The Eagle Group of companies is pleased to announce that owners Mike and JoAnn Walker recently elected to establish an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). The Walkers' confidence in their employees is very evident. As Mike expresses it, "We have truly amazing employees who work hard to ensure the success of our companies, and nothing gives JoAnn and me greater pleasure than to provide them this opportunity to partner with us in building the future of the Eagle Group." The decision to vest stock to their employees was an easy one for the Walkers. "We have had offers from various entities to purchase shares in the Eagle Group, but we have no doubt that it will be in the very best hands when it's in the hands of those whose time and talents have contributed to its success," Walker said. "JoAnn and I are confident that the Eagle Group will continue to flourish in the coming decades, and that this new opportunity will help ensure the best possible financial security for our current employees, and our ability to attract and retain top quality personnel in the future."Many of the implementation logistics will be handled by company CFO, Cindy Rudolph. "The ESOP is a form of retirement plan in which a portion of the company stock is held in trust for the benefit of employees, at no cost to the employees," Rudolph explained. "It provides a means for employees to realize even greater rewards from their tenure at the Eagle Group than their current salary and benefits packages afford." Customers will also enjoy a benefit from the ESOP. "Our customers will have the assurance of knowing that they are likely to be dealing directly with company stake holders when they do business with the Eagle Group," explained Jeff Lang, President of Eagle Systems. The Eagle Group enjoys an excellent reputation, due in large part to the high employee integrity the Walkers have nurtured. "The same relentless dedication to customer service and satisfaction will always be standard for the Eagle Group, and everything about the day-to-day operations will remain consistent," noted Greg Olshavsky, President of Eagle Intermodal Services."I know I'm speaking for the entire Eagle Group family when I say how much we appreciate the very generous opportunity Mike and JoAnn are offering us," added Gerry Ailts, President and CEO. "We will honor their confidence in us by ensuring that the superior service our customers have come to expect from the Eagle Group will always be our top priority."