RPA’s Employee Stock Ownership Program
In 1991, RPA owner and founder Robert Peccia began the process of establishing an Employee Stock Ownership Program, or ESOP. In 1995, the first shares of the company were sold to employees; the sale was finally completed in 2009, making RPA the first 100% employee-owned engineering firm in Montana.
An ESOP is a retirement plan that gives employees ownership in the company in the form of shares of stock. This means that employees are literally invested in the company’s success and as the company grows and succeeds, so do our employee-owners.
From day one, RPA employee-owners start building their stake in the company. With a direct stake in RPA, employee-owners are accountable to one another and can see how their work contributes to both the success of the company and the growth of their retirement account. This stake continues to grow each year until retirement when the shares employee owners accumulated throughout their careers will be paid out and redistributed, allowing for current and future employee owners to further grow their stake in RPA.
Our RPA Trustees constantly provide programming for employee-owners throughout the year to make sure they are knowledgeable about the ESOP, understand how it functions, and can see the concrete benefits it provides to each employee.
What our employee-owners have to say
Being an employee-owner at RPA gives me a vested interest in the company that goes beyond my salary and that is both motivating and inspiring. Wins feel more personal, every new project or client represents a new opportunity to excel and succeed. I see the rewards from my hard work as my retirement account grows, and that’s a powerful motivator since I know I am directly working for myself and for my coworkers.
Forrest Walker, EI
Once I made the decision to pursue another job, the ESOP structure was one of the key factors in coming back to work at RPA. The culture at RPA is strong due in part to an increased sense of pride and buy-in from employee owners. Employees have more emphasis on improved business practices and focus on everyone rowing in the same direction for greater firm success. Working for an ESOP company like RPA makes me feel like a valued team member with less stress on individual metrics and financial performance.
Jeremy Perlinski, PE
Being an employee owner empowers me to take ownership of my career and my future. I enjoy being surrounded by like-minded people who are all motivated to go above and beyond for our clients and driven to see the company succeed. And although I love my day-to-day work and have no plans to retire anytime soon, I take a lot of comfort in knowing RPA’s ESOP is helping me build a healthy retirement savings!
Kerry Lynch, PE, RSP1
Grow with RPA
We are always looking for talented people! Finding the right fit matters to us and we believe in supporting our team members through continuing education and mentorship. The individual qualities we want in our team are self-motivation, intelligence, common sense, and industriousness. We value the ability to communicate and work well with others.
Whether you are a recent grad or seasoned professional looking for a change, we’d love to hear more about your interests and see if RPA could be a fit for the next chapter in your career.
Board of Trustees
Toni Ballard
Corporate Controller
Chris Hayes
Water/Wastewater Assistant Group Manager
Kerry Lynch
Design Team Leader
Brad Thompson
Streets & Highways Assistant Group Manager
Ian Wargo
Project Manager
ESOP Fast Facts
- On average, companies contribute 50% to 100% more to ESOPs than non-ESOP companies to 401(k) plans.
- Retirement accounts are ~2.5% higher for companies with ESOPs compared to non-ESOP plans.
- ESOPs typically have higher rates of return than 401(k) plans and are less volatile.
- ESOPs have several significant tax benefits for the company and the employee.
- Companies with ESOPs are more likely to offer other retirement plan options.
- Employee-Owners were 4x less likely to be laid off during Great Recession.
- ESOP companies are 25% more likely to stay in business.
- ESOP employees earn 5-12% more in wages.
- Over a 10-year period, ESOP companies have 25% higher job growth than companies without ESOP.
Interested in Joining Our Team?
We are always looking for talented people!
RPA is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity EmployerEqual Employment Opportunity - In order to provide equal employment and advancement opportunities to all individuals, employment decisions at RPA will be based on merit, qualifications, and abilities. RPA is an equal opportunity employer and will not discriminate in employment opportunities or practices on the basis of sex, age, religion, race, color, marital status, physical or mental disability, national origin, pregnancy, veteran or military status, or sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by law, unless the reasonable demands of the job require a distinction to be made. This applies to all areas of employment including hiring, training, salary administration, promotion, job assignment, discipline, layoffs, and termination.Affirmative Action Program - The RPA management team and President are committed to the principle of Affirmative Action and Equal Employment Opportunity. RPA maintains an Affirmative Action Program which is available for review by any employee or job applicant upon request to the Accounting Department or Vice President of Human Resources (VPHR). If you have any questions or concerns contact the VPHR, at 406-447-5000 or careers@rpa-hln.com
Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action