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Student business tackles neighborhood tasks Photo by Kara Lofton
The average junior in tal sustainability major college is better known with minors in business for ridiculous behavior and sociology, tries to or pulling all-nighters conduct his business as to finish last-minute simply and sustainably papers, not running a as possible. “We have successful business that a pretty low overhead employs fellow stubecause we use the clidents. Everett Brubaker, ents’ tools,” he explains. though, is into his third “This allows us to bike summer of operating or walk to client homes “BruCrew,” a workforce and means we don’t of young men (and curhave to maintain and rently one woman) that fuel a fleet of vehicles or takes on tasks as diverse expensive equipment.” as assembling furniture, Brubaker, who will babysitting, making enter his senior year at airport runs and basic EMU this fall, doesn’t landscaping. know what will happen The business to the business after he Everett Brubaker has entered his third summer of running “BruCrew,” emerged out of a combi- dispatching fellow students to work at neighborhood odd-jobs. graduates. “I see potennation of two elements. tial for large growth,” After high school, Brubaker he says, “but I’m not exactly supplement things like camp titled the business BruCrew, took a gap year and went on sure where I want to take it.” counseling jobs or to fit beand officially launched under a cross-country road trip with He hopes the vision will gain tween family vacations. Others that name the next summer. a friend. The trip concluded a clarity this summer as he finds are on call for big moving or “There has been a bit of few months before the start of space to dream and look to furniture installation jobs. a learning curve,” he says as classes at Eastern Mennonite the future. — Kara Lofton Brubaker, an environmenhe explains that he had to University, Harrisonburg, Va., figure out how to get a busiin the fall of 2012. Brubaker ness license, pay taxes, keep didn’t think he had enough books and manage any (small) time for a full-time job so he conflicts between workers and advertised himself as an “oddclients. Problems have been job” man. To his surprise, few “because the people I requests poured in and he Mennonite Savings and Credit The Green 30 is based on bring in recognize that the had to enlist a friend to help Union has been selected for how employees perceive their job is a blessing and are pretty handle the workload. a green award by Maclean’s, companies’ environmental driven.” That fall, Brubaker took Canada’s leading news magaefforts as indicated in the Best Full-time BruCrew work an EMU business class called zine. Small and Medium Employer is 20 hours a week, starting “Principles of Management,” The Ontario firm was surveys which MSCU parat $11 per hour and rising to which required developing a chosen for Maclean’s “Green ticipates in each year. A news $12 after the first 60 hours. “I business model. It helped him release from the credit union want to pay them well enough 30” based on how employees think more formally about the perceive their company’s enviadds, “MSCU staff members to be competitive with a fullbusiness opportunity he’d disronmental efforts. have made their voice heard time, minimum-wage job so covered that summer. Brubaker that they can volunteer, read, The magazine (May 26 on our efforts to practice reissue) highlighted two MSCU sponsible stewardship and care spend time with friends and initiatives: solar panels on the for creation.” enjoy their summers as well as Comments? Maclean’s notes that emWaterloo branch rooftop which working,” says Brubaker. He Would you like to comment on have generated the equivaployee involvement is important believes his model allows stuanything in this magazine, or lent CO2 offset of planting to environmental efforts. “Havdents to make enough to be on any other matters relating 345 trees, and “creation care ing them driven by employees able to invest in activities that to business and faith? Send loans” to finance customers’ and incorporated into the corare inherently valuable. your thoughts to solar and geothermal heating porate culture — rather than Most BruCrew members wkroeker@meda.org and energy-upgrade projects. continued on page 23 are transient, working stints to
Staffers help credit union win magazine’s green award
The Marketplace July August 2014
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