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Updated: October 20, 2025 2025 ESOP Essentials

ProSearch

Photo courtesy of ProSearch

Operational overview

Established in 1994, ProSearch is Maine’s top recruiting and staffing firm. From temporary/contract jobs to career opportunities, we are Maine’s go to resource for job seekers and employers.

Company culture

What is one event or activity that brings your employees together?

We host a variety of regular events designed to strengthen employee connections across all divisions and foster social engagement among and across teams. These gatherings are especially valuable and well-received in our hybrid work environment. Our core events include quarterly offsites, monthly lunches and seasonal outings.

Quarterly offsites: Similar to a board meeting, we convene in an offsite location complete with large equal setting table, after each fiscal quarter to review overall financials of the organization and the progress towards goals of individual teams. These meetings are focused on the health of the business and keep employee owners informed via transparency.

Monthly lunches: On the second Tuesday of each month, we designate an “in-office” day for everyone to share lunch and engage in casual discussions about industry trends. These lunch-and-learns blend related business insight with social interaction during work hours.

Seasonal outings: Organized around summer itself and the December holidays, these themed events are planned well in advance to ensure maximum participation. They are purely social and celebratory, offering a chance to unwind and connect outside the office.

Has your ESOP status influenced your ability to recruit or retail talent? If so, how?

It definitely has helped us recruit and retain talent. Our story of becoming and operating as an ESOP resonates with people because it speaks to our culture, which is very inclusive. We seek and act on employee ideas in areas we can improve. We also look for employee input and feedback before we make major decisions. This leads to enthusiasm among our current employees, which makes them cheerleaders as we interview and evaluate potential employees for fit within our company.

We also were able to attract another firm in our industry, and being an ESOP helped us with those employees, who understood that our culture was a good fit, and their opinions would be heard.

How does employee ownership shape your customer relationships?

Thinking like an owner means taking a longer view when it comes to partnering with our customers. We have two sets of customers: our temporary and contract employees and the employers who partner with us to find talent for them. Our employees know that long-term, ongoing partnerships are important to our annual valuation and share price, so their focus is on building and maintaining those relationships with employers. Our temporary and contract employees can participate in our ESOP, which motivates them to work with us and deliver for our employer partners.

We also have many ESOPs as employer partners. These employers know that we understand the culture that an ESOP creates, making us uniquely qualified to attract and evaluate talent for them.

Community and social impact

Does being an ESOP influence your community involvement? How does your company give back to the community?

Our status as an ESOP does not determine our commitment to community involvement. ProSearch has a long-standing tradition of supporting our community through both financial contributions and hands-on volunteer efforts. At ProSearch, giving back is an integral part of our culture. We believe that supporting our community not only strengthens the places where we live and work but also deepens our sense of purpose as a team.

Organized volunteerism and giving: Each quarter, ProSearch teams select a community organization or cause to support through hands-on volunteer opportunities and directed company funds. This ensures that our impact is both meaningful and responsive to the needs of our local communities.

Employee-driven initiatives: In addition to company-sponsored activities, we encourage and celebrate the ways our colleagues give back on their own. Many team members lead or participate in one-off charitable events and community initiatives, and ProSearch amplifies their efforts by sharing stories and fostering participation across the company.

Together, these commitments reflect our belief that community engagement is a shared responsibility and a powerful way to live our values.

Company Info

Company ownership held by employees through the ESOP: 100%

President/CEO: Edward S. McKersie, CPC

Employees: 225

Location/headquarters: 70 Center St. Portland, ME

Founded: 1994

Year transitioned to ESOP: 2017