The Principal Financial Group(R) is a leader in offering businesses, individuals, and institutional clients a wide range of financial products and ser...
 

President
Anton Lessmeister
Forsythe Solutions Group, Inc.
tlessmeister@forsythe.com

Vice President
Julie Govreau
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
jgovreau@morganlewis.com

Vice President
Art Miller
Holden Industries, Inc.
amiller@holdenindustriesinc.com

Vice President
Mickie Murphy
Clifton Gunderson Financial Services
mickie.murphy@cliftonfinancial.com

Vice President
David Solomon
Levenfeld Pearlstein
dsolomon@lplegal.com
www.lplegal.com 

Chapter Administrator
Donna Walseth
Walseth Management LLC
dwalseth@esopexec.org
www.ilesop.org 

Executive Committee
Willard Muirheid
Hobbico, Inc.
wkm@hobbico.com
www.towerhobbies.com

Scott Szafasz
Bimba Manufacturing
szafaszS@bimba.com

2010 Awards Information

Holden Industries, Inc. was awarded the Illinois ESOP Chapter 2010 Company of the Year during the 2010 Annual Chapter Conference on March 4, 2010, at the Marriott Oak Brook Hotel.  Click for Holden Industries 2010 Application      

TAKING THE TIME TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION CAN PAY OFF:
•    CHAPTER WINNER IS AUTOMATICALLY SUBMITTED FOR THE NATIONAL COMPETITION.
•    ONE FREE REGISTRATION TO THE NATIONAL CONFERENCE IN DC IN MAY.
•    PLAQUE TO DISPLAY AT YOUR COMPANY.
•    RECOGNITION AT ILLINOIS CHAPTER EVENTS AND ON THE CHAPTER WEBSITE.

DON’T DELAY - THE DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION IS JANUARY 22, 2010

CRITERIA FOR ESOP COMPANY OF THE YEAR:

"ESOP Company of the Year" has a commitment to employee ownership as shown by its:
  • Involvement with the ESOP Association and its programs,
  • Communication with employees;
  • Commitment to the Vision of The ESOP Association that endorses employee participation, wealth creation, and individual dignity and worth.
The company should be financially solvent and have more than one or two years of ESOP sponsorship.  It is not necessary that the company have any one style of management.  More importantly, employees should feel a sense of ownership and/or that the ESOP is important to the company and to the employees.

CRITERIA FOR EMPLOYEE OWNER OF THE YEAR:
Nominate one of your employees!

The "Employee Owner of the Year" should be an employee below the level of senior management.  Despite the lack of a firm rule stating the employee owner has to be an hourly or non-management employee, these two terms can be general guides for the selection process.
 
The individual should be active in the employee ownership activities of the company and/or activities of The ESOP Association where appropriate.  Examples are:
  • serving on the ESOP committee or on an employee advisory committee,
  • contributing to a company publication,
  • helping with Employee Ownership Month (“EOM”) observances,
  • leading fellow employees to a better understanding of the ESOP
  • attending chapter meetings, and/or helping with chapter meetings or activities,
  • writing a letter to an elected official,
  • attending Association meetings such as the employee owner retreat, national conference.
The overwhelming criteria should revolve around the person’s overall contribution as a ‘good’ citizen in the company where he or she works.
 

DOWNLOAD APPLICATION FORM ( PDF )

 DOWNLOAD HELPFUL TIPS ( PDF )

Sample Applications:

SC2 Company of the Year
RJN Employee Owner of the Year