Matthew Licina
For each employee it touches, employee ownership is more than just a succession planning structure—it’s a catalyst for growth and long-term success. As your business moves through the ESOP life cycle, it is important to leverage the ESOP in a strategic way to promote growth, innovation, employee engagement, and more.
Corey Rosen
Emprise, a 100% ESOP-owned holding company that acquires and invests in middle-market consumer product companies, has acquired Nice-Pak Products through its portfolio company Vivos Holdings, LLC, creating one of the largest companies in its field. Emprise, which the company says stands for "employee" and "enterprise," includes a number of personal care companies, including Consumer Product Partners, Surefil, UpLift Brands, and Vi-Jon, as well as INSPR Labs, which provides research and analytical services for the personal care industry. Nice-Pak is a manufacturer of sanitizing wipes for personal care, babies and toddlers, homes, hospitals, and other users.
Matthew Licina
The Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity has launched a $500,000 pilot program to help business owners consider employee ownership as a transition option. The program will be run in conjunction with the Michigan Employee Ownership Center (MICEO), which will administer the program.
Corey Rosen
Patricia Hetter Kelso, a leading voice in the promotion of employee ownership and universal capitalism, died yesterday at 98. She was the intellectual and business partner, wife, and coauthor of numerous books on expanding capitalism with her husband, Louis Kelso. Louis Kelso developed the idea of the employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) in 1956. Patricia met Louis in 1963, and they married in 1980.
Timothy Garbinsky
Dr. Joseph Blasi, one of the driving forces of academic interest and research on employee ownership, has stepped down from his role as the director of the Institute for the Study of Employee Ownership and Profit Sharing at Rutgers University. He will continue his work as both a researcher and mentor at the university's School of Management and Labor Relations.
Matthew Licina
On June 11, 2025, Oregon Governor Tina Kotek signed House Bill 3646 (HB 3646) into law, marking a key development for the employee ownership movement in the state. This legislation, which we discussed previously in a previous blog post, aims to provide a substantial boost to employee-owned businesses in securing public contracts.
Matthew Licina
Employee ownership trusts (EOTs) offer a powerful and flexible model for business succession. Yet, despite growing support programs and clear benefits, only about 60 EOTs currently operate in the US. This unique employee ownership structure requires practical knowledge and clear strategies to implement successfully.
Kimberly McCourtney
Leadership isn’t defined by title; it starts with how we show up every day. That’s the spirit behind the NCEO’s newest member benefit: the Rising Leaders Peer Network. Created for emerging leaders at all levels within our community, this network is designed to develop the next generation of employee ownership champions through practical tools, peer support, and ongoing growth opportunities.
Michelle Cronin
The San Diego gathering of OWN Health captive members offered a window into how employee-owned companies are reimagining healthcare benefits through collective action. With 13 member companies present, the meeting revealed the advantages that emerge when ESOP companies approach healthcare challenges collaboratively rather than in isolation. Unlike the typical insurance conference where vendors pitch solutions to passive buyers, this meeting emphasized the impact of employee ownership culture on ESOP company healthcare decisions and outcomes.
