Last Halloween, over 150 golfers and volunteers gathered at North Hills Country Club to honor local firefighter and fallen soldier, John Kulick. Empyrean Management Group, Inc. and its subsidiary, Strategic Search Group, joined forces with local fire and police departments to plan and promote the event. Employees from EMG's local Blue Bell office also volunteered their time on the day of the event, ensuring that the outing ran smoothly. Thanks to the support of local corporate sponsors and golfers alike, the outing was a huge success. Over $20K was raised for the future financial needs of John's eight year-old daughter, Amanda.
It was actually through another charity event organized by Empyrean Management Group that CEO, Michael Kalinsky, came to know John Kulick. Empyrean's employees had a team-building event at a paintball course in the Pottstown area. While the company paid for everyone's participation, it asked for small donations for a party to be held for the children of a U.S. Army unit serving in Iraq. John and his fire fighter partner, Don Lynch, joined in the paintball fun and donated their hard earned money to a worthy cause. According to Mike Kalinsky, "John epitomized our company's core value of Community through his words and actions. It was important to us, as a company, to be a part of this annual golf outing in order to live up to the examples John set for us all during his life."
This year, the 2nd Annual John Kulick Golf Outing will be held on October 30th at Blue Bell Country Club. For information on early registration and sponsorship opportunities, please visit www.HireSmartPeople.com/Kulick/Golf.htm.
EMG's service to the community began long before the Annual John Kulick Golf Outing. In fact, EMG's CEO, Mike Kalinsky, has been a volunteer Emergency Medical Technician since 1990. When Mike was profiled in Inc. Magazine in November, 2005, he explained that the hours he spends volunteering actually serve to reduce his stress level. According to Mike, "Once you've got it in your system, the adrenaline rush, the sense of accomplishment, there's nothing in the business world that could come close."
Last spring, EMG decided to get involved in another local community event, the CURE P.D. 5K Race to benefit Parkinson's Disease research. This time, employees from all over the country were able to come together to participate in the event. Empyrean Management Group and Strategic Search Group were the top corporate sponsors of the race. All proceeds were donated to The Michael J. Fox Foundation towards finding a cure for Parkinson's Disease. This spring, EMG took it a step farther and helped in the planning and promotion of the event. And like the previous year, employees came out on race day to offer their support as either runners or race marshals.
When the Hurricane Katrina tragedy stunned the nation, EMG, like many other companies, offered to match employee contributions to aide in the recovery efforts. Less publicity surrounded the flooding of Richmond, VA a couple years ago. On August 30, 2004 Tropical Storm Gaston flooded the Shockoe Bottom area of downtown Richmond, damaging 48 buildings and leaving many people homeless. EMG donated money to assist in the cleanup and recovery initiative. Through its generosity, EMG was able to help the area get back on track. "Being that I've worked and lived in Richmond most of my professional career, the devastation from the flood really hit home. I am so proud of our organization and the compassion it has shown towards those less fortunate. It's easy to show empathy, but when you actually contribute, that's what counts," said Jermaine Williamson, COO of EMG at its regional office located in Richmond, VA.
Corporate involvement in charity events and disaster relief not only serves the needs of the people and communities affected, but it also brings employees closer together. Empyrean Management Group has seen this in action. According to Stacy Landis, Marketing Manager, "Coming together as a team to raise money for those in need has created a bond between us that I don't think we would have experienced with a conventional team-building activity. We all walk away feeling good about what we've accomplished that day, and as an added bonus, we get to know each other outside of our typical work environment."
"Team-building does not have to always mean bringing in an outside consultant or going to a ropes course to teach important values or resolve issues with employees and management. Getting people together, bound by a common cause that is bigger than simply delivering for clients, puts things into perspective. If just one or two of my colleagues finds an outlet in our charitable work, than I feel like our company has lived up to our Core Values," said Mike Kalinsky, CEO of Empyrean Management Group.
About Empyrean Management Group
Empyrean Management Group (EMG), recently named to the Inc. 500 and Philly 100, is one of the fastest growing providers of outsourced Human Resources, Recruiting, and Training solutions for small and mid-size to Fortune 500 companies. With headquarters in the Philadelphia metro area and regional offices throughout the country, Empyrean Management Group is able to provide clients with national service and unsurpassed quality. For more information, please visit www.HireSmartPeople.com or call toll-free 1-866-773-9900.
Strategic Search Group (SSG), a division of EMG, is a full service staffing firm, providing Temporary Staffing, Contract to Hire, and Executive Search on a national basis. SSG offers assistance with candidate sourcing, screening techniques, background checks, behavioral interviews, reference checks, contract negotiations, payroll, and a host of other services. For more information, please visit www.HireToSucceed.com or call toll-free 1-866-773-9900. See our ads in 422 Business Advisor each month!