History of Employee Ownership at FBG
FBG Facility Services has a longstanding commitment to empowering its employees, a core philosophy embedded in the company’s history. This year marks 18 years of FBG being 100% employee-owned, a milestone achieved through a journey that began decades earlier.
1968
The journey toward full employee ownership started back in 1968 when Wayne Simmonds became the sole proprietor of the company. Despite having complete control, Wayne’s vision for FBG extended beyond personal ownership. He believed that true success came from shared responsibility, and with that in mind, he promptly offered shares in the company to key employees, including Sales Manager Dick Matthews, Bookkeeper Kae Turco and Operations Manager Dave Carter.
Reflecting on this decision years later, Wayne remarked, “Ownership is an important motivator; when you own the company, you have a vested interest in its success.” This defining moment set the foundation for FBG’s future.
1972
In 1972, Wayne took another important step by signing an agreement with Western Empire Equity Corporation. This move allowed FBG to offer its employees an optional savings plan. Wayne saw this as a way to help employees plan for their futures. Though it was a modest start, it laid the groundwork for what would soon become a formalized employee ownership structure.
1975
In 1975 FBG transformed its profit-sharing plan into an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), becoming one of the first companies in Omaha to adopt such a program. This was a critical moment in FBG’s evolution, as it ensured that employees could have a direct stake in the company’s success.
1993
Fast forward to 1993, FBG formally announced its ESOP as an IRS-approved retirement plan, providing retirement, death and disability benefits to participating employees.
1994
The first ESOP certificates were shared with staff, solidifying Wayne’s long-time vision for the company and officially establishing FBG as one of only a handful of employee-owned companies in America.
1995
By the spring of 1995, 394 employees received their ownership certificates, marking a key milestone in the company’s journey. During the first ESOP celebration, Wayne emphasized the importance of thinking like owners—prioritizing efficiency, productivity and customer satisfaction. These values continue to shape FBG’s culture today.
2004
On January 9th, 2004, FBG’s ESOP reached majority ownership, further advancing Wayne’s dream of making the company employee-owned. This milestone was the culmination of more than 40 years of hard work.
2006
In September 2006, FBG achieved 100% employee ownership. Of all his accomplishments, Wayne considered this the most gratifying, saying, “I learned the importance of working for more than just a salary long ago. The thing I am most proud of is being able to share ownership with the people whose hard work built the company.”
Today, FBG stands as one of the largest employee-owned companies in its industry. FBG’s story is a testament to the power of shared ownership, where every employee has a vested interest in driving the company forward.