3LS Professional Services CEO to Take the Stage at One of the Nation’s Premier Employee Ownership Gatherings
(NASHVILLE, TN) June 16, 2026 — 3LS, Inc., an employee-owned family of Changemaker companies, announced today that 3LS Professional Services CEO, Shannon Litton, will deliver the keynote address at the National Center for Employee Ownership’s (NCEO) 2026 Forum Conference, taking place August 26-28 in Phoenix, Arizona. One of the most anticipated events on the employee ownership calendar, Forum brings together business leaders, advisors and advocates from across the country.
This year’s Forum arrives at a pivotal moment: the largest ownership transfer in American history is underway, reshaping expectations for work and who gets to influence, shape and share in its outcomes. Litton will take the stage to share why employee-owned companies are not just surviving this moment—they are built for it. As President of the Tennessee Center for Employee Ownership (TNCEO), CEO of 3LS Professional Services and the driving force behind the 100% employee ownership transition of award-winning 5by5 Agency, she has quickly become one of the most compelling and visible voices in the country on what it looks like to build a business where purpose and profit reinforce each other.
3LS Professional Services CEO, Shannon Litton
“Employee-owned companies are uniquely positioned to win in today and tomorrow’s economic environment,” said Litton. “Here’s why: teams want a real stake in what they are building and organizations are being challenged to create cultures rooted in trust and accountability. Employee ownership brings them into alignment in a real, human way. I’ve seen it firsthand at 3LS and I’ve seen it among the numerous employee-owned organizations I’ve interacted with over the last few years.”
She continued: “I’m looking forward to taking the stage to celebrate the changemakers—the people who are doing work where life change happens—in the room and show them that employee-owners and employee-owned companies are built for this. We’re built to win.”
Litton’s keynote announcement comes on the heels of a milestone-filled stretch for the leader. She was recently featured in the July/August 2026 Tech Issue of SUCCESS Magazine, where her employee ownership journey and approach to building the sprawling 3LS Professional Services division—which includes ESOP advisory firm, 40 Million Owners, marketing agency, 5by5, IT and cybersecurity firm, Intrust IT and finance, accounting and HR company, 3LS Solutions—-was profiled as a masterclass in purpose-driven entrepreneurship. She was also named a Trailblazer on Ragan’s 2026 Top Women in Communications Awards and previously delivered the opening keynote at NCEO’s inaugural Women’s Summit earlier this year.
“Shannon brings a rare combination of lived experience, energy and conviction to everything she does on the employee ownership stage,” said NCEO Chief Executive, Loren Rodgers. “The Forum audience is going to leave her session with a renewed sense of what this movement is capable of and the momentum to keep growing it.”
For more information about the NCEO Forum Conference and to register, visit nceo.org. To request an interview with Litton or event organizers, contact kristin@thenewfashioned.co.
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About 3LS Inc.
3LS, Inc. is a rapidly growing family of 26 employee-owned companies, with nearly 1,400 employees across the country, unified in their mission to empower good. With roots in health and human services, today 3LS invests in quality child welfare and behavioral healthcare services, transformative technology, and exceptional professional services — driving growth and impact for similar changemaker organizations and generational opportunity for its employee owners. Visit www.3ls.com to learn more.
About NCEO
Founded in 1981, The National Center for Employee Ownership (NCEO) is a private, nonprofit membership and research organization that serves as the leading source of accurate, unbiased information on employee ownership, including ESOPs, employee ownership trusts (EOTs), equity compensation plans such as stock options and ownership culture. The NCEO hosts virtual and in-person events across the country with thousands of attendees every year and is the main publisher in the field with over 40 publications. Learn more at NCEO.org.