UNI opens center boosting employee ownership

CEDAR FALLS — The University of Northern Iowa has launched the Iowa Center for Employee Ownership, an initiative to support and promote employee ownership in Iowa.

The center will serve as a hub for resources, education and guidance for businesses looking to explore employee ownership models.

The center — shortened to IA-CEO — will be located at UNI’s Business & Community Services, 8120 Jennings Dr., Suite 128, in Cedar Falls. For more information on employee ownership, go to advanceiowa.com.

Iowa Lt. Gov. Adam Gregg announced the center’s launch May 11 during the Employee Ownership Conference at the Des Moines Area Community College campus in Newton. The conference was hosted by UNI-based Advance Iowa.

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"We are proud to support the Employee Ownership Conference and the establishment of the Iowa Center for Employee Ownership," said Paul Kinghorn, director of Advance Iowa.

"Employee ownership has a transformative effect on businesses, propelling innovation, fostering a sense of shared purpose and improving long-term sustainability.,“ he said.

Jerry Ripperger, vice president of stock plan services at Principal, the conference’s title sponsor, said the company has long championed the benefits of employee ownership.

“We firmly believe investing in employee ownership can enhance engagement, drive productivity, and create a culture of accountability that optimizes business success," he said.