# Mann Lake "Employee Owned"



## Keith Jarrett

*Re: Mann Lake*

Very well said there, Phil


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## dsegrest

*Re: Mann Lake*

I own my own company because I can steal from myself without being larcenous. Maybe this employee/owner felt the same way.


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## Honey-4-All

*Re: Mann Lake*



dsegrest said:


> I own my own company because I can steal from myself without being larcenous. Maybe this employee/owner felt the same way.


This may be possible but my gut says not likely. The whole thing went down in such a "unique" fashion with all the other "owners " maintaining such a tight lipped stance its been completely baffling ever since. 

The "owner" who got the ax ran the show in such a "get er done" way for myself and many other of their customers that I can't imagine what caused it to happen. Not many conditions that I could see warranting such an action with someone so integral to a companies efforts at maintaining uniquely developed customer relations. 

Once again I agree that those who own any company have the right and power to hire and can anyone they choose. Its just that the whole concept of "employee owned" is pretty worthless from any peon "owners" perspective if one can be "removed" from "ownership" especially after putting in the time, effort, as well as a large dose of B,S,&T into such an endeavour as was displayed by the former "owner" previously mentioned.

To have "employee owned" emblazoned all over your company seems to be disingenuous at best in this case from what I know so far..... 

*Worthless is the word conjured in my mind*.......... Wouldn't be worth even half a consideration if the words "employee ownership" were to be uttered at any perspective "owner" orientation and training event if I was to contemplate and consider being an "owner" there.


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## gfbees13

*Re: Mann Lake*

t:


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## Honey-4-All

*Re: Mann Lake*



gfbees13 said:


> t:



You may think so but I'm going to vehemently disagree. When a company cans the guy who "encouraged" people like myself to spend almost 50 thousand bucks a year (over many years may I add) at their place of business through uniquely personalized and competent advice and service I am not about to summarily dismiss such a move as beneficial towards the goal of "good customer service" if that's truly their goal. 

They might want to note that since the "key" guy is gone I have spent around " half of my previous years average(s) during the ensuing period. Any company who is willing to dismiss a handful of 50K dollar a year customers like myself will not be around very long if they keep up the underlying arrogance embodied in the minds of the upper level "employee owners."


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## sqkcrk

*Re: Mann Lake*

If anyone in this Thread knows the whole story, maybe they should tell the rest of us. Otherwise you all may be talking about things you don't know the details of. Why would any company air its dirty laundry in public? I don't know what you all are talking about. Do you? Or are you speculating.

I got two Travel Coffee Mugs. They don't know In don't drink coffee, so they must be hot chocolate mugs.  The last time I stopped in PAC I got a free hat. Partly because I was wearing a MAXANT hat and partly because I said "After spending all that money on boxes I should get a hat too don't ya think?"


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## Rader Sidetrack

*Re: Mann Lake*

> Just wanted you all to know that I did not start this thread. It has also been edited (both words and posts). Was started by gfbees13 whose original post is long gone for some reason.


No, what happened is that _Barry _split the _gfbees13 _thread into _two _threads. Here is the original thread:

http://www.beesource.com/forums/showthread.php?305818-Mann-Lake

Both are still in the _Consumer Report_ forum.


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## Flyer Jim

*Re: Mann Lake*

Well all I know is that the Mann lake store in Woodland Ca. was a lot friendlier a few years back. Got the hat last year, coffee cups this year.


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## Keith Jarrett

*Re: Mann Lake*

Duane & Judy were the Best, got a bunch of bad boxes & frames one time from ML, even posted on Bee Source, Stuart did nothing But, when Duane got wind of it, he asked me to bring in a sample of the products, he called back the next day and gave me a $5,000 credit to the store for all bad woodware I got.

The only two I liked at ML are now out.


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## Adrian Quiney WI

*Re: Mann Lake*

It is good that the employee in question provided great customer service. However, a person's human resource record should always be kept confidential. No matter how curious others are, it is not professional for any employer to disclose the reason why the person's employment ended. In addition to being a matter of privacy for the former employee, there can be legal consequences for an employer who discloses something that might be regarded as libel or slander.


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## snl

*Re: Mann Lake*



Adrian Quiney WI said:


> It is good that the employee in question provided great customer service. However, a person's human resource record should always be kept confidential. No matter how curious others are, it is not professional for any employer to disclose the reason why the person's employment ended. In addition to being a matter of privacy for the former employee, there can be legal consequences for an employer who discloses something that might be regarded as libel or slander.


I agree totally and anyone who has ever worked in a larger company will tell you exactly what you stated. I was always told that if someone called regarding a past employee to refer them to human resources.......


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## Honey-4-All

*Re: Mann Lake*



Keith Jarrett said:


> Duane & Judy were the Best.............The only two I liked at ML are now out.


I personally have had great caring service from other folks at ML. Almost exclusively out of the Woodland office may I add. I personally attribute this to the way the former manager ran the show and worked to make the corporate culture customer friendly. 

For those who do not know.... D and J moved out here from Minn after shutting down his own commercial operation. In my eyes they got the Woodland operation up and running. Yes it can be said that doing so was all based on the support of Minnesota but the front line willingness to listen to the cares and concerns of the customers took a dramatic shift for the positive at ML when they showed up in my back yard.

*Prior to their arrival anytime I brought up any concern the folks at the top blew me off like they hadn't an ounce of customer concern anywhere in their body or their soul. 
* 

This comment is not based on a single incidence either may I confirm. It was a pattern that was nerve racking and the main reason they failed to capture my wallet prior to D's arrival. 


Its not often that you get great caring service when dealing with people high up the food chain in a organization as began to occur with D and J's arrival in Woodland. Soon after they opened I bought over $30,000.00 worth of Mating nucs. Shortly thereafter Dwayne showed up at my place to see how they were working out and wanted to know if their was anything that needed to be changed to make them better. The history of doing small things like that during his tenure helped confirm my money was well spent when done so with ML. 

If any of the top 4 in Minnesotans had done so I would have died of a heart attack on the spot. *They always came across like the bottom line was more valuable than the customer who made it happen. *
Anytime I dealt with them it was like they could care less if I made a buck as long as they were making theirs. 

Think I just might change my hat from "employee owned " to "employee stoned" and send it back with a note asking what the heck happened to one of the best managers in any bee supply house in the nation!!!


:scratch::s


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## RAK

*Re: Mann Lake*

Woodland office seems to be mostly E.European employees?


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## jwisnewski

:scratch::scratch: Hmmm I've never received a gift from Mann Lake and my bank book says I spend too much there.


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## rookie2531

If such a great manager, then word at the competitor must have heard. He or they should be able to walk in and bring customers with them. That's the way I see it anyway.


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## TWall

Just a comment about employee owned companies. I work for an employee owned company. It is set up as a Employee Stock Ownership Plan, ESOP. I earn shares of stock based on my years of service and compensation. I have absolutely no input on hiring, firing, or any other major decision. When I leave the company my stock shares will be bought back by the company. Depending on the value of my shares at separation I will either be paid in a lump sum or over five years.

I am sure there are other ways to structure an 'employee owned' company.

Tom


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## Honey-4-All

TWall said:


> Just a comment about employee owned companies. I work for an employee owned company. It is set up as a Employee Stock Ownership Plan, ESOP. I earn shares of stock based on my years of service and compensation. I have absolutely no input on hiring, firing, or any other major decision. When I leave the company my stock shares will be bought back by the company. Depending on the value of my shares at separation I will either be paid in a lump sum or over five years.
> 
> I am sure there are other ways to structure an 'employee owned' company.
> 
> Tom


Since these "shares" you own are not traded on the open market I was wondering who and how the value at "payday" is determined within these ESOP's ? Book value? Other?


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## TWall

The number of shares is fixed and will not change. The value of the company is determined on an annual basis by an outside firm. The value of a share can then be determined. The number of shares I earn at the end of the year is calculated by a formula using my percentage of the total points for all eligible employees in the company at the end of the year.

Tom


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## Honey-4-All

Thanks for the answer TWall. Interesting! How are these companies compensated... What do they charge? How many folks are employed in such industries within the US. Anyone know?


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