Michigan small business owner gives workers $4 million in holiday bonuses

Floracraft employees receive generous Christmas bonuses

LUDINGTON, Mich. – The holidays are a time for giving, and it's also the time when many people wait anxiously for Christmas bonuses.

From employees who have spent a few years on the line to those who have spent upward of four decades at Floracraft, every single one of them is preparing to celebrate Christmas with the bonus of a lifetime.

The family-owned business in Ludington, Michigan, is a manufacturer of foam products for the craft and floral industries. The owner announced he will share nearly $4 million with full-time employees.

The amount each employee takes home will be based on how many years they've spent at Floracraft.

"I knew something was up," employee Bert Daines said. "You kind of sensed that, but it was a real shock. The fact that he did that for everybody, from the guys that have only been here a few years right on up, that was just incredible."

Employees such as Daines, who's been at the company for more than 40 years, will get around $60,000.

"Everybody was just ecstatic," Daines said. "I heard nothing but positive results. People were just counting the money already in their mind, all the things they're going to do with it. For me, that's just slide it into the 401k for retirement."

The company said 25 percent of the bonus will be paid out as cash. The rest will be a 401k contribution.

"I was overjoyed," employee Annie O'Connor said. "It's truly touching that (owner Lee Schoenherr) and his family are so generous to think about not only our immediate financial needs, but our future."


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Derick is the Lead Digital Editor for ClickOnDetroit and has been with Local 4 News since April 2013. Derick specializes in breaking news, crime and local sports.