All in on ownership: ESOP Month 2024

What a month! October was Employee Ownership Month (ESOP Month), and we went all in on ownership. From epic initiatives to real talk with our leaders, this month was all about showcasing the benefits of our Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP).

The ownership mindset

At Emery Sapp & Sons (ESS), the profits of the company go back to the people who put in the hard work. As we grow, we’re committed to a culture where everyone owns their career.

Employee ownership builds wealth across the entire company, not just for the leaders. “Out of all of our employee-owners who have more than a million dollars in their ESOP accounts, 63% of them work in the field,” said Amy Allen, chief administrative officer and general counsel. “They dig ditches, they operate big heavy machinery, they are craft workers.”

In case you missed it, ESS was named a 2024 Employee-Owned Company of the Year by the Heart of America Chapter of The ESOP Association. Our 25-year-old ESOP has strengthened our mission to change lives through employee ownership. 

ESOP Month 2024

This year, we rolled out an exciting campaign to educate, engage and celebrate our incredible employee-owners.

“Our ESOP Month celebration was a testament to the strength and dedication of our employee-owners,” Allen said. “By educating and engaging our teams, we establish an ownership mindset that carries through the company.”

Engage, educate and celebrate

Each week, we sent employee-owners emails packed with information and excitement. Part of the weekly email was a video series where our fellow employee-owners shared their ownership stories. These videos empowered and inspired the ownership mentality. New ESOP-focused collateral helped employee-owners understand what they owned through ESOP definitions.

In an opportunity for transparency and dialogue, C-Suite executives hosted a roadshow. They traveled to each of our regional locations including Columbia, Springfield and Kansas City, Missouri; Springdale, Arkansas; and Scottsdale, Arizona. They chatted with teams, answered burning questions and celebrated our employee-owners.  

We also hosted Family Fun Days celebration events across the Midwest where employee-owners could kick back, enjoy good food and have fun with their families. We even launched a photo contest, encouraging everyone to share their experiences. Winners walked away with some sweet prizes.

Though October is over, our commitment to ownership doesn’t stop here; we own it every day.