Story

Meet Benny and Cindy: Spreading Good Vibes Through the Tribe

Benny Young and Cindy Santiago are spearheading engagement through the power of workplace culture and collaboration. Their lively approach, rooted in connection and shared purpose, is driving tangible growth across the organization.

Diversity & Inclusion People Sustainability Nov 14, 2025

Tapping into different voices, perspectives, and experiences helps businesses solve problems, reveals new opportunities to grow, and encourages contributions that better support people and communities. At Henkel North America, diversity is a path to progress, innovation, and impact. Our employees and partners are united by our purpose: Pioneers at heart for the good of generations. They collaborate to tackle challenges, find solutions and open new perspectives – allowing us to deliver products, services, and innovations that enrich and improve everyday life.

We invite you to “meet” our pioneers in our series, “Pioneers for Good.”

Benny Young and Cindy Santiago

In this story, you will learn:

Introducing Benny Young and Cindy Santiago

At Henkel’s Salisbury, NC facility, Benny Young, Materials Supervisor, and Cindy Santiago, Senior HR Manager, share a powerful belief: growth begins with people feeling valued. For them, success isn’t just measured in numbers—it’s about building a culture where every voice matters and every person feels seen.

“Inclusion is the foundation of a thriving workplace. When people feel seen, heard, and valued they bring their best selves to work,” says Cindy.

Benny and Cindy share what being a pioneer at heart for the good generations means to them

YouTube Thumbnail Benny Young and Cindy Santiago (Thumbnail)

Bringing Forth Good Vibes

Benny and Cindy saw an opportunity to bring joy, connection and good vibes to the workplace. That sparked an employee-led engagement committee – called the Vibe Tribe – dedicated to infusing positivity, inclusion, and community service into everyday life at Henkel.

Benny Young

We care, we listen to the voices on the floor, and we have noticed a shift in the output at our facility because of this. If you ask me, the Vibe Tribe is the most important group on this site.

Benny Young, Materials Supervisor

Since its inception in 2023, the Vibe Tribe has seen remarkable growth in employee engagement and a stronger sense of belonging and community to create a workplace that feels like family.

“The Vibe Tribe is not only important to the site, but it’s important to the local community around us,” Benny adds. 

Extending the Vibe Tribe to the Salisbury Community

“Henkel is a major brand at the forefront of innovation, and it’s vital for us to be involved in our community,” says Benny. “The Vibe Tribe is the catalyst for that here in Salisbury.” 

To foster experiences that truly matter to the community, the Vibe Tribe introduced family-friendly events such as movie nights and holiday gatherings. At these events Benny has earned the reputation as the world’s greatest popcorn maker for his skill and joy in creating and passing out this delicious treat.

Another way they serve the community is at local schools. Every quarter, Vibe Tribe members monitor lunch periods giving teachers the opportunity to enjoy a rare, uninterrupted break.

The Power of Coming Together 

The Vibe Tribe is proof that when people come together with intention, they can create something extraordinary—stronger bonds, deeper trust, and a legacy of care that will ripple through generations.

Cindy Santiago

We’re just getting started. There’s so much more to come from the Vibe Tribe.

Cindy Santiago, Senior HR Manager

Check out Vibe Tribe events and the world’s greatest popcorn maker

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Man wearing a red photo shirt and gloves operating a popcorn machine in a blue hallway with yellow painted walls and tiled flooring.

Benny in action living up to his ‘world’s greatest popcorn maker’ title at a local elementary school event.

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Group of employees posing with a person dressed as Santa Claus in front of a festive holiday backdrop featuring rustic wooden barn doors, and decorated holiday trees with white lights. Individuals are wearing festive holiday sweaters.

Vibe Tribe team members with Benny and Cindy spreading joy and good wishes at the annual family holiday event.

Open Slideshow Group photo of employees arranged in a triangular formation between orange traffic cones in a parking lot.

The full Henkel employee team in Salisbury, NC.

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Team members stand behind a rectangular table covered with red Henkel branded table cloth. Behind the table are two vertical banners.

Cindy and co-workers hosted a recruiting event for military veterans.

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A small plush Snuggle® bear inside a sheer red drawstring bag and a white card with message that reads: “Even on the hardest days, a little snuggle and belief in yourself can make all the difference. Keep Shining!”

At a kindergarten graduation, the Vibe Tribe handed out popcorn and Snuggle® bears with a message of inspiration.

Open Slideshow
Group of volunteers wearing matching pink t-shirts standing outdoors with a white sign that reads “This Project Courtesy of United Way.”

Benny and Vibe Tribe members rolled up their sleeves for a local school to revitalize its nature trail by raking leaves and trimming branches as part of the United Way Day of Caring.

Open Slideshow
Three people standing in front of oversized soccer balls printed with Henkel logo and U.S. Soccer crest.

Benny’s commitment to engagement reaches across the region as he attended Henkel’s Match & Mixer employee event in East Hartford, CT to connect with colleagues and celebrate our partnership with U.S. Soccer.

Man wearing a red photo shirt and gloves operating a popcorn machine in a blue hallway with yellow painted walls and tiled flooring.

Benny in action living up to his ‘world’s greatest popcorn maker’ title at a local elementary school event.

Group of employees posing with a person dressed as Santa Claus in front of a festive holiday backdrop featuring rustic wooden barn doors, and decorated holiday trees with white lights. Individuals are wearing festive holiday sweaters.

Vibe Tribe team members with Benny and Cindy spreading joy and good wishes at the annual family holiday event.

Group photo of employees arranged in a triangular formation between orange traffic cones in a parking lot.

The full Henkel employee team in Salisbury, NC.

Team members stand behind a rectangular table covered with red Henkel branded table cloth. Behind the table are two vertical banners.

Cindy and co-workers hosted a recruiting event for military veterans.

A small plush Snuggle® bear inside a sheer red drawstring bag and a white card with message that reads: “Even on the hardest days, a little snuggle and belief in yourself can make all the difference. Keep Shining!”

At a kindergarten graduation, the Vibe Tribe handed out popcorn and Snuggle® bears with a message of inspiration.

Group of volunteers wearing matching pink t-shirts standing outdoors with a white sign that reads “This Project Courtesy of United Way.”

Benny and Vibe Tribe members rolled up their sleeves for a local school to revitalize its nature trail by raking leaves and trimming branches as part of the United Way Day of Caring.

Three people standing in front of oversized soccer balls printed with Henkel logo and U.S. Soccer crest.

Benny’s commitment to engagement reaches across the region as he attended Henkel’s Match & Mixer employee event in East Hartford, CT to connect with colleagues and celebrate our partnership with U.S. Soccer.

Shaping a sustainable future

Our sustainability strategy is inspired by our purpose: Pioneers at heart for the good of generations.  With our pioneering spirit, our knowledge, our products and technologies, we want to enrich and improve the lives of billions of people every day – and shape a viable future for the next generations.

Diversity & Inclusion