Competition in a Can

Sometimes the bottom line and the goal line don't have to be synonymous.
Sometimes a company can do the right thing just because it is the right thing and if it doesn't have a positive impact on the ledger, oh well.
This week's On the South Florida Road column is about a company that did that and a CEO who reached into his own pocket to help make a point about the importance of community involvement.
The CEO is Colin Brown and the company is JM Family Enterprises, which already is known as one of the best places in South Florida to work.
JM was in the midst of a food drive when Brown heard that there was a need for more protein. So he put out a challenge. For every can of tuna an associate brought in, Brown would match it.
The bottom line is that there was no tuna anywhere to be found in a 20 mile radius around JM Deerfield headquarters. You'll have to get a Sun Sentinel if you want details.
But here is what you won't read in the column. JM had to reduce its staff a few months back for the first time in the company history. It was about as painful as it gets. Those who remain are working harder than ever to get the jobs done. The tuna challenge was fun and it got everyone pulling together as a team. It boosted morale. JM even donated $10 grand to a food bank.
Will this help them sell more Toyotas to the dealers who they supply in the Southeast US? No, probably not. Will it add to the revenue side of the ledger? Probably not. But in many ways it will help people who have a good job be more grateful, it will help people become more aware of the hunger in our community and it will make a bunch of people feel like they really made a contribution. If that doesn't trump the bottom line, nothing will.