Nisus Corporation, the Rockford-based manufacturer of pest control and wood preservation products, completed its transition to a 100% employee-owned company April 30.
The move, structured as an Employee Stock Ownership Plan, transferred ownership of the company from founders Bud and Pat Dietrich — who built Nisus from the ground up starting in 1990 — to its workforce of more than 200 employees. Under the ESOP structure, employees will accumulate company shares through annual allocations tied to tenure and individual contributions, building retirement wealth tied directly to the company’s performance.
“Bud and I have always loved the people who make Nisus work,” Pat Dietrich said in a statement. “This was the perfect way to recognize their hard work and loyalty, and to protect what makes Nisus so special.”
The Dietrichs launched Nisus 36 years ago with the introduction of Bora-Care, a borate-based termiticide that became a flagship product in the professional pest control market. The company has since expanded into wood preservation and construction material biocides, operating from its 100 Nisus Drive campus in Rockford and serving customers across the United States, Canada and eight additional international markets.
The transaction was advised by Ambrose Advisors, a national investment banking firm that specializes in employee ownership deals. Michael Harden, a senior managing director at the firm, said the Dietrich family prioritized a succession path that would protect the company’s culture and benefit all stakeholders — employees, customers, leadership and the broader community.
Nisus Chief Financial and Operating Officer Valerie Brummitt said the transition carries significance beyond the financial mechanics. “This transition is about more than ownership — it strengthens the values, culture, and commitment that have defined Nisus from the beginning,” she said.
President Lee Barrett echoed that framing, describing the ESOP as a platform for future growth. “Employee ownership positions us to build an even stronger future and expand our impact across pest control, wood protection, and beyond,” he said.
For Blount County, the move adds a significant employee-owned manufacturer to a regional economy that has historically been anchored by large employers. ESOPs have gained traction nationally as a succession tool for founders who want to avoid a sale to outside investors or competitors, preserving company culture and local employment in the process. Nisus’s 200-plus employees will now have a financial stake in the outcomes they help produce daily.
No operational changes to products, services or customer relationships were announced as part of the transition.
More information is available at nisuscorp.com.
