ESOP Company of the Year Recognition highlights HdL’s employee-owner culture as the company expands its team, develops leaders, and grows its impact in communities nationwide.
BREA, Calif., Sept. 29, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — HdL Companies has been named 2027 ESOP Company of the Year for the California/Nevada Chapter of The ESOP Association, recognizing the company’s commitment to employee ownership and a culture that gives employees a meaningful stake in HdL’s long-term success.
The award was presented at the California/Nevada Chapter’s 2026 Annual Conference held September 16-18. Recipients are selected for their commitment to maximizing the value and benefits of ESOP employee ownership. HdL was recognized for making employee ownership a meaningful part of how the company operates, develops its people, serves its clients, and builds a shared sense of purpose across the organization.
Growth Built On Employee Ownership
The recognition comes during a period of continuous growth for HdL and follows another significant employee-ownership honor earlier this year. Jennifer Pierce of HdL Companies was named the ESOP Association’s 2026 Employee Owner of the Year, a national award given at the organization’s conference in May recognizing her contributions spanning more than a decade to employee ownership, HdL’s culture, and the company’s growth.
Pierce explained, “Employee ownership means that each of us contributes to something bigger than our individual roles. I’m incredibly proud of the culture our employee owners have built and the way our teams support each other, our clients, and the communities they serve.”
Ownership With Community Impact
Employee ownership also shapes HdL’s approach to leadership and community engagement. The company’s ESOP team helps build company identity through charitable initiatives and volunteer activities, connecting employee owners around shared service beyond their daily roles.
HdL’s core values include “Give Generously” a value reflected in companywide philanthropy, including its partnership with Make-a-Wish Orange County and the Inland Empire, where CEO Andy Nickerson currently serves as Chairman of the Board. Through Cotribute, HdL also provides funds monthly for employees to nominate and contribute to eligible charities, supporting local organizations that address needs in their communities.
100% Employee-Owned
“Employee ownership is more than part of our structure. It shapes how we serve our clients, as each one of us has a vested interest in their success,” said Richard Park, President and CFO of HdL Companies. “This recognition belongs to our employee owners. Their expertise, commitment, and sense of shared responsibility have allowed HdL to grow while staying centered on our core values and focused on the local government communities we serve,” affirmed CEO Andy Nickerson.
The company brings together professionals with extensive experience in local government, municipal finance, revenue management, compliance, and technology. The employee-ownership model supports HdL’s broader strategy of investing in people, technology, and services while maintaining a long-term focus on the communities it serves.
Together, HdL’s national 2026 Employee Owner of the Year award and 2027 California/Nevada Chapter ESOP Company of the Year honor reflect the importance of employee ownership to a company that has been employee-owned since 2007 and became 100% employee-owned in 2012. As HdL expands its expertise and capacity to serve local governments nationwide, that ownership culture continues to shape how employees grow, collaborate, and share responsibility for client success.
About HdL Companies
HdL Companies helps local governments safeguard and grow the revenues that sustain essential services. Our partners strengthen trusted compliance, protect municipal revenue, and reduce program costs to better serve their communities. More than 900 cities, counties, and special districts rely on HdL for sales tax analytics, local tax administration, economic development support, and other revenue solutions. Since 1983, the company has driven $4B in recovered revenue for local agencies. Learn more at HdLCompanies.com.
Media Contact:
Melissa Heiselt
HdL Companies
714.879.5000
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