The employees are now also the owners at marketing research firm Burke Inc. Cincinnati-based Burke made the transition to a 100 percent employee-owned company by completing a restructuring, buying the remaining stock that was not already owned by its existing employee stock ownership plan.
All company stock is now held in trust by the ESOP for the benefit of Burke's employees. Employee ownership means "We are able to create a true culture of employee empowerment and responsibility,'' says Michael Baumgradner, Burke's president and CEO.
Writer: David Holthaus
Source: Andrea W. Fisher, Burke Inc.
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