Ernest Packaging Solutions - Ernest Brand Council
By Tim Wilson, CEO
When brothers Ernest and Charles Wilson founded Ernest Paper Products in 1946, they didn’t know they were also creating a culture. What these two decorated WWII veterans did understand were the values instilled in them at a young age: always put people and family first, and make real connections.
The philosophy worked.
From their humble, depression-era beginnings selling boxes out of a garage in Los Angeles, Ernie and Chuck began building something great. Over the next several decades, the duo continued to grow the business at a steady pace while retaining an extended family feeling within both the employee and leadership ranks. This included welcoming Chuck’s son Tim Wilson on board, who worked his way to become President of the company in 1990.
The late 90’s through 2008 marked a significant period of growth for Ernest, both in technological advances and the expansion across the United States. During this time, the company made over 30 acquisitions, amounting to over one per year. It was clear that Ernest was becoming not just a commodity paper company but a solver of business problems, which prompted the name-change to Ernest Packaging Solutions.
The business now spans 12 locations nationwide and we are over $250 million in sales. This roll up strategy created a very frustrating climate as we acquired family businesses that had their own culture. Blending them into Ernest and pushing our culture on them did not work. We had to find a different way, a more innovative solution to get back to the values instilled by Ernie and Chuck. A solution that truly made the employees the keepers of the culture. A forum where everyone could speak and be heard, honestly and candidly. A place where geographical distances were irrelevant, where communication was simple, and where voices were heard from the employees up, as well as from the executive team down.
Enter the Ernest Brand Council, known inside Ernest as the EBC.
What began at the brainchild of Tim Wilson in 2011 soon turned into a driving force for unity across the entire company. Spearheaded by longtime employee Linda Rodriguez, the council’s first chairwoman and “foremother,” the EBC is a team of passionate individuals that are truly the keepers of Ernest culture. With 26 volunteers representing every division and every position, each serving for a two-year period, this group is not only the eyes and ears of what’s going on within Ernest. They’re the voice of innovation, a driving force for improving processes, champions of employee recognition, and true leaders in employee involvement.
Rather than preaching or laying down rules, the EBC is dedicated to making sure each and every voice is heard. By fusing the company into one great community, they’re able to turn small ideas into big realities, actively live the shared ideals and inspire their peers to do the same. This spirit of inspiration prompted council members to create the Ernie Awards, aka “The Ernies,” to recognize the outstanding achievements of individuals across the entire company.
In addition to creating this annual peer recognition celebration, the EBC was also responsible for founding a number of initiatives, including “Givemember,” the Insider, and the Ideation Committee. “Givemember” allows the company to sponsor a different national cause every year by engaging each division to support its local community. This year, the EBC chose the campaign of giving school supplies to local elementary schools that educate the homeless and disadvantaged families in each of the communities where we are located. The Ideation Committee works within the walls of Ernest by championing the business improvement ideas from every level within the company. And by helping those ideas become a reality. The Insider is our communication vehicle that celebrates all the great deeds and acts of our team. It is our Ernest “Facebook/Instagram.”
Today, the EBC remains dedicated to affecting positive change within the company, giving back to the community, and encouraging and educating others. They continually strive to foster an environment of support, learning, and collaboration. The group that began as a response to a negative has become something beyond just a positive solution for the culture at Ernest.
The EBC has become a vital part of the culture. Part of the Ernest family. As Linda Rodriguez often says, “We’re all just trying to make the world a little more Ernest.”
With a waiting list for volunteers who want to represent their respective divisions as EBC members, Ernest has come full circle. The council has been instrumental in growing the business from 300 employees at its inception to over 500 today. The most impressive part of this transformation? These people stay with Ernest. The average employee tenure is 15 years—a true testament to the strength and value of their influence.
And what do the surveys say? Ernest has steadily increased their employee NPS score since founding the EBC, from 25 in 2001 to 37 today. It’s proof positive that the values on which Ernie and Chuck founded the company back in 1946 are not only still in play. They’re stronger than ever. Because they’re coming from a place that’s true. From the heart and soul of the company.
From a place that’s Ernest.