Ok, that's interesting. I wonder what is the common thread among those three. Could it be benevolent founders who don't hand the reins over to investment partners?
Yes on the first two, until Ben and Jerry retired and sold to some multiconglomerate, and since Paul Newman died, some question the direction of the company. Costco is public, but they currently get away with there being a relatively small spread between the CEO and the lowest paid fulltime employee (less than 10x?). Bob's Red Mill might be considered somewhat in the same vein, the owner/CEO recently retired and gave the company to the employees. Tangentially the only non billionaire owned major sports team in the USA is the Green Bay Packers which has shares that are owned by locals.
