To anyone unfamiliar with The Cianbro Companies, it might seem as though the company has some well-guarded secret that drives its continued growth and success. The truth is, we do! Behind every Cianbro project, you will find one common factor so pivotal that without it, Cianbro as we know it would not exist. So, what is the secret?

“The Cianbro Companies’ growth and success begins and ends with our team members. It boils down to a simple phrase we use here at Cianbro: It’s All About People,” said Pete Vigue, Chairman of The Cianbro Companies. “They take pride in the work they do. Because each team member is an employee-owner, they have a vested interest in seeing our company thrive. The Employee Stock Ownership Plan means that if the company succeeds, our team members reap the rewards from that success. So does the team member next to them, and so on.”

No matter what technology, tools, or equipment the company invests in, none of it would matter without our team members. Day-in and day-out, our team members bring their can-do attitudes to our job sites and offices, performing at a high level to ensure we deliver quality outcomes for our clients, our company, and one another.

In every conference room and team member gathering place across the United States, you will find one message consistently hanging on the walls: “No one in this room is smarter than all of us.” Our team members take that phrase to heart, respecting and welcoming an array of ideas and perspectives, and understanding that each individual brings something new and vital to the table.

What is Cianbro’s Employee Stock Ownership Plan?

Cianbro first began sharing profits with team members in 1964. In the following years, Cianbro’s founders began brainstorming ways to ensure the company’s long-term livelihood after their retirement. The Cianchette brothers considered selling, merging, and taking Cianbro public. In the end, it became clear, the right thing to do was to transfer the ownership to the team members. This significant journey in our company’s history began in 1979 and was carried out gradually to maintain financial stability. In 2004, the company became a 100 percent employee-owned.

In addition to ensuring its future, the company adopted the Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), so that the team members who contribute to the company’s growth can benefit from that success, accumulating a beneficial ownership interest in the company. Here’s how it works: As a 100 percent employee-owned company, each team member participates in the ESOP and shares in the risk and profits of the business. As owners, team members have a vested interest to work more efficiently, safely, and productively to ensure the successful completion of each project. Our company’s future is truly a function of our team members – their vision, skill, and character.

Unlike a 401(k), where companies may match a percentage of what you personally contribute, the profit sharing plan is our way of contributing toward our team members’ retirement. Contributions are made out of the company’s annual profits into team member’s accounts. Our goal is to have consistent growth year over year.

Through the ESOP, team members take responsibility and look out for their colleagues as well as their company. When the company is profitable, it influences our stock value. Achieving profitability begins with team members working safe, being efficient with putting work in place, and working together as a team.

To perform at our best, we must all embrace lifelong learning. By providing our team members with educational opportunities, they develop new skills that enhance their ability to work safely and efficiently while they strive to meet their career goals. This combination of lifelong learning, applying what you learn within your job, and career advancement allows team members to enjoy long, prosperous careers with the company. The longer team members remain with the company, the greater the benefit becomes within the ESOP.

“Individuals who like being part of a winning team really shine here,” said Andi Vigue, President/CEO of The Cianbro Companies. “The team members who take the initiative, are dedicated to their craft and commit to lifelong learning, know that if they succeed, and their team succeeds, the whole company succeeds, then we all succeed. This is where the value of the ESOP model benefits us all. We are fortunate to have team members who are willing to go the extra mile to ensure the job is done properly, efficiently, and safely. In turn, that usually leads to more jobs and growth.

“Our future is entirely in the hands of all of us. From the newest team member hired to the most tenured, we are responsible for holding each other accountable. This means we need to identify and celebrate the good work we see day-in, day-out, as well as coach each other to perform at our best,” added Andi Vigue. “As long as we safely work together as one team, applying ingenuity to our tasks and demonstrate our can-do spirit each day, there is nothing we cannot accomplish together. The sky truly is the limit for your company.”

To read more about our team's accomplishments throughout 2021, take a look through the latest edition of The Chatter at https://issuu.com/cianbro/docs/chatter_winter_2022.

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