The Greenery, Inc. was named the 2018 Employee Owned Company of the Year by the Carolinas Chapter of the national Employee Stock Ownership Plan Association for effectively meeting the criteria of communicating the benefits of employee ownership as it relates to the success of the company. Established in 1973 and based in Hilton Head Island, SC, The Greenery is an employee-owned company in coastal South Carolina and Georgia and nearby regions with comprehensive landscaping services including residential and commercial landscape installation and maintenance, hardscapes, and irrigation.
There are approximately 100 ESOP companies that comprise the Carolinas Chapter in South Carolina and North Carolina and it is part of the national ESOP Association, based in Washington, DC. An employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) is an employee-owner program that provides a company’s workforce with an ownership interest in the company.
In receiving the Carolinas Chapter award, The Greenery demonstrated that it nurtures a sense of ownership among its more than 450 employees. The company celebrates this achievement while also celebrating its 46th Anniversary in February and its 11th anniversary as an employed-owned company.
Lee Edwards, The Greenery’s CEO, stated, “We were honored to be recognized within our ESOP Chapter for both South Carolina and North Carolina for our efforts to educate and encourage our employees about the values and benefits of employee ownership. We believe that every employee owner can contribute to the actual success of their company.”
The company’s Chief Financial Officer, Scott Slawson, oversees the internal committee responsible for communications about the employee stock ownership plan, and stated, “The hard work throughout the year really paid off. The Carolinas Chapter award put us in contention for a national award, and although we did not win it, it was an honor for the whole company to be among the top ESOP groups in the nation.”