Congratulations to the 2024 National Award Winners!

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. 

And the winners are….

Outstanding Chapter Officer of the Year

Winner: Sean Jackson
Bob's Red Mill
Northwest Chapter

Membership Development Award

Winner: Mid-Atlantic & Carolinas Chapter

Membership Recruitment by a Professional Member

Winner: Tim Stewart
President and Managing Partner 
at DeWitt Law Firm
Wisconsin Chapter

Chapter of the Year

Winner: New England Chapter

ESOP Company of the Year

Finalist: Palmer-Donavin
Ohio-Kentucky Chapter

Finalist: ProAct
New York/New Jersey Chapter

Winner: Rayser Holdings
Iowa/Nebraska Chapter

The winner of the 2024 ESOP Company of the Year is all about maximizing their core values of community, culture, clients, and collaboration to build value for the future of all employee owners. For Rayser Holdings, an ownership mindset seems ingrained in their DNA. They take a truly holistic approach to employee engagement, and put a premium on education and ESOP literacy. 

Our winner proudly displays their Employee Owned status for all to see. In their marketing and advertising, on the side of their trucks, and throughout their buildings, their clients and the community can clearly see their ESOP pride. 

They are also very active in the employee ownership community, and you can always find them participating in our events. 

Rayser is also committed to advocacy, helping to secure a proclamation for Employee Ownership Month by their city’s mayor and sending four employees to meet with their representatives in Congress during The ESOP Association’s Advocacy Day.

Congratulations to Rayser Holdings for being named the ESOP Company of the Year!

Employee Owner of the Year

Finalist: Amelia Wozniak
HR Manager, Hallmark Building Supplies
Wisconsin Chapter

Finalist: Anna Canterini
Project Accountant, Williams Company
Florida Chapter

Finalist: Joe Marshall
Project Coordinator, Bowers and Kubota
Hawaii Chapter

Winner: Emily Pick
People Operations Supervisor, Holden Industries
Illinois Chapter

Emily is widely regarded as a future leader in their company, and someone that people can trust. She is always rising to the occasion, seeking out new opportunities and expertise, and consistently exceeding expectations with the thoughtfulness and quality of her work.

Emily was a critical member of Holden's acquisition and transition team, leading welcome presentations and introducing their ESOP’s culture at two businesses acquired in 2023.

As Chair of their ESOP Communications Advisory Committee, she contributed countless hours to help the company reach new heights in employee engagement. From developing a new onboarding curriculum and a financial model to forecast employee retirement assets, to spearheading Employee Ownership Month activities, Emily is helping to transform employee engagement and culture at Holden Industries. 

Through her work and actions, Emily embodies the spirit of employee ownership with everyone she meets. 

Congratulations to Emily Pick on this well-deserved honor!

Michael Keeling Founder's Award

Recipient: Bob Moore
Founder, Bob's Red Mill
Northwest Chapter

This year’s Keeling Award recipient is a giant in our community, a pillar among founders. Having founded an iconic American brand, he had every reason and opportunity to choose a different path. Instead, he chose to share his success with his employees and help secure their futures. Beloved by his employees, he is the model of a servant leader and a visionary who saw the great potential of employee ownership. Now, his legacy is secured through his courage and his actions, and the company he founded is stronger than ever.

The ESOP Association was extremely proud to honor Bob Moore with the Michael Keeling Founder's Award, and we are grateful to Bob's Red Mill CEO Trey Winthrop for accepting the award on Bob's behalf.

Lifetime Service Award

Recipient: Lynn DuBois
ESOP Law Group
Northwest Chapter

Lynn DuBois has devoted her legal career to fostering employee ownership through ESOPs, educating business owners on how an ESOP can create liquidity, and at the same time provide their employees with equity ownership in the business.  

Lynn has been an enthusiastic member of the Association for over 20 years, serving on our Board of Directors and chairing our Advisory Committees, the Administration Committee, and many other volunteer roles.  

She has shown true dedication and commitment to expanding the ESOP knowledge base.  Working with her ESOP colleagues, she has made invaluable contributions to advancing ESOP education and awareness, and gladly gives her time to train and mentor our upcoming ESOP leaders.  

In 2014, she filed an amicus brief in the United States Supreme Court in Fifth Third Bancorp v. Dudenhoeffer on behalf of the Association, arguing in favor of a rule providing certain investment decision protections for ESOP fiduciaries.

We all know her as a passionate and energetic ESOP cheerleader and we couldn't think of a more worthy honoree to receive The ESOP Association's Lifetime Service Award.