Fueling the Ownership Mindset: A Fireside Chat with Lerch Bates Employee-Owners

During the penultimate week of ESOPtober, Lerch Bates hosted a virtual fireside chat that brought together three standout employee-owners: Heath Hayes, Mark Howell, and Ryan Baker alongside moderator John Arther, to share how they live the ownership mindset and help drive the success of our ESOP. All four participants were recognized by their fellow employee-owners at the Lerch Bates Forum last month for their individual and team contributions to the LB ESOP. Their stories, insights, and advice offered a powerful reminder of what it means to be an employee-owner at Lerch Bates.

The conversation centered around how ownership shows up in everyday decisions, client relationships and team dynamics.

“At every role, the discretionary effort that individuals give outside the normal expectation is tremendous, and it’s also contagious,” said Ryan Baker, Area Managing Director and ESOP Outstanding Contributor for 2025. “I think that is what drives our success and sets us apart.”

“Challenges are opportunities,” said Mark Howell, Area Managing Director whose team won three group awards. “How do we reinforce to the client what we can do? You’ll get clients for life by thinking that way.”

And Heath Hayes, Executive Vice President of Building Flow, captured the spirit of ESOPtober in one simple, powerful statement:

“Treat this organization as if it’s your own, because it is.”

Throughout the chat, the panelists encouraged all members of Team LB to take ownership — not just of their work, but of the company’s future. Whether it’s mentoring a colleague, improving a process or strengthening client relationships, every action contributes to the growth of the Lerch Bates ESOP, in turn contributing to the personal wealth of every employee-owner.

To learn more about the Lerch Bates ESOP, a no-cost benefit to every employee, click here. Or, to apply to become an employee-owner, click here.