Featured speakers include U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy from Louisiana, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen from Maryland, Congresswoman Lori Trahan for Massachusetts District 3, Congressman Blake Moore for Utah District 1, as well as experts from the Brookings Institution, ESOP Association, American Enterprise Institute, and more.
Contact: Lizette Olmos Godfrey
The Aspen Institute
lizette.olmosgodfrey@aspeninstitute.org
Washington, DC, April 4, 2025 – The Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program and the Institute for the Study of Employee Ownership and Profit Sharing at Rutgers University are pleased to announce the third Employee Ownership Ideas Forum, a virtual and in person event on Capitol Hill on Wednesday, April 9 at 11:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. EDT and Thursday, April 10th at 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. EDT at the Aspen Institute office in Washington, DC.
This year’s forum, “From Workers to Owners,” will explore the tangible benefits of employee ownership and how it transforms the work experience. Attendees will hear from companies across various sectors, showcasing how employee ownership integrates into their business strategies and leadership models. Additionally, the forum will examine how employee ownership strengthens supply chains, bolsters the U.S. industrial base, and shapes the future of work. There will also be discussions on how institutional investors can help improve capital access for employee ownership conversions and expansions.
“Workers are central to our economy’s success, yet many remain without a stake in the prosperity they help generate,” said Maureen Conway, Vice President of the Aspen Institute and Executive Director of EOP. “Employee ownership offers a solution, empowering workers with opportunities for advancement, wealth-building, and thriving communities.”
Tens of millions of workers participate in different forms of employee ownership, including 14.9 million workers who participate in ESOPs, the most popular form of employee ownership. EOP will continue to support a robust, national conversation on employee ownership.
Speakers include U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy from Louisiana, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen from Maryland, Congresswoman Lori Trahan for Massachusetts District 3, Congressman Blake Moore for Utah District 1, as well as experts from the Brookings Institution, the ESOP Association, American Enterprise Institute, American Compass, the Democracy at Work Institute, Apis & Heritage, the Employee Owned S Corporations of America, Expanding ESOPs, and more.
“Employee ownership is a practical way for middle class workers to build wealth through their hard work in corporations around the United States,” said Joseph Blasi, the J. Robert Beyster Distinguished Professor and Director of the Rutgers Institute for the Study of Employee Ownership and Profit Sharing.
This event is full for in person registration. Press who are interested in attending on April 10th in person should contact Tony Mastria, tony.mastria@aspeninstitute.org, for assistance. Media are invited to attend the virtual Event on April 9-10. Register here for an all-day pass, or sign up for select individual sessions on Zoom here. To see the agendas and speakers for each day, click here.
Contact: Members of the media interested in conducting interviews, should contact Lizette Olmos Godfrey at lizette.olmosgodfrey@aspeninstitute.org.
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The Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program (EOP) advances strategies, policies, and ideas to help low- and moderate-income people thrive in a changing economy. We recognize that race, gender, and place intersect with and intensify the challenge of economic inequality and we address these dynamics by advancing an inclusive vision of economic justice. For over 25 years, EOP has focused on expanding individuals’ opportunities to connect to quality work, start businesses, and build economic stability that provides the freedom to pursue opportunity. Learn more at www.aspeninstitute.org/programs/economic-opportunities-program/
SMLR’s Institute for the Study of Employee Ownership and Profit Sharing conducts empirical research, analyzes policy, and sponsors the leading global fellowship program and academic conferences in the field. The Institute also manages a program to help college professors teach about these subjects (The Curriculum Library for Employee Ownership) and a technical assistance center (The NJ/NY Center for Employee Ownership). The Institute recently launched a Coursera program with short, engaging videos introducing employee ownership and a free, online program, sponsored by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, to help retiring business owners sell to their employees.
The Aspen Institute is a global nonprofit organization whose purpose is to ignite human potential to build understanding and create new possibilities for a better world. Founded in 1949, the Institute drives change through dialogue, leadership, and action to help solve society’s greatest challenges. It is headquartered in Washington, DC and has a campus in Aspen, Colorado, as well as an international network of partners. For more information, visit www.aspeninstitute.org.