Jim Bonham

Jim Bonham is president and CEO of The ESOP Association and president of the Employee Ownership Foundation, where he leads national advocacy and education efforts to expand employee ownership and ESOPs in the United States.

Congress and Labor Department Action Could Remove Key Barriers to ESOP Formation

Jim Bonham, president and CEO of The ESOP Association, used his keynote at the 2026 Employee Ownership Ideas Forum to argue that ESOPs are entering their most important policy opening in decades. He said advocates must use that window to pass valuation legislation, shape Department of Labor rules, and ensure ESOPs are part of coming debates over AI, tax policy, and business succession — while defending the specific legal features that distinguish ESOPs from broader claims of employee ownership.

The Aspen InstituteJun 9, 20266 min read