Hartford Business Journal Special Editions

FBA-8 Hartford Business Journal • October 13, 2014 www.HartfordBusiness.com 2014 Connecticut Family Business Awards 1st Place Winner By Kathryn M. Roy W indsor Marketing Group, an in- store shopper marketing agency that works with leading retailers throughout the U.S., doesn't make critical business decisions in a vacuum. "Everything is tied to social responsibil- ity," said CEO Kevin Armata, who founded Windsor Marketing Group, based in Suffield, in 1976. "As opposed to making decisions under a pure capitalist model, you look at a lot more stakeholders. When we make a decision, we look at how it is going to affect people — customers, the community, our suppliers, and how it's going to impact the environment." Armata said they look at the impact of everything they do before making any kind of business decision. "When you build that into your culture, it gives you a far better output for quality of life for your people," he said. "It's not a short-term vision; it's more of a long-term vision." Concern for how the company impacts those around it extends to the treatment of his employees. "It's knowing everyone on a first-name basis," he said. "Talking to everyone and not having them walk into your office to talk to you; you go out into the workplace to talk to them. My morning starts around 6:30 each day — walking through the plant and talking to people." The company organizes lunches on a weekly basis with supervisors and managers. "We all eat lunch together and just talk about what's going on," Armata said. "It's about being an active listener, not a passive listener." The company organizes company outings and social events for families. It also bought a corporate membership to Suffield Country Club, allowing each full-time employee and their family to enjoy the benefits of the club all year long. "It's good for the community and great for our people," Armata said. Armata said the positive work culture is one of the reasons Windsor Marketing Group has so many long-term employees. The com- pany's uncontrolled turnover rate — mean- ing, those who choose to leave completely on their own — is less than 2 percent annually. "Fifty percent of those who leave try to get back in within six months of when they leave," he said. "We're doing something right for people to have that feeling of wanting to come back." As a family-owned business, Windsor Marketing Group does what it can to support commu- nity organizations. Chief Mar- keting Officer Philip West said Armata and the company have their hands in lots of things. "We've partnered with com- munity-based organizations such as Foodshare and Hilltop Farm," West said. "We support the Jimmy Fund Pan Mass Chal- lenge. Kevin sits on the Suffield Police Commission. We've dedicated part of our building to the Windsor Locks (Police) K9 unit, because we had some open space." Windsor Marketing Group donated $10,000 it raised through a golf outing towards Hilltop Farm's efforts to protect nesting bald eagles on the Hilltop Farm property and has had employees spend a day on the property, doing work to fix it up. "For us, actions speak louder than words," West said. "It's who we want to be, and how we want to do business. We want to engage and motivate the workforce. You feel good about yourself and proud of your company." Armata lists one of his biggest accom- plishments as weathering the economic downturn without laying off a single employ- ee or cutting anyone's salary. When business was down significantly in 2008, Windsor Marketing Group embarked on an ambitious expansion, using its own employees to help build the structure. "We're very much expanding," he said. "We currently have 22 positions open. There are some management positions, some technolo- gy-based positions, marketing, and business development." The company is currently exploring the option of adding 100,000 square feet to the facility, or creating another facility in Mas- sachusetts. The company has made an invest- ment in its Windsor Locks facility, with $2.5 million in new press equipment. West said while he is newer to the com- pany than many of the employees, he knew as soon as he came on board that it was dif- ferent and refreshing. "It's a family run company that is in it for the long run, rather than the quarterly results," West said. "It's unique. It's something another company can strive for or replicate." Windsor Marketing emphasizes social responsibility Windsor Marketing Group employees attending the Sept. 13 Harvest Dinner event in support of Hilltop Farm in Suffield. Windsor Marketing CEO Kevin Armata stands with then governor M. Jodi Rell at a construction ceremony of its Suffield building back in 2008. WMG employees consulting on a client project. STATS: Name: Windsor Marketing Group Location: Suffield Industry: Retail Marketing Founded: 1976 Founder: Kevin Armata Full-time employees: 100+ Family members employed by company: Kevin Armata (husband), CEO; Donna Krikorian, (wife), chief information officer; Danny Armata (son), client services Website: www. windsormarketing.com CATEGORY: 76-169 full-time employees WMG is exploring adding 100,000 square feet to its Suffield facility, or creating another in Massachusetts.

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