By Terry Biener

While he could be considered a highly driven, successful visionary, Mark Dorfman, the CEO and co-founder of Oberlander Dorfman, Inc., is not your typical businessman. He believes in having fun, surprising people, and thinking “outside the box.” And sometimes, his antics take him way outside the box.

ODI is a family-owned insurance brokerage house in Lynbrook, NY, in business since 1988. They employ a staff of 20, which includes underwriters, product specialists, financial experts, computer gurus, administrative assistants, sales people and even a medical director.

Keeping employees happy has always been important to this family. “The best investment we ever made would be, without a doubt, the people who work here,” said Dorfman. “They are instrumental in our making business run smoothly. There are many clients who do business with me, not because of me, but because of the people they interact with when they call.”

So whenever possible, ODI’s founders – Mark Dorfman, his brother, Bart, his sister, Lori Vines, and their mother, Ceil Oberlander – find ways to show appreciation. Over the years there have been holiday parties, barbecues, spontaneous days off, luncheons, gifts from overseas business trips, and Continental breakfast every Friday.

But the piece de resistance took place at the “important all-day corporate meeting,” on Thursday, November 30, 2006. Everyone was notified three weeks prior, without specifics, other than, “You won’t want to miss this.” Over the next few weeks, clues like, “If you go, you cannot leave early,” “Wear comfortable clothing,” “Some physical work is involved but it won’t hurt,” and “It’s a team-building retreat,” were emailed. By the end of those weeks, most were convinced that the company had adopted a highway and the staff would be cleaning it up as a group project.

At 10 AM on Thursday, everyone was called into the conference room. Each person was handed an envelope that contained $500 in cash. The deal was this. Management would drive everyone to Roosevelt Field Mall, where each person had until 4 PM to spend the money on themselves! That meant no gifts for others, no saving it for bills, just a personal, frivolous shopping spree. At 4 PM they would all meet for coffee, and show their purchases. Any money not spent would be sent to a charity.

Emotions ran deep at many levels. Tears were shed. Squeals were heard. For some, like a single mother of three, it was unthinkable to splurge all that on herself – literally a dream come true. For others, like a woman with a health issue, it was a stress-free, be-good-to-yourself day that let her escape from her doldrums. And, on this day, everyone at ODI was equal, from the recently employed part-timer to full-time professional boasting years with the company. This was not their year-end bonus.

At 4 PM, everyone re-gathered, toting shopping bags, amazed at how far their money had stretched. Purchases included clothing, boots, designer handbags, spa services, electronics and those too-expensive-unnecessary-items one would never consider buying.

What made this so special were the many positive results it proffered. Management reaped the gift of giving, watching happy faces, and feeling like heroes. Staffers received a variety of gifts – a day off from work, a stress-free escape, and of course, whatever they spent their cash on. Friendships were strengthened and bonds were formed, spending hours together in such a non-work-related atmosphere. Better than a receiving a gift certificate, which so often gets lost, forgotten or given away, this was mandatory, on-the-spot shopping. Since that day, many at ODI have noticed a warm glow that seems to linger.