About

Welcome to TEA National Conference 2022! This is your platform to watch the virtual program, network, ask questions, answer polls, complete session surveys and have fun!

General Information

Attire The dress code for the Conference is business casual to business. Meeting room temperatures will vary, so wear layered clothing to ensure your personal comfort. We also recommend attendees wear comfortable shoes. Certain events may have specific details on attire, please refer to each event for more information.

Badge Policy and Ribbons As a safety precaution, please remove your badge when leaving the hotel.

Educational Access: Your conference registration name badge is your admission into the sessions.

Ribbons: Available at the Registration Desk.

Lost Badge: If you have lost your badge, please see a TEA staff member at the Registration Desk. There may be a charge to issue a replacement – up to $25.

Cancellations/Refunds Cancellations must be sent in writing or via e-mail. All refunds are provided on a case by case basis and are reviewed 30 days post Conference.

CITY INFO

Dining As the COVID-19 restrictions continue be lifted, most Washington, DC dining establishments are open. Please see the concierge at the Renissance Washington, DC for a list of nearby resturants or for assistance with making dining reservations.

CONCURRENT SESSION EVALUATION SURVEYS

Session evaluations are available for each concurrent session. Complete the session evaluations to be eligible for a Conference giveaway drawing. Attendees must also complete the concurrent session evaluations to be eligible to receive a continuing education certificate or a certificate of attendance.

GETTING AROUND DC

Metro The Washington, DC Metro is an efficient and cost-effective way to travel through DC, Maryland and Virginia. The cost per ride ranges between $2.00 and $6.00 depending upon distance traveled. The closest Metro station to the Renaissance Washington is the Gallery Place-Chinatown on the Red, Green and Yellow lines. For more information about the Metro as well as schedules and maps, please visit www.wmata.com.

Taxis & Uber/Lyft Pick up for taxis and rideshare are located outside of the main entrance of the Renaissance Washington, DC.

HEALTH & WELLNESS

The ESOP Association will abide by all state, local and county requirements in place at the location of any ESOP Association event at the time of that event. Because these state, local and county requirements often change rapidly, please be sure to check on the requirements immediately before the event, as the requirements may have changed from the time of your registration. State and city requirements in the locations where TEA events are held may require proof of vaccination status or a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours for any local indoor dining, entertainment or local gatherings above a specified number of attendees. In some instances, you may be required to provide proof of vaccination in the form of a vaccination card or photograph of a card to TEA or the host venue. You may also be required to wear a face mask, including a specific type of face mask such as N-95. By registering for any TEA event, you agree to abide by these rules. No refunds will be given for failure to comply with this policy.

Media Guidelines and Policy Complimentary press credentials are issued only to qualified journalists (reporters, editors, freelance writers, bloggers and news photographers, producers, etc.) working for media outlets relevant to ESOPs. TEA reserves the right to deny requests for media attendance at any TEA event. All press must be registered for the TEA National Conference and must comply with any ground rules set by TEA.

Medical Emergencies TEA hopes your visit to the National Conference will be free from illness or injury, but in case you or a family member needs medical attention during your time at the Conference, please contact the Front Desk from any house phone. Hotel Security Staff will respond immediately to your location. At the hotel, you should dial security from any house phone to seek help. For life of threatening emergencies, such as chest pain, shortness of breath, or severe abdominal pain, call 911. Allcare Family Medicine and Urgent Care is 8 minutes away from the Renaissance Washington DC.

Allcare Family Medicine and Urgent Care 1710 Rhode Island Avenue NW Washington, DC 20036 202-787-1979

If you have a dental issue, the closest office to the conference venue is:

City Dental DC 1221 Massachusetts Avenue NW Washington, DC 20005 202-628-7979

Meeting Room Overcrowding Each meeting room has been set to allow for maximum occupancy based on each room set, please do not move any chairs from the location where they were placed. TEA will make every effort to schedule popular sessions in rooms large enough to accommodate anticipated attendance. Since many events are extremely popular, it is wise to select alternative events as you plan your Conference schedule. TEA and the Renaissance Washington DC are REQUIRED to follow local fire regulations and may ask participants in rooms filled to capacity to choose another event.

No Smoking Policy Smoking is only allowed outside the Renaissance Washington, DC and all venues hosting TEA events.

Photographs Photographs of the event may be taken by TEA, its agents, contractors, or representatives, and such photographs may be used for any purpose at TEA’s discretion.

Post-Conference Evaluation An electronic evaluation will be sent out to all attendees. All who participate in this evaluation will be eligible for a drawing for a complimentary registration to TEA’s National 2023 Conference in Washington, DC.

Program and Session Cancellation TEA reserves the right to cancel programs and/ or sessions because of low registration. In the unlikely event of a cancellation, all registrants will be notified and will receive a full refund, if applicable. Programs and sessions are subject to change, and TEA reserves the right to substitute a program, session, and/or speaker of equal caliber to fulfill the educational requirements.

Release/Waiver/Special Assistance By submitting your registration, you acknowledge and agree you are undertaking to participate in the National Conference activities as your own voluntary and intentional act. You agree you alone are responsible for determining whether you are physically capable of participating in any National Conference activity, and you understand there is risk associated with your participation, which may include without limitation, injury or loss caused by your own negligence or the negligence of others. With knowledge and acceptance of the risks involved, you accept full responsibility for your own safety and well-being. In consideration of your participation in the National Conference activities, you hereby waive, release, hold harmless, and discharge TEA and its officers, directors, and employees from any and all loss or injury that may be suffered by you in connection with the National Conference activities to the fullest extent permitted by law.

Weather The month of May brings morning temperatures in the low to mid 60s F and afternoon high temperatures will generally reach the mid 70s F. The evenings cool down to the low to mid 50s F. The DC region experiences minimal rainfall in the month of May but please be sure to check the weather in advance of your arrival to ensure you are prepared should a spring shower pop up

Agenda

No activities available

Photos

Speakers

Alan Carlyle

Managing Director, First Financial Bank

Alan is Managing Director for First Financial's ESOP Lending Practice. With over 20 years of ESOP lending experience at large banks, Alan has covered hundreds of transactions across many industries. He is an active member in the ESOP Association (Finance Committee) and National Center for Employee Ownership. Alan also brings experience in several other lending areas rounding out his knowledge of complex lending solutions for companies large and small. Alan is a graduate of Miami University (BBA) and Wayne State University (MBA).

Alan H. Kandel

Partner, Husch Blackwell

Alan is a Partner in the Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation group at Husch Blackwell LLP. He advises clients on all phases of ESOPs, from formation to termination and everything in between, representing selling shareholders, plan sponsors, lenders, and fiduciaries. Alan has extensive experience with executive compensation, and with 401(k) and other retirement plans. He has been recognized in "The Best Lawyers in America" for his Employee Benefits expertise since 2010.

Alexander P. Moss

President, Praxis Consulting Group Inc.

Alex Moss is president of Praxis Consulting Group, Inc., where he advises employee owned, nonprofit, and mission-driven corporate clients in fully engaging employees to drive organizational performance. He is currently a Trustee of the Employee Ownership Foundation and a past Board member the ESOP Association. Alex currently serves as the Board Chair of two ESOP firms and a Board Member of one other.

Alicia Diekow

Operations Manager, Acumen Advisory Services LLC

Alicia Diekow joined Acumen Advisory in 2020 with the role of Operations Manager. Alicia has had a wide variety of experience with ESOPs beginning in 2007 when her love for them began while serving as a senior leadership team member at a 100% ESOP owned company for nine years. This was followed by time as an Institutional Trust Officer in Minneapolis, Minnesota and the Chapter Administrator for three regional chapters of The ESOP Association in the Upper Midwest.

Her experiences include ESOP education and company culture development, annual due diligence meetings, ESOP transactions, and employee announcements.

Awards and notables include being a past recipient of the Employee Owner of the Year award for Minnesota/Dakotas Chapter. She has served on various committees for the Iowa/Nebraska, MN/Dakotas, and Wisconsin Chapters and presented at regional and national conferences.

Alicia Murphy

Chief Organizational Effectiveness Officer, Van Meter Inc.

Alicia Murphy gets to do what she loves every day. As the Chief Organizational Effectiveness Officer for Van Meter, a 100% employee owned electrical distributor headquartered in Cedar Rapids, she has the pleasure of leading the People functions of the business along with the Progress team to maximize the performance of the organization.

Alicia prides herself on Van Meter's engaged workforce and special culture that her fellow Employee Owners have built together.

She and her husband, Ryan, currently live in Cedar Rapids with their two children (Regan and Reid) where they are actively involved in the community.

Allison Wilkerson

Partner, McDermott Will & Emery

Allison Wilkerson focuses her practice on employee benefits matters. She has extensive experience handling issues pertaining to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) and employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs). Allison focuses her ESOP practice on the design and implementation of ESOP transactions and provides ongoing legal counsel to ESOP-owned companies. She has been involved in hundreds of transactions, including leveraged buyouts, mergers, acquisitions, and the structuring and financing of ESOPs using private equity. She has advised employers on the implementation of nonqualified plans and executive compensation arrangements that complement the employee ownership structure and culture inherent in an ESOP-owned company. Allison also represents independent fiduciaries in their role as purchaser in an ESOP transaction as to their legal duties with respect to their representation of ESOP participants and beneficiaries. Allison writes and speaks frequently on ERISA and ESOP issues

Andy Halataei

Executive Vice President, Government Affairs, Information Technology Industry Council

Angela Fisher

Senior Managing Consultant, BKD LLP

Angela's area of focus is employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs) in privately held companies. She assists with the structuring and facilitation process of creating new ESOPs. Angela's experience with ESOPs also includes providing financing assistance, tax planning, record-keeping, repurchase planning, employee communication and structuring of executive incentive plans. She is a member of The ESOP Association. She currently serves on the Ownership & Culture Committee of the ESOP Association.

Ashleigh Newlin

Vice President, Chartwell Financial Advisory

Ashleigh consults with ESOP companies, focusing on executive compensation, ESOP repurchase obligations, and overall corporate sustainability. She brings significant experience in executive incentive design, repurchase obligation planning, and financial modeling and analysis. Ashleigh is an active member of The ESOP Association, where she currently serves on the Administration Advisory Committee. She is also a member of the National Center for Employee Ownership and the National Association of Stock Plan Professionals.

Ashley Seitz

Manager, Global Expense Management, TRC Global Mobility

Manager, Global Expense Management for TRC Global Mobility

Chair of ESOP Communications Committee for 2 years

6 years with the company

85 Employees - currently all remote, otherwise split between Milwaukee, WI Ashland, KY Home offices

Formal Communications Committee that consists of 8 members Mixed levels of employees and management, along with a mix of departments, in office, and remote employees

Main goals are to improve employee engagement and education

Avery M. Chenin

Shareolder, SES Company a Stevens & Lee Company

For more than 25 years, Avery has counseled businesses and their owners on how to incorporate employee ownership into their business succession plans. He represents closely held businesses and their selling shareholders, ESOP sponsors and ESOP fiduciaries in transactions involving employer securities.

Barbara Clough

Senior Manager, Crowe LLP

Barbara Clough is a Senior Manager in Crowe's ESOP administration and consulting practice. She manages Crowe's ESOP administration work, advises clients on technical issues and assists with feasibility and plan design. Barbara has over twenty years of experience working with ESOP companies on tricky administration and compliance issues for C and S Corporation plans ranging in size from 20 to 30,000 employees. In her practice she works closely with plan sponsors, accountants and legal experts to provide guidance on plan design, legal and compliance matters as well as IRS & DOL inquiries. She is on the Executive Committee of the Public Policy Council, past Chairwoman and current member of the ESOP Association Administration's Advisory Committee, Government Relations Advocate, frequent speaker and author as well as a member of The ESOP Association and ASPPA. Barbara holds a Bachelor of Science degree from U Mass Dartmouth, is credentialed by ASPPA as QPA, QKC and QKA.

Becky Streff

Vice President of People Operations, Holden Industries, Inc.

Becky provides executive-level leadership and guidance to the organization's People Operations and identifies ways to support the Company's mission through talent management and creating a culture of highly engaged employee-owners.

Prior to joining Holden in March 2022, she had a 15-year career at ESP International (a 100% employee-owned company) where she held a variety of management and executive roles in human resources, organizational development, accounting, and operations.

honored as National Outstanding Chapter Officer 2020. She is currently serving as a member of the Executive Committee of the State and Regional Chapter Council.

Bernie Sanders

United States Senator for Vermont

Senator Bernie Sanders has represented Vermont in the US Senate since 2007. In his 3rd term in the Senate, he is currently the Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, and a high-ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, among other Senate committee assignments.

Sanders began his political career as the mayor of Burlington, Vermont, where he served four terms. In 1990 he was elected as an Independent to the House of Representatives from Vermont’s at-large congressional seat where he served for 16 years until his election to the US Senate.

In the Senate he’s taken on many of the biggest issues facing our nation and works hard to influence legislation in a variety of areas. As part of that agenda, we are lucky to count him a strong supporter of ESOPs, and he’s been supportive and active trying to secure legislative victories that advance employee ownership.

Notably, he first ran for president in 2016, when he won 23 primaries and caucuses, based largely on enthusiastic grassroots support. In 2020, ran again for the Democratic party nomination for president, nearly gaining the nomination over then-Vice President Biden.

Senator Sanders has led a lifetime of activism for the causes that he’s believed in and supported. As a leading and highly influential voice in the Democratic party, he’s been Time magazine’s Person of the Year (2015), has appeared a couple of films, and written several books on politics.

Bob Massengill

Managing Director, Pilot Hill Advisors

Bob is the co-founder and managing director of Pilot Hill Advisors, an ESOP advisory and investment banking firm. He has been working exclusively with ESOPs since 1995.

Bob Woodward

Legendary Pulitzer Prize-Winning Investigative Journalist, Associate Editor of "The Washington Post" & Author of 20 Bestsellers

Bob Woodward gained international attention when he and Carl Bernstein uncovered the Watergate scandal in 1973. Since then, he's worked to shine a light on the inner-workings of secret government. Woodward's factual, non-partisan revelations to readers and speech audiences provide a view of Washington they'll never get elsewhere. Woodward has written about the last ten U.S. presidents and chronicled how the power of the presidency has evolved. He is author of 21 bestselling books - 15 went to #1 - more than any contemporary nonfiction writer. His bestseller, Fear: Trump in the White House, is the deepest dive ever made into the first months of any American president. His 20th book, Rage, went behind the scenes of the Trump presidency like never before. His 21st book, Peril (co-authored with acclaimed Washington Post reporter Robert Costa), looks at a perilous time in American history - the transition between the Presidencies of Donald Trump and Joe Biden. In his speeches, Woodward looks at the expanding powers of the presidency and the important lessons that can be learned from the presidents he's covered. He can also assess the role of the media and how well it is(or isn't) doing its job. Audiences will be awe-struck by insights from this living journalistic legend. Currently associate editor for The Washington Post where he's worked since 1971, Bob Woodward has won nearly every American journalism award including two Pulitzers.

Brian Bowers

President & Founder, Bowers + Kubota

Brian Bowers' story is akin to David and Goliath. As President and Founder of his architecture and engineering firm in Hawaii, Brian and his business partner were proud to sell their business to their employees through an ESOP -- until the U.S. Department of Labor came knocking years later. Hear from Brian what happened during the DOL lawsuit and what he did to clear his company's name and win in court. Brian is also the President of The Hawaii Chapter of The ESOP Association and a member of the TEA Public Policy Council.

Brian Hector

Partner, Morgan Lewis & Bockius

Brian D. Hector is a partner in Morgan Lewis's Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation Practice and co-chair of the ESOP Task Force. Mr. Hector focuses his practice on ERISA and employee benefits law including the areas of ESOPs, qualified plans, all types of executive compensation, fiduciary liability, and related securities law issues. Mr. Hector is a nationally recognized ESOP attorney, who has advised several public and private ESOP companies with regard to corporate governance, succession planning strategies, ownership transition, and liquidity transactions. Mr. Hector has served as counsel to companies and shareholders regarding the use of ESOPs in numerous transactions, including equity repurchases, ownership succession transactions, leveraged buyouts, mergers, acquisitions, and corporate reorganizations. He has also represented lenders and trustees in ESOP transactions. Mr. Hector has an impressive history working with all types of benefit plans and executive compensation arrangements. He has also represented several clients before the IRS and the Department of Labor in connection with ESOP and employee benefits matters.

Brian Ippensen

President, TI Trust

Brian's past work experience includes staff and in-charge for public accounting and audits of banks and retirement plans; cost accounting for edible oil refinery and bean crushing manufacturing; international accountant for foreign export sales; retail banking operations. Brian is a member of The ESOP Association and frequently speaks on trustee and fiduciary topics. Brian currently serves on the Board of Directors and is the Chair of Chairs for The ESOP Association. He also served as Chairperson of the Fiduciary Committee for The ESOP Association from 2018 through 2020. Brian joined TI-TRUST, Inc., in 1997.

Brian J. Sweeney

Partner, Redpath and Company, Ltd.

Brian Sweeney is an audit partner, client manager, and leads the manufacturing industry team at Redpath and Company. He works with privately-held businesses and specializes in providing mergers and acquisitions services, business and systems consulting, and management advisory services. Brian also has extensive experience working with employee-owned companies, or ESOPs, and is a regular presenter on topics of employee ownership at the local, regional, and national levels. Brian also serves on the government relations committee of the ESOP Association Minnesota/Dakotas Chapter. He has provided public accounting services at Redpath and Company since 1998.

Cara Benningfield

Partner, BKD, LLP

Cara's area of focus is employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs) in privately held companies. She structures and facilitates the creation of new ESOPs and works with existing ESOPs in matters ranging from acquisition structuring to repurchase planning and analysis. Cara's experience with ESOPs also includes providing financing assistance, tax planning, ongoing plan administration, employee communication and structuring of executive incentive plans.

Chelsea McCarthy

Attorney, Holland & Knight LLP

Chelsea Ashbrook McCarthy is an attorney in Holland & Knight's Chicago office and a member of the firm's Litigation and Dispute Resolution group. Ms. McCarthy focuses her practice on complex commercial litigation and litigation under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA). Ms. McCarthy's experience includes defending plan sponsors of employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs), company boards of directors, selling shareholders, and fiduciaries in ERISA putative class actions involving claims of breach of fiduciary duty and engaging in prohibited transactions. She also represents clients in regulatory investigations by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) for alleged violations of ERISA.

Chelsea Mikula

Attorney, Tucker Ellis LLP

Chelsea Mikula is an experienced trial lawyer who represents clients nationwide in all aspects of commercial litigation, with a particular focus on shareholder disputes and employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) litigation. Chelsea has represented several corporations, selling shareholders, valuation firms, and trustees in litigation across the country as well as in DOL investigations and audits.

Christel Jimenez

Director, Principal

Christel Jimenez is a Director of ESOP Consulting at Principal®. She has over 15 years of experience working with ESOPs, both from within the retirement industry and as an officer of an ESOP-owned company. She has extensive knowledge and experience in recordkeeping, ERISA plan compliance, and complex ESOP issues. She engages with business owners and companies to define their objectives and design, implement, and communicate ESOPs. Christel holds a Bachelor's degree in Finance from The Pennsylvania State University, and a Master of Business Administration degree from Central Michigan University.

Christie Kane

Vice President of Human Resources, Gardner's Supply Company

Christie Kane is the Vice President of Human Resources at Gardener's Supply Company located in Burlington, Vermont. Gardener's Supply Company was founded in 1983, adopted ESOP in 1987, and became 100% employee owned in 2009. Christie also leads the Corporate Social Responsibility program at Gardener's Supply Company and is proud to be a steward of the company's B-Corp certification. After graduating from Syracuse University, Christie lived and worked in Lake Tahoe, California, where she began her Human Resources career in resort development and operations. After she and her husband, Bob, had their first child, they moved back to the east coast to be closer to family. They welcomed their second child soon after. The family enjoy the outdoors and love to ski, hike and garden in the New England area.

Christine Adee

President, OwnersEdge, Inc.

Christine, President of Waukesha, WI based OwnersEdge, Inc., an industry-leading and 100% employee-owned ESOP holding company with five portfolio companies - Asche & Spencer, Baycom, CC&N, Implecho, and QComp Technologies. Christine provides OwnersEdge and the affiliate companies with business leadership and planning, financial and operations management, business growth with profit maximization, and productivity and efficiency improvements. She leads the organizations' acquisition strategy and provides impacting guidance to the profitability and growth trajectory of each affiliate company. The 100- percent employee-owned (ESOP) structure of OwnersEdge and its portfolio companies adds to the complexity of her position since they are held to a higher level of fiduciary responsibility and compliancy. Christine earned her MBA from the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee School of Business Administration and her bachelor's degree in accounting and finance from the same institution.

Christine Hurt

CFO, Ayers Saint Gross, Inc.

Christine Hurt, CPA, MBA - Principal and Chief Financial Officer of Ayers Saint Gross, an internationally recognized, employee-owned, multidisciplined design firm. Christine is a Finance and Accounting executive that thrives in challenging situations requiring strategic thinking and transformation. Her leadership experience includes over 30 years managing accounting, HR, and IT functions in the built environment for businesses ranging from $20 to $200 million in revenue. She is currently a Vice President on the Board of Trustees of the Baltimore Chamber Orchestra and a mentor to several students at University of Delaware, her alma mater.

Christopher Mackin

Founder, Ownership Associates, Inc.

Christopher Mackin is the founder of Ownership Associates of Cambridge, MA. He has pioneered the development of ownership culture curricula and the Ownership Culture Survey, an attitude survey in wide use in the ESOP field. He holds a Doctorate in Human Development from Harvard University and is a Ray Carey Fellow at the Rutgers Institute for Employee Ownership and Profit Sharing.

Christopher McLean

Partner/Member, Kaufman & Canoles, P.C.

Christopher McLean is a Member at Kaufman & Canoles, P.C. and a Director of ESOP Strategies, LLC. Christopher's practice focuses on succession planning in three interconnected areas: corporate succession planning, management succession planning and succession planning for individuals. Christopher's corporate succession planning is rooted in his extensive background in corporate law, including M&A transactions and Benefit Corporations, which both complement his broad ESOP background. Christopher has worked with numerous corporations and shareholders in a wide range of corporate ownership succession and exit transactions, including leveraged buyouts, corporate stock repurchases, corporate reorganizations, and ESOP purchase and sale transactions. His ESOP practice focuses primarily on the design, implementation, maintenance, and compliance of ESOPs, while representing ESOP sponsors or trustees. Christopher also advises ESOP sponsors in the management of mature ESOPs, including evaluating repurchase obligation options, resolving administrative issues, counseling on acquisitions and secondary purchase transactions, and coordinating and designing executive compensation plans complementary to ESOPs.

Cindy Turcot

Chief Executive Officer, Gardeners Supply Company

Cindy Turcot is President at Gardener's Supply Company, a catalog, web and retail company with 6 locations in VT, NH and MA. Gardener's Supply has had an ESOP since 1987 and is 100% ESOP owned. Cindy was a key player in the transition from the Founder to the ESOP and is a driving force for a strong employee ownership culture. Gardener's Supply was the national "Company of the Year" through the ESOP Association in 2018. In addition, Gardener's Supply won "Best for Workers" from the B Corp community in 2019. She is Chair of the Employee Ownership Foundation, past Chair of the national ESOP Association and Treasurer (and past Chair) of the Vermont Employee Ownership Center.

Claire Burghoff

Principal, Cornerstone Government Affairs

Cliff Canavera

President, Canavera Financial Group, LLC

As the President of Canavera Financial Group, LLC and a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, Cliff provides financial planning, investment advisory and exit planning services for business owners. He also provides executive benefit and qualified retirement plan services to ESOP companies, focusing primarily on the planning and implementation of ESOP repurchase obligation funding strategies with a vision of increasing the sustainability and profitability of employee-owned businesses.

Connie Woodmansee

Manager of ESOP Services, FuturePlan by Ascensus

Connie Woodmansee is an ESOP Consultant and Manager of the ESOP Division of Swerdlin & Company. She has many of experience in the retirement plan and banking industry. The last 20 years have been with FuturePlan by Ascensus, formerly Swerdlin & Company Serving as a member of the Culture and Communication Committee for with The ESOP Association. She is currently serrving as the President of the New South. Connie often presents on both technical and communication topics at local, regional and national ESOP Conferences. A member of the NCEO, The ESOP Association, ASPPA, Atlanta ASPPA Benefits Council (ABC), the Institute for Certified Bankers, an subsidiary of the American Bankers Association.

Craig Olinger

Managing Partner, ESI Equity

While assisting companies in achieving their business needs, Craig has completed assignments consisting of: valuations for existing and prospective ESOPs, leveraged buy-out analysis, sell-side advisory, fairness opinions, and synthetic compensation analysis. In addition, he consults on corporate governance and acquisitions, and oversees ESI's business development and strategic planning. Craig possesses a range of management experience in business administration and his years in the service industry extend across disciplines such as plant operations, sales, financial analysis, and customer relations. Craig is a nationally recognized speaker on topics related to valuation and ESOPs.

Daniel Goldstein

CEO & President, Folience

Dao Nguyen

Principal, Cornerstone Government Affairs

Dave Diehl

Chief Executive Officer, Prairie Capital Advisors, Inc.

Mr. Diehl is the Chief Executive Officer of Prairie Capital Advisors. Mr. Diehl provides closely-held businesses a complete understanding of the best available options for their ownership transition needs. He expertly executes projects for mergers and acquisitions (M&A), management buyouts (MBO), Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs), estate planning and other corporate finance purposes. Mr. Diehl serves as a trusted advisor to a diverse range of clients nationwide delivering highly strategic consultation. Mr. Diehl holds a Master of Business Administration Degree in Finance from Northwestern University's J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Marketing from Indiana University. He is also a past chair of the Advisory Committee on Valuation with the ESOP Association.

Dave Fitz-Gerald

VP, CFO & Treasurer, Carris Reels, Inc.

Located in beautiful Rutland, Vermont, Dave Fitz- Gerald is the CFO of Carris Reels, a 100% Employee Owned company since 2008. Dave serves as an ESOP Trustee and a member of the Steering Committee. Dave has served The ESOP Association in many roles, including Chair of TEA, President of The New England Chapter, Employee Ownership Foundation Trustee and the Vermont Employee Ownership Center. During his free time Dave is an author of historical novels.

David Whaley

Partner, Thompson Hine LLP

David is a leader in the employee benefits industry. He holds leadership positions for the American Bar Association's Employee Benefits Committee, the ESOP Association and the Ohio Employee Ownership Center. His practice focuses on assisting private and public companies and nonprofit organizations with all areas of employee benefits. This includes working with employers in design, implementation and compliance areas in connection with tax qualified plans, including 401(k) plans, ESOPs and defined benefit plans. His representation also extends to working with employers in arranging their nonqualified deferred compensation (e.g., 409A compliance), in addition to health and welfare arrangements and employee fringe benefits.

Davin R. Gustafson

Principal, Apple Growth Partners

Davin R. Gustafson, JD, is a Principal leading the ESOP team at Apple Growth Partners. He has completed thousands of valuation engagements in his 30 + year career and serves as an advisor for many ESOPs and Trustees. He is active with The ESOP Association serving on the Fiduciary Committee and previously on the Valuation Committee, Board of Governors, and as a Chapter Officer for many years (Chapter Officer of the Year). He also serves on the Advisory Board for the Ohio Employee Ownership Center and as a Trustee for the Employee Ownership Foundation. Dave earned a BS in Business Administration from Bowling Green University and a JD from Cleveland Marshall College of Law

Debbie McDaniel

Controller, PFS TECO

Debbie is the Controller, Secretary/Treasurer and an Internal Trustee at PFS TECO. PFS TECO is a 100% employee-owned ESOP Company that does 3rd Party Certification, Inspection, Plan Review and Testing for the Building Industry. With 3 Division; Manufactured Structures, Building Products, Hearth Products and has a program for Major League Baseball Bats. She has been an active member of the TEA Wisconsin Chapter Programs Committee and has been serving as a Co-Vice President of the Programs Committee since January of 2021. Debbie has previously moderated roundtables and presented locally and regionally.

Derrick Vick

CEO & President, Freedom Industries, Inc.,

Dolores Lawrence

Managing Director, Blue RIdge ESOP Associates

Dolores is a Managing Director of Plan Administration at Blue Ridge ESOP Associates. She is a CPA, holds the QKA designation from the American Society of Pension Professionals and Actuaries (ASPPA) and has 30 years of experience in plan design, administration and consulting services for ESOPs and 401(k) plans. She is a member of The ESOP Association (TEA), NCEO and ASPPA. She is a speaker at various ESOP conferences and has authored many articles on ESOP and 401(k) topics. She is past chair for TEA's Advisory Committee on Administration.

Elyse Bluth

Managing Director, Duff & Phelps

Elyse Bluth is a managing director in the Chicago office and leader of the ERISA/ESOP Advisory service line, which incorporates Duff &Phelps's investment banking, opinion and valuation services related to Employee Retirement Income Security Act plan investments and for employee stock ownership plan companies. Elyse has 25 years of experience in advising companies and fiduciaries on valuation and transaction issues.

Emilie Poehlmann

Human Resources Manager, OwnersEdge, Inc.

Emilie Poehlmann, PHR, is the Human Resources Manager at OwnersEdge, Inc., a 100% employee-owned ESOP holding company with five affiliate companies - Baycom, CC&N, QComp Technologies, Implecho, and asche & spencer.

As a member of the OwnersEdge team, Emilie focuses on the recruitment and retention of employee owners, providing continuous talent and development opportunities, and compliance and employee relations for 3 of the businesses. Emilie graduated from the Business School at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and currently holds the credential of PHR. In addition to her role, Emilie works to promote and drive the employee ownership culture and values at OwnersEdge and their affiliates as the Past Chair of the ESOP Committee.

Emilie has previously presented locally and regionally on communication topics centered around engaging and reshaping ESOP committees due to business growth, mergers and acquisitions. She is engaged in the ESOP community and is the current President of the WI ESOP Chapter.

Emily Rickard

Associate, Morgan Lewis

Emily Rickard is an associate in the Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation group of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP. She focuses her practice on ERISA and employee benefits law. Ms. Rickard represents companies, trustees, and selling shareholders in ESOP transactions as well as in ongoing compliance matters. Outside of the ESOP context, Ms. Rickard advises clients - including employers, insurers, plan administrators, and consultants - on health and welfare programs, qualified retirement plans, nonqualified retirement plans, and executive compensation. Ms. Rickard appears before the IRS and the DOL to handle penalty assessments, plan corrections, and plan audits for ESOPs as well as other employer-sponsored plans. Ms. Rickard currently serves on the Valuation Advisory Committee for The ESOP Association and is an active member of the National Center for Employee Ownership. She regularly speaks at webinars and national conferences.

Eric Chester

Award-Winning Speaker & Bestselling Author

Eric Chester is an acclaimed in-the-trenches workforce researcher and thought leader who's been studying, analyzing, speaking and writing about attracting, managing, motivating and retaining top talent since 2001. He is frequently mentioned or quoted in the national and international media such as Good Morning America, ABC 20/20, Fox News, NPR, and CNBC and in publications like Forbes, USA Today, and the Huffington Post. He is a bestselling author of 5 published leadership books, several of which have become national bestsellers. Eric Chester has delivered more than 3000 paid keynote speeches on three continents. He is a Certified Speaking Professional and was inducted into the National Speakers Association's acclaimed Hall of Fame in 2004. Eric lives in Golden, CO with his wife and family.

Eric Dollin

Director, Valuation Services, GBQ Consulting

Eric B. Dollin, ASA is a Director in the business valuation and consulting services department of GBQ Consulting, a national ESOP consulting and valuation practice with over 20 professionals and completing approximately 400 valuation engagements annually, including 75-100 ESOP-related engagements per year, including annual update valuations, transaction advisory, feasibility studies, and implementation consulting. Eric's practice specializes in ESOP formations, valuations, transactions, and consulting, as well as valuations for other reasons including corporate and shareholder planning, transaction advisory, and various others. Eric has been active within The ESOP Association for 15+ years and is a frequent speaker on valuation, finance, and ESOP-related issues.

Eric Tober

Principal & Director, Cornerstone Government Affairs

Since 1992, Eric Tober has served on Capitol Hill and as a government affairs professional focused on issues involving infrastructure development and financing, R&D funding, natural resources, and energy production and delivery. Having served as staff in both the House and the Senate, Eric brings both a breadth of experience and depth of knowledge to the Cornerstone team, and is willing to share this experience with our membership about how to solve problems and get things done in Washington. He serves on the TEA Public Policy Council's Executive Committee.

Erin Turley

Capital Partner, McDermott, Will & Emery

Erin Turley focuses her practice on employee benefits matters. She has extensive experience handling issues pertaining to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) and employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs). Erin is a member of the Firm-wide Management Committee.

Eryn Hurley

Deputy Director of Government Affairs, National Association of Counties

Eryn serves as the Deputy Director for NACo’s Government Affairs Department. In this capacity she assists in Legislative and Executive Branch outreach and advocacy of the association’s legislative priorities and policy development. Over the last year, she has specialized in monitoring the implementation of the CARES Act Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF) and the American Rescue Plan Act's (ARPA) Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund (Recovery Fund) at the local level. Eryn also staffs NACo’s Finance, Pensions and Intergovernmental Affairs Policy Steering Committee. In this capacity, she works with county officials across the nation to set NACo’s policies on matters pertaining to the financial resources of counties, fiscal management, federal assistance, municipal borrowing, county revenues, federal budget, federal tax reform, elections and Native American issues. She also staffed the Human Services and Education Policy Steering Committee and served as a Legislative Assistant. Additionally, Eryn serves as the staff liaison to the National Association of County Intergovernmental Relations Officials (NACIRO).

Ginny Vanderslice

Principal, Praxis Consulting Group

Virginia J. Vanderslice, Ph.D., is a founding partner of Praxis Consulting Group. Praxis focuses on assisting employee-owned companies in maximizing the potential of their ESOP to enhance company performance. Ginny has more than twenty-five years of experience assisting employee-owned companies in developing high performance ownership cultures. Her work includes guiding high-involvement strategic planning, organizational culture transition, internal restructuring, leadership development, employee education, communication strategies and building high performance/high engagement cultures. Ginny also is a faculty member of the graduate program in Dynamics of Organization at the University of Pennsylvania where she teaches courses on organizational change. She is the architect and Academic Director of the EOF/Penn ESOP CEO Leadership Program, an executive development for current and incoming ESOP CEOs and Presidents.

Greg Brown

Shareholder, Polsinelli

Greg represents clients in a broad range of corporate and transactional matters. His practice focuses on employee stock ownership plans (ESOP), the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) fiduciary matters, tax-qualified retirement plans, executive compensation and ERISA litigation. He is also experienced in handling audits and investigations of plans by the U.S. Department of Labor and Internal Revenue Service and advises clients on ways to minimize litigation risk through benefit plan design, governance and administration.

Heather Cody

Manager, Human Resources, ESP International

During her 18 years with Engineered Seal Products, Inc., Heather has continually demonstrated a passion for serving the Company and her fellow employee-owners. She is the face, heart, and brains behind the Company's talent and culture initiatives and 'owns it' each and every day. Heather's best days are when she can help employee-owners realize the tremendous impact employee-ownership can have on their lives.

Hillary Hughes

Director, Prairie Capital Advisors

Hillary Hughes provides strategic insights to assist business owners and boards of directors to address long-term ownership transaction goals. She has been highly involved in the structuring and valuation related to ESOPs on behalf of ESOP Trustees as well as business owners. Hillary is also instrumental in developing Prairie's trust-side ESOP practice.

Ian Wolbert

Integrated Marketing & Communications Specialist, Avian, LLC

Ian Wolbert is an Integrated Marketing and Communications Specialist at AVIAN, LLC, where Ian develops and executes AVIAN's content marketing and external communication strategy, including video production, podcast production and hosting, social media content creation, and web development. Ian holds a B.A. in Communications from Hood College and specializes in digital communications and marketing. Ian has won a MarCom Gold Award for his production of the Space Shovel Podcast.

J. Christian Nemeth

Partner, McDermott Will & Emery LLP

J. Christian (Chris) Nemeth provides legal counsel on complex commercial litigation and government investigations, including ERISA matters, financial and banking cases, business torts and breach of contract actions. Chris is the Co-Chair of the Firm's ERISA Litigation group and works closely with the Firm's Employee Benefits department on all types of Litigation matters, Department of Labor investigations and similar issues.

Jade Palermo

Manager, Empire Valuation Consultants

Jade is an experienced valuation analyst with a proven track record of providing trustworthy valuation advisory services and credible, defensible valuations across multiple industries since 2011. Jade has extensive valuation experience related to Employee Stock Ownership Plans ("ESOPs") and has been engaged by several institutional and independent ESOP trustees for new formation transactions, additional interest acquisitions, and annual valuations, as well as for ESOP termination purposes, including sales to third parties.

Jamie M Walrack

Senior Vice President, First American Bank

Jamie Walrack is a Senior Vice President and heads up the national ESOP practice at First American Bank where he works with a variety of businesses all over the United States in industries ranging from manufacturing to professional services companies. He specializes in ESOP financing and lending to closely held middle-market companies with an emphasis on cash flow lending.

Jason Wellman

Director of Ownership Culture, ESOP Partners

Jason Wellman is a Director of Ownership Culture with ESOP Partners. He helps ESOP companies by developing a comprehensive Ownership Culture through proactive educational resources for all participants to improve their understanding of ESOPs' unique benefits.

Jeff Gelburd

Vice President, Murray

Jeffrey S. Gelburd serves is Vice President at Murray Insurance Co. He services large commercial accounts, with specialization in self insurance, product liability and executive liability insurance. Jeffrey developed and manages a national affinity insurance program for employee-owned companies with specific expertise in ERISA fiduciary liability. Jeffrey serves as a Trustee of the Employee Ownership Foundation.

Jennie Msall

Consultant, Praxis Consulting Group, Inc.

Jennie Msall, MBA, is a Consultant at Praxis Consulting Group, where she provides organization development, strategic planning, and training to employee-owned companies and nonprofits. Jennie has 11 years of experience working with nonprofits on strengthening organization systems and culture to drive strategy and impact. She is also an experienced facilitator and trainer and is passionate about creating strong and participatory workplace cultures that enable mission-driven organizations to achieve meaningful results. Prior to joining Praxis, Jennie worked at the nonprofit organization the ICA Group, where she directed its employee ownership conversion program. In this role, she served on the organization's leadership team and provided overall program management to a team of consultants working on employee ownership transitions across ICA's program areas. Jennie holds an MBA from the University of Massachusetts Boston and a BA in Urban Studies from Vassar College.

Jim Joyner

Managing Member/Owner, Integra Benefits Consulting LLC

Jim began his career as a CPA in 1981 working with small and medium businesses. He formed a CPA partnership in 1985 and later merged with a large regional accounting firm. He started doing business valuations in 1989 and fiduciary work for ESOPs in 2005. Since then Jim has served as a trustee for over 100 ESOPs.

John Boling

Director of Government Relations, The International Institute of Building Enclosure Consultants (IIBEC)

John 'Mickey' Maier

President, Professional Fiduciary Services LLC

Mickey Maier is the President and founder of Professional Fiduciary Services LLC based in Milwaukee, WI. He serves as an independent transactional fiduciary, ongoing trustee, co-trustee or board member for a number of ESOP companies. He has been actively involved in retirement planning, trust banking, investment advising and financial services businesses for more than thirty years serving as a technical expert, business manager, business owner and fiduciary. Mickey is an active member of The ESOP Association.

John Miscione

Senior Advisor, Duff & Phelps, LLC

John has served as a corporate finance advisor for over 30 years. Currently he serves as a director of 2 ESOP companies and the non executive chairman of a third. John has prepared, analyzed and approved multi year projections over the course of his career.

John Williams

President/Founder, Elucidate Resources LLC

Founder/President of Elucidate Resources LLC. A consulting firm that specializes in helping people and organizations be successful. 35+ years experience in Manufacturing. GGOB experience as practitioner and coach since 2006. Retired from Central States Manufacturing, a 100% employee-owned company and Great Game of Business practitioner, as VP Sales & Marketing. Great Game of Business Certified Coach. Provides Sales Coaching and ESOP communication training. Professional member of The ESOP Association and National Center for Employee Ownership. Chair of the Ownership Culture Committee for the ESOP Association. Frequent speaker at ESOP, NCEO, and other conferences on employee ownership and engagement. Co-author of Building a Resilient ESOP Company (2020)

Jon Porter

Former Congressman of Nevada

Jon Wadsworth

Co-Founder, Atlas Advocacy

Joseph E. Marx

VP - ESOP Consulting, Principal Financial Group

Joe Marx is Vice President-Consulting at Principal. He specializes in assisting companies in the analysis, design, implementation, and operation of ESOPs, repurchase liability planning, and ESOP administration. He is a frequent presenter at various national and regional conferences and workshops. He is a member of the AICPA, New York State Society of CPAs, The ESOP Association, and the NCEO. He also serves on the Finance Committee of The ESOP Association, is active in the NJ/NY and New England Chapters and is on the strategic planning committee for the PA and NY/NJ Centers for Employee Ownership.

Karen Ellis

EVP, Human Resources, Superior Farms/ Transhumance Holding Company Inc.

Katharine Manning

Author & President, Blackbird DC

Katharine Manning is the author of The Empathetic Workplace: Five Steps to a Compassionate, Calm, and Confident Response to Trauma on the Job and the President of Blackbird DC. She has advised on issues of trauma and victimization for more than 25 years, including 15 years at the Justice Department, where she consulted on cases like Madoff, the Boston Marathon bombing, and the Pulse Nightclub shooting. Now she helps organizations support their teams through challenging times when they need it most. She has trained thousands on empathy at work and seen the results in lower turnover, more engaged teams, and a healthier workforce.

Kevin Rusch

Director, Blue Ridge ESOP Associates

Kevin T. Rusch, CPA, QPA, is a Director at Blue Ridge ESOP Associates and has more than 25 years of experience providing administration and consulting advice to ESOP clients. He is a certified public accountant (CPA) as well as a qualified pension administrator (QPA). Kevin is a member of The ESOP Association's Administration Advisory Committee and is a frequent speaker on ESOP administration topics for both The ESOP Association and the NCEO. He works closely with plan sponsors, accountants, advisors and legal counsel to provide guidance on plan design, repurchase obligation analysis, compliance, and operation.

Kyla Alterman

Consultant, Workplace Development, Inc.

Kyla Alterman, a consultant at Workplace Development Inc. (WDI), provides customized ESOP communication, business education and ownership culture services that maximize the impact of having an ESOP. She has helped dozens of companies to enhance ESOP appreciation and engagement and has expertise in virtual and in-person ESOP rollouts. Kyla worked as an Associate Consultant at Ownership Associates where she specialized in leading diagnostic exercises that help clients establish training priorities and teaching workshops on ownership culture, rights and responsibilities, and participatory management. Kyla's early work with a worker cooperative and housing cooperatives have nurtured her passion for employee ownership.

Kyle Wishing

Vice President, Willamette Management Associates

Kyle is a Vice President of Willamette Management Associates and leader of the firm's ESOP valuation practice. In this role, Kyle provides financial advice to shareholders, company boards, and ESOP trustees.

Lars Golumbic

Principal, Groom Law Group

Lars Golumbic serves as the head of the firm's Litigation Practice. His ERISA litigation practice includes the defense of “excessive fee” and ESOP class actions brought against plan sponsors, fiduciaries, and service providers. Lars also represents health plan sponsors and health insurers in actions brought under the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act. Additionally, Lars defends plan trustees, fiduciaries, companies and their board members, and service providers in Department of Labor investigations and enforcement proceedings instituted by the federal agency. He has appeared in dozens of federal courts across the country as part of his active ERISA litigation practice. While the focus of Lars' national practice is in ERISA litigation, Lars also represents plan fiduciaries and other stakeholders in matters concerning plan funding, restructuring, withdrawal liability, and plan termination.

Lee Bloom

Managing Director, Aldine Advisors LLC

Mr. Bloom is the founder of Aldine Advisors LLC, providing management and financial decision support to closely-held and ESOP owned companies. Prior to forming Aldine Advisors, Mr. Bloom worked in the valuation practice at Duff & Phelps for over 20 years. Mr. Bloom is a past chair of the Valuation Advisory Committee of the ESOP Association. Currently, Mr. Bloom serves on the boards of directors of Boucher & James, Universal Technologies of Wisconsin and Xtek Corporation. He has previously served on the boards of Best Travel & Tours, First Empire Securities, Valin Corporation, Recology Inc., and Blue Heron Paper Company. Mr. Bloom graduated from Washington University in St. Louis where he received his BSBA and MBA degrees.

Lesley Baker

Controller, Hargrove

Lesley is a CPA, a Certified Forensics Accountant and member of the AICPA. She spent 20 years in public accounting. In her role as controller at Hargrove she assists the CFO and Leadership as needed with oversight of the corporate financial results, annual audits, cashflow and banking relationships and corporate tax return preparation (domestic and international). She also is an active member of the TSOP Committee and is the Secretary of the Hargrove Foundation Board of Directors.

Lindsay Shafer

Consultant, Praxis Consulting Group, Inc.

Lindsay Shafer is a consultant at Praxis Consulting Group. She currently provides ESOP communications services, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, strategic planning, and other organization development services to nonprofits and employee-owned companies. Lindsay has over 15 years of experience as a facilitator and trainer and project manager, and has worked with for-profit, nonprofit, government, and education clients. She is passionate about helping clients enhance their understanding of the value of diversity in all levels of the organization, develop more inclusive policies and practices that contribute to an ownership culture, and communicate across differences.

Linshuang Lu

Principal, Praxis Consulting Group

Linshuang (pronounced "Lin-Shang") Lu, MSOD, is a Principal at Praxis Consulting Group. She currently provides organization development, strategic planning, leadership development and culture change services to nonprofits and employee-owned companies. She is passionate about helping organizations develop their leaders and foster deeper staff engagement in order to create better workplaces and achieve greater impact. Linshuang plays an active role in the nonprofit and employee ownership communities. She regularly speaks at regional and national conferences, and writing on leadership development and culture topics.

Lori Stuart

Senior Manager, Crowe LLP

Lori Stuart is a Senior Manager in the Benefit Plan Services Group of Crowe LLP. Lori has worked in the Group at Crowe for over 25 years and specializes in working with ESOPs. She consults with clients on plan design, implementation, compliance and administration; and works with both new ESOPs and mature ESOPs. She is the Chair of the ESOP Association's Advisory Committee on Administration. She is also a member of the National Center for Employee Ownership and the Ohio Employee Ownership Center and is a Trustee for the Employee Ownership Foundation.

Marcus R. Piquet

Senior Managing Director, AmbroseAdvisors

Marcus is a co-founder and senior managing director of AmbroseAdvisors. He consults on ESOP suitability studies, plan formation and transaction structuring, tax planning, and technical compliance testing. An active CPA, he is an expert on leveraged ESOP financial accounting and tax reporting. He is a past chairman of The ESOP Association's Finance Advisory Committee, a member of the Advisory Committee of Employee-Owned S Corporations of America ("ESCA"), and a trustee of the Employee Ownership Foundation. He is also a member of the steering committee of the CA/Western States Chapter of the ESOP Association, as well as the ESOP Association's Public Policy Committee.

Maria Thiel

Senior Manager - ESOP Advisory, BDO LLP

Maria has over 10 years of experience providing ESOP recordkeeping and consulting services for both new and mature ESOP companies. Her areas of expertise include ESOP feasibility, plan design consulting, repurchase obligation planning, qualified plan administration and ERISA/IRS compliance. Maria is a CPA and holds the QPA and QKA designations through ASPPA. She is a member of the NCEO, Tennessee Society of CPAs, and The ESOP Association and serves on the ESOP Association Advisory Committee on Administration. Maria holds a Master of Accountancy from Belmont University and a Bachelor's degree in Personal Finance from the University of Wisconsin.

Mariann Fuller

Vice President, Columbia Chemical Corporation

Mariann Fuller is Vice President of Columbia Chemical, a 100% ESOP located in Ohio. She manages all aspects of the company's Accounting and Finance activities and handles many of the HR duties. She has been with the company 16 years, served as the ESOP trustee from 2009-2017, and is currently Chair of the ESOP Communications Committee. She is passionate about the importance of ESOP education and fostering an ownership-driven culture and advocates for ESOP to companies exploring the benefits. Mariann has presented at numerous ESOP conferences, serves on the ESOP Advisory Committee, and is currently President of TEA's Ohio/Kentucky Chapter.

Mary Beth Gray

Managing Partner, Kleinbard LLC

Mary Beth Gray practices in the areas of M&A, and corporate finance and governance, with a focus on transactions involving ESOPs. Mary Beth also advises ESOP-owned companies on administration and strategic issues and she serves on the boards of two employee-owned companies. Mary Beth speaks frequently on ESOPs, and their advantages for ownership transition and employee benefits. She has been recognized as a Pennsylvania Super Lawyer in the area of Mergers & Acquisitions since 2014.

Matt Paul

Principal, Cornerstone Government Affairs

Matt Smith

Co-Founder, Atlas Advocacy

Merri Ash

President, Internal Trustees LLC

Merri has 45 years' experience in Employee Benefits, including Senior VP at TI-Trust; Senior Trust Officer at SunTrust; EB consultant with Wyatt Company; benefits manager at Jonathan Corp, an ESOP company; and senior benefits consultant and Team Leader with the NADA. She is a past chairperson for the Administrative Advisory Committee and past member of the Board of Governors of the ESOP Association and current Board of Trustees for the Employee Ownership Foundation. Merri recently retired from TI-Trust and is now helping Internally Trusted ESOP Companies.

Michael Bertram

Senior Managing Consultant, BKD LLP

Mike Bertram is a Senior Managing Consultant at BKD LLP. He has over 20 years of experience in the ESOP industry. He provides ongoing administration and consulting services to ESOP companies to maximize the potential of their ESOP. Mike holds a Qualified 401(k) Administrator (QKA) and a Qualified 401(k) Consultant (QKC) designation from the American Society of Pension Actuaries.

Michael Borinski

Senior Vice President & CFO, Bradford White Water Heaters

Michael Zermeño

Shareholder, RP&B CPAs

Michael is an experienced accounting professional specializing in GAAP financial reporting, audit, ESOP accounting and consulting. RP&B CPAs works with over sixty ESOP companies, assisting them before, during and after their ESOP transactions. Michael takes an active role coordinating with all the professionals involved in the annual financial reporting process while he provides the services of preparing and auditing the company and plan financial statements.

Miguel Paredes

Trustee (President/Founder), Prudent Fiduciary Services

Miguel Paredes is a professional ERISA fiduciary and founder of Prudent Fiduciary Services, LLC. Mr. Paredes provides independent fiduciary, ERISA compliance consulting, and expert witness services with a focus on ESOP Trustee services. Mr. Paredes has assembled an excellent team, including highly qualified business, legal, and ESOP professionals with many years of ESOP experience. Mr. Paredes and the Prudent Fiduciary Services team help execute successful and compliant ESOP transactions and ensure that ESOPs across the country are being administered prudently, effectively, and efficiently. Prior to establishing Prudent Fiduciary Services, Mr. Paredes spent 12 years as an investigator and supervisor with the U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA). During his time with EBSA, Mr. Paredes conducted and supervised several hundred investigations of ERISA-covered employee benefit plans, with a focus on ESOPs. Mr. Paredes is a frequent speaker on ERISA and ESOP matters.

Mike Crapo

United States Senator for Idaho

Senator Crapo joined the Senate Finance Committee in 2005, and became the top Republican on the Committee in February 2021, giving Idaho a strong voice in legislation relating to federal tax policy; federal social safety net; health care programs; and implementation of reciprocal foreign trade agreements. Senator Crapo strongly supports free market policies that fuel economic growth. Building on the successful 2017 tax reform law, increasing access to quality, affordable health care and promoting the U.S.'s global competitiveness through free and fair trade are among his top priorities.

Mike Frommelt

CEO/Owner, KeyStone Search

Mike Frommelt is CEO and owner of KeyStone Search. KeyStone is a retained executive search firm based in Minneapolis MN with a specialty practice serving ESOPs across the country. Mike has conducted 100s of senior level searches and has helped numerous ESOPs and other organizations through CEO and other senior level transitions.

Molly Ramsdell

Director, National Conference of State Legislatures

Molly Ramsdell is Director of the Washington, D.C. office of the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) and oversees the Conference's state-federal affairs division. Ms. Ramsdell joined NCSL in 1996 and prior to becoming the D.C. office director in 2010, staffed a number of NCSL standing committees and task forces. In that capacity, she led NCSL's advocacy activities before Congress and the administration on a range of issues including deficit reduction, unfunded mandate reform, surface transportation, the REAL ID, homeland security and emergency preparedness, and clean air and clean water issues. Ms. Ramsdell was the author of NCSL's Mandate Monitor, a publication that tracks federal mandates and the cost shift to states. Prior to joining NCSL, Ms. Ramsdell was a research associate at the Intergovernmental Health Policy Project at the George Washington University in Washington, D.C. where she tracked state legislation on managed care. Ms. Ramsdell holds a master's degree in public health from the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences. She also completed her undergraduate work at George Washington University

Monica Mayott

Senior Human Resources Manager, Sanborn, Head & Associates

Monica Mayott is the Senior Human Resources Manager based out of Sanborn Head's Concord, New Hampshire office. She has been with the firm for over 12 years and is the go-to person at for employee relations, recruiting, employee engagement, performance and development, HR policies and procedures. Monica is an Employee Engagement Specialist and has a bachelor's degree in human resources management and organizational behavior from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. She enjoys working with all levels of staff and working on projects that support the firm''s commitment to employee engagement. She also enjoys watching staff advance in their careers and expand their influence within the firm.

Natasha Fedder

Counsel, Scale LLP

Natasha Fedder is a dedicated advocate with over a decade of civil litigation experience. She focuses her practice on ESOP litigation and DOL investigations. She has defended selling shareholders and trustees in litigation challenging ESOP stock purchase transactions. She has also represented ESOP service providers responding to third-party document and deposition subpoenas. At the administrative level, Ms. Fedder has guided clients through DOL investigations. She has narrowed DOL subpoenas and document requests, responded to voluntary compliance letters, negotiated voluntary resolutions, and obtained closing letters. Ms. Fedder graduated from The University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, and previously practiced law at O'Melveny & Myers, Groom Law Group, and Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld.

Nickolas Sypniewski

Managing Director, ComStock Advisors

Nick is an Accredited Senior Appraiser (ASA) of the American Society of Appraisers and Managing Director of ComStock Advisors. He has 30 years of experience in valuation and finance. Nick serves on the Valuation Advisory Committee of The ESOP Association and as Past President of the Ohio/Kentucky Chapter of the ESOP Association. He has been a presenter on valuation topics for The ESOP Association, the National Center for Employee Ownership, The Ohio Employee Ownership Center, and other organizations. Nick earned Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Cincinnati and an MBA from Xavier University.

Patrick Carpenter

President, GRITT Business Coaching/PFSbrands

Patrick's 35-year career includes senior management positions with two global fortune 100 companies. Patrick co-owned a medical business which he helped grow from $1 million in revenue to over $12 million in revenue in 4 years. He has worked with companies such as McKesson, SRC, Novartis, New Belgium. He has been a successful business coach for the last 15 years helping companies see the benefits of Open Book Management and employee engagement best practices. He is currently re-writing his late mother's book, The Power of Open Book Management. Patrick sits on several boards and is a member of the TEA ESOP Association culture committee. Patricks' academic love is applied positive psychology and is a graduate of Berkley's executive coaching Institute and is a speaker in the Vistage CEO Network. Patrick is a veteran of the United States Air Force. He happily married to his wife Jen who is a trainer for GRITT and they have 7 children and 6 grandchildren. They are very active in the running and outdoors communities.

Paul Dougherty

Tax Manager, Recology

Paul has been with Recology for 22 Years and handles all tax related issues for the company as well as the annual Repurchase Obligation Study for the ESOP. Paul is a member of Recology's Culture Committee and chairs the Fundraising Committee. Paul graduated from Arizona State University with a B.S. in Accounting and is a licensed CPA. Besides Taxes and ESOPs, Paul performs Improv, coaches little league baseball, and enjoys travel.

Pete Shuler

Partner, Crowe LLP

Pete Shuler is a partner of Crowe LLP and has over 25 years of experience assisting his clients by administering and consulting on ESOPs and other qualified retirement plans. His current responsibilities include managing the administration of over 525 ESOPs; consulting with companies considering ESOP-related transactions; performing feasibility studies; consulting on the termination and merger of ESOPs; forecasting the impact of new legislation on the compliance and operation of ESOPs; and coordinating and reviewing repurchase liability studies. Pete frequently speaks and writes on technical topics regarding ESOPs. He has a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance from the University of Notre Dame.

Peter A. Ney

Executive Vice President, Treasurer and Director, EA Engineering, Science and Technology, Inc. PBC

Peter is Executive Vice President and Treasurer of EA Engineering, Science, and Technology, Inc., PBC, a 100% ESOP-owned public benefit corporation that provides environmental services to a wide range of government and industrial clients. He leads EA's ESOP management and corporate strategic development functions and is a member of the Company's Board of Directors. He is also a member of the Board of Directors and chairs the Public Policy Council of The ESOP Association.

Peter Aliferis

Managing Director, Pendo Advisors

Peter is a finance professional with experience in fairness and solvency opinions, ESOP advisory services, valuations for estate planning and financial reporting purposes, leveraged buyouts, management buyout transactions and private placements. Mr. Aliferis was previously a senior professional for Prairie Capital Advisors, Inc. Mr. Aliferis was involved in the business development and execution of various financial analyses and other studies in support of a wide variety of valuation and transaction projects involving closely held corporations. He was involved in numerous engagements including fairness and solvency opinions, ESOP advisory, mergers and acquisitions, leveraged buyouts and management buyout transactions.

Peter Jones

Counsel, Tucker Ellis LLP

Peter Jones advises business owners, companies, and fiduciaries on employee stock ownership plans, transition strategies, corporate governance, employee benefits, executive compensation, and mergers and acquisitions. Pete's significant experience includes representing companies and trustees in the formation of ESOPs, the sale of ESOP-owned companies, and acquisitions undertaken by ESOP-owned companies. He also advises clients on regulatory compliance and defends them in connection with audits and investigations by the Department of Labor and the Internal Revenue Service. Active in national and regional ESOP organizations, Pete is a frequent speaker on issues related to ESOPs.

Phillip Chou

Managing Director, AmbroseAdvisors

Phillip is a managing director at Ambrose Advisors. He has over 20 years of relevant experience in investment banking and corporate strategy/development. He has advised clients across a wide spectrum of industries in the structuring and execution of ESOP buyouts, mergers & acquisitions, capital raising and valuation projects. Phillip oversees capital raising engagements and executes corporate finance transactions for Ambrose Advisors' investment banking division.

Rachael Stephens

Program Director – Workforce Development & Economic Policy, National Governors Association

Rachael Stephens serves as the director of the Workforce Development & Economic Policy program in the NGA Center for Best Practices. Rachael oversees research, policy guidance, and technical assistance provision to Governors and state leaders on expanding equitable access to economic opportunity by reducing barriers to economic participation; fostering economic dynamism and job growth; and providing training and employment opportunities that support employers’ talent needs and lead to family-sustaining careers. Current areas of focus include workforce and economic development innovations for a more equitable economic recovery; cross-system alignment to facilitate lifelong learning; scaling proven training strategies including apprenticeship and youth apprenticeship; streamlining business regulations and fostering entrepreneurship; and advancing place-based economic development strategies.

Renee Lewis

Partner, Holland & Knight LLP

Renee Lewis is a partner in Holland & Knight's Chicago office and a member of the firm's Financial Services Practice Group. Ms. Lewis advises company executives and owners on strategically structuring complex financing transactions. Her practice focuses on counsel for financial institutions, privately held companies and trustees in the structuring, negotiation and documentation of employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) transactions, which may entail leveraged buyouts, equity repurchases and corporate reorganizations.

Renee Mundell

Manager – Customer Service & Support, Radian Research, Inc.

Renee Mundell has a B.S., Management degree combined with 24 years compliance and 30+ years Customer service experience which she uses daily in her role as Customer Service and Support Manager. In her role as ESOP Ambassador Team Lead at Radian Research, Renee works with a diverse team of fellow Employee Owners to drive a positive culture of supported accountability, to advocate for Radian and its Customers, and to implement and drive a continuous improvement mindset at Radian Research.

Renee Stadtmueller

Director, Blue Ridge ESOP Associates, Inc.

Renee Stadtmueller, Director at Blue Ridge ESOP Associates, has over 22 years of experience providing administration and consulting advice to ESOP clients. She is a CPA and holds the QPA designation from ASPPA. Renee is a speaker on ESOP administration topics for both The ESOP Association and the NCEO. She works closely with Plan Sponsors, accountants, advisors and legal counsel to provide guidance on plan design, compliance and operation.

Rich Cammarano

President & CEO, Tech-Etch, Inc.

Since joining in 2018, Rich Cammarano has served as President & CEO of Tech-Etch, Inc., a 100% employee owned company that manufactures precision metal components, flexible circuit assemblies, and shielding solutions for the medical, aerospace, defense, industrial, and telecommunications industries.

Rich is an accomplished business leader with an innovative global mindset. He brings diverse industry and functional experience in leading strategic business planning, building multi-functional executive management teams, driving change initiatives, closing M&A transactions, and delivering sustainable growth.

Rich has focused on integrating the values of employee ownership with the company's mission to inspire, create, and provide innovative solutions that enhance lives.

Prior to Tech Etch, Rich was Chief Commercial Officer at Facet Medical, where he was responsible for all aspects of the commercial strategy. In addition, he led the Sales, Marketing, and Product Development teams. From 2004 to 2017, Rich held multiple management positions, more recently as Vice President of Flex Medical, where he led a multi-national staff with responsibility for a $500 million P&L and strategic plan, while spearheading increased customer satisfaction and operational execution. Rich has also held management roles with Plexus, Sanmina, and Future Electronics earlier in his career. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from Calvin College and a Master of Business Administration from Boston University.

Rich serves on multiple Boards, including: Tech Etch, Plymouth Chamber of Commerce, and Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital-Plymouth.

Richard Mapp

Partner, Kaufman Canoles

Rick Mapp is Chairman of the ESOPs & Employee Benefits Practice Group at Kaufman & Canoles and is also a member of the Mergers, Acquisitions & Strategic Alliances and Business Taxation groups. Rick is also the President of ESOP Strategies, a consulting subsidiary of Kaufman & Canoles, established to provide ESOP Feasibility Studies and other services related to ESOP succession planning. Rick's employee benefits practice includes plan design, leveraged employee and/or management buy-outs, business succession planning, executive compensation, banking and finance, and tax planning.

Robert Schatz

Partner, ESOP Plus - Schatz Brown Glassman LLP

Rob Schatz is a founding partner of Schatz Brown Glassman LLP, a boutique ESOP law firm with five offices located in Connecticut, Missouri, New York and Washington State. ESOP Plus received international recognition and M&A awards as, "Best Boutique ESOP Law Firm - U.S." (2015), for "Excellence in ESOP Transaction Planning" (2016), as "Most Innovative in Employee Stock Ownership Plans Law - USA" (2019) and as "Best Multidimensional Law Firm - USA" (2021). Rob was named a Top Attorney of North America in the 2018-2019 edition of the Who's Who Directories. Rob has been practicing corporate and finance law for over 44 years and, since 1984, has concentrated his practice in structuring and documenting acquisitions and divestitures involving ESOPs, qualified and non-qualified equity compensation and synthetic equity plans, ESOP financing transactions and advising Boards of Directors, management, stockholders and ERISA fiduciaries on general corporate finance, corporate responsibility and corporate (and ERISA) fiduciary matters.

Robert Tomaka

CFO, Meier Supply Co.

Robert J. Tomaka, CPA, is the Chief Financial Officer for Meier Supply Company, Inc (A 100% ESOP company). He has been a co-owner in Meier Supply for over 15 years and is involved in all areas of the ESOP in the company, including administration, ESOP Committee, companywide ESOP webinars, and sustainability/RPO planning. He is very involved in the regional ESOP community as the current President of the NY/NJ Chapter of TEA and a frequent presenter at regional conferences. He is involved in the community with United Way, Opportunities for Broome, Humane Society, and Chamber of Commerce. In his spare time, he enjoys family, golf, grilling and playing guitar.

Robyn Pollina

CEO, Palmer Donavin

Ryan Graham

Director, Chartwell Financial Advisory

Ryan leads Chartwell's repurchase obligation and sustainability practice, providing ESOP-owned companies a holistic approach to corporate sustainability. Ryan has been assisting privately-held business owners and management teams in analyzing the financial impact of transactions and the ongoing repurchase obligation for ESOP companies since 2004. He is recognized nationally as a leader in ESOP sustainability and repurchase obligation forecasting. Throughout his career, Ryan has worked with companies of many different sizes in diverse industries across the country. Ryan has worked with over a third of NCEO's "The Employee Ownership 100: America's Largest Majority Employee-Owned Companies."

Sally Rood

Senior Policy Analyst, National Governors Association

Sally Rood serves as a Senior Policy Analyst in the Economic Opportunity Division of the National Governors Association's Center for Best Practices where she focuses on strategies for economic development, entrepreneurship and innovation, and workforce development; place-based initiatives; and use of data for policymaking. Prior to NGA, she was a senior policy analyst with SRI International (formerly Stanford Research Institute) where she managed projects evaluating state initiatives and STEM education programs. She also did strategic planning and designed programs for overseas research and education programs. Previously, she was associate director for NASA's National Technology Transfer Center; Washington representative for the Federal Laboratory Consortium; and interim executive director for the National Academy of Sciences' Federal Demonstration Partnership.

Sandra Ahrendsen

Organizational Effectiveness Manager, Folience

Sandra Ahrendsen is the Organizational Effectiveness Manager for Folience, Inc. In this role, she collaborates with each company of Folience and its employee owners by leading education and development programs, facilitating continuous improvement initiatives and she is part of the Human Resources cohort team.

Sandra is constantly communicating, celebrating and creating awareness about their ESOP. She is proud to share stories and best practices about ways to create an engaged ESOP culture.

Sandy Shoemaker

CPA, Shoemaker Consulting LLC

Sandy has a passion working with companies in transition who are seeking to maintain their legacy and engage their workforce through ownership. She has worked for over 20 years advising and supporting companies looking to go employee owned or assisting them with their needs after the close of the transaction. After spending over 30 years in public accounting, she now is focused on serving on ESOP company boards, educating companies on the ESOP alternative and leading them through a transition to employee ownership. She was appointed to the state of Colorado EO commission in 2019 and is currently Chair-elect.

Scot Storjohann

Senior Vice President, GreatBanc Trust Company

Scot Storjohann is a Sr. V.P. at GreatBanc Trust and he has over 30 years of experience in the retirement plan and ESOP industry. He works with ESOP companies across the U.S. on transactions (initial, second-stage, redemptions, loan refinancing, M&A, etc.) and provides ongoing trust services once the ESOP is established. His clients range in size from the small to very large, and from very basic in structure to the most complex. He speaks regularly at local, regional and national ESOP events. He is a member of the ESOP Association, a committee member of the Fiduciary Advisory Committee, President of the IA/NE Chapter of the TEA.

Sean Kelleher

Managing Director - ESOP Finance Group, First Financial Bank

Sean is the Managing Director of The ESOP Finance Group at First Financial Bank. His focus is on advising company owners and bankers on the benefits of Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOP) and understanding the complex issues surrounding these transactions. He has 25+ years' experience working with complicated financing transactions and problem solving. Throughout his career, he has led multiple teams in various specialties for national and regional banks.

Sean-Tamba Matthew

Attorney, SES ESOP Strategies

Sean-Tamba Matthew is a shareholder of the law firm Stevens & Lee and also works with its affiliated business, SES ESOP Strategies. He advises companies, business owners, boards of directors and employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) trustees on transactional, corporate governance and formation matters related to the design and implementation of ESOPs. He is also an Adjunct Professor at Temple University's Beasley School of Law. In addition, Sean is a member of the leadership council for the Business Law Section of the Pennsylvania Bar Association. He received his J.D. from Temple University Beasley School of Law and a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Pennsylvania.

Seth Webber

Principal, BerryDunn

Since joining BerryDunn in 2007, Seth has brought his combination of valuation, consulting, and operations skills to bear for his clients, helping them navigate challenging issues related to business valuation. As head of the Valuation Services Practice Group, he leads a diverse team of valuation experts that draw on the deep resources of BerryDunn to help clients address their needs. Seth is heavily involved in working with clients to define and execute transition plans, including valuations relating to ESOPs, management buyouts, sales, and gifting. He also provides expert witness services to clients and attorneys on business valuation, economic damages, and lost profits.

Stephen C. James

Trustee, SCJ Fiduciary Services

My Company and I offer non-institutional trustee services to Employee Owned Companies (via Employee Stock Ownership Plans). We service in excess of 100 ESOPs and provide full trustee services to our clients.

Steve L. Nicholson

Chief Executive Officer, Winter-Dent & Company

Steve is a serial entrepreneur who has started, lead and operated several companies in the financial services sector over the last 25 years. Most recently as the CEO and leader responsible for growing market share built a top 100 Insurance Brokerage firm in America. With proven success in driving rapid growth organically and leveraging mergers & acquisitions his roles have spanned P&L management, sales, marketing, business development, operations, and risk management.

2 years ago Steve took on his next challenge and was brought in to lead and grow Winter-Dent & Company and to create a culture of performance and ownership positioning it as a Midwest leader in the risk management space.

Steve is PASSIONATE about spreading business literacy mindset primarily within ESOP or widely held ownership environments.

Tara Strickland

Senior Director of Corporate Communications, Avian, LLC

Tara Strickland is the Senior Director for Corporate Communications at AVIAN, LLC in Lexington Park, Maryland. For over 10 years she has created internal and external communications strategies and worked with leaders and managers to build a strong employee ownership culture at AVIAN that encourages candor, transparency, and care. With a B.S. in Communication Studies from Frostburg State University and an M.S. in Strategic Communication Management from Purdue University, Tara specializes in strategic communications, change management, public relations, and graphic design. She is a certified Prosci® Change Management Practitioner and believes that simple authentic communication is the key to promoting, protecting, and enhancing a company's reputation and employee ownership culture.

Theodore (Ted) Becker

Partner, McDermott Will & Emery

Ted is a partner in McDermott Will & Emery and Co-Chair of its national ERISA Litigation Team. He has special expertise relating to ESOPs. Ted has defended some of the highest-profile lawsuits involving ESOPs. He represents ERISA and ESOP plan sponsor companies, their directors and officers, plan fiduciaries, administrators, financial advisors, and other service providers in a wide variety of matters, including DOL investigations, IRS audits, and lawsuits brought by plan participants and the DOL.

Thomas Dudley

Cofounder & CEO, Certified Employee-Owned

Thomas is a passionate advocate for employee-owned companies. He works closely with Certified EO Members to help create national recognition for employee ownership. Thomas co-founded Certified EO while working on a PhD in Organizational Behavior at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. He graduated from Stanford University with an M.S. in Statistics and the University of Virginia with a B.S. in Physics and a B.A. in Mathematics.

Tim Lang

Director, Chartwell Financial Advisory

Tim has provided financial advisory and valuation services to privately-held companies since 2007. A substantial portion of his work relates to employee stock ownership plans and providing independent financial advisory services to ESOP trustees and other corporate fiduciaries. He also has experience with corporate ESOP advisory engagements, providing services for transaction-related purposes. Throughout his career, Tim has worked with a diverse demographic of companies. In particular, he has significant experience valuing construction companies.

Timothy Lee

Managing Director, Mercer Capital Management, Inc.

Timothy R. Lee, ASA, is managing director of corporate valuation services and a board member at Mercer Capital. He has over 28 years of experience in valuation and corporate advisory services, specializing in mergers and acquisitions, ESOPs, trust & estate matters, buy-sell matters, dispute resolution, and corporate planning. Mr. Lee has been a member of ASA for 25 years and an active volunteer and committee member within ASA and The ESOP Association. He is a frequent speaker and contributing author to numerous valuation-related publications.

Tina Fisher

Vice President, FuturePlan by Ascensus

Tina has more than 25 years of experience working with qualified retirement plans, including employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs). As Vice President of FuturePlan by Ascensus, Tina's focus is providing consulting and technical support to clients and internal staff on retirement plan design, repurchase liability and sustainability studies, compliance and administrative issues for ESOPs. Tina currently serves as a member of the Administration Advisory Committee of The ESOP Association (TEA) and is a member of the National Center for Employee Ownership (NCEO). She holds the designations Certified Pension Consultant and Qualified Pension Administrator from the American Society of Pension Actuaries. She is a frequent speaker at ESOP and retirement plan conferences.

Trevor Bare

Consulting Actuary, Conrad Siegel

Trevor has been with Conrad Siegel since 2006. He leads the ESOP Team, is the Chair of the Compliance Committee, and is a specialist in ESOP and 401(k) plan administration, compliance testing, repurchase obligation, and plan design consulting. Trevor is a frequent speaker on a variety of ESOP administration and repurchase obligation topics. He is a member of the ESOP Association and serves on the ESOP Association's Administration Advisory Committee.

Trey Hawkins

Deputy Chief Advocacy Officer for Political Action, Credit Union National Association

Wayne Isaacks

Trustee, Isaacks & Associates

Wayne is a Texas attorney, board certified in tax law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and a CPA. Wayne advises closely-held businesses and owners in taxation, company structure, owner relations, mergers and acquisitions, and exit strategies including private equity transactions, business sales, recapitalizations and ESOP transactions. Wayne primarily serves as ESOP independent trustee and fiduciary in ESOP transactions - acquisitions, sales and mergers of ESOP companies.

William Merten

Partner, Winston & Strawn LLP

William W. Merten is a partner in the law firm of Winston & Strawn, LLP and is based in the Firm's Chicago office. He focuses his practice on business succession planning and executive compensation. Bill speaks frequently for various organizations on succession planning alternatives and related tax-planning techniques and has also authored and co-authored chapters and articles pertaining to various ESOP-related topics. Bill Merten is the chair of Winston's Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) Practice. He advises corporations, shareholders, directors, and various professionals regarding the use of ESOPs and ESOP-related strategies in a wide variety of transactions including management buyouts, ownership succession transactions, private equity transactions, going-private transactions, ESOP company sales, and mergers and acquisitions. Mr. Merten has been appointed to the Leading Lawyers Network, received an AV Preeminent Rating from Martindale-Hubbell for the past fifteen years (the highest possible rating in both legal ability and ethical standards), selected as a top rated Midwest lawyer by American Lawyer Media for the past four years, named a Top Attorney in Illinois by Chicago Magazine's Super Lawyer section for the past eight years, and featured in the Super Lawyers Business Edition for the past five years. He has also been recommended in the editorial commentary to the 2013 edition of the Legal 500 U.S. In the past, Bill has served as an executive compensation professor for DePaul University's Masters of Law in Taxation program and a qualified plan professor for DePaul's Masters of Science in Taxation program. He also previously served on DePaul's Masters of Law (in Taxation) Advisory Committee.

William Stewart

Principal, PCE Investment Bankers

A PCE partner and the head of the firm's Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) practice, Will Stewart is considered an expert in the ESOP community. Since joining PCE in 2004, he has closed more than $3 billion in ESOP transactions and is a frequent speaker, panelist and presenter at both regional and national ESOP-focused conferences and events.

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