NEWS From the eox network

OWNERSHIP EVERYWHERE is EOX's Monthly Newsletter showing how EOX and our State Center Network is expanding employee ownership coast-to-coast!

The Vermont Employee Ownership Center’s (VEOC) annual conference offered a strong reminder of what makes State Center gatherings so valuable: they create space for people across the employee ownership landscape to learn together, ask practical questions, and see what ownership can look like in real businesses. This year’s conference brought together employee-owned companies, advisors, business owners exploring succession options, and advocates working to expand employee ownership across Vermont. One of the most meaningful parts of the event was the mix of perspectives represented. Worker Cooperatives, ESOP companies, and business owners exploring different ownership models toegther, which is not something that happens every day. That kind of cross-model learning matters. Employee ownership is not one-size-fits-all, and business owners need opportunities to understand the different paths available to them. By bringing these models into shared space, VEOC is helping participants compare experiences, hear from people who have been through the process, and better understand how employee ownership can support succession, worker participation, local legacy, and long-term business resilience. Annual conferences like this are more than educational events. They are part of the steady ecosystem-building work that helps employee ownership become more visible, more trusted, and more actionable in Vermont. EOX is grateful for VEOC’s continued leadership and for the business owners, employee-owners, advisors, and partners who are helping strengthen employee ownership across the state. Special Thanks to NCEO's, Tim Garbinsky, for being the keynote presenter.

Article from BizNewsPA Written by Joel Berg May 13, 2026

Employee Ownership Trusts (EOTs) are getting more attention, and the RMEOC set out to answer some of the frequent questions from the state and local level.

Amidst transition, TNCEO used its EOX project grant rebuild trust in the TN ecosystem with high-quality events that delivered value and reconnected key players.

The OEOC has long used the EOX project grant to update and expand their "Selling Your Company..." book — and then turned it into a shared asset for the network.

The VEOC uses EOX project grant to focus on a gap many of us see every day: business owners wait too long to think seriously about succession.

The MNCEO used its project grant to build narrative infrastructure — the Worker Co-op Podcast, a platform for worker-owners, practitioners, and ecosystem partners to tell their own stories.

The Illinois Center uses EOX project grant to design a business training program that meets owners where they are: focused on performance, people, and profitability.