Employee Ownership Blog
Timothy Garbinsky

Timothy Garbinsky

April 01, 2024

NJ Exploring Development of Statewide EO Program

Following the lead of Colorado and Washington State, New Jersey appears to be mulling a potential state program for employee ownership. Today, the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) issued a formal Request for Information on developing a program, seeking insight from individuals and firms alike on what such a program might look like. The interest in employee ownership was spurred by the Governor's Wealth Disparity Task Force, which highlighted employee ownership as a potential initiative on which to focus.

Timothy Garbinsky

April 01, 2024

Gina Schaefer to Headline OEOC Conference This Month

Last September, we had the privilege of seeing Gina Schaefer, the founder of ESOP-owned A Few Cool Hardware Stores, deliver the keynote address at our 2023 Fall Forum in Houston. Her story of how her company exceeded its promise of being a mere place of commerce, turning into a hub for the communities in which it resides, was inspiring. Even before becoming employee-owned, Gina's stores became essential fixtures for the locals and employees alike, and the ESOP only strengthened their impact. Her talk was vulnerable, witty, intelligent, and moving, and a great reminder of why we do the work that we do.

Timothy Garbinsky

December 14, 2023

UK's John Lewis Partnership May Reduce Employee Ownership Percentage

Retailer and department chain the John Lewis Partnership is mulling a reduction of its employee ownership percentage. The company, currently 100% employee-owned via a perpetual trust (the UK's version of an employee ownership trust, or EOT), is considering the reduction to raise between 1 and 2 million pounds of investment capital. The plan, as it stands, would sell a minority stake, allowing the company to retain its status as the UK's largest majority employee-owned company.

Timothy Garbinsky

December 07, 2023

Browse the NCEO's 2023 Holiday Gift Guide

It’s that time of year again! This December, you can support employee-owned businesses while crossing items off your wish list by shopping with our NCEO Gift Guide. Every year, we refresh this guide to bring you the latest in consumer goods and products created and/or sold by employee-owned businesses.

Timothy Garbinsky

November 15, 2023

Putting the Equity in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Around this time in late 2021, I wrote about the urgent need for DEI programs to address the myriad issues of racial and gender equity in the working world. At that point, the call to act felt clear not only to me but also to those who’d been previously deaf to it—significant portions of the population belonged to demographic groups long passed over, ignored, cast aside, or waved away. It felt (and excuse the clunky, on-the-nose metaphor) as though the issues of modern work were being seen no longer in drab and dichotomous black and white, but in technicolor, with all the vibrancy and nuance that that implies.

Timothy Garbinsky

October 03, 2023

Apis & Heritage Releases First Annual Impact Report

Apis & Heritage Capital Partners (A&H), a middle-market mezzanine debt firm with the mission of closing the racial wealth gap using employee ownership, has released its first annual impact report, highlighting some of the successes of its initial Legacy Fund I. A&H saw its first fund oversubscribed by investors and foundations, exceeding its initial $50 million cap by over $8 million. This fund will help A&H further its mission of converting businesses that primarily employ workers of color to employee ownership.

Timothy Garbinsky

September 19, 2023

Clarification on the Recent IRS Press Release

Our friends at the Employee-Owned S Corporations of America (or ESCA) have reported that they've had constructive dialogue with the IRS regarding their recent press release on ESOPs. Our understanding is that the press release was intended as just that-- a press release and not an official notice of any sort. This press release was meant to alert interested parties generally and the employee ownership community more specifically that they've identified what they've termed a "questionable transaction."

Timothy Garbinsky

July 27, 2023

New NCEO Study Finds Increased Retirement Security for Employee-Owners

A new NCEO study commissioned by the Employee-Owned S Corporations of America (ESCA) found that workers who own their companies via an ESOP have far greater retirement security than the majority of the American workforce. The recent survey also shows that, even at a time of great upheaval and uncertainty in the labor market, when many companies are contracting and struggling to find and retain workers, employee-owned S corporations also report better employee retention through a corporate culture that fosters worker satisfaction.

Timothy Garbinsky

January 16, 2023

The NC State Center Is Hiring an Executive Director

Across the U.S. there is a burgeoning and vibrant network of state centers for employee ownership that are working to get the word out about ESOPs, worker cooperatives, employee ownership trusts (EOTs), and other forms of broad-based ownership for businesses. Dating back to the 1980s with the founding of the Ohio Employee Ownership Center (OEOC), these efforts have gathered steam in recent years. The Employee Ownership Expansion Network (EOX) has been assisting in setting up and operating these centers throughout the nation, helping bring the employee ownership message to business owners, economic developers, educators, and communities.

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