More than 80 ESOP volunteer leaders from across the country came to Washington, DC for a productive gathering of The ESOP Association’s (TEA) State and Regional Chapter Council (SRCC). The SRCC, made up of Chapter Officers from all 19 of TEA’s chapters, met to align priorities for the year ahead, set shared goals, and participate in the opening advocacy effort of 2026.
SRCC members visited more than 300 congressional offices to deliver TEA’s policy materials and introduce our priorities for the year. These drop-offs help ensure Members of Congress and their staff start the year with clear, concise in TEA’s ESOP Advocacy Day in May.
The SRCC Capitol Hill Day is separate from ESOP Advocacy Day but comes with the same excitement of walking the halls of Congress. Rather than scheduled meetings for nearly 300 TEA members, the January effort has a smaller group of SRCC members making quick, unscheduled visits to offices simply to drop off materials and build familiarity with our message. It’s a straightforward, high-impact way to communicate priorities early, and it shows the Association’s valuable volunteer leaders just how easy advocacy can be.
These visits also reinforce the most effective advocacy tool ESOP advocates have: your story. Congressional staff hear from every interest group in the country, but they don’t often hear how the unique benefits of employee ownership affect the real lives of their constituents. Only employee owners and the professionals who work alongside them can share the strength of ESOP culture, and how an ESOP strengthens retirement security, supports good jobs, and keeps successful businesses rooted in their communities. When advocates share their ESOP story, it puts a human face on our policy agenda and helps Congressional offices remember why employee ownership matters in the most important place – back home in their districts.
The SRCC’s Capitol Hill Day demonstrated what’s possible when committed employee owners and ESOP professionals show up, speak out, and make it personal. We’re grateful to the chapter officers for leading by example and are excited to build on this momentum as we head toward TEA’s ESOP Advocacy Day on May 6 at our National Conference. If you’re interested in attending ESOP Advocacy Day, sign up for the National Conference here!
