In early 2002, team members from throughout the Barry-Wehmiller organization gathered for a conference to explore the best of our experiences and to move forward in the organization's understanding of motivation and leadership. Many in the organization had long felt that the culture at Barry-Wehmiller was a primary strength of the business and a competitive advantage. The objective of the conference was for each participant to come away with a greater sense of how we can each make Barry-Wehmiller 'the best place for the best people to work. The outcome of the conference was the Guiding Principles of Leadership.

Since their founding in 2002, the Guiding Principles have continued to grow in their importance to the Barry-Wehmiller organization. Dialogues on our culture, called GPL Sessions, have been replicated in every Barry-Wehmiller division and directly involved more than 900 team members. Out of these dialogues have come dozens of ideas to better align the organization's communication and procedures with the Guiding Principles. Barry-Wehmiller associates have also developed additional documents which clarify the vision of the Guiding Principles in specific areas of the organization, including safety, customer relationships, and the role of technology.

Aspiring to the Guiding Principles is a constant journey for the organization and all of its members. In addition to the active support of Senior Leadership, dozens of individuals have accepted a special responsibility for stewardship of these Principles as GPL Coaches. As Barry-Wehmiller continues grow, our culture continues to measure success by the way we touch the lives of people.