Employee ownership through Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs) has stood the test of time and is built to last. ESOP champion elected officials on both sides of the aisle stood up for ESOPs during the 2017 tax reform process and ESOP law is still strong. While private company ESOP growth has not grown tremendously, the number of private company ESOP participants has grown to over 14 million employee-owners with wealth over $1.4 trillion. This tax efficient exit strategy continues to be a viable structure for business owners who value the employees who helped them grow the business and want their legacy to last. Research has shown that employee ownership through ESOPs increases productivity, helps secure a more respectable retirement, and keeps more jobs local. The National Center for Employee Ownership (NCEO) found that ESOP companies have almost 20% more revenue growth than the S&P Small Cap 600. During the last recession ESOP companies enjoyed double-digit revenue growth while other businesses contracted. Employee-owners have over twice the average retirement balance than non-employee-owners and 33% higher income from wages. ESOP companies cover a broad range of industries like Manufacturing (22%), Professional/Scientific/Technology (19%), Finance/Insurance/Real Estate (16%), Construction (11%), Wholesalers (9%), Retails (6%) and almost any other industry you can think of.