MAKING MOVES


Rendering of new student union building at HHS


Pictured at the new program launch are Kelly LoBianco, LA County; Holly Mitchell, LA County District 2; and Anne-Merelie Murrell and Nataline Lomedico, Giroux Glass’s former and current CEO / President, respectively.


Giroux Glass Recognized at LA County’s New Employee Ownership Program Giroux Glass was selected to host an event that announced a new service offered by a partnership between Te Los Angeles County Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) and Project Equity. Te new program, “Employee Ownership LA County,” launched


on November 29, 2023, and is offered through DEO’s Office of Small Business - Small Business Concierge. Its goal is to help business owners explore their options to sell their company to their employees, while preserving jobs and sustaining wealth opportunities. Te free consultation service will feature education, technical assistance, and direct transition support for participating businesses and workers. Te service aims to preserve legacy small businesses and create


opportunities for shared ownership, wealth generation, and economic mobility - for both workers and business owners - throughout Los Angeles County. Supervisor Holly Mitchell of Los Angeles County District 2 was on site to announce the DEO program and identified it as a priority for the district because of its history of building wealth for workers and bolstering locally owned businesses. Also present was Kelly Lo- Bianco, Director of Los Angeles County’s Department of Economic Opportunity, who said, “We are excited to add this service to our Small Business Concierge and build understanding and momentum around this pathway.” Supervisor Mitchell recognized Giroux Glass as a beacon of excel- lence and presented the company with its inaugural DEO “Employee Ownership Commemorative Award.” Concerns about succession and employee financial well-being led


to Giroux Glass becoming an ESOP company in 2006. Anne-Merelie Murrell purchased the company in 1991 from Louis Giroux, who had started his small glass company in 1946. By the time she considered her retirement, the business had grown exponentially in sales and work scope and had opened new offices in Nevada and Southern California. She initially considered selling the company but decided instead to reward the employees who had achieved the company’s success and to give them company shares. In 2015, Murrell named then CFO, Nataline Lomedico, to replace her


24


CALIFORNIA CONSTRUCTOR JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024


Blach Construction Breaks Ground on New Student Union Building Blach Construction recently celebrated the ground- breaking of a new Student Union Building at San Benito High School District’s Hollister High School (HHS). Te tenth largest high school in California, its growing student body currently sits at nearly 3,500 students. Tis much-needed new facility will provide HHS with multi-purpose gathering spaces, including a state-of- the-art kitchen and food service area. Designed by Aedis Architects, the 8,500 sq. ft. Student


Union Building utilizes a customizable steel building structure to expedite the project timeline and minimize structural framing costs. It comprises a kitchen and food service space, as well as multiple state-of-the-art indoor multi-purpose areas and an expansive and inviting exterior quad where students can gather, study and eat. Construction on the new HHS Student Union Build- ing is expected to complete in Fall 2024. It is one of many transformative projects by the District Blach and Aedis on the HHS campus, which have also delivered a Science and Robotics Lab classroom building, a Career Technical Education (CTE) Center, several Athletics facilities, and more.


as CEO and president. Te company became 100% employee owned in 2017, and former employees became partners. Te company has consistently ranked on “best companies to work for” lists and a top glazing company nationally, expanded into Arizona during the pandemic, and plans to achieve its highest sales revenue in its history this year. “We call our employees ‘partners’ for good reason,”


commented Lomedico. “When we each do our best, we all succeed. Our clients know that when they talk to any one of us, they’re talking to an owner with accountability. We applaud this DEO service being offered by the County. Our story illustrates the success that small businesses can achieve, while providing employees the security of financial stability for their retirements, and owners a viable succession plan and greater employee retention and engagement.”


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28