Sterling Solutions Launches OwnerUp Employee Stakeholder Program
By giving every eligible employee a stake in the company’s future, the company reinforces a longstanding commitment to its people and its customers
PHOENIX, Ill., May 28, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sterling Solutions, America’s leading manufacturer of sustainably-sourced, domestically produced Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) mats, panels and systems, has launched “OwnerUp”, a broad-based program that makes every eligible employee a stakeholder in Sterling’s long-term success. The program, developed in partnership with Ownership Works and supported by Sterling’s investment partner Blue Wolf Capital Partners LLC (Blue Wolf), is now available to all eligible employees at no cost and in addition to their existing wages and benefits.
Under OwnerUp, Sterling has set aside a meaningful portion of the company’s future value in an Ownership Pool. When activated, eligible employees will receive a cash payout based on their tenure and the company’s performance against a defined set of goals —expected to be worth up to eight months or more of salary.
“Since our founding more than 75 years ago, the Sterling family has built this company by treating every employee as essential to the mission,” said Kaye Ceille, Chief Executive Officer at Sterling Solutions. “OwnerUp is the next expression of that belief. Every person in this company contributes to the value we create every single day, so every person deserves to share in it.”
The launch of OwnerUp deepens Sterling’s long-standing commitment to its workforce while directly advancing the company’s most critical business priorities. Research on programs like OwnerUp consistently shows improvements across the measures Sterling has prioritized: workplace safety, customer service quality, employee engagement and overall retention.
Safety is a cornerstone of Sterling’s culture and values, and as such, is included as a measurable metric within OwnerUp. According to Ownership Works, 75 percent of companies that launched a broad-based employee ownership program reported safety improvements. For a company whose operations span manufacturing facilities and active job sites, that alignment of incentives is critical.
Customer service stands to benefit as well. Employees who think and act like owners naturally bring greater care and accountability to every customer interaction — from the reliability of product delivery to the responsiveness of field teams. Sterling believes OwnerUp will accelerate its already-strong service reputation.
Internally, the data is equally compelling: Ownership Works reports that 77% of companies that launched a shared ownership program saw measurable improvements in employee turnover. For Sterling, retaining the deep institutional knowledge of its experienced workforce is both a competitive advantage and a responsibility — and OwnerUp directly advances both.
“It’s clear from the data that stakeholder programs like OwnerUp simply make workplaces better across the metrics that matter: safety, performance and employee engagement,” said Becky Crum, Director of Human Resources at Sterling Solutions, who drove the implementation of the program. “I’m proud to work for a company that prioritizes its employees and ‘walks the walk’ through a program like OwnerUp.”
Sterling’s OwnerUp program sets performance targets across three company-wide goals, the performance on which will determine employee payouts. The program includes ongoing Ownership Roundtables, quarterly performance updates, financial wellness initiatives, and new channels for employees to share ideas and feedback with leadership.
“Blue Wolf applauds Sterling for launching the OwnerUp program,” said Aakash Patel, a Partner at Blue Wolf. “We are proud to support this initiative and remain deeply committed to innovative human capital programs that help our portfolio companies become strong, sustainable businesses and great places to work.”
The program was developed in partnership with Ownership Works, a nonprofit on a mission to foster economic wellbeing for workers and create thriving workplaces through the power of shared ownership.
About Sterling Solutions
Sterling is America’s leading manufacturer of high-quality, cost-effective Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) mats, panels and systems. Our line of TerraLam CLT products is sustainably-sourced and domestically-produced at our commercial-scale plants in Illinois and Texas.
Our Site Access unit provides full-service matting and bridging solutions to the utility, civil, and commercial construction industries, including Site Access Planning, Environmental Compliance and other consulting services. In some markets, we offer Right of Way Site Preparation and Restoration, Access Road & Pad Construction, Staging & Laydown Yards.
Our Structural unit delivers cost-effective, pre-fabricated mass timber and hybrid structural systems complemented by exceptional technical expertise and project management for seamless delivery making mass timber accessible to the wider AEC industry.
For more than 75 years, Sterling has innovated and delivered sustainable solutions that meet customer needs, create jobs and economic opportunity across the supply chain, and reduce the risk & environmental impact of industrial, commercial and residential construction projects. More information is available at www.sterlingsolutions.com.
About Blue Wolf Capital Partners
Blue Wolf Capital Partners, LLC is a private equity firm that focuses on value investments in middle market companies in the healthcare and industrial sectors. The firm’s integrated team of investment professionals and veteran operating executives work collaboratively to generate returns by driving transformational change using operational and strategic experience. Blue Wolf seeks to invest in businesses that have catalysts for value creation that involve organizational transformation, union or human capital issues, government presence, or the opportunity to use ESG-informed strategies. For additional information, please visit www.bluewolfcapital.com.
Media Contact: Scoville PR for Sterling John Williams jwilliams@scovillepr.com +1-206-660-5503
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