the places they call home, too, allowing the company to leave a lasting impact nationwide. “The success of our company and community is dependent on each other,” says Borst. ASB’s charitable work is organized and planned by an internal Stewardship Committee, which is comprised of employees fromdifferent departments. The nearly 20-year-running committee meets monthly to schedule events and efforts dedicated to giving back, and their goal is to host at least one event, where all profits are donated to a local nonprofit, once every month. The company encourages its employees to get involved by offering its Volunteer Time Off program, which provides each office-based employee with eight hours, annually, to spend volunteering for any 501(c)(3) nonprofit of their choice. “I think the best way tomake an impact is to ask your employees what they care about,” she says. “Creating a Ame r i can So l u t i ons Fo r Bus i ness SOCIAL GOOD American Solutions for Business encourages year-round volunteering with its Volunteer Time Off program and a corporate culture that promotes giving back. by Danielle Renda Cultivating A Charitable Culture 64 | JANUARY 2020 | GROW