The ESOP Association

ESOP Association Resources

Jul. 31
Welcome to your July issue of the ESOP Report

This month we've packed the report with tons of articles and news about ESOPs that you won't want to miss!

 
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Jul. 25
Senior Biden Administration Officials, Key Stakeholders Meet to Discuss Growing Worker-Owned Businesses and Promoting Worker Ownership Transitions

Washington, D.C. – Jim Bonham, President and CEO of The ESOP Association, today was a featured speaker and panelist at a convening on worker-owned businesses hosted by the White House National Economic Council.
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Jul. 16
Each year we honor the individuals and companies who have pursued and achieved excellence. Those who are leading the charge and driving ESOPs and employee ownership to ever greater heights…The very best of us. 

This is an opportunity to celebrate the best accomplishments within our community. It also gives us the chance to learn from one another, and discover new and innovative ideas that we can implement at our ESOPs. 

Thank you to all our companies and individuals who were nominated for, and won, this year's National Awards. 
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Jul. 11
Urges Court to Consider Bowers + Kubota’s Appeal to Award Attorneys’ Fees After Company Was Vindicated in Overzealous, “Shoddy” Prosecution by Dept. of Labor

Washington, DC – The ESOP Association has filed an amicus brief with the Supreme Court of the United States, asking the Court to grant a writ of certiorari and consider Bowers + Kubota Consulting, Inc., et al. v. Julie A. Su, Acting Secretary of Labor.
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Jul. 10
The House Committee on Appropriations recently released its report on proposed fiscal year 2025 funding for the Department of Labor, which included two very strong provisions affecting ESOPs.

With respect to ESOP company valuation and the adequate consideration exemption, the Committee noted that the DOL has neglected to provide critical regulatory guidance and asks the Department to prioritize formal rulemaking:
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Jul. 10
If you couldn’t join us in Washington, DC for The ESOP Association’s National Conference in May, you missed one of the most energetic, informative, and fun events of the year!

It all started with TEA’s Advocacy Academy and our annual ESOP Advocacy Day, both of which drew record participation. On Advocacy Day, nearly 250 ardent ESOP supporters went to Capitol Hill to visit more than 75 Senate offices and nearly 150 House offices across 38 states to discuss critical ESOP issues with their elected representatives. Please see our Advocacy recap below for much more information!
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Jul. 01
Lately, there has been a flood of new information concerning private equity firms’ interest in employee ownership, specifically by Pete Stavros and KKR, one of the largest PE firms. 
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Nov. 14
I’m sure you won’t be surprised when I make the statement “ESOPs are unique”.  An ESOP is not like other privately held companies, and it’s definitely not like a publicly traded company.  This is because ESOP employees are not just employees, they are also owners.  Owners expect (and deserve) different things from their company and likewise, the company should expect a different level of engagement when sharing ownership.
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Nov. 09
SYNTHETIC EQUITY SERIES – PART THREE OF THREE

This is the third in a series of articles covering components of the Internal Revenue Code (“IRC”) Section 409(p) test, which is specific to S-corporation ESOPs.  The first article discussed the items required for the test, one of which is information on any outstanding synthetic equity awards.  The second article defined and described common forms of synthetic equity for 409(p) purposes.
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Nov. 07
Happy Employee Ownership Month! It’s a special time for a special community.  Employee owners nationwide celebrate with tremendous pride. It’s a great time to reflect on the 11 million-plus employee owners in America who not only enjoy the individual benefits that accompany employee ownership, but also the contributions to communities and the social good that employee ownership adds.  We know we have a cause worth celebrating but also one – in the very nature of employee ownership – worth sharing.   
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