Four ESOP Association Members Named 2008 Top Small Workplaces discusses how four of the 15 2008 Top Small Workplaces winners are members of the ESOP Association:

Four members of The ESOP Association, ATA Engineering Inc., San Diego, CA; Jackson's hardware Inc., San Rafael, CA; King Arthur Flour Company, Norwich, VT; and New Belgium Brewing Co., Fort Collins, CO have been named among the Top 15 Small Workplaces. This is the second annual list of the best small businesses in the U.S. which was compiled by The Wall Street Journal and Winning Workplaces, a nonprofit group which provides consulting services to small businesses.

"It is pleasing to see four of the Association's member companies among the winners," said J. Michael Keeling, President of The ESOP Association. "What is really amazing about this story is that the number of small businesses that sponsor an ESOP is less than 1% of the total number of small businesses in America, but out of these companies, 27% are employee owned through the ESOP. The Wall Street Journal and Winning Workplaces saw the obvious in these companies."