Bushnell Sentry

Bushnell Sentry

In the last year, I have looked at a lot of safe manufacturing companies, and one that impresses me most is Sentry Safe. Like Sentry, almost all of the companies I have looked at make excellent products, but Sentry stands apart for other reasons. In general terms, it is because they are a company that cares, they care about their family, their employees and their community. Let's take a look at how Sentry, a global company, manifests this caring and makes a difference in their part of the world.

Family Sentry Safe cares about family by remaining a family owned business. The company was started in 1930 during the Depression, not an easy time to be starting a business. But it succeeded, and it didn't have to go public to do so. Today, company leadership is in its third generation of the Brush family, and the company is still going strong with innovative new designs and excellent customer service, and I believe part of the success is because family comes first.

Employees Next, they really care about their employees. Their employes take pride of working for the Brush family, and Sentry Safe gives them good reason with many perks and personal touches that are not offered by very many companies. Besides competitive wages and benefits package, they also have an employee fitness center which, besides weights and cardio equipment, also includes a sauna, jacuzzi and pool. They make an extra effort with their employees because they recognize that they are Sentry's best resources and they base their relationship on mutual trust, respect and confidence.

Community I was initially impressed with Sentry Safe's family and employee focus, but when I learned about what they do for their community, I knew they stood apart. It would be putting it mildly to say that they are active in their community. Now, there are many ways to make an impact on a local community, many good charities and causes that need help. So, how do you choose? Sentry Safe found the solution by becoming a major supporter of their local United Way, of which Jim Brush, Sentry Safe CEO, is a board member.

A communities United Way's mission is to "magnify and focus the power of community resources to address our most pressing social needs." They don't just try to prevent problems, they also try to intervene, to find solutions to help others avoid the suffering caused by such problems. The Rochester United Way strives to help individuals, by giving them an opportunity to rebuild their lives. Some of the local problems they address include: homelessness, child abuse, street violence and low high school graduation statistics. By supporting such a great cause, the Sentry Safe company is helping many different needs in their community.

How does Sentry Safe contribute to the United Way of Great Rochester? In 2009, they set many goals and ways that the company, as a whole and as individuals, could make a difference. The first goal set was to raise $178,000. They recognized that this could be difficult in today's economy, so they devised ways, such as an auction, a raffle, and by encouraging employees to donate time to the United Way by volunteering on their Day of Caring to work on a community project. They also matched any donations made by their employees, and offered special prizes for early returned pledge forms and a paid day off for first time gifts of $500 or more.

The United Way of Greater Rochester is just one of many community nonprofit organizations that Sentry Safe supports. Like many other companies, they also support other local organizations, schools and clubs.

I think that the active part that Sentry Safe plays in their community, and their concern for family and employees, really sets them apart from many other companies, as well as making them a role model for others to follow.