Acorn rang the NASDAQ closing bell last week. The ceremony was exhilarating and an important way for us to communicate our appreciation for three groups of important people that are betting their future on our success.

Our customers are a unique group of pioneers in the energy industry who trust our companies to solve their problems. As a rule, huge companies like utilities and oil and gas producers do not buy from emerging companies. The old saying “Nobody ever got fired for buying from IBM” still rings true. However our customers are willing to say, “We have to do something different and there is a small company that has the perfect solution.” We want our customers to know that even in these challenging times we have the resources, $16.5 million in cash and marketable securities, to continue to meet our commitments, expand our operations and fund innovation. Most importantly, we want our customers to know we take our responsibility to always come through, and as often as possible to exceed their expectations, very seriously.

Our shareholders, who trust part of their financial futures to us, are the second group. The world of finance is as uncertain as it has ever been. Most company’s “investor” base is a transitory, faceless group of speculators flitting from flower to flower. Acorn however has a loyal base of shareholders who continue to bless us with their patience. We invited many shareholders to attend the bell ringing and the dinner afterwards. Each CEO presented on their company and answered questions. We had a full house and we are gratified to have so many of our shareholders willing to invest their time and attention as well as their capital with us. We are committed to continue to work hard to build value for our shareholders and to offer a high level of transparency into our success.

Acorn’s CEO’s, our 200+ Associates and their families, are the third group. Our CEO’s and their teams are working very hard to create innovations and value for themselves, our customers and our shareholders. Creating new businesses is very hard work and it almost never falls “within the common hours”. Late nights and frequent travel that takes people away from their families is a sacrifice that is critical to our success and greatly appreciated. Seeing their division’s logo on the massive NASDAQ screen on Times Square, hopefully foreshadows the day when the financial rewards will arrive in spades.

http://www.nasdaq.com/reference/200905/market_close_052009.stm

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In the meantime these photos go in the scrapbook. I hope we will look back on these photos in a few years and fondly remember how we built some really important companies and had a lot of fun doing it.