2021
Prepared by David R. Johanson, Esq., Douglas A. Rubel, Esq., Rachel J. Markun, Esq., and Robert S. Thompson, Esq. On September 17, 2021, Hawkins Parnell & Young, LLP secured a complete victory for its clients Brian J. Bowers, Dexter C. Kubota, and Bowers + Kubota Consulting, Inc. (B+KC) in an Employee Retirement Income Security Act… Continue reading Hawkins Parnell Wins Significant ERISA Trial Against U.S. Government for Bowers + Kubota Consulting, Inc. and its Founding Shareholders in ESOP Valuation and Transaction Case
My grandfather, Lambert Berger, was a businessman in Johnstown, CO. He believed that businesses should support their communities, and communities should support their businesses. His belief that “we're all in this together” helped create a thriving local economy in my hometown.Today, I work to elevate and perpetuate his legacy by helping employee-owners who are supporting… Continue reading Why I Give: Jen Briggs
Colorado Gives Day provides Coloradans with the opportunity to exercise two of the “better angels of our nature,” gratitude and generosity. A recent visit to my pharmacy presented me with a vivid example of why I should donate to The Rocky Mountain Employee Ownership Center during the 2021 drive. My response will be to contribute… Continue reading “They won’t allow it” by Bill Kirton
For Erica Maldonado and Diego Pons, co-founder-owners of the San Luis Valley (SLV) Language Justice Cooperative, being bilingual wasn’t always a good thing. This sentiment changed, however, when they learned to leverage their bilingualism in a way that advanced them professionally and allowed them to fulfil a need within their community. Pons and Maldonado met… Continue reading The San Luis Valley Language Justice Cooperative: Empowering people through language
If you’re looking for an exit strategy, selling your business to your employees is one of the best options to consider.But if you’re a little confused or unsure about what that might entail, you’re in the right place to learn more.Selling your business to your employees isn’t as complicated as it seems, and sometimes it’s… Continue reading How To Sell A Business To Your Employees (Step-By-Step Guide)
Media production is a dog-eat-dog industry.At least that’s what Brandon Naughton, President & Founding Member of Truce Media, says. After 20 years of working with companies like Lionsgate / Starz, HBO, and NBC Universal, he would know.“People always want to go to LA,” he said. “But you’re starting from the bottom, making no money. That’s why… Continue reading Equity In Media Production: Meet The Cooperative Making It Happen In Colorado
Employee ownership is an effective strategy for business owners wanting to pass along a business they’ve been building for a long time to the people who have the most at stake.But even if you’re already familiar with the types of employee ownership you might be curious about whether a worker cooperative would work for you.To help you fill… Continue reading How Do Co-Ops Work? (Frequently Asked Questions)
Employee ownership is one of the best ways to preserve your company culture, make your business more resilient, promote an inclusive workplace, and give back to your employees. But just like a traditionally owned business, an employee owned company can take on many different forms. That’s why comparing the different types of employee ownership is… Continue reading Types of Employee Ownership
More and more people are recognizing that our current economic system benefits a small few at the expense of many, especially working-class communities and communities of color. What many people don’t know is that there’s a better way already taking place that represents a path forward to create a more just and sustainable economy — an economy… Continue reading An Economy That Works For Everyone: Employee Ownership & The Story of RMEOC
ESOP plans offer a myriad of benefits for companies, employees, and selling owners alike. While we’d love to help every business out there promote employee ownership through an ESOP plan, we know they aren’t perfect for everyone. That’s why comparing an ESOP with other retirement plans like a 401(k) is an important step in securing the… Continue reading ESOP vs 401k: Which Is Better For Your Business?
How popular is employee ownership?Whether in the form of an ESOP or co-op, employee ownership is more common than you might think.According to a 2018 article in the Harvard Business Review, about 10% of Americans hold equity stakes in their workplaces. That accounts for the upwards of 14 million employees who are vested employee-owners.(Colorado alone is home… Continue reading 33 Well-Known Companies Creating Equity Through Employee Ownership
In October 2020, the Aspen Institute hosted a webinar aimed at addressing the question: Can employee share ownership improve racial and gender wealth equity? Speakers from worker cooperatives, think tanks, universities, and public radio came together to confront the systemic inequality that workers at the bottom end of the opportunity scale face in this economy. “Broadening opportunities to participate… Continue reading Building Racial & Gender Equity Through Employee Ownership
From bakeries to auto shops to home health care networks and everything in between, employee ownership is a rising strategy in the movement to create a more equitable and inclusive economy. While some businesses are formed from the start with some type of employee ownership built in, many employee owned businesses didn’t actually start out… Continue reading Is Employee Ownership Really Better For Business?
It’s one thing to know that you want to convert to employee ownership. It’s another to know how to do it.For nearly 25 years, Iron Woman Construction has worked in the areas of trucking, civil construction, environmental services, mining infrastructure, utilities, and more. And while their status as an employee owned company didn’t become official until 2019, employee wellbeing… Continue reading How Employee Ownership Strengthened This Construction Company’s “Family First” Culture
“Who has time to run a company and figure out how to transition it at the same time?” When it comes time to retire, a lot of small business owners struggle to find an exit strategy that benefits them and their employees.Should you close the doors? Sell to another company? Promote from within and train another employee… Continue reading This Design Firm Found the Perfect Transition Strategy by Converting to a Worker Cooperative
When you’re wondering what’s next for your business, an ESOP is an important option to consider. Rather than going about “business as usual,” an ESOP can enable you to cultivate the right kind of relationship to your business, your employees, and your own life. At their core, ESOPs are a method of promoting employee ownership… Continue reading What Is an ESOP and How Does It Work?
English 
Spanish