Remembering the source

There is a Chinese saying 饮水思源 (yin shui si yuan) which translate to "When you drink water, remember the source of which it came from". In this ever-liberal world where self-centeredness and the flagrant discarding of values is seen as a virtue on the "god of self-expression and personal fulfilment", it is a rare breed that truly exemplifies the spirit of ethical and responsible business, and never forgetting that it is never about just one person or oneself.

Miami banker gives $60 million of his own to employees (read full article)
BY MARTHA BRANNIGAN
mbrannigan@MiamiHerald.com

Lots of bosses say they value their employees. Some even mean it.

And then there's Leonard Abess Jr.

After selling a majority stake in Miami-based City National Bancshares last November, all he did was take $60 million of the proceeds -- $60 million out of his own pocket -- and hand it to his tellers, bookkeepers, clerks, everyone on the payroll. All 399 workers on the staff received bonuses, and he even tracked down 72 former employees so they could share in the windfall.

For longtime employees, the bonus -- based on years of service -- amounted to tens of thousands of dollars, and in some cases, more than $100,000.

At a time when financial titans are being paraded before Congress to explain how they blew billions on executives' bonuses even as they received a taxpayer bailout, the big-hearted banker's selfless deed stands out.