PROGRAMMING
People Power and Performance
People, Profits & Performance is a 90-minute, high-impact session for business owners. People, Profits & Performance is a 90-minute, high-impact session for business owners. Delivered by the Illinois Center for Employee Ownership (ILCEO), the program introduces the powerful principles of The Great Game of Business, Inc. — a proven framework to help employees think and act like owners.
Business Owners Learn
How financial transparency can rive performance
How to involve employees in decision-making
The basics of employee ownership models
Real tools to engage and retain key employees
Unlocking Employee Ownership
for Your Clients
Advisors’ Edge ExitPro Training
ILCEO is proud to offer Advisor's Edge a training program for Coursework designed for professionals who
work closely with business owners—CPAs,CFPs, CEPAs, attorneys, wealth advisors,
small business advisors, etc.
This 1-hour program equips you with the knowledge needed to better support business owners exploring employee ownership options and provides a framework for increasing practice revenue and client retention.
Participants can receive 1 hour of CE/CPE credit from the organizations listed below.
The Ownership Advantage: Illinois's Top 50 Employee-Owned Companies of 2025
The 2025 edition of Illinois’s Employee-Owned Top 50 highlights 50 standout companies across the state that are thriving under Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs)—showcasing the transformative power of broad-based employee ownership.
Compiled by the Illinois Center for Employee Ownership and the Ohio Employee Ownership Center at Kent State University, this comprehensive guide draws on 2023 IRS data and public filings to reveal the growing scale and impact of ESOPs across Illinois industries.
With nearly 295 ESOP companies and 315,000 employee owners across the state, Illinois’s ESOP community is helping drive wealth-building, business resilience, and succession solutions. These companies manage over $82 billion in plan assets, and the median ESOP account balance has grown to $150,323, a 35% increase since the last report—demonstrating how ownership can directly boost workers’ financial security.
Whether you're a business owner exploring succession options, an advisor guiding clients, or a policymaker focused on economic development, this resource delivers real-world examples and actionable insights.
In an era of mass business retirements and rising inequality, Illinois ESOPs are proving that ownership can be a tool for resilience, legacy, and equity.
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Illinois Center for Employee Ownership