Employee Owned

The Owner Culture

"When everyone in the building owns part of the company, they become uniquely empowered." - Tom Connors

At Adworkshop, eligible employees participate in the ownership of our New York marketing agency. As an ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan), we nurture a culture of shared ideas. And since 2007 - when our ESOP was established - we've increased productivity, amplified creativity and grown in ways that may not have been possible just a few short years ago. In our Lake Placid office, everyone has a voice, and everyone shares in the agency's success. We work as a team.

We aren't the only new ESOP out there though. With approximately 11,500 employee-owned companies located throughout the United States – ESOPs represent 10 percent of the United States' private workforce – owning a whopping $901 billion in assets.

When our ESOP solidified in 2009, Principals Tom and Adele Connors sold 33 percent of Adworkshop's stock to their employees. As a first step in their succession plan, the sale secured the future of our digital marketing agency. Selling to their employees guards against relocation of the business and helps ensure our talented individuals are firmly planted in the North Country. The Connors remain involved in the business today, but in the years to come, it is their intention to eventually sell 100 percent of their stock to the ESOP.

To commemorate the establishment of our ESOP, we celebrate National Employee Ownership Month each October. This year, we are focusing on community outreach, a corporate challenge and a month-long food drive.

In support of the proliferation of ESOPs nationwide, Adworkshop is a proud member of The ESOP Association. This non-profit member organization serves approximately 2,500 ESOPs through 18 local chapters. Its main focus is to promote and enhance favorable laws before Congress and regulatory agencies while providing its members with expert educational resources.

We are proud members of the New York/New Jersey Chapter of The ESOP Association.