Chris Meyers
Chief Financial Officer , Amsted Industries
Chicago, IL
ESCA’s success depends on the participation of privately-owned S ESOP companies with a direct stake in federal laws and policies impacting their employee-owners.
S ESOP companies can participate in ESCA at the General, Leadership Council, or Board of Directors levels. Additionally, Professional membership is available to service providers who share ESCA’s commitment to protecting S ESOPs from adverse intentional or unintended federal policy actions.
For ESCA members, being an S corporation ESOP is central to their ownership and operating structure, and our members know that if their company doesn’t take an active role in preserving and expanding these high-performing businesses, others may not. ESCA is a much-needed and powerful voice in Washington, D.C. protecting the dream of private employee ownership and providing a single focus on private S ESOPs. ESCA’s professional staff members are experts in government affairs, political strategy, and tax policy, and they work for – and at the direction of – ESCA member S ESOP companies.
ESCA members have the opportunity to protect the retirement security and important ownership benefits that the S ESOP structure creates by working with members of Congress and the Administration directly in legislative and regulatory activities that affect how federal officials view the S ESOP structure. Additionally, ESCA members are continually provided up-to-date information on what is happening in Washington, and how the current political landscape could affect the S ESOP structure. Finally, ESCA members have the unique opportunity to exchange ideas with fellow S ESOP companies at ESCA events, which highlight new technical and practical information for S ESOP financial managers and senior executives.
Eligible S ESOP Companies may join ESCA at the General, Leadership Council, or Board of Directors level. Members of all three levels pay dues reflecting the company’s number of eligible participants, and companies who join after July 1 of each year receive a prorated membership rate. All applications for ESCA membership must be approved by the Membership Committee of the Board of Directors, and new members to the Board of Directors must be approved by the Board.
Member companies receive regular updates on key Washington developments affecting S ESOPs; invitations to private briefings, lobbying events, annual meetings and other activities; and access to ESCA’s legislative, regulatory, and public relations resources.
The Leadership Council is designed for companies wanting to make a greater investment in ESCA’s agenda and future. Leadership Council members may participate in select Board of Directors discussions and may serve on committees established by the Board.
The Board of Directors is the central governing body of ESCA. The Board of Directors meets quarterly and has oversight for strategic, financial, priority-related, membership and other key areas for ESCA.
Practitioners in the S corporation ESOP field are invited to join ESCA as professional members. Though professional members may not sit on the Board of Directors, they are invited to the semi-annual ESCA meetings, receive all updates, information, and materials provided to the general membership, and are eligible to serve on ESCA’s Advisory Committee.
Up to 25 of ESCA’s Professional Members are invited on an annual basis by the ESCA Board of Directors to serve on ESCA’s Advisory Committee. Appointment to the Advisory Committee is based upon the Professional Member’s commitment to ESCA’s goals of promoting and preserving the S ESOP structure as evidenced by assisting ESCA in securing new members and providing counsel and insight to the ESCA Board of Directors on issues affecting S corporation ESOPs. The Advisory Committee meets at ESCA’s semi-annual meetings. For more information, please click here.
We appreciate your consideration of membership in ESCA.
For ESCA members, being an S corporation ESOP is central to their ownership and operating structure. Our members know that if their company doesn’t take an active role in preserving the Sub S ESOP, others likely will not. ESCA is the one organization that focuses exclusively on protecting and promoting S ESOPs in Washington, DC. As an organization that is both company-sponsored and company-directed, ESCA is a reflection of the companies it represents. ESCA is a strong, necessary voice in Washington, DC, protecting the dream of private employee ownership. We encourage you to join with us to protect this critical benefit. Your participation is crucial to our long-term success.
We appreciate your consideration of membership in ESCA.
Professional members are an integral part of ESCA’s membership that, since 1998, has grown to more than 190 companies, and 220,000 employee-owners in every state in the nation. Members share our commitment to ensuring that no harm comes to S ESOPs as a result of intentional or unintended federal policy actions and supporting legislative initiatives to spur the creation of more employee-owned companies. Your participation is crucial to our long-term success.
Dear Friend,
We appreciate your consideration of membership in ESCA.
For ESCA members, being an S corporation ESOP is central to their ownership and operating structure. Our members know that if their company doesn’t take an active role in preserving the Sub S ESOP, others likely will not. ESCA is the one organization that focuses exclusively on protecting and promoting S ESOPs in Washington, DC. As an organization that is both company-sponsored and company-directed, ESCA is a reflection of the companies it represents. ESCA is a strong, necessary voice in Washington, DC, protecting the dream of private employee ownership. We encourage you to join with us to protect this critical benefit. Your participation is crucial to our long-term success.
Since 1998, ESCA’s membership has grown to more than 190 companies and 240,000 employee-owners in virtually every state in the nation. Our S ESOP companies engage in a broad spectrum of business activities and come in all sizes – from 25-person businesses to 22,000+ employee-owners – but all have one thing in common: our commitment to ensuring that no harm comes to S ESOPs as a result of intentional or unintended federal policy actions and supporting legislative initiatives to spur the creation of more employee-owned companies.
The threat to this structure continues to be acute in a political and policy environment marked by political change, high budget deficits and growing federal debt, ambitious spending programs and the never-ending search for ways to raise new tax revenue by changing existing tax laws. To help ensure that the retirement benefits from the S ESOP structure are preserved, ESCA’s singular purpose is to make sure that those who make political and policy decisions that could affect us know about S ESOPs and are committed to their future. It is a substantial task, but ESCA has achieved remarkable results in both preventing harm and building allies who support bipartisan legislation to encourage the creation of more S ESOPs, the Promotion and Expansion of Private Employee Ownership Act (S. 2515/H.R. 4896).
We also realize that employee-owned S corporations are not immune from tough economic times and that membership in ESCA is a commitment of precious resources and an investment of money and time. We have been privileged to see how ESCA companies and their employee-owners have faced these times with courage and camaraderie. Both anecdotally and through survey data, we found that businesses with an ESOP in place provided greater financial security for employees heading into and during the pandemic, and job retention at the firm level compared to comparable conventional firms. That is what makes ESCA work so hard to ensure the S ESOP structure stays in place and provides S ESOP companies and employee-owners with the support and tools that they need to succeed.
ESCA’s annual Federal Policy Conference and Lobby Day will be held in Washington, DC from July 24-26, 2024. Registration will be available on our website, www.esca.us, this spring. The annual conference draws over 150 senior executives of S corporation ESOPs and leading practitioners from around the country, in addition to employee-owners attending to participate in the lobby day. This unique event gives company executives and employee-owners the opportunity to educate their members of Congress about the importance of employee ownership. Other events include hearing from members of the House and Senate who play key roles in the federal tax policymaking process, an ESCA-focused political update, and networking with other top S ESOP executives.
Please call Diandra at (202) 629-5821 or Chris at (312) 819-8470 if we can answer any questions you have, or if you would like to speak to another ESCA company member for their perspective on the benefits of being part of this important group. We look forward to working with you.
Best regards,
Dear Friend,
We appreciate your consideration of membership in ESCA.
Professional members are an integral part of ESCA’s membership that, since 1998, has grown to more than 190 companies, and 240,000 employee-owners in every state in the nation. Members share our commitment to ensuring that no harm comes to S ESOPs as a result of intentional or unintended federal policy actions and supporting legislative initiatives to spur the creation of more employee-owned companies. Your participation is crucial to our long-term success.
The threat to this structure continues to be acute in a political and policy environment marked by political change, high budget deficits and growing federal debt, ambitious spending programs and the never-ending search for ways to raise new tax revenue by changing existing tax laws. To help ensure that the retirement benefits from the S ESOP structure are preserved, ESCA’s singular purpose is to make sure that those who make political and policy decisions that could affect us know about S ESOPs and are committed to their future. It is a substantial task, but ESCA has achieved remarkable results in both preventing harm and building allies who support bipartisan legislation to encourage the creation of more S ESOPs, the Promotion and Expansion of Private Employee Ownership Act (S. 2515/H.R. 4896).
ESCA’s annual Federal Policy Conference and Lobby Day will be held in Washington, DC from July 24-26, 2024. Registration will be available on our website, www.esca.us, this spring. The annual conference draws over 150 senior executives of S corporation ESOPs and leading practitioners from around the country, in addition to employee-owners attending to participate in the lobby day. This unique event gives company executives and employee-owners the opportunity to educate their members of Congress about the importance of employee ownership. Other events include hearing from members of the House and Senate who play key roles in the federal tax policymaking process, an ESCA-focused political update, and networking with other top S ESOP executives.
Please call Diandra at (202) 629-5821 or Chris at (312) 819-8470 if we can answer any questions you have, or if you would like to speak to another ESCA professional member for their perspective on the benefits of being part of this important group. We look forward to working with you.
Best Regards,