The Missouri Employee Ownership Center Hires Julie Leonhardt as Executive Director
The Missouri Center for Employee Ownership (MOCEO), part of the Employee Ownership Expansion Network (EOX) – announced today the hiring of Julie Leonhardt as the organization's new Executive Director. In her role, Ms. Leonhardt will lead efforts to advance MOCEO's mission of helping business owners, advisors, and community leaders across Missouri understand the benefits of employee ownership as a powerful tool for business continuity, wealth building, and local economic resilience.
KANSAS CITY, Mo., Oct. 24, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- TheMissouri Center for Employee Ownership (MOCEO) , a nonprofit organization working to make Missouri a state where every working person has the opportunity to become an employee-owner, announced today the hiring of Julie Leonhardt as its Executive Director. MOCEO is a member of theEmployee Ownership Expansion Network (EOX), a network of 24 state centers focused on significantly expanding employee ownership in the United States.
Ms. Leonhardt is passionate about unlocking the potential of people and places to build thriving, resilient communities. She brings more than two decades of executive leadership experience across the corporate, nonprofit, and entrepreneurial sectors to her new role. Her approach combines systems thinking, strategic storytelling, and human-centered design to operationalize impact and drive meaningful change.
Ms. Leonhardt's first task will be to create a Kansas City Citywide Task Force on Employee Ownership with one goal in mind: to spread the word about employee ownership and its benefits to individuals in the Kansas City region and beyond. The task force will be composed of government officials, academics, business owners, and employees and and is made possible through funding from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation.
"I've spent my career helping organizations clarify their purpose, strengthen their teams, and deliver measurable community results," said Leonhardt. "I'm excited to bring that same energy and collaboration to this next chapter—where innovation and inclusion meet to strengthen the heart of our communities."
Previously, she served as Chief Executive Officer of Startland, a Kansas City–based nonprofit organization dedicated to amplifying communities by uncovering their untold stories through community journalism. Startland News, the organization's digital daily business news publication, reports on entrepreneurship, innovation, and the people shaping the region's future. Her earlier career includes senior global leadership roles at Sotheby's International Realty and Christie's International Real Estate, and legal experience with top Wall Street law firms. A Kansas City resident, Leonhardt holds a J.D. from Fordham University School of Law and is recognized for her work advancing innovation, equity, and economic vitality in the communities she serves.
"We are incredibly fortunate to have connected with Julie and to welcome her as the new leader of MOCEO," said Steve Storkan, Executive Director of EOX and Board Member of MOCEO. "Her proven experience in leading organizations and building strong communities, combined with her natural ability to connect with people, makes her the ideal person to move MOCEO forward. Julie's leadership will be key to expanding awareness of employee ownership in Kansas City and throughout the state of Missouri."
About the Missouri Center for Employee Ownership:
The Missouri Center for Employee Ownership (MOCEO) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 2021 that serves as the central hub for information and resources around employee ownership in Missouri. MOCEO's mission is to educate business owners and their advisors (lawyers, bankers, accountants, wealth advisors) on the benefits of employee ownership via Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs), worker cooperatives, and Employee Ownership Trusts (EOTs). MOCEO provides resources, case studies, and articles, and a list of service providers who can assist with employee ownership transitions. MOCEO serves the entire state of Missouri and is part of theEmployee Ownership Expansion Network – a network of 24 state centers. To learn more about MOCEO visit:https://moceo.org/.
About the Employee Ownership Expansion Network:
The Employee Ownership Expansion Network is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded on July 4th, 2018 in Philadelphia, PA and headquartered in Arlington, VA. Its mission is to significantly expand employee ownership in the United States by establishing and supporting a network of independent, nonprofit State Centers for Employee Ownership. To date, EOX has provided funding and technical assistance to support the opening of 16 new State Centers. To learn more, visit www.eoxnetwork.org.
Media Contact
Steve Storkan, EOX — Employee Ownership Expansion Network, 1 651-319-1874, [email protected], https://www.eoxnetwork.org/
SOURCE EOX — Employee Ownership Expansion Network
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