Blogs

Congratulations to Blythe Development Corp. on celebrating its first anniversary as an employee-owned company!  Founded in 1921 in Charlotte, North Carolina, Blythe has a long and storied history. Originally established to build roads and highways, the company quickly took on ambitious projects, including the construction of Camp Lejeune Marine Corps Base, airfields in North Africa,…

Representing North Carolina, NCEOC Executive Director Illa Burbank and Founder Anne-Claire Broughton attended the 2025 National Center for Employee Ownership (NCEO) Conference, held April 14–17 in Salt Lake City. The event marked a milestone as the largest in NCEO’s history, drawing more than 2,000 participants from across the United States and internationally. One of the…

The North Carolina Employee Ownership Center (NCEOC) was pleased to be featured in an article in the Q2 2025 print edition of WNC Business, a publication serving Western North Carolina. The article, The Silver Tsunami: Preparing for “The Largest Wealth Transfer in History,” also features the work of NCEOC partner The Industrial Commons (TIC) and…

When considering options for transitioning a business to employee ownership (EO), understanding the primary types of EO is crucial. Three distinct models have proven successful across different industries and company sizes: All successful forms of EO lead to increased productivity and profitability as employees gain a direct stake in the company’s success, especially when paired…

We are excited to announce that Illa Burbank has joined the North Carolina Center for Employee Ownership (NCEOC) as our new Executive Director. With over three decades of extensive experience in the business world, Illa brings exceptional expertise in leading organizations and harnessing the benefits of employee ownership. Her unique blend of expertise, passion, and…

Those who offer professional services to small businesses in North Carolina, such as exit planners, financial advisors, and CPAs, are invited to dive deeper into employee ownership concepts through our upcoming ExitPro Workshops. Crisis Facing North Carolina Businesses We are experiencing a “Silver Tsunami” in North Carolina: Baby Boomers (who own half of all small…

At NCEOC, we look forward to spreading the word about employee-ownership far and wide in 2025, especially through special events and workshops. These specially curated programs are designed to educate stakeholders, uplift employee-ownership experts, and inspire attendees through stories of experience.  Our goal is to help more people, businesses, and communities understand employee-ownership models and…

The North Carolina Employee Ownership Center (NCEOC) is on a mission to protect jobs, increase community wealth, and create a more vibrant, inclusive economy through the power of employee ownership. For the past five years, we have played a vital role in fostering economic empowerment across the state of North Carolina. We fulfill our mission…