What changes when employees are not only part of a company but its owners? At Graybar, employee ownership has fostered a long-term approach to leadership—one that places trust, resilience, shared accountability, and responsibility to future generations alongside financial performance.

In this episode of C-Suite Perspectives, David Young, President of The CEO Center at The Conference Board, speaks with Kathy Mazzarella, Chairman, President, and CEO of Graybar. Mazzarella reflects on joining the company at 19, rising through roles to become CEO, and the defining experiences that prepared her to lead one of North America's largest employee-owned companies.

Together, they explore why leadership is an act of stewardship, how Graybar's ownership culture strengthens engagement and customer loyalty, and why resilience can matter more than an uninterrupted path to the top. They also discuss how leaders can use AI to improve productivity without sacrificing human judgment and trust, why the right decision for employees can also produce stronger business results, and what it means to leave both a company and its people better positioned for the future.

This episode is part of the Leadership in Challenging Times series from The CEO Center at The Conference Board. The series features discussions with the business leaders who are recipients of the Distinguished Leadership Awards.

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