Employee Ownership Could Prevent a Baby-Boomer Business Closure Wave
Bharat Ramamurti, the former deputy director of the National Economic Council, used a keynote at the 2026 Employee Ownership Ideas Forum to argue that employee ownership is an unusually low-tradeoff policy response to a looming wave of small-business succession. He warned that millions of baby-boomer-owned firms employing tens of millions of Americans could close as owners retire, with particular risks for rural communities and essential sectors. Ramamurti said federal policy should make worker buyouts easier through financing, transaction support, and tax advantages for owners who sell to employees.
The Aspen Institute·Jun 9, 2026·5 min read
