The accounting firm Adams, Brown, Beran and Ball, Chartered has, for the past two-plus years , made donations to the firm’s FISH Fund – monetary donations made to individuals, families and organizations in need.

With an office in Great Bend, ABBB has made contributions to organizations and individuals in Great Bend, Lyon, LaCrosse and Ness City, as long

The FISH Committee was formed, and named, based on the principles discussed in the teamwork book FISH, authored by Stephen C. Lundin, PhD, Harry Paul and John Christensen. The mission of the Committee is to generate and share ideas for promoting a positive work environment at ABBB, as well as to encourage the implementation of both firm-wide and individual office activities that boost morale, encourage laughter and team work, and create positive energy.

In 2007, the FISH Committee established an employee-generated fund with the goal of enhancing the quality of the firm’s local communities by providing assistance to charitable groups, organizations, communities and individuals where there is a need. The primary focus is to fund programs that support family, children, safety, community improvement and disaster relief in the communities they serve.

Funding priorities must meet the following requirements to be considered:

• The organization must be based in an ABBB service area and/or serve residents of an ABBB service area.

• The organization/individual should not duplicate or significantly overlap the work of government agencies on the federal, state or local level.

• The project for requested funds will be used for one of the established five focus areas mentioned above.

The FISH Fund is accumulated through money donated by ABBB employees. One way the firm has collected money is through a monthly "Jeans Day," which allows employees to wear blue jeans to the office if they donate to the Fund. All money from the Fund is separated into firm-wide and individual office amounts.

To distribute the accumulated funds on a firm-wide basis, employees may submit funding requests to the FISH Committee. At the end of each quarter, the Committee reviews each request and determines the contributions and recipients. Individual offices may donate from their accumulated funds at any time.

Since its inception, and through June 2010, the FISH fund has distributed more than $12,000 to individuals, families and communities throughout the state.

Founded in 1945, Adams, Brown, Beran & Ball has 12 locations throughout Kansas.