Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories
Newsroom
Nov 13, 2025
SEL Ranks 13th on List of Largest Employee-Owned Companies in America
Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories (SEL), a global leader in products and solutions that protect and control electric power systems, is the 13th largest majority employee-owned company in America, according to the National Center for Employee Ownership (NCEO). The NCEO, a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing employee ownership, publishes The Employee Ownership 100, an annual ranking of the 100 largest majority employee-owned companies in the United States. The list highlights companies that are at least 50% employee-owned, with most, including SEL, being 100% owned. SEL has steadily climbed the rankings, moving from No. 22 to No. 13 since 2022.“We are proud to be recognized among the largest employee-owned companies in the country,” said Executive Vice President Joey Nestegard. “At SEL, employee ownership isn’t just a structure—it’s part of our culture that empowers our people to think and act like owners, focusing on long-term decision-making in the best interest of customers, employees, supplier partners and the communities where we do business.” The SEL employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) was established in 1994, and the company became 100% employee-owned in 2009. Today, the company employs more than 7,400 people at over 100 locations across the U.S. and around the world, including its five U.S. manufacturing centers in Washington, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana and North Carolina. Companies on the NCEO list employ more than 655,000 people.To view the full NCEO 100 list, visit www.nceo.org/research/employee-ownership-100-largest-employee-owned-companies