February 2026 Newsletter | 1st Edition

Attn: Rural Businesses in NE Lower Peninsula, Ventura Trust becomes ESOP, and the latest EO news curated for you

MICEO UPDATE

If you own or operate a rural business in one of the 14 counties MICEO serves in the North East Lower Peninsula counties, we want to hear from you. MICEO is gathering direct input from rural entrepreneurs, small business owners, and family-owned businesses to better understand your needs, challenges, and long-term goals—especially in the areas of business sustainability, workforce retention, and succession planning.

Counties we are targeting include: Cheboygan, Presque Isle, Otsego, Montmorency, Alpena, Crawford, Oscoda, Alcona, Roscommon, Ogemaw, and Iosco; Northwest Lower Peninsula including Emmit, Antrim, and Charlevoix.

Your responses to our Rural Business Owners Survey will help shape future rural business support programs, funding opportunities, technical assistance, and ownership transition resources designed specifically for rural communities.

Strong rural economies start with informed action—and that starts with you. Fill out the Rural Business Owners Survey HERE.

FOCUS ON MICHIGAN

VENTURA TRUST BECOMES AN ESOP

Ventura Trust, a service provider that specializes in ESOP trustee and fiduciary services for employee-owned companies, recently transitioned to an employee-owned company itself! With clients in more than 30 states, Ventura Trust specializes in large and complex clients and serves over 175 ESOP plans each year.

Ventura Managing Partner (and new employee-owner) Alex Perry serves on MICEO's Board, and Ventura’s President, Neil Brozen, is on the board of MICEO's parent organization, the Employee Ownership Expansion Network. Congratulations to the entire Ventura team on this exciting next chapter!

EMPLOYEE OWNERSHIP RESOURCES

LEARN MORE ABOUT EMPLOYEE OWNERSHIP

Fast Company: Closing the Wealth Gap – the Solution Hiding in Plain Sight – This Fast Company article argues that employee ownership is a proven, market-tested way to expand wealth beyond a few and into the hands of the people who build our companies.

Italy's Radical Solution to Extreme Inequality – This video explores how Italy’s cooperative system empowers workers with shared ownership, stronger job security, and more equitable wealth creation. A compelling case for rethinking how businesses are owned and how value is distributed.

Generation ESOP: 10.8 Million And Growing– Explore Forbes’ perspective on the continued rise of ESOPs and why this model is becoming an essential tool for sustainable growth.