

Owners Session: Turning Culture Into Ownership
Long before transitioning to an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT), Cypress Valley Meat Co. spent years developing a culture grounded in transparency, shared responsibility, and a simple belief: when the company succeeds, the people doing the work should share in that success.
In a hands-on, operational business with a frontline workforce, those values show up through open-book financials, recognition programs, and profit-sharing that help employees see how their work connects to the company’s performance.
When the leadership team began thinking about long-term ownership, they saw an opportunity to strengthen those practices through an EOT.
Join Common Trust CEO Zoe Schlag for a conversation with Cypress Valley CFO Ben Wihebrink about how Cypress Valley’s transition to employee ownership reinforced the culture already in place — and how that transition has shaped the company today.
Together, we’ll explore:
How Cypress Valley developed a culture of transparency and shared success
What the leadership team considered when evaluating ownership options
How company scorecards, open-book financials, and profit-sharing connect employees to performance
What has — and hasn’t — changed since becoming employee-owned
We hope to see you there!
Can’t join live? A recording will be shared with everyone who registers.