HNTB ranks 38 among top 100 majority employee-owned U.S. companies

Kansas City, Mo. — HNTB Corporation ranks No. 38 among the largest majority employee-owned companies in the United States. This is the 11th consecutive year the firm is included on the Top 100 list, compiled by the National Center for Employee Ownership.

The NCEO 2015 list, “The Employee Ownership 100: America’s Largest Majority Employee-Owned Companies” ranks companies based on number of employees. To be included on the list, companies must have at least 50 percent of their shares owned by an employee stock ownership plan or similar program.

“Being an employee owner means recognizing that what you do and how you do it has an impact on the firm and its performance, as well as on your own personal and financial success,” said Rob Slimp, P.E., HNTB CEO. “Enabling HNTB employees the opportunity to realize the value they are creating was one of the primary reasons for establishing an ESOP in our company. At HNTB, our business success equals our employee owners’ success.”

HNTB’s employee stock ownership plan was established in 2000. The total value of employee accounts has grown from $13 million in the first year to $304 million.

ESOPs, the most common form of employee ownership for companies on the list, are an employer-sponsored benefit plan. Companies contribute stock or cash to buy stock to an employee stock ownership trust. According to the NCEO, ESOP companies grow about 2.5 percent per year faster after an ESOP is set up. Additionally, ESOP participants average about 2.5 times more in total retirement assets than do employees in non-ESOP companies.