ESOP Mergers & Acquisitions on the Rise: Key Takeaways from the 2025 National Center for Employee Ownership Conference

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…

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NCEOC Featured in WNC Business

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…

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3 Proven Paths to Employee Ownership

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…

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Meet Illa Burbank, Our New Executive Director

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…

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Earn CE Credits with NCEOC’s ExitPro Workshops

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…

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May 1, 2025 | NCEOC Exit Pro Series

Advisors’ Edge: Unlocking Employee Ownership for Your Clients Next webinar takes place on May 1, 2025 from 1pm-2pm EST Discover how employee ownership can be a transformative business exit strategy for your clients. This is a free training program for CPAs, financial planners, and attorneys, brought to you in collaboration with the Employee Ownership Expansion…

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2025 | NC Employee Ownership Ambassador Program

Please register now for our next four week cohort in June 2025 Dates are June 3, 10, 17 and 24 at 2:00PM EST The North Carolina Employee Ownership Ambassador Program is for people that work with businesses–in economic development, as business service providers, legal professionals, financial advisors, etc.–and would like to learn about employee ownership…

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August 19, 2025 | SBCN Webinar – ESOP Deep Dive 2025

Presented by the Small Business Center Network at Forsyth Community College and NCEOC Topic: ESOP Deep Dive 2025 Description: Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs) can be a great option for business owners looking to retire. Come hear the basics of an ESOP as well as the experience of a business owner that went this route.…

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