ESOP Association Blog
2024 Charles R. Edmunson Scholarships Announced

The Employee Ownership Foundation is proud to announce the 2024 Charles R. Edmunson Scholarship Recipients. In its 25th year, the scholarship program is named in honor of employee ownership pioneer Charles Edmunson, who dedicated his life to the belief that all employees should be provided an opportunity to own a piece of the company where they work. Charles believed education was the cornerstone of this vision.
The Charles R. Edmunson Scholarship helps to fulfill his aspirations by offering non-management employee owners the opportunity to attend motivational and educational programs that promote employee ownership. Scholarship recipients have a unique opportunity to gain a much deeper understanding of the rights, responsibilities, risks, and rewards of employee ownership.
This year, the scholarship program received double the number of applicants it typically receives. The Employee Ownership Foundation’s Board of Trustees Executive Committee increased the number of scholarships to fifteen.
"This opportunity will enable SA to send associates to specialized events where we can gain additional insights about ESOPs and employee ownership— deepening our understanding of the ESOP structure and benefits. We plan to use those insights to develop new comprehensive resources for our teams,” said Strategic America Human Resources Director Jill LaBarre.
Since 1999, these scholarships have been awarded annually by a subcommittee of the Employee Ownership Foundation's Board of Trustees and are reviewed based on one of two categories. The first category is the Recognition of Achievement, and scholarships awarded in this category are typically to companies and individuals who play a significant role in the development and enhancement of their ESOP’s successful ownership culture. The other category is Ownership Thinking Development, and scholarships are typically awarded to companies and individuals who are just beginning the journey to an ESOP culture.
To learn more about the Edmunson Awards, please visit the Employee Ownership Foundation’s website. Dates and deadlines for 2025 scholarships will be announced before the end of the calendar year.
Ownership Thinking Development Scholarship Recipients
Danna Rivera
Dix Hite + Partners
Rande Johnson and Zoey Orth
Exigo Corporation
Ericka Clifton
H M Cragg
Tucker Ruppert
Kline Electric
Alyssa Underdahl
Miller Holdings, Inc.
Matthew Smith
Miller Proctor Nickolas
Angela Radaj and Alex Walters
Roydan Enterprises, LTD
Kelsey Feller and Kristen Vander Linden
Strategic America
Priscilla Matoi and Janet Inda
Sturdevant Air Conditioning
Recognition of Achievement
Amanda Heyda and Shawn Hoy
Folience
Alejandra Ortiz and Adrian Casttro
LeFiell Manufacturing Company
Edward Atkins
Pack Edge Inc.
Amber Haycook
Palmer-Donavin
Tina McLaughlin and Joannie McCrimmon
Short Elliott Hendrickson
Kristen Mayers and Chelsea Kopplin
Tech Etch