The board of the Vermont Employee Ownership Center (VEOC) has announced that Jon Crystal will be stepping down at the end of September as Executive Director and that Mike Sessions has agreed to serve in that role on an interim basis.
According to VEOC Board President Paul Millman, “Departing Executive Director Jon Crystal led the organization for over five years during a time of steady growth for employee ownership in Vermont, and helped strengthen our state’s reputation as a national leader in this area. Jon's great intelligence and energy, combined with his excellent organizational skills, made him the perfect leader for the VEOC during this period.”
Mike Sessions is an accomplished leader who combines an extensive executive-level track record with doctoral studies in human and organizational development. He has 20 years of experience as an executive in industry-leading organizations, 10 of those years with an employee-owned business. He has served 11 years on various boards and has taught Leadership in Organizations at the University of Vermont's Graduate School of Business Administration. He is a frequent presenter at local and national employee ownership conferences on topics such as succession, leadership, and employee development. He accepted the NCEO and Beyster Institute's annual Innovation Award for a succession and employee development program he spearheaded.
“I'm thrilled to be working with an organization and people who are passionate about something I believe in so deeply,” Sessions says. “Employee ownership provides people and our communities with a powerful mechanism to create stronger businesses, more meaningful work, and increased sustainability.”
