Wisconsin Center for Employee Ownership Honors State's Employee Ownership Leaders at Inaugural Celebration Dinner
Union Cab, Weinbrenner Shoe Company, Community Pharmacy Cooperative and Findorff recognized, along with State Rep. Darrin Madison
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MADISON, Wis. (Oct. 23, 2026) — During Employee Ownership Month, Wisconsin business owners, employee-owners, advisors and community leaders gathered Thursday evening at The Edgewater Hotel’s Red Crown Club in Madison for the inaugural Celebrating Employee Ownership in Wisconsin dinner, hosted by the Wisconsin Center for Employee Ownership (WICEO).
The evening recognized four Wisconsin businesses that have chosen employee ownership as a path to succession, growth and shared prosperity. Through Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs), worker cooperatives and employee ownership trusts, these companies have kept jobs and decision-making rooted in their communities while giving employees a real 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 evening’s top honor went to Union Cab, which opened on Oct. 29, 1979, with 11 cars after drivers who lost their jobs in a strike at Checker Cab decided to build a company of their own. Nearly 47 years later, Union Cab remains 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 faced closure in 1988 under international ownership. Local business leaders stepped in to save the company, and in 2000 they sold it to its employees through an ESOP, keeping American bootmaking jobs in northern Wisconsin.
Community Impact Award: Community Pharmacy Cooperative, Madison — Started in 1972 by University of Wisconsin students who wanted affordable medications and a pharmacy that put education ahead of sales, Community Pharmacy has operated as a worker cooperative since 1991 and continues to serve its neighbors as a locally owned, worker-governed business.
Emerging Employee Ownership Award: Findorff, Madison — One of Wisconsin’s largest construction firms, Findorff became 100% employee-owned through an ESOP in January 2025, ensuring its future remains in the hands of the people who build its projects.
Employee Ownership Champion Award: State Rep. Darrin Madison — Recognized for his efforts to pass Assembly Bill 17, which would create incentives for employee ownership conversions in Wisconsin. Rep. Madison also shared a legislative perspective on employee ownership in Wisconsin.
The program also featured remarks from Steve Storkan, Executive Director of the Employee Ownership Expansion Network (EOX), on the national outlook for employee ownership and Wisconsin’s opportunity to become a model state for the decade ahead.
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.
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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.
Media Contact
Wisconsin Center for Employee Ownership
Joe Sapp, CAE, Executive Director
jsapp@wiceo.org
