Do ESOPs lead to more engaging cultures? We think so, and Connie Burnette, Wiley|Wilson Vice President and Department Manager, Accounting and HR, explained how in a panel discussion at The ESOP Association’s Employee-Owned 2019 conference in Las Vegas.

“Wiley|Wilson employee-owners really embody the ownership mindset,” Connie said. “We take our roles as employee-owners seriously and it shows in how we work with clients and each other. Everyone has a true, vested interest in how successful the company is and in how our fellow employee-owners are doing. That heightened level of engagement is a hallmark of our culture.”

During her panel discussion, Connie used examples of how Wiley|Wilson fosters engagement and suggested ways other ESOP companies can grow their own cultures. “One of the biggest contributors to our engaged culture is regular and open communication,” Connie explained. “We have in-person quarterly meetings in all of our offices, an annual ownership retreat (Ownerfest), and regular discipline roundtables so everyone knows what is happening with the company.”

Connie is a recognized ESOP expert, both at Wiley|Wilson and in the larger employee-ownership community. She has served on the Executive Committee of the State and Regional Chapter Councils of the ESOP Association and as president of the ESOP Association’s Mid-Atlantic Chapter. Connie was named Employee-owner of the Year in 2012 and is frequently asked to participate in panel discussions and to serve as a judge of the Annual Awards for Communications Excellence (AACE) entries.

About the Employee-Owned 2019 Conference
The ESOP Association’s Employee-Owned 2019 Conference is the premiere event for employee-ownership education. This annual event has attracted more than 28,000 attendees and certified more than 50,000 Continuing Professional Education (CPE) credits in its nearly 30-year span.