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Culture

People First

WRS was built on a legacy of honesty, integrity, and doing the right thing - even when no one is watching. At WRS, we know that our people are our strength. We understand the importance of being a team, all with different skillsets, working toward the same common goal. The values of Character, Chemistry, & Competency make up our identity, and CEO (and past owner) Ryan Likkel knew that one of the best ways to preserve the identity of WRS through the years to come was to enter into an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), ensuring the people of WRS always come first.


"I made the decision to turn WRS into an employee-owned company because it’s never been about any one individual - it’s always been all about the people. Our people make WRS what it is, so it felt right to put the company into the hands of the people who built it and continue to build it by living out our values every day."

Ryan

Ryan Likkel, CEO

Ownership

Built On Our Values
Owned By Our People

WRS was founded with a can-do attitude by Jerry Libolt in 1982. In the 1990s, Billy VanZanten and Ryan Likkel became Jerry’s partners, and in 2001, Billy and Ryan bought out the company in full from Jerry. In 2003, Ryan became the sole owner of WRS. In 2025, Ryan announced the company would enter an ESOP, and in 2026, WRS officially became an employee-owned company.

billytruck

from humble beginnings

You Bet,
We Can Do That

Our History

The WRS Difference

Employee Testimonials

Picture of Luke Camping
Luke Camping
Site Superintendent, BP

“The decision to make WRS an employee-owned company reaffirmed what we’ve been hearing for years - it’s all about the people...We all have a part to play in the wellbeing of the company, and so there’s a feeling of ‘let’s take care of this.’”

Picture of Chase Leland
Chase Leland
Project Engineer

“Becoming employee-owned in part to preserve the company culture is a huge compliment to the people who built it...There’s an additional level of commitment that comes with ownership. It makes it more personal and gives perspective on how our work helps build toward the future of WRS.”

Picture of Evan Zofkie
Evan Zofkie
Project Manager

“The culture at WRS is a huge factor in why people stay. This is a company that cares about its people, and now being employee-owned, we can be sure it’s going to stay that way well into the future.”

Picture of Ezra Stump
Ezra Stump
Employee Development Leader

“The decision to leave WRS to employees in order to preserve the incredible family-owned atmosphere is a testament to Ryan [Likkel]’s generosity. This decision is an investment in the people who have helped build WRS’s culture, and helps every team member protect that culture while building a strong future.”

ESOP

Build Your Future

Under an ESOP, WRS employees earn company shares each year without out-of-pocket costs. This means that every single employee has a vested interest in the health of the company, and the knowledge that our actions impact every member of our team. We take pride in the ownership of WRS, and feel the responsibility of holding ourselves - and each other - accountable every day to ensure we continue to place value on delivering safe, quality work.

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