Nominations Are OPEN For Annual Chapter Awards!

Pictured Above: Northwest 2023 Company of the Year Bob's Red Mill and 2023 Employee Owner of the Year Laura Jaimes

It’s that time of year. TEA’s 19 chapters across the country are now accepting nominations for annual awards!

Each individual TEA chapter awards two major honors every year, the ESOP Company of the Year and the Employee Owner of the Year. All nominees will be recognized during spring chapter events, with the winners from each chapter automatically entered in TEA’s national awards competition. National finalists and winners will be announced during the annual awards show at TEA’s National Conference 2024, on May 7-10 in Washington, DC.

For most TEA chapters, the deadline for nominations is January 24, so get your nominations in soon! Please note, some chapters also have additional, chapter-specific awards. For more information and to submit a nomination, please visit your individual chapter’s website. If you do not know your chapter, please see TEA’s Chapter page.

Employee Owner of the Year Award

The highest honor awarded annually by The ESOP Association. This award honors an exemplary nonmanagement employee owner of an ESOP company who has taken the initiative to learn about the ESOP, educate and motivate colleagues, and actively promote the employee ownership culture. The individual should be involved in the employee ownership activities of the company and The ESOP Association. Only one employee may be nominated from each ESOP company.

Need advice on applying for Employee Owner of the Year? Please see our tip sheet.

ESOP Company of the Year Award

This award is given to an ESOP company that shows a strong commitment to employee ownership through involvement with The ESOP Association and its programs, clear communication with employees, and commitment to TEA’s vision of endorsing employee participation, wealth creation, and individual dignity and worth. The company should be financially solvent and have had an ESOP in place for more than two years. It is not necessary that the company have a particular management style, but the majority of employees should feel a sense of ownership and that the ESOP is important to the company and its employee owners.

New to the process. We have created a handy tip sheet with advice on applying for ESOP Company of the Year.