May has done 15 to 20 deals involving divestitures from public companies, which were transitioned to employee ownership, often through the use of an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP).

FORBES: AWC Gives Business Owners A Gradual Exit Option

Beyster's plan, essentially an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP), has made many of his employees millionaires.

FORBES: Private matters

United's employee stock ownership plan, or ESOP, which held 55% of the airline, never succeeded in soothing strained relations between labor and management.

FORBES: Work and buy and hold

Employee Stock Ownership Plan (the ESOP).

FORBES: Sometimes You Should Just Pay The Tax