Keena Healthcare Technology Transitions to Employee Ownership Through ESOP

Founders Steve Buttitta and Craig Luce transfer full company ownership to employees, marking a milestone in Keena's 20-year legacy of healthcare IT innovation SKANEATELES, NY / ACCESS Newswire / June 17, 2026 / Keena Healthcare Technology, a full-service healthcare IT company specializing in EHR integrations, data conversions, document management, and clinical workflow solutions, today announced the formation of an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), transitioning 100% ownership of the company to its employees.An ESOP is an employee benefit plan that enables team members to hold an ownership stake in the company they work for, building long-term wealth as a direct result of the company's success. For Keena, it is also a values statement: that the people who built the company should share in what it becomes."The formation of this ESOP is a reflection of what we've known for years - that Keena's greatest strength is its people. The ESOP makes that true in every legal sense of the word, and every employee is now an owner of the company they helped build."- Steve Buttitta, Cofounder, Keena Healthcare TechnologyFounders Steve Buttitta and Craig Luce will continue to lead the company as partners alongside their fellow employee-owners. Day-to-day operations, leadership, client relationships, and project commitments remain fully intact."Selling to a larger company didn't feel right. Walking away didn't feel right. Putting ownership in the hands of the people who show up every day and do the work - that felt right."- Craig Luce, Cofounder, Keena Healthcare TechnologyKeena's ESOP transition reflects a growing movement among values-driven businesses to align ownership with the people closest to the work. According to the National Center for Employee Ownership, there are approximately 6,500 ESOPs in the United States, and research consistently shows that employee-owned companies produce stronger retention, higher engagement, and better long-term outcomes for both employees and clients.Rooted in 20 Years of Healthcare ITThe announcement comes as Keena marks 20 years since its story began. In 2006, Craig Luce launched EHR Integration Services with a founding mantra: "Simplifying Healthcare Interfaces." The idea was simple - healthcare IT didn't have to be so complicated. That same year, Steve Buttitta founded Byte Sized Solutions on a complementary belief: that healthcare IT could be smarter, more human, and more impactful.Their collaboration began in 2008, built on those shared convictions, and spanned more than 600 projects with 150 customers before the two companies formally merged as Keena Healthcare Technology in August 2020.Even the name was intentional. "Keena" is a blend of kena - the Estonian word for kind - and keen, meaning smart. The founders chose it as a daily reminder of what they wanted Keena's people to always be. The ESOP, in many ways, is the fullest expression of that promise.The ESOP is the next chapter - and the whole team is writing it.About Keena Healthcare TechnologyKeena Healthcare Technology is a full-service healthcare optimization company focused on clinical workflows, EHR interfaces, data conversions, and archival solutions. Founded through the merger of EHR Integration Services and Byte Sized Solutions - both established in 2006 - Keena serves physician groups, health systems, and healthcare IT vendors across the United States. Its portfolio includes InteleFiler, KeenaArchive, Chart2PDF and KeenaMe consulting. In 2024, Keena was recognized among the Top Scoring Vendors for Technical Services in the Best in KLAS report.Learn more at keenahealth.com.Media ContactMichelle May, Managing Director of Sales and Marketingmarketing@keenahealth.com | 315.707.7843 | keenahealth.comSOURCE: Keena Healthcare TechnologyView the original press release on ACCESS Newswire

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