NAILING DOWN A DREAM BOSS GIVES WORKERS' KIDS CHANCE AT COLLEGE.

NORTH HOLLYWOOD - Word spread quickly through the lunchroom that the boss was at it again: opening his heart and his wallet to the people who work for him.

A few months earlier, George Schaeffer had offered $1,000 in financial assistance to each of his 250 employees to help send their children to college.

Now, the president and chief executive officer of Odontorium Products Inc., a North Hollywood nail polish company, was offering to buy 40 new computers to give his employees' children.

All the kids had to do was write an essay on their dreams.

His own dreams as a 10-year-old Hungarian refugee, coming to this country with his family in 1958 with little more than the clothes on their backs, had already come true, and now it was payback time.

``We all sat around the lunchroom kind of in shock, talking about what George wanted to do for our kids, but that's the kind of man he is, a family man,'' said Janet Burras, a nail technician at OPI.

``As a single mom trying to raise two teen-age daughters, there's no way I could afford a new computer, but that's what my kids need to get ahead in school, and George knows it.''

Yvonne Padilla, who works in the accounting department at OPI, said her 8-year-old daughter, Victoria, broke down in tears when she learned that her essay about becoming a writer someday won her one of the computers Schaeffer is giving away today.

``She was so ecstatic and got very emotional because a computer is something she has wanted so badly,'' Padilla said. ``We promised to buy her one when she was older and we could afford it, but now she doesn't have to wait.''

Victoria can start working on her dreams right now, Schaeffer said Monday.

``When I started this business 20 years ago, I was the only employee,'' said the 53-year-old businessman. ``We grew slowly, and I could see that the most valuable asset I had was my employees.''

Schaeffer's company, with more than $50 million in annual sales, was featured in a People magazine article as the top, high-fashion nail polish business in the country.

``I've been able to see my dreams come true, and now I'm trying to make my employees' dreams a reality, too. After all, what do we do in life and work so hard for as parents if not to better our children?

``I know a lot of my employees are working hard to get their kids through school, and without a good computer the kids are at a big disadvantage.''

When he started reading the essays, Schaeffer said, he was moved to tears.

``Children don't lie,'' he said. The little girl dreaming of being a writer wants to help Latinos take pride in their heritage and to make society a better place.

``As I read them all, I thought back to my own fears and insecurities as a child refugee coming to America without any money.

``My 15-year-old daughter, Nicole, sat down with me to read a few of the essays and wound up reading them all. She was touched by every one of them. It made her appreciate what she has.''

Schaeffer realizes he gets something out of helping his employees make their kids' dreams come true. He gets hard-working, loyal employees.

``I warn everybody that if you get past the 90-day probationary period, you're stuck here for a long time,'' he said.

But it's true, Padilla and Burras say. When you're working for a guy who cares about his employees and helps their families and them have every educational opportunity to get ahead, you don't leave.

``It's rare today, but George is a boss who's not just interested in how business is doing, but how his employees' families are doing, too,'' Burras said.

``He makes you want to stay and do a good job.''

And isn't that nice to hear for a change?

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Photo:

George Schaeffer, center, a North Hollywood nail polish producer, gives employees 40 new computers for their children.

Gus Ruelas/Staff Photographer