NORTH AMERICA CHAPTER

PACIFIC NORTHWEST

NETWORKING EVENTS

CHAPTER TEAM:

Derek Lambert, EY (Chapter Leader)

Billy Vitense, Starbucks
Scott Sander, Amazon
Simin Cen, Amazon
Esther Liu, Deloitte

GEO BOARD CHAPTER LIAISON:

Shelia Frierson, Computershare

CONTACT THE CHAPTER TEAM

WELCOME TO THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST CHAPTER

This local chapter community is dedicated to sharing knowledge, experiences, and resources to help members develop their skills, expand their networks, and make a positive impact in their communities. You will have access to a wide range of valuable resources and opportunities including educational sessions and networking events.

ARTICLE

10 September 2026

Capgemini Launches 13th Employee Share Ownership Plan for 97% of Workforce

Capgemini

Employee engagement

Discount shares

France

Global

Capgemini's thirteenth ESOP is offered to around 97% of employees and is designed to maintain employee ownership at around 8% of share capital.

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ARTICLE

9 September 2026

AXA Opens Shareplan 2026 to More Than 110,000 Employees Across 40 Countries

AXA / market coverage

Employee engagement

Discount shares

France

Global

AXA launched its latest broad-based employee share offering, continuing a programme that has operated for more than 30 years.

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ARTICLE

5 September 2026

Keeping an ESOP Compliant: Why Annual Independent Valuation Matters

Cummings & Cummings Law

Legal and regulatory

All plan types

USA

Explains annual ESOP valuation requirements, fiduciary responsibilities and the risks of using an inadequately supported employer-stock valuation.

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ARTICLE

2 September 2026

US ESOP Association Sets Core Principles for the Future of Employee Ownership

The ESOP Association

Legal and regulatory

All plan types

USA

Sets out principles the association will use when assessing proposals that could change the legal definition or structure of US ESOPs.

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ARTICLE

2 September 2026

The Hidden Wallet: Why Good Benefits and Great AI Tools Still Go Unused

David Edwards

Trending now

All plan types

Global

The article explains why valuable employee benefits and powerful AI tools often go unused. The main barrier isn’t understanding their value—it’s the human cost of starting: effort, uncertainty, habit and fear of getting things wrong. This “hidden wallet” of attention and confidence is limited. The author argues that organisations should focus less on better communication and more on reducing friction, simplifying processes and improving defaults, because making action easier is often more effective than explaining benefits again.

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LIVE WEBCAST

1 September 2026, 10 - 11am MST

AI-Powered Equity Management: From Compliance to Strategic Value - ZOOM

Donna Bell, insightsoftware
Matt Lee, insightsoftware

Data and business intelligence

Operational effectiveness

All plan types

Global

Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping equity compensation management, shifting it from a compliance-driven administrative function to a strategic enabler of business value. This session will explore how AI technologies are streamlining processes, enhancing data-driven decision-making, and helping organizations align equity programs more closely with broader business objectives.

Through practical examples and real-world use cases, attendees will gain insights into how AI can reduce administrative complexity, improve operational efficiency, and uncover strategic opportunities within equity compensation programs.

KEY LEARNING POINTS:

Identify practical applications of AI that reduce administrative burdens and improve operational efficiency in equity compensation management.
Explain how AI-driven data and analytics can support more informed decision-making and align equity programs with company strategy.
Evaluate real-world examples of AI adoption to determine opportunities for creating greater strategic and business value through equity compensation programs.

CPE CREDIT HOURS: 1.0*

Field of study: Information Technology
Levels: O
Delivery method: Group Internet-Based
Advanced preparation: None

CEP Continuing Education (CE) credit:1.0 credits *CPE credits are provided for live webcasts only.

Please visit our Continuing Education and Event Policies pages for more information.

COST

Members: Free access — Live and on-demand
Non-members: $85 per webcast — Live and on-demand

Unlock unlimited access! Join GEO from just $375/year and watch every webcast free—live or on-demand plus more member perks!

IN-PERSON CHAPTER EVENT

26 August 2026, 12 - 3:30pm MDT

Colorado Chapter Meeting - GREENWOOD VILLAGE

Greenwood Village, Colorado

Trending now

All plan types

USA

Join the Colorado Chapter for an engaging two-session event exploring practical ways to modernize your equity compensation program, followed by a networking reception.

SPEAKERS: Andrew Gorder, Baker Tilly | Matt McKittrick, Baker Tilly | Michael Jacobson, Atlassian

Discover how real-time market pricing can optimize RSU sell-to-cover transactions to maximize employee share retention, then go behind the scenes with Atlassian to learn how its custom AI Equity Agent, Vestie, is transforming equity administration by streamlining workflows, reducing operational risk, and improving data quality.

SESSION ONE: Making Waves in Employee Ownership: Maximize Net Shares with Sell-to-Cover

Traditional Restricted Stock Unit (RSU) sell-to-cover processes often rely on outdated withholding methods that can result in unnecessary share sales, over-withholding, and a less-than-optimal experience for both employees and equity administrators.

This session explores how leveraging real-time market pricing can optimize tax withholding, maximize post-tax share retention, and help organizations deliver greater value from their equity compensation programs.

KEY LEARNING POINTS

Examine the limitations of traditional RSU sell-to-cover tax withholding methods and their impact on employees and administrators.
Explore how real-time market pricing can optimize share sales and maximize post-tax share retention.
Analyze a real-world case study demonstrating a more efficient and employee-friendly vesting experience.

SESSION TWO: Atlassian: An Example of AI Journey in Equity Compensation

Go behind the scenes with Atlassian's Equity Team to explore its AI transformation journey. Learn how the team developed and deployed Vestie, its custom AI Equity Agent, to automate routine inquiries, streamline manual processes, reduce operational risk, and improve the quality and consistency of equity data.

Whether you're just beginning to explore AI or looking to expand its use within your equity program, this session offers practical insights and lessons learned from a real-world implementation.

KEY LEARNING POINTS

Analyze the key stages involved in developing and deploying a custom AI equity agent.
Identify opportunities to use AI to streamline equity administration, reduce operational risk, and improve data quality.
Evaluate practical lessons from Atlassian's AI journey to help inform your organization's AI adoption strategy.

LOCATION:
6400 S Fiddler's Green Circle
Greenwood Village, CO 80111

COST:
Members and non-members are welcome to attend. Registration is free.

View the event attendee terms and conditions.

LIVE WEBCAST

20 August 2026, 10 - 11am MST

The Global Equity Gap: Why Ownership Doesn't Always Travel - ZOOM

Computershare

Finance, tax and accounting

Legal and regulatory

All plan types

Global

Companies often position equity compensation as a cornerstone of their ownership culture—but that promise doesn’t always translate globally. Regulatory complexity, tax considerations, and operational barriers can result in international employees being excluded from share plans or shifted into cash-settled alternatives, creating a disconnect between intention and reality. This session challenges those assumptions and explores what it really means for employees everywhere to own a piece of your company.

We’ll explore the “compliance gap” in cross-border equity and its impact on culture, alignment, and growth. Attendees will gain insight into the realities of balancing global consistency with local requirements, examine whether cash-settled awards truly deliver ownership, and uncover hidden risks while rethinking how to design equity programs that are both globally consistent and locally compliant.

KEY LEARNING POINTS

Identify the key regulatory, tax, and operational challenges that create the cross-border equity “compliance gap”
Evaluate the effectiveness of cash-settled awards versus equity in delivering true ownership and alignment
Apply practical strategies to design globally consistent, locally compliant equity programs

CPE CREDIT HOURS: 1.0*

Field of study: Specialized Knowledge
Levels: O
Delivery method: Group Internet-Based
Advanced preparation: None

CEP Continuing Education (CE) credit:1.0 credits *CPE credits are provided for live webcasts only.

Please visit our Continuing Education and Event Policies pages for more information.

COST

Members: Free access — Live and on-demand
Non-members: $85 per webcast — Live and on-demand

Unlock unlimited access! Join GEO from just $375/year and watch every webcast free—live or on-demand plus more member perks!

ARTICLE

20 August 2026

Disney Plans Broad-Based Employee Stock Purchase Program for 2027

Business Insider / James Faris

Employee engagement

Employee stock purchase plans (ESPP)

USA

Disney plans to introduce an ESPP for eligible employees, positioning broad-based share ownership as part of its benefits and retention strategy after reductions in some stock-based compensation.

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CHAPTER DISCUSSION BOARD

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Explore the GEO Insights area, where you can filter by region to access the latest events, articles, survey findings, and reports. Stay updated with the latest information and insights specific to your region, and gain valuable knowledge from our curated content.

View regional news & resources

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NORTH AMERICA CHAPTER

CHAPTER TEAM:

GEO BOARD CHAPTER LIAISON:

WELCOME TO THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST CHAPTER

REGIONAL RESOURCES

CHAPTER DISCUSSION BOARD

PAST EVENTS AND RESOURCES

REGIONAL NEWS AND INSIGHTS

The future of global share ownership