100% Employee Owned

Golden Artist Colors Employees Celebrate 100% Ownership of the Company

– Columbus, NY, October 1, 2021

As of October 1, 2021, Golden Artist Colors, a global manufacturer of professional artist paints, is proud to announce it is now a 100% employee-owned company.  This transaction culminates a plan put in place in 2002, when the company implemented an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) for staff.  In May 2010, a new phase of the ownership journey began when GOLDEN staff became one of only 4,000 other companies across the entire United States to be majority owned by its employees.

“Implementing 100% ownership for staff is very unique and something our family has dreamt about since the company’s beginning,” said GOLDEN CEO Mark Golden.  “We began on the premise that ‘what you care about will grow’ and Golden Artist Colors has grown many times beyond the dreams we once had as we peered across the fields from my parent’s kitchen. Four decades later it is clear that we’ve grown in the most wonderful ways. It has been through the care and dedication of each of our staff that has joined us on this journey and made this place part of themselves.”

“Time has demonstrated that companies with 100% employee ownership often see greater productivity, higher profitability, and increased revenue,” said Golden.  “These successes tend to continue over time, as employees have a vested interest in the sustainability and overall success of the company.  We’re excited to experience this new phase in the company’s dynamic history!”

An ESOP is an employee benefit plan, which provides company stock to employees as part of their retirement benefits.  As a 100% ESOP owned company, all of the Golden Artist Colors, Inc. stock is now held in trust by the ESOP exclusively for the benefit of the GOLDEN employees.

“Mark and Barbara Golden’s goal was to secure a sustainable future for Golden Artist Colors staff that was beneficial to each of them,” said GOLDEN President & COO, Barbara Schindler. “Employee ownership, when done right, benefits all stakeholders and should be celebrated.  It is a true win/win transaction for all parties involved.”

According to data provided by the National Center for Employee Ownership (NCEO.org), there are approximately 6,600 ESOPs in the entire United States, holding total assets of over $1.4 trillion. ESOPs currently cover over 14 million participants, of whom 10.3 million are active participants (currently employed and covered by ESOP).

To learn more about Golden Artist Colors, go to www.goldenpaints.com.

For additional information about employee ownership, go to www.nceo.org.

Golden Artist Colors Launches New Podcast

Golden Artist Colors Launches New Podcast

Golden Paintworks News

Happenings in and around our company.

Golden Artist Colors Launches New Podcast – Paint Stories – Hosted by Company Co-Founder and CEO, Mark Golden

New Berlin, NY, September 22, 2020
 

 

Golden Artist Colors has launched a new podcast. Paint Stories, a podcast about what has made the journey of the company so special, focuses on the stories of hundreds of amazing artists who have invited Mark and his family into their lives, to share their love of materials and the art world alike.

The first episode of Season 1 features Mark Golden sharing the early history of his Great Uncle Leonard Bocour and his father Sam Golden as they began Bocour Artist Colors in New York City. Future episodes feature interviews with artists, family members and friends reminiscing about gatherings and life events that brought them so close together, shaping their relationships for a lifetime.

“The idea for the Podcast – Paint Stories – came about as we were gearing up to celebrate our 40th year of Golden Artist Colors,” shared GOLDEN CEO, Mark Golden. “I had begun to gather information in various forms, most recently for a lecture at the Midland Center for the Arts in Midland, Michigan. As we moved into March and realized that much of our plans would have to be scrapped and with some unexpected time on my hands, I decided that since everyone was home bound right now, what a wonderful opportunity to connect with many of the folks that helped create the success of Golden Artist Colors! I was also able to put the earlier history of my Dad and Great Uncle Leonard Bocour into some greater context and with stories from my brother Tom, who actually worked at the shop in Manhattan, and later, joined us at Golden Artist Colors.

I couldn’t be more delighted with the response from the artists that were willing to share their stories and connections to both Bocour and Golden Artist Colors. It has brought back so many wonderful memories.”

The company encourages artists to visit Paint Stories and take a listen – tell us what Paint Story you’d like to hear next at [email protected].

To learn more about Golden Artist Colors, its three brands (GOLDEN Acrylics, Williamsburg Oils and QoR Watercolor) and comprehensive product offerings, please visit goldenpaints.com.

About Golden Artist Colors, Inc.

Golden Artist Colors, Inc. is a manufacturer of artist quality materials including colors and mediums for painting in acrylics, oils and most recently, watercolor. With two locations, a 100,000-square-foot facility in rural Columbus, N.Y., and a 45,000-square-foot commercial warehouse and distribution center in Norwich, N.Y., the company’s 224 full-time employees are committed to producing materials that encourage exploration of form and concept, while assuring archival integrity. The GOLDEN brand of acrylics is known for quality and archival integrity as well as being the most innovative and extensive system available. The company also owns Williamsburg Handmade Oil Colors, which is known for its quality and extensive palette of colors including genuine Italian and French earth colors. QoR®, a new, thoroughly modern watercolor is made with an exclusive Aquazol binder, providing more pigment in every brushstroke, as well as color strength, range and versatility unmatched in the history of watercolors. Furthermore, the Custom Lab at GOLDEN serves artists and organizations by formulating materials to fit their needs and purposes. Not only committed to its customers and local community, GOLDEN is dedicated to its employee owners as well. In April 2010, GOLDEN employees became the majority owners of the company and in 2008, the company became a 100% Tobacco Free Campus for staff and visitors. To learn more, call 1-800-959-6543 or visit goldenpaints.com, williamsburgoils.com or qorcolors.com.