ESS Day at the K: Celebrating the Grind

On Saturday, September 26, ESS employee-owners and their families gathered at Kauffman Stadium for ESS Day at the K, one of the first major moments to bring the ESS | KC Royals partnership to life. 

The day kicked off with a full ESS tailgate before first pitch. Employee-owners rolled in with their own trucks and setups and enjoyed the food, music, and yard games at the tailgate. Many families also got the chance to meet Royals legend Alex Gordon, making the afternoon one to remember before heading into the stadium to watch the Royals take the field. 

The partnership itself is built on the values ESS and the Royals share such as hard work, ownership, and pride. Saturday gave that partnership a real, tangible moment, letting the people who support ESS see what “employee-owned” feels like outside the jobsite. 

The day also spotlighted ESS’ commitment to investing in the next generation of builders. The Royals Foundation presented a $10,000 donation to the ESS Foundation, the employee-owner-led, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization of ESS Companies. Through initiatives like the Justin Gay Memorial Scholarship, the ESS Foundation creates opportunities for students pursuing careers in construction and the skilled trades.

ESS Day at the K was a chance to celebrate the grind, and the people behind it.

From the jobsites where we build roads and infrastructure to the communities where our employee-owners live, work and raise their families, ESS is always building something.