Honored Leader: Michael P. Mulqueen, Executive Director
Company Name: Greater Chicago Food Depository
Location: Chicago, Ill.
Nature of Business: Not-for-profit organization that distributes
millions of pounds of food to needy adults and children.
Founded: 1978
Revenue: $11-25 million
Growth Rate (2002): 6.7 percent
Number of Employees: 104
Average Tenure: 10 years
Key Workplace Programs:
- Employees in leadership roles
- Open-book management
- Accessible leader
- Internal newsletter
- Company-wide meetings
- Diverse workplace
- Employee recognition programs
- Employee of the month/year
- In-house training programs
- Company social events
- Volunteer program
- Cross-department collaboration
Mulqueen on leadership: "To be a good leader, you must first be a
good follower. That means, you must be the best, most knowledgeable person
within your organization. You must know your job exceedingly well and then
strive to know the organization well. Beyond this, I think it is important
that leaders take care of their people and do everything they can to provide
a motivating work environment. Leaders need to be very focused on the mission
and be able to help others connect their work – whatever the tasks
might be – to that mission."
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