SEL Executive Vice President Elected Chair of the Board of Directors of ESCA

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Joey Nestegard, executive vice president of Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories (SEL), has been elected chair of the Board of Directors for the Employee‑Owned S Corporations of America (ESCA). SEL has been a member of ESCA since 2009. Nestegard, who has served as an ESCA board member since 2022 and completed two years as chair-elect, will serve as chair from January 2026 through December 2027.

ESCA is the Washington, D.C., voice for employee-owned S corporations, representing more than 230 companies and over 300,000 employee owners across the U.S., including SEL. The exclusive mission of the organization is to advance and protect S corporation ESOPs and the benefits they provide to the employees who own them.

As chair, Nestegard will lead the strategic, financial and policy‑related initiatives of ESCA while advancing its mission to strengthen and expand employee ownership.

“ESCA has played an important role in connecting employee‑owned companies with policymakers and generating strong bipartisan support for S‑ESOPs at a time when consensus is difficult to achieve,” Nestegard said. “I look forward to continuing that work and expanding our footprint so more companies and workers across the country can benefit from the economic stability and retirement savings opportunities that employee ownership provides.”

Nestegard emphasizes the importance of leadership and collaboration within ESCA and across the broader employee ownership community, particularly in shaping policy, educating stakeholders and advocating for the value that employee‑owned companies bring to communities nationwide.

SEL transitioned to employee‑owned in 1994 and became 100 percent employee‑owned in 2009. The company now has 7,500 employees worldwide and is the 13th‑largest majority employee‑owned company in the United States.