Why

The world we live in today is facing seemingly insurmountable problems, all anchored in a widening wealth gap; increasing rates of income inequality, and a growing population of those left behind by an evolving economy operating without them in mind. There is more inequality in both the United States right now than in the last 50 years, and the influence’s on today’s economy are set to grow the number of people left behind. Howard recognizes income inequality as a connecting factor to many major issues facing the global community; from childcare affordability, the opioid crisis, to food and housing insecurity. 

Brodsky is working to influence change in this area by leading businesses and nonprofits combating major issues influencing inequality.

At the heart of Howard’s work is the fight for the survival of independent, family-owned businesses. These businesses are the fabric of the national economy, and in the last decade following the financial crisis, have seen the biggest rates of business failures, across the country. 

Even once untouchable giants of the twentieth century like Sears, Blockbuster, Circuit City, K-Mart and more couldn’t survive. The family business community faces even higher stakes of intensifying competition from massive corporations like Walmart and online retailers like Amazon, Wayfair, and other industry disruptors. They are challenging traditional retail where so many local people are engaged as owners of, or employees at, small businesses. 

To keep family business viable requires massive investment and a level of sophistication and scale in technology, marketing, and buying beyond the capabilities any single business can achieve on their own. CCA Global is directly addressing this issue by harnessing the power of scale to get technological and financial supports in place to boost local family businesses’ ability to compete. Brodsky is leading a strong vision at CCA Global to keep the entrepreneurial spirit alive and stay on the front lines of finding innovative solutions to keep local businesses viable, competitive, and successful regardless of industry. 

Howard sees the contemporary cooperative business model as a value-creating business engine for people and their communities to retain their identity and ensure their communities are the ultimate beneficiaries of success. Realizing this vision is led by CCA Global continuing to grow its support of family-owned businesses in many new sectors lacking the scale and connection to ensure these businesses stay competitive. The vision is to use this shared ownership model to uniquely solve the major problems facing businesses and communities today.

Howard was born in Lawrence, Massachusetts son of a Russian immigrant, and raised in Manchester, New Hampshire. Deep roots in his community and an early dream to carry on his father’s dream to own a local business sparked a lifelong mission to build up local entrepreneurs. Early adversity was a major catalyst for Howard, he lost his father when he was only thirteen years old, but his memory fueled a lifelong passion for and commitment to small business and the community in which he lives. 

Howard took over the family business, Dean’s Carpet, right after college and within a few years realized his long-term success was threatened. He saw challenges for himself and other family businesses at the heart of the community facing consolidation and insurmountable competition from big box stores. This inspired Howard to co-found the Carpet Cooperative of America with Alan Greenberg, what would become CCA Global Partners, to bolster their ability to compete against the growing threat of national chains and big box stores. Howard developed a cooperative business solution at CCA Global to bring scale without sacrificing the independence of the family businesses that would become their members. Shared ownership through the cooperative structure of CCA Global was key to leveling the playing field for the family business owners.