03/27/2026
Employee owners and advocates from across Iowa came together at the Iowa State Capitol on May 24 to share the real-world impact of employee ownership with state legislators.
The Iowa Center for Employee Ownership (IA-CEO) was proud to invite representatives from employee-owned companies to help tell the story — not just about business succession strategies and performance outcomes, but about people. Through personal experiences, they spoke about how employee ownership creates meaningful opportunities to build wealth, strengthen workplace culture, and invest in local communities.
These conversations matter. When policymakers hear directly from employee owners about how ownership changes lives — increasing engagement, stability, and long-term commitment — it helps build broader understanding of why employee ownership is an important tool for Iowa’s economic future.
A HUGE thank you to the employee-owned companies who showed up, shared their stories, and represented the power of ownership so well. You were truly the stars of the day.
Dexter Express Laundry Services / Russ Cooper
Folience / Tom Pientok
Plastic Products Company Inc / Jane Molony
Rayser Holdings / Michelle Jensen / Angie Hoover
Stellar / Nick Anderson
VGM Group, Inc. / Amber Brauner / Adam Miller
Thank you as well to the state legislators (Rep. Shannon Latham, Rep. Barb Kniff-McCulla, Rep. Wendy Larson, and Rep. Ryan Weldon) who so graciously took time to attend and engage in meaningful conversation. We’re also grateful to Lt. Gov Chris Cournoyer for her support of this event and to Jason Chapman for helping bring it all together.
To learn more about employee ownership in Iowa, visit IA-CEO.org and follow this page for updates and events.