The ESOP Association and Employee Ownership Foundation Earn Prestigious Brandon Hall Group Award for Excellence

“Academy Awards of Human Capital Management” Recognize Leading in an Ownership Setting™ Program with Gold Award, in Partnership with University of Virginia’s Darden Executive Education & Lifelong Learning

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The ESOP Association and the Employee Ownership Foundation, with the University of Virginia’s Darden Executive Education & Lifelong Learning, have been recognized with a Brandon Hall Group™ Gold Human Capital Management Excellence Award ® for Leading in an Ownership Setting™. The HCM Excellence Awards recognize organizations that successfully develop and deploy programs, strategies, technologies, and solutions that deliver measurable business results and advance excellence in Human Capital Management.

The ESOP Association and Employee Ownership Foundation partnered with the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business to create a unique executive education program at a top business school tailored to the challenges of leading an ESOP company. Now, that collaboration has earned recognition from the Brandon Hall Group as a Gold Award winner for excellence in learning and development.

“Leading in an Ownership Setting™ is the result of a true partnership between The ESOP Association, the Employee Ownership Foundation, and Darden’s EELL, combining Darden’s expertise with our deep understanding of the unique challenges facing ESOP companies. Earning a Gold Award from the Brandon Hall Group is especially meaningful because it provides independent validation of the program’s great success. To be recognized among the best leadership development programs is a tremendous honor, and reflects the quality of the program along with our shared commitment to giving ESOP executives an exceptional leadership development experience. We are excited about the impact this program can have on the next generation of ESOP leaders.”
— James Bonham, President & CEO, The ESOP Association

Leading in an Ownership Setting™ equips ESOP executives with the knowledge and tools to excel in an employee-owned environment. The rigorous two-week program combines world-class executive education with a curriculum tailored to the unique business, financial, leadership, and cultural challenges of ESOP companies. The program serves Presidents/CEOs, CFOs/senior finance executives, and their successors, covering essential areas including M&A, Finance, Repurchase Obligations, Marketing, Management, Leadership, and Culture.

“Winning Gold for Learning and Development is a powerful testament to our partnership with The ESOP Association and the Employee Ownership Foundation, whose deep industry expertise—combined with Darden’s rigorous and immersive leadership development—delivers meaningful value to employee ownership leaders and the organizations they lead.”
— Ashley Williams, CEO and CLO, UVA Darden Executive Education & Lifelong Learning

"The HCM Excellence Awards have become the most recognized benchmark for excellence in human capital management because organizations know they are earned, not given. Every winning program has demonstrated measurable impact, innovation, and execution through one of the industry's most rigorous evaluation processes. We are proud to recognize the organizations setting the standard for the future of work."
— Mike Cooke, CEO, Brandon Hall Group™.

Following the success of its 2025 and 2026 cohorts, Leading in an Ownership Setting™ will expand in the coming years to provide more ESOP executives with access to the program. The ESOP Association has also announced dates for the 2027 Leading in an Ownership Setting™ programs. The ESOP President/CEO cohort will take place June 20-24 and December 5-9, while the CFO cohort will be held July 25-29 and October 17-21. Registration for both cohorts will open in September. For more information about the program, please visit esopleadership.org.

About The ESOP Association

The ESOP Association is the largest organization in the world supporting employee-owned companies, the more than 10 million U.S. employees who participate in an ESOP, and the professionals who provide services to them. Headquartered at the International Employee Ownership Center in Washington, DC and operating as a 501(c)6 organization with the affiliated Employee Ownership Foundation, The ESOP Association conducts and funds academic research, provides more than 160 annual conferences and events attended by nearly 15,000 individuals, and advocates on behalf of employee owners and their businesses to federal and state lawmakers.