Iowa knows it stands to benefit because ESOP companies have a track record of performing well and creating jobs:

In the Employee Ownership Foundation's 2011 survey, 80 percent of ESOPs report an increase in stock value, based on independent valuation, despite the slow recovery
ESOP companies bounced back more quickly after the recession and increased jobs by 60 percent over the past decade while job growth in the private sector remained flat, according to a study from Matrix Global Advisors.
Employees have a better chance of seeing a direct link between their job performance and their personal financial security because they share in any increase in company value through growth in their retirement plan balance.
ESOPs also have a significant impact on employee retirement savings. The Employee Benefit Research Institute reports more than half of Americans say they have less than $25,000 in savings. The average account balance for ESOP participants is $195,000, according to the ESOP Association.
The tax treatment of ESOPs allows many firms to better manage their cost structure and therefore their competitive posture.

ESOPs are good for the selling owner, the company, the employees and states like Iowa. And they are good for financial professionals. An ESOP transaction can generate significant investable assets along with cross-selling opportunities.

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A retirement plan that can help save jobs

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