Employee ownership is quietly reshaping how some of Wisconsin’s most enduring businesses plan for the future — and last Thursday night in Madison, the movement’s pioneers got their moment in the spotlight. The Wisconsin Center for Employee Ownership (WICEO) hosted its first-ever Celebrating Employee Ownership in Wisconsin dinner, bringing together business owners, employee-owners, advisors and community leaders at The Edgewater Hotel’s Red Crown Club during national Employee Ownership Month.
Union Cab, Weinbrenner Shoe Company, Community Pharmacy Cooperative and Findorff recognized, along with State Rep. Darrin Madison
The evening’s purpose was straightforward: honor four Wisconsin companies that have chosen employee ownership as a route to succession, growth and shared prosperity. Through Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs), worker cooperatives and employee ownership trusts, these firms have kept jobs and decision-making anchored in their local communities while giving workers a genuine financial stake in the value they help create.
“Bringing together the employee-owned community in Wisconsin like this was wonderful,” said Joe Sapp, CAE, Executive Director of WICEO. “Hearing the stories of these remarkable companies was inspiring, and it’s why we continue to push for more Wisconsin business owners to consider employee ownership as part of their succession planning.”
2026 Award Recipients
Wisconsin Employee Ownership Leadership Award: Union Cab of Madison Cooperative, Madison — The night’s top honor went to Union Cab, which launched on Oct. 29, 1979, with 11 cars after drivers who lost their jobs in a strike at Checker Cab decided to build their own company. Nearly 47 years later, Union Cab still operates as a worker cooperative, owned and governed by the people who drive and dispatch its cabs.
Legacy Preservation Award: Weinbrenner Shoe Company, Merrill — Founded in Milwaukee in 1892 and headquartered in Merrill since 1937, Weinbrenner was on the brink of closure in 1988 under international ownership. Local business leaders stepped in to rescue the company, and in 2000 they sold it to employees through an ESOP, preserving American bootmaking jobs in northern Wisconsin.
Community Impact Award: Community Pharmacy Cooperative, Madison — What began in 1972 as a student-led effort at the University of Wisconsin to make medications affordable and prioritize education over sales has evolved into a worker cooperative. Operating as such since 1991, Community Pharmacy continues to serve neighbors as a locally owned, worker-governed business.
Emerging Employee Ownership Award: Findorff, Madison — One of Wisconsin’s largest construction firms, Findorff transitioned to 100% employee ownership through an ESOP in January 2025, ensuring its future stays in the hands of the people who build its projects.
Employee Ownership Champion Award: State Rep. Darrin Madison — Honored for his work on Assembly Bill 17, which would create incentives for employee ownership conversions in Wisconsin. Rep. Madison also offered a legislative perspective on the state’s employee ownership landscape.
The program also featured remarks from Steve Storkan, Executive Director of the Employee Ownership Expansion Network (EOX), who discussed the national outlook for employee ownership and Wisconsin’s potential to become a model state in the coming decade.
Nationally, more than 6,600 ESOPs cover about 11 million participants and hold more than $2 trillion in plan assets, according to the National Center for Employee Ownership.
The dinner was made possible by presenting sponsor BDO Capital Advisors and sponsor EOX. Proceeds support WICEO’s work providing free, unbiased education and resources to Wisconsin business owners exploring employee ownership. Business owners interested in learning more, and companies interested in being considered for the 2027 awards, can visit wiceo.org.
About the Wisconsin Center for Employee Ownership
The Wisconsin Center for Employee Ownership (WICEO) is a nonprofit organization working to grow employee ownership across Wisconsin. Part of the Employee Ownership Expansion Network (EOX) of state centers, WICEO helps business owners understand succession options, including Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs), worker cooperatives and employee ownership trusts (EOTs), connects them with qualified resources, and brings together the state’s employee-owned companies, advisors and public partners to strengthen support for employee ownership statewide. Learn more at wiceo.org.
Why it matters: As Wisconsin’s business owners age and face succession decisions, employee ownership offers a proven path to keep companies local, preserve jobs and build wealth for workers. The recognition of these four firms — and the push for legislative incentives — signals a growing movement to make the state a national leader in this model.
Joe Sapp
Wisconsin Center for Employee Ownership
+1 217-766-9916
Visit us on social media:
LinkedIn
