Owners at Work

  SUMMARY:   In this episode Chris Cooper sits down with Jim O'Brien founder and current President of Go2Partners, a 100% ESOP Company. We talk about the interesting way in which Go2Partners was founded and funded by the employees themselves, why employee ownership was an attractive choice for him and the founders of the company, and how becoming employee owned impacted the way in which the company was managed and run day-to-day. We also talk about EO-connection a new project that Jim is leading which enables employee-owned companies to connect and purchase goods and services from one another.  Guest INFO (bio): https://www.linkedin.com/in/obpartners/  Further Material (links)  Go2Partners Website: https://www.go2partners.com/  EO-Connection Website: https://www.eo-connection.com/Login     SUPPORT THE SHOW: We make all episodes of Owners at Work free and never place them behind a paywall. But they take time and money to produce. Consider making a DONATION today to help keep our work going.   WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU: We are always looking for new employee ownership stories to tell. Please contact us with your story at oeoc@kent.edu  

  SUMMARY: One of the exciting happenings in the world of employee ownership today is the proliferation of different models and methods for bringing employees into the ownership of a company. In this episode we discuss the Direct Stock Ownership model that Chip Cargas, Founder of Cargas Systems, implemented at his company. We also discussed where the model took him, and this next stage of his entrepreneurial journey, with the development of the Tandem Center for Shared Business Success, a nonprofit initiative offering pathways for business success through profit sharing and direct employee ownership. We also talk with Nate Scott, current President and CEO of Cargas Systems and discuss his journey from employee, to employee owner, and finally to his role as a leader of the company. Finally we talk with Drew Mousetis, the Executive Director of the Tandem Center and get the scoop from him on his plans to grow employee ownership using the Direct Stock Ownership model.  Further Material  https://www.tandemcenter.org/  https://cargas.com/    Guest INFO:   Chip Cargas is the Founder & Chair Emeritus at Cargas Systems, an employee-owned software company with nearly 200 employees. They provide software for accounting, operations, sales and marketing. Chip founded the company in 1988 with the purpose of creating a caring environment where people would love to work. He served as CEO from the founding until December 2017, Board Chair until October 2020, and Board Member until March 2022. He was named Chair Emeritus in 2022. Chip continues to nurture the company's purpose of “Shared Success for employees, customers, owners, partners, and community.” Cargas Systems has earned the following national & regional awards for its values and growth  Nate Scott is President and CEO of Cargas Systems, joining in 2005 as a sales consultant. He eventually became manager of the Sales and Marketing team. When Cargas launched a new business unit centered around its proprietary Cargas Energy software, he became VP. During his tenure, the business unit doubled in staff and doubled in revenue. Scott also took advantage of annual career advancement meetings and asked to lead cross-company initiatives. In 2014 he became President, and added CEO four years later.  Drew Mousetis is Executive Director of the Tandem Center for Shared Business Success with a background in business management. Before joining Tandem, Drew was a lead consultant at Cargas, where he embraced the ethos of employee ownership within a dynamic culture of engagement and profit sharing at the employee owned company. Prior to Cargas, Drew was the Director of Finance & Development at The GateHouse.     SUPPORT THE SHOW: We make all episodes of Owners at Work free and never place them behind a paywall. But they take time and money to produce. Consider making a DONATION today to help keep our work going.   WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU: We are always looking for new employee ownership stories to tell. Please contact us with your story at oeoc@kent.edu   ---------------------------------------------------------------------  

Guests:   Olga Prushinskaya and Jamie Pockrandt, Democracy at Work Institute  Summary: The second most common form of employee ownership in the United States is the worker cooperative where workers participate in both the financial success and governance of the firms. Today there are over 750 worker cooperatives in the United States, which is triple the amount that existed in 2012. How do we know these numbers? Unlike the number of ESOPs which can be tracked using publicly available data generated by the government, there is no public entity that tracks worker cooperatives. Instead, it has been nonprofit groups that have filled in this gap in knowledge. On this episode I speak with Olga Prushinskaya and Jamie Pockrandt of the Democracy at Work Institute, a national organization committed to worker cooperative development – which includes gather data on worker cooperatives. We talk about their soon to be released State of the Sector report and what it found regarding worker cooperatives as well as other projects they have been working on which aim to better understand the impact that employee ownership is having on workers, companies, and communities.   Further Material  Learn about DAWI's work here: https://institute.coop/   Existing datasets mentioned in the show: https://institute.coop/core-research     Guest Info:   Jamie Pockrandt, Data Architect, Democracy at Work Institute:   Email: jpockrandt@institute.coop | Phone: (415) 379-9201 Ext. 19  Olga Prushinskaya, Metrics and Impact Analyst  Email: olga@institute.coop | Phone: (415) 379-9201 Ext. 17    SUPPORT THE SHOW: We make all episodes of Owners at Work free and never place them behind a paywall. But they take time and money to produce. Consider making a DONATION today to help keep our work going.   WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU: We are always looking for new employee ownership stories to tell. Please contact us with your story at oeoc@kent.edu   ---------------------------------------------------------------------        

Guest: Campbell McDonald, Ownership Works   SUMMARY: Much of the work for raising awareness and advocating for supportive policies for further expansion relies on data collection. When making the case for employee ownership, it is one thing to say that, in theory, employee ownership can benefit workers, companies, and communities. It is quite another to prove such claims through the collection of empirical data.  In this episode, I sit down with Campell McDonald, the chief executive of Ownership at Work, a nonprofit organization dedicated to raising awareness about employee ownership in the United Kingdom. We talk in detail about the recent research project he oversaw, which collected first-of-its-kind data that measured the impacts of employee ownership on worker well-being, company performance, and various other indicators. Further Material ·        Find the report at this website: https://ownershipatwork.org/ Guest INFO : ·        Campbell McDonald:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/campbell-mcdonald-628378/?originalSubdomain=uk   SUPPORT THE SHOW: We make all episodes of Owners at Work free and never place them behind a paywall. But they take time and money to produce. Consider making a DONATION today to help keep our work going. WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU: We are always looking for new employee ownership stories to tell. Please contact us with your story at oeoc@kent.edu ---------------------------------------------------------------------  

Guest: Gina Schaefer SUMMARY: For 38 years, the OEOC has gathered hundreds of people from across the employee ownership community at our Annual Conference and every year, we invite a keynote speaker to address those in attendance. This year, we invited Gina Schaefer, the founder, CEO, and selling owner of A Few Cool Hardware Stores, which became 100% employee-owned in 2021. Her story of how her company came to be, her approach to building culture within the business, and her tendency to build relationships outside of it speak to the power of building community and how employee-owned companies are uniquely poised to do this. Beyond that, Gina's address and the story of A Few Cool Hardware Stores highlight other important themes whose power we often underestimate: faking it until you make it, doing the hard thing, being curious, and telling our own stories of employee ownership, to name a few.  Further Material Gina's Book Recover Hardware: https://ginaschaefer.com/book A Few Cool Hardware Stores: https://acehardwaredc.com/ Past OAW Episode featuring Gina: https://www.oeockent.org/owners-at-work-podcast/seaon-2-episode-7-a-few-cool-hardware-stores Guest INFO :    Gina Schaefer: https://ginaschaefer.com/about SUPPORT THE SHOW: We make all episodes of Owners at Work free and never place them behind a paywall. But they take time and money to produce. Consider making a DONATION today to help keep our work going. WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU: We are always looking for new employee ownership stories to tell. Please contact us with your story at oeoc@kent.edu 

SUMMARY: When we think about expanding awareness about employee ownership, we often think of the United States and how much more work we have to do. However, the movement to expand the prevalence and awareness of employee ownership goes well beyond US borders. In this episode, we highlight an international example of this effort. We speak with Rodrigo Fernandez del Valle and Gonzalo Hernandez Gutierrez about an edited book they published, which includes chapters on employee ownership contributed by practitioners, researchers, and thinkers worldwide. Their goal? Introduce students, government officials, and business leaders to employee ownership and how it can positively impact society. We talked about how the book project came to be, what the book's reception has been, and what projects they are working on now to expand employee ownership in Mexico, Latin America, and beyond.  Free Book Copy  Employee Ownership in the Americas: A Path to Shared Prosperity: https://cleo.rutgers.edu/articles/employee-ownership-in-the-americas-a-path-to-shared-prosperity/  Capital IncluyenteCo-founded by Rodrigo with the purpose of providing technical assistance to those who want to create businesses owned by employees:https://capital-incluyente.org/  Guest Info: ·        Gonzalo Hernandez Gutierrez: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gonzalo-hern%C3%A1ndez-guti%C3%A9rrez-phd-93a648a1/?originalSubdomain=mx ·        Rodrigo Fernandez del Valle: https://capital-incluyente.org/    --------------------------------------------------------------------- SUPPORT THE SHOW: We make all episodes of Owners at Work free and never place them behind a paywall. But they take time and money to produce. Consider making a DONATION today to help keep our work going. WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU: We are always looking for new employee ownership stories to tell. Please contact us with your story at oeoc@kent.edu  

SUMMARY: When we look into the field of employee ownership three major models come to mind, employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs), worker cooperatives, and employee-owned trusts. But practitioners are always looking to improve existing models and in some rare cases develop new ones. In this first episode of season five we speak with David Ellerman and Tej Gonza of the Institute for Economic Democracy about a new model they have developed which combines features of the ESOP and worker cooperative models – what they term the “European ESOP”. Thier hope is this model that can drive the expansion of broad-based employee ownership in Slovenia – the country where they both live – as well as the European Union more generally. We talk about what features of worker cooperatives and ESOPs were retained and why, how the model functions, and the process for getting supportive legislation passed in Slovenia to encourage the adoption of this model.   Further Reading:  The Institute for Economic Democracy: https://ekonomska-demokracija.si/eng/   The ESOP Coop Model Explained: https://ekonomska-demokracija.si/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/European-ESOP-IED2022.pdf   Guest INFO :   Tej Gonza: https://ekonomska-demokracija.si/eng/tej-gonza/   David Ellerman: https://ekonomska-demokracija.si/eng/david-ellerman/  SUPPORT THE SHOW: We make all episodes of Owners at Work free and never place them behind a paywall. But they take time and money to produce. Consider making a DONATION today to help keep our work going.   WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU: We are always looking for new employee ownership stories to tell. Please contact us with your story at oeoc@kent.edu  

SUMMARY Back in 2018 the Kendeda Fund, a philanthropic foundation based in Atlanta, decided to make a series of big bets in areas that were both critical and timely. One of those areas was employee ownership and the investment made by Kendeda was historic. Over 5 years a total of $24 million dollars was provided to 4 employee owner support organizations. Those organizations include The Evergreen Cooperatives Fund for Employee Ownership, ICA Group, Nexus Community Partners, and Project Equity. The investment was made with four broad goals in mind – grow the number of employee-owned businesses, use patient capital to leverage investments, strengthen core elements of the employee ownership ecosystem, and amplify media coverage of employee ownership.   Upon entering the 5th year of the grant, Kendeda contracted with the Ohio Employee Ownership Center to carry out a reflection process that looked back on what these four organizations where able to achieve, assess what they learned, and identify future actions that would further develop and expand employee ownership in the US. The reflection process relied on numerous forms of data collection including in-person meetings, long form one on one interviews with grantees, selling owners, and new employee owners, analysis of transition data, and comparisons of the four grantees models for transitioning companies to employee ownership. The culmination of our findings was then published in a narrative report that drew on the insights of all stakeholders involved, which we encourage you to read.  However, like all reports, we could not include every bit of information we gathered.  But we strongly felt it necessary to provide grantee organizations with the space to explain, in their own words, how and why they do the work they do, how Kendeda's investment helped them expand their impact, and where they see their work going in the future.  So, this interview with Christina Nicholson and Paty Viafara of Nexus Community Partners, is one in a series of interviews we carried out with organization that received support from the Kendeda Fund.   READ THE REPORT: www.oeockent.org/kendeda-employee-ownership-big-bet  GRANTEE INFORMATION   ICA Group: https://icagroup.org/   Nexus Community Partners: https://www.nexuscp.org/   Project Equity: https://project-equity.org/   The Fund for Employee Ownership: https://www.evgoh.com/tfeo/ WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU: We are always looking for new employee ownership stories to tell. Please contact us with your story at oeoc@kent.edu   SUPPORT THE SHOW: We make all episodes of Owners at Work free and never place them behind a paywall. But, they take time and money to produce. Consider making a DONATION today to help keep our work going. 

SUMMARY Back in 2018 the Kendeda Fund, a philanthropic foundation based in Atlanta, decided to make a series of big bets in areas that were both critical and timely. One of those areas was employee ownership and the investment made by Kendeda was historic. Over 5 years a total of $24 million dollars was provided to 4 employee owner support organizations. Those organizations include The Evergreen Cooperatives Fund for Employee Ownership, ICA Group, Nexus Community Partners, and Project Equity. The investment was made with four broad goals in mind – grow the number of employee-owned businesses, use patient capital to leverage investments, strengthen core elements of the employee ownership ecosystem, and amplify media coverage of employee ownership.   Upon entering the 5th year of the grant, Kendeda contracted with the Ohio Employee Ownership Center to carry out a reflection process that looked back on what these four organizations where able to achieve, assess what they learned, and identify future actions that would further develop and expand employee ownership in the US. The reflection process relied on numerous forms of data collection including in-person meetings, long form one on one interviews with grantees, selling owners, and new employee owners, analysis of transition data, and comparisons of the four grantees models for transitioning companies to employee ownership. The culmination of our findings was then published in a narrative report that drew on the insights of all stakeholders involved, which we encourage you to read.  However, like all reports, we could not include every bit of information we gathered.  But we strongly felt it necessary to provide grantee organizations with the space to explain, in their own words, how and why they do the work they do, how Kendeda's investment helped them expand their impact, and where they see their work going in the future.  So, this interview with Alison Lingane of Project Equity, is one in a series of interviews we carried out with organization that received support from the Kendeda Fund.   READ THE REPORT: www.oeockent.org/kendeda-employee-ownership-big-bet  GRANTEE INFORMATION   ICA Group: https://icagroup.org/   Nexus Community Partners: https://www.nexuscp.org/   Project Equity: https://project-equity.org/   The Fund for Employee Ownership: https://www.evgoh.com/tfeo/ WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU: We are always looking for new employee ownership stories to tell. Please contact us with your story at oeoc@kent.edu   SUPPORT THE SHOW: We make all episodes of Owners at Work free and never place them behind a paywall. But, they take time and money to produce. Consider making a DONATION today to help keep our work going. 

SUMMARY   Back in 2018 the Kendeda Fund, a philanthropic foundation based in Atlanta, decided to make a series of big bets in areas that were both critical and timely. One of those areas was employee ownership and the investment made by Kendeda was historic. Over 5 years a total of $24 million dollars was provided to 4 employee owner support organizations. Those organizations include The Evergreen Cooperatives Fund for Employee Ownership, ICA Group, Nexus Community Partners, and Project Equity. The investment was made with four broad goals in mind – grow the number of employee-owned businesses, use patient capital to leverage investments, strengthen core elements of the employee ownership ecosystem, and amplify media coverage of employee ownership.   Upon entering the 5th year of the grant, Kendeda contracted with the Ohio Employee Ownership Center to carry out a reflection process that looked back on what these four organizations where able to achieve, assess what they learned, and identify future actions that would further develop and expand employee ownership in the US. The reflection process relied on numerous forms of data collection including in-person meetings, long form one on one interviews with grantees, selling owners, and new employee owners, analysis of transition data, and comparisons of the four grantees models for transitioning companies to employee ownership. The culmination of our findings was then published in a narrative report that drew on the insights of all stakeholders involved, which we encourage you to read.  However, like all reports, we could not include every bit of information we gathered.  But we strongly felt it necessary to provide grantee organizations with the space to explain, in their own words, how and why they do the work they do, how Kendeda's investment helped them expand their impact, and where they see their work going in the future.  So, this interview with Jeanette Webster and Emma Sherrie of the Fund for Employee Ownership is one in a series of interviews we carried out with organization that received support from the Kendeda Fund.   READ THE REPORT: www.oeockent.org/kendeda-employee-ownership-big-bet  GRANTEE INFORMATION   ICA Group: https://icagroup.org/   Nexus Community Partners: https://www.nexuscp.org/   Project Equity: https://project-equity.org/   The Fund for Employee Ownership: https://www.evgoh.com/tfeo/   WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU: We are always looking for new employee ownership stories to tell. Please contact us with your story at oeoc@kent.edu   SUPPORT THE SHOW: We make all episodes of Owners at Work free and never place them behind a paywall. But, they take time and money to produce. Consider making a DONATION today to help keep our work going. 

SUMMARY Back in 2018 the Kendeda Fund, a philanthropic foundation based in Atlanta, decided to make a series of big bets in areas that were both critical and timely. One of those areas was employee ownership and the investment made by Kendeda was historic. Over 5 years a total of $24 million dollars was provided to 4 employee owner support organizations. Those organizations include The Evergreen Cooperatives Fund for Employee Ownership, ICA Group, Nexus Community Partners, and Project Equity. The investment was made with four broad goals in mind – grow the number of employee-owned businesses, use patient capital to leverage investments, strengthen core elements of the employee ownership ecosystem, and amplify media coverage of employee ownership.   Upon entering the 5th year of the grant, Kendeda contracted with the Ohio Employee Ownership Center to carry out a reflection process that looked back on what these four organizations where able to achieve, assess what they learned, and identify future actions that would further develop and expand employee ownership in the US. The reflection process relied on numerous forms of data collection including in-person meetings, long form one on one interviews with grantees, selling owners, and new employee owners, analysis of transition data, and comparisons of the four grantees models for transitioning companies to employee ownership. The culmination of our findings was then published in a narrative report that drew on the insights of all stakeholders involved, which we encourage you to read.  However, like all reports, we could not include every bit of information we gathered.  But we strongly felt it necessary to provide grantee organizations with the space to explain, in their own words, how and why they do the work they do, how Kendeda's investment helped them expand their impact, and where they see their work going in the future.  So, this interview with David Hammer of ICA Group, is one in a series of interviews we carried out with organization that received support from the Kendeda Fund.   READ THE REPORT: www.oeockent.org/kendeda-employee-ownership-big-bet  GRANTEE INFORMATION   ICA Group: https://icagroup.org/   Nexus Community Partners: https://www.nexuscp.org/   Project Equity: https://project-equity.org/   The Fund for Employee Ownership: https://www.evgoh.com/tfeo/ WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU: We are always looking for new employee ownership stories to tell. Please contact us with your story at oeoc@kent.edu   SUPPORT THE SHOW: We make all episodes of Owners at Work free and never place them behind a paywall. But, they take time and money to produce. Consider making a DONATION today to help keep our work going. 

SUMMARY: For too long, cooperatives have been cast to the margins of our economy and discussions around economic development and community building. Yet, there are numerous examples throughout the US and across the globe demonstrating how cooperatives serve as a viable organizational form, allowing individuals and communities to achieve their economic, social, and cultural needs and aspirations. In this episode we sit down with George Cheney of the University of Colorado and talk about a recent book he co-authored titled Cooperatives at Work which takes cooperatives marginality head on and provides a range of case studies of successful cooperative organizations as well as practical lessons and strategies to grow the sector. In our interview we talk about how George's long career of researching employee ownership and cooperatives and what he and his co-authors found while writing the book including the unlevel playing field worker cooperatives in the US face, how technological change may grow or constrain cooperative development, and the relationship between worker cooperatives, sustainability, and the environment.   SUPPORT THE SHOW: We make all episodes of Owners at Work free and never place them behind a paywall. But, they take time and money to produce. Consider making a DONATION today to help keep our work going. INFO :          Link to the book Cooperatives at Work: https://books.emeraldinsight.com/page/detail/cooperatives-at-work/?k=9781838678289     Link to a preview of the book: https://www.vieta.ca/post/our-new-book-cooperatives-at-work  WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU: We are always looking for new employee ownership stories to tell. Please contact us with your story at oeoc@kent.edu

SUMMARY: If one thing is true, its that the word ownership has baggage – every person has a different conception of what it means. In this episode we speak with Chris Mackin, who has worked in the employee ownership community for decades, to talk about a recent article he published on the multiple meanings of ownership. We discuss how being aware of these multiple meanings can inform the work we do on employee ownership whether that be at the company level in the context of training or ESOP plan design, or at the societal level in the context of public policy making. Chris wears many hats, practitioner, researcher, teacher, and more recently public policy entrepreneur and our conversation reflects that. As should have been expected, an interview initially intended to talk about the recent article included numerous excursions into conversations including the movement for employee ownership in the mid 18th and 19th centuries, how capital ownership structures our current economy and the possibilities for expanding employee ownership, and the Employee Equity Investment Act (EEIA) a piece of legislation that (after the interview was recorded) was introduced with bi-partisan support in both the House and Senate.   Link to article: https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JPEO-10-2022-0019/full/html    SUPPORT THE SHOW: We make all episodes of Owners at Work free and never place them behind a paywall. But, they take time and money to produce. Consider making a DONATION today to help keep our work going.   INFO:   Chris Mackin: https://christophermackin.org/   WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU: We are always looking for new employee ownership stories to tell. Please contact us with your story at oeoc@kent.edu  

SUMMARY: In this episode Chris Cooper speaks with Eric Zaleski and Michael Rosendahl of PCE Investment Bankers, about what business owners should be thinking about, and doing, to prepare for a business succession. In many cases, business owners see succession planning as something that will take place far off in the future, as something that can wait. Or it seems like an enormously complex issue that gets overwhelming fast. Both Eric and Michael break down the process into two options, inside sale or outside sale and what both entail at a high level. They also cover what you can start doing now to prepare for business succession and provide great insights into how preparation for succession planning in the future can actually help your company's performance in the here and now.    SUPPORT THE SHOW: We make all episodes of Owners at Work free and never place them behind a paywall. But, they take time and money to produce. Consider making a DONATION today to help keep our work going.   GUEST INFO :   Erick Zaleski , PCE Investment Bankers : https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattsillabusinessvaluationcle/   Michael Rosendahl, PCE Investmen Bankers https://www.pcecompanies.com/staff-member/michael-rosendahl  WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU: We are always looking for new employee ownership stories to tell. Please contact us with your story at oeoc@kent.edu   ---------------------------------------------------------------------  

  Guest: Eric Flickinger and Matt Silla SUMMARY: In this episode we sit down with two valuation experts,  Eric Flickinger and Matt Silla of Apple Growth Partners. The conversation is wide ranging and includes discussion of high level trends we saw in 2022 that will impact company valuations, what their general 2023 outlook is, and what they are watching for. More specific conversations also include the Federal Reserve's monetary policy and what it means for valuations and acquisitions, what the economic trends tell us about a possible 2023 recession, and what may happen around the US debt ceiling debate. SUPPORT THE SHOW: We make all episodes of Owners at Work free and never place them behind a paywall. But, they take time and money to produce. Consider making a DONATION today to help keep our work going. INFO : ·        Matt Silla, Apple Growth Partners: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattsillabusinessvaluationcle/ ·        Eric Flickinger, Apple Growth Partners: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-flickinger/ WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU: We are always looking for new employee ownership stories to tell. Please contact us with your story at oeoc@kent.edu

Guest: Jeff Kelley, Hamill Manufacturing Company   SUMMARY: In this episode we speak with Jeff Kelly, former CEO, selling owner, and current Chairman of Hamill Manufacturing, a Pennsylvania based precision and fabricating company which serves the defense, aerospace, and power generation industries. We talk to Jeff about what led him to begin working at the company in 1976 (which is father owned), why he chose to sell the company to the employees using an ESOP, the importance of legacy and loyalty for second generation business owners, and how important developing a succession plan is for manufacturing companies and businesses more broadly.    SUPPORT THE SHOW: We make all episodes of Owners at Work free and never place them behind a paywall. But, they take time and money to produce. Consider making a DONATION today to help keep our work going.   INFO :   Learn more about the Hamill Company  https://www.hamillmfg.com/history    WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU: We are always looking for new employee ownership stories to tell. Please contact us with your story at oeoc@kent.edu  

In this episode we sit down with Bina Smith who is the HR Generalist and Communication Committee chair at Palmier Donavin, a 100% employee-owned company. The interview covers a wide range of areas and draws on Bina's 8 years of experience serving on her companies communication committee. The discussion includes how to build an ownership culture at a company with multiple locations and a complex production process, general principles for approaching communication around your ESOP, and practical ideas that can be used at other employee owned companies  Guest Contact Info:   https://www.linkedin.com/in/bina-smith-shrm-scp-a2088292/   SUPPORT THE SHOW: We make all episodes of Owners at Work free and never place them behind a paywall. But, they take time and money to produce. Consider making a DONATION today to help keep our work going.   WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU: We are always looking for new employee ownership stories to tell. Please contact us with your story at oeoc@kent.edu  

So, what exactly are state employee ownership centers? What do they do, and why do we need more of them?  This episode is a re-broadcast of an interview originally aired by Owners to Owners – another podcast that focuses on employee ownership. Jesse Tyler, the host of Owners to Owners, sits down with Matt Cropp of the Vermont Center for Employee Ownership, Steve Storkan of the Employee Ownership Expansion Network, and Michael Palmieri of the Ohio Employee Ownership to discuss how state centers approach the tasks of outreach, education, advocacy as well as what drives each of them personally to work to grow employee ownership. Follow the Owner to Owner podcast:  https://www.ownertoownerpodcast.com/  Owners to Owners is part of the Broader EO Podcast Network  Learn more about it here: https://www.eopodcastnetwork.com/    SUPPORT THE SHOW: We make all episodes of Owners at Work free and never place them behind a paywall. But, they take time and money to produce. Consider making a DONATION today to help keep our work going.   WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU: We are always looking for new employee ownership stories to tell. Please contact us with your story at oeoc@kent.edu  

SUMMARY: In this episode we speak with Deanna Colombo of Butler/Till a women owned, 100% employee-owned, and Certified B Corporation marketing agency located in Rochester NY. We talk about all things culture and communication, and how both can be maintained through periods of rapid change and growth. In the past two years, Butler/Till has nearly doubled its workforce, opened up a new headquarters, and implemented a hybrid work option – all while navigating covid. Throughout this period, the company has maintained, and even strengthened its company culture. We get into the philosophical questions regarding what drives culture (bottom up vs. top town), practical ways to create communication channels for employee-owners, and how Butler/Till celebrated Employee Ownership Month. If you are looking for some great ideas to rethink your communication strategies, or even some ideas for employee-ownership events at your company – this episode is for you.     SUPPORT THE SHOW: We make all episodes of Owners at Work free and never place them behind a paywall. But, they take time and money to produce. Consider making a DONATION today to help keep our work going.   GUEST INFO :   Deanna Colombo, Butler/Till  Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deannacolombo/  WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU: We are always looking for new employee ownership stories to tell. Please contact us with your story at oeoc@kent.edu  

SUMMARY: In this episode we speak with Corey Rosen, founder of the National Center for Employee Ownership about a his new book he co-authored with business reporter John Case. The interview is wide ranging and touches upon what is driving economic inequality today, how employee ownership is a practical and transformative solution, the role of private equity in employee ownership, the importance of governance rights vs. increased economic security, whether the ‘moment' employee ownership is having is distinctive from those in the past, and much more.   NCEO BOOK LAUNCH EVENT: https://www.nceo.org/event/nceo-book-launch-ownership-rethinking-capitalism-companies-and-who-owns-what   SUPPORT THE SHOW: We make all episodes of Owners at Work free and never place them behind a paywall. But, they take time and money to produce. Consider making a DONATION today to help keep our work going.   GUEST INFO :   Corey Rosen   Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/corey-rosen-3a8a8a4  Phone: 510-208-1314  Email:  CRosen@nceo.org  WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU: We are always looking for new employee ownership stories to tell. Please contact us with your story at oeoc@kent.edu  

It is common understanding that only C-corporations and S-corporations can sponsor Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs). But is this indeed the case? In this episode we speak with Mike Sorice about how LLCs can indeed sponsor an ESOP and the reasons why some have chosen this option. We talk about the differences between LLCs and other types of corporations, how LLCs can be structured to sponsor an ESOP, as well as the risks associated with doing so. SUPPORT THE SHOW: We make all episodes of Owners at Work free and never place them behind a paywall. But, they take time and money to produce. Consider making a DONATION today to help keep our work going.   GUEST INFO :   Mike Sorice  Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-sorice-law   Phone: 614.223.9336 Email:  msorice@beneschlaw.com   WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU: We are always looking for new employee ownership stories to tell. Please contact us with your story at oeoc@kent.edu  

SUMMARY: In this episode we speak with Pete Shuler of Blue Ridge ESOP Associates and go into the mechanics of ESOP administration and talk about Third Party Administrators (TPAs) – what they are and do, why they do it, and how you as a plan administrator in your company can take steps to ensure your relationship with your TPA is strong, efficient, and useful.   SUPPORT THE SHOW: We make all episodes of Owners at Work free and never place them behind a paywall. But, they take time and money to produce. Consider making a DONATION today to help keep our work going.   GUEST INFO :   Pete Shuler  Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pete-shuler-5631044   Phone: +1 614 280 5208  Email: pshuler@blueridgeesop.com.    WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU: We are always looking for new employee ownership stories to tell. Please contact us with your story at oeoc@kent.edu  

SUMMARY: A growing body of research shows that employee-owned companies outperform traditional companies on a range of measures, especially during economic downturns – but is has this pattern continued through covid-19? On this episode we speak with Nancy Wiefek and Nathan Nicholson of the NCEO about two recent research projects that seek to answer this very question. Spoiler alert, employee-owned companies continued to outperform traditional companies, provide increased employment stability, and better levels of retirement security throughout the pandemic.   ESOPs in the US Food System: https://www.nceo.org/employee-ownership-blog/new-nceo-research-shows-benefits-being-esop-food-industry   Ownership Structure and Resiliency in Crisis: https://esca.us/news/new-study-employee-ownership-provided-resiliency-financial-security-during-crisis/   28-34 Year Old Employee Owners Over Time: https://www.ownershipeconomy.org/   NBC News Featuring NCEO Research: https://www.nbcnews.com/business/personal-finance/workers-companies-arent-rushing-join-great-resignation-s-rcna13706      SUPPORT THE SHOW: We make all episodes of Owners at Work free and never place them behind a paywall. But, they take time and money to produce. Consider making a DONATION today to help keep our work going.   GUEST INFO :   Nancy Wiefek   Email NWiefek@nceo.org,   Phone: 510-208-1312  Nathan Nicholson    Email NNicholson@nceo.org  Phone 510-208-1313  WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU: We are always looking for new employee ownership stories to tell. Please contact us with your story at oeoc@kent.edu  

In this episode we speak with Jonathan Welle of Cleveland Owns and Ellen Vera of Co-op Cincy – two Ohio-based nonprofits that are working around cooperative development and community wealth building. We dig into how both Jonathan and Ellen began working on cooperative development, mission of vision of their organizations, and talk about programs and initiatives they are currently working on to build community and worker owned enterprises SUPPORT THE SHOW: We make all episodes of Owners at Work free and never place them behind a paywall. But, they take time and money to produce. Consider making a DONATION today to help keep our work going.  GUEST INFO :  Jonathan Welle: https://www.clevelandowns.coop/our-team-1/jonathan-welle  Ellen Vera: https://coopcincy.org/staff-and-board  Ohio Worker-Ownership Network (OWN) Website: https://www.oeockent.org/the-ohio-worker-ownership-network   Past episodes: https://www.oeockent.org/owners-at-work-podcast/season-2-episode-10-employee-ownership-updates-taking-stock-and-looking-forward 

Owners at Work is back for season 3! In our first episode of this season we speak with Steve Storkan, Executive Director of the Employee Ownership Expansion Network (EOX) -  a national nonprofit focused on establishing and supporting a network of independent nonprofit State Centers for Employee Ownership. We talk about the steady growth in number of state centers since EOX's founding, the importance of being open to all forms of employee-ownership, successful strategies to engage public officials and economic development professionals, and much more. SUPPORT THE SHOW: We make all episodes of Owners at Work free and never place them behind a paywall. But, they take time and money to produce. Consider making a DONATION today to help keep our work going.  GUEST INFO : Steve Storkan  Bio: https://eoxnetwork.org/who-we-are/   Email: info@eoxnetwork.org  WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU: We are always looking for new employee ownership stories to tell. Please contact us with your story at oeoc@kent.edu   

SUPPORT THE SHOW: We make all episodes of Owners at Work free and never place them behind a paywall. But, they take time and money to produce. Consider making a DONATION today to help keep our work going 2022 Annual Conference - https://www.oeockent.org/resources-events/annual-ohio-employee-ownership-conference SUMMARY: In the US there are over 14 million employee-owners working at 7,000 companies. Yet, the sector still has enormous potential to grow. In this episode we speak with Chris Fredricks, CEO of Empowered Ventures and Tim Rettig CEO of InTrust IT, both of whom are focused on growing the employee ownership sector through acquisitions of other mid-market companies. Together both Chris and Tim have acquired 7 companies in the last 5 years creating hundreds of new employee owners, and they are only getting started. We talk about what drove both Tim and Chris to adopt the models they have, the mechanics of the deals, and how they have approached culture building in companies that are diverse in both geographic location and industry.  GUEST INFO : Tim Rettig, CEO InTrust IT Bio/Contact: https://www.intrust-it.com/tim-rettig/ Chris Fredricks, CEO Empowered Ventures  Bio/Contact: https://empowered.ventures/chris-fredericks/    WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU: We are always looking for new employee ownership stories to tell. Please contact us with your story at oeoc@kent.edu

SUPPORT THE SHOW: We make all episodes of Owners at Work free and never place them behind a paywall. But, they take time and money to produce. Consider making a DONATION today to help keep our work going SUMMARY: In this episode we take stock of employee ownership developments in Ohio and discuss how covid has  impacted businesses and employee-owned companies from a macroeconomic perspective. First, Mike Palmieri trades in his co-host hat and becomes a guest as he discusses two new reports published by the OEOC - Building Legacies and the Ohio Top 50 ESOP Companies. In the second segment we sit down with past OAW guests Eric Flickinger and Matthew Silla of Apple Growth partners to revisit our pre-covid 2020 discussion and discuss supply chain issues, inflation, how these and other trends are affecting employee-owned companies, and much more.  GUEST INFO : Eric Flickinger, Apple Growth Partners  Bio: https://www.applegrowth.com/employees/?smid=1672 Matt Silla, Apple Growth Partners Bio: https://www.applegrowth.com/employees/?smid=1702  WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU: We are always looking for new employee ownership stories to tell. Please contact us with your story at oeoc@kent.edu

SUPPORT THE SHOW: We make all episodes of Owners at Work free and never place them behind a paywall. But, they take time and money to produce. Consider making a DONATION today to help keep our work going OEOC UPCOMING PROGRAMS Southwest Forum Communication Roundtables SUMMARY: In this episode we speak with Eamon Muholland, Senior Consultant at Wise Consulting and current head of the company's communication committee. We discuss how the company, a relatively new ESOP, maintained its ownership culture through covid-19. We get into how to structure a communication committee in a company with a distributed workforce; the importance of maintaining a strong relationship between management and the communication committee; the power of peers in driving an ownership culture; how you can use technology to make a virtual annual meeting one for the history books, and much more.  GUEST INFO : Eamon Mulholland, Senior Consultant, Wise Consulting.  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eamon-mulholland-90aa255/ Email: emulholland@wiseconsulting.com Company website: https://www.wiseconsulting.com/ WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU: We are always looking for new employee ownership stories to tell. Please contact us with your story at oeoc@kent.edu

SUPPORT THE SHOW: We make all episodes of Owners at Work free and never place them behind a paywall. But, they take time and money to produce. Consider making a DONATION today to help keep our work going SUMMARY: Sometimes companies transition to employee ownership to help spark a transformation in workplace culture, in other cases a move to employee ownership is the continuation or next logical step in a vibrant company culture that already exists. A Few Cool Hardware Stores is firmly in the latter category. In this episode we speak with selling owner Gina Schaefer and a new employee-owner Courtney Belew about what transitioning to employee ownership was like for both a business owner and an employee, the importance of community engagement, and the benefits of building a strong workplace culture. Guest Info Gina Schaefer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gina-schaefer-56380a8/ Courtney Belew: https://www.linkedin.com/in/courtney-belew-18671665/# Company website: https://acehardwaredc.com/pages/contact-us   WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU: We are always looking for new employee ownership stories to tell. Please contact us with your story at oeoc@kent.edu

Repurchase obligations are a major component of ESOP administration and the main way in which employee-owners benefit from owning a financial stake in the companies they worked for. Yet, these obligations are often seen as a burden, and in some cases, can lead to the freezing or termination of the ESOP plan. In this episode we speak with Josh Young of UBS about how ESOP companies can rethink their approach to repurchase obligations in a way that reframes obligations as something to celebrate, rather than an administrative burden.  Guest Details  Josh Young, UBS: https://advisors.ubs.com/joshua.m.young/ We Want To Hear From You!  If you have an employee ownership story you want to tell send us an email at oeoc@kent.edu. 

In the world of employee ownership, agreement has begun to crystalize around the idea that broad-based models of employee ownership, like ESOPs, worker cooperatives, or employee-owned trusts are powerful tools in the fight to reduce the enormous racial wealth gap in the United States. But exactly how would this happen? And what are the barriers that need to be overcome to truly expand employee ownership amongst business owners of color? In this episode we talk with Sean Tamba-Matthew, and advisor at SES ESOP strategies about how ESOPs can be used preserving minority owned legacy businesses in a way that provides wealth for selling business owners, employee-owners, and the surrounding community. 2021 OEOC Fall Programming  https://www.oeockent.org/ohios-eo-network/virtual-programming Sean Tamba-Matthew Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sean-tamba/  Email: sean.matthew@stevenslee.com  Article: https://generocity.org/philly/2021/05/27/reducing-racial-wealth-inequality-and-preserving-beacons-of-hope-through-employee-ownership/ We want to hear from you!!!  Contact us with your employee ownership story at oeoc@kent.edu  

In this episode we speak with President Pete Douglas and Executive VP Finance and Administration, David Brockbader of the The Douglas Company about their recent transition to employee ownership via an ESOP. The interview also includes Franco Silva, Director, Prairie Capital Advisors who was one of the main advisors for the transaction. In this episode we dig into the importance of preparing for a transition, lessons learned, and the often overlooked emotional side of selling a company. UPCOMING OEOC PROGRAMS For a full list of programs visit: https://www.oeockent.org/ohios-eo-network/virtual-programming WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! Contact us if you have an employee ownership story to tell. Send an email to oeoc@kent.edu GUEST INFO Pete Douglas and David Brockbader, The Douglas Company: https://www.douglascompany.com/about-us/ Franco Silva, Prairie Capital Advisors: https://www.prairiecap.com/team/franco-silva        

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) is something we hear a lot about, but what exactly do these terms mean, and what do they look like in an employee owned company? In this episode we sit down with Dr. Joy and Ty Miller of Carver & Associates to talk about some of the preconceived notions that surround DEI, ways in which these values can be put into practice, and what first steps individuals in both managerial and non-managerial roles can take to begin to learn more about DEI. One of the overarching themes of the conversation is that, much like models of employee ownership, efforts to improve diversity, equity and inclusion in your organization can help create a culture of accountability that improves individual's well-being and company performance. We want to hear from you, and tell your employee ownership story!! Send an email to the OEOC at oeoc@kent.edu Chris Cooper ccooper1@kent.edu or Mike Palmieri mpalmie2@kent.edu.  GUEST INFO Dr. Joy, President & CEO, Carver & Associates Ty Miller, Chief Operating Officer & Facilitator, Carver & Associates RESOURCES  Article - Leverage EVS Metrics To Improve Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Initiatives  Video version of article 

Small businesses account for nearly half of all jobs in the US economy, and nearly half of all small businesses are owned by Baby Boomers who will retire in the next few decades in what has been termed the "silver tsunami". These businesses are integral to local communities, and there continued operation is key to building back our economy. In this episode we talk to Brett Jones of Evergreen Cooperatives and Ellen Vera of Co-op Cincy about each of their organization's new loan funds designed to help convert existing businesses into employee owned companies, giving owners, workers, and communities an opportunity to build wealth and meet the challenge of the silver tsunami. Upcoming programming  Our 35th Annual Ohio Employee Ownership Conference is one month away, check out the agenda and register  Guest info  Brett Jones, Evergreen Cooperatives   Email: bjones@evgoh.com  Phone: 216-338-4468 Ellen Vera, Co-op Cincy   Email: ellen@coopcincy.org Phone 513-807-3898 Business Legacy Fund Website We want to hear from you!!! Email us at oeoc@kent.edu

Research consistently shows that employee owned companies whether economic downturns better than their conventional counterparts, but we rarely get an 'inside view' of this outcome is achieved. In this episode, we sit down with Bernie Murphy, President of the Ohio based ESOP company Jones Hamilton, as well as the company's valuation advisor Michael McGinsley of Prairie Capital. We talk about their journey through the covid crisis, the tools and strategies they used to ensure that the company and its ownership culture remained strong, and the importance of communication and engagement with employee-owners and outside advisors during challenging times. GUEST INFO  Bernie Murhpy, Jones Hamilton - https://www.linkedin.com/in/bernie-murphy-454823191/ Michael McGinsley, Prairie Capital - https://www.prairiecap.com/team/michael-mcginley-asa-cva UPCOMING PROGRAMMING  Webinars and Roundtables - https://www.oeockent.org/ohios-eo-network/virtual-programming The 35th Annual Conference - https://www.oeockent.org/resources-events/annual-ohio-employee-ownership-conference WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU  We want to share your employee ownership story!! Send us an email at oeoc@kent.edu EPISODE SPONSOR  This episode was brought to you by Fifth Third Bank. 53.com/ESOP

Research consistently shows that employee owned companies whether economic downturns better than their conventional counterparts, but we rarely get an 'inside view' of this outcome is achieved. In this episode, we sit down with Bernie Murphy, President of the Ohio based ESOP company Jones Hamilton, as well as the company's valuation advisor Michael McGinsley of Prairie Capital Advisors. We talk about their journey through the covid crisis, the tools and strategies they used to ensure that the company and its ownership culture remained strong, and the importance of communication and engagement with employee-owners and outside advisors during challenging times. GUEST INFO  Bernie Murphy - President, Jones Hamilton Co.  https://www.linkedin.com/in/bernie-murphy-454823191/ Michael McGinley, Prairie Capital Advisors Michael McGinely Prarie Capital Advisors OEOC UPCOMING PROGRAMING  Webinars and Roundtables - https://www.oeockent.org/ohios-eo-network/virtual-programming 35th Annual Conference - https://www.oeockent.org/resources-events/annual-ohio-employee-ownership-conference WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!!!! We are always looking to share stories of employee ownership. Reach out to us at oeoc@kent.edu EPISODE SPONSOR  The episode was brought to you by Fifth Third Bank. 53.com/ESOP

On this inaugural 2021 episode of the pod, we talk with Anthony Mathews from the California Center, and former Executive Director Of the Beyster Institute. Anthony  has spent decades in the world of employee ownership and has a thing or two to say about it. We get into his path into the field, his belief that employee ownership can be a cure for what ails society, and the economy, and much more. It is a wide-ranging discussion, and he is not shy about expressing his thoughts and opinions.  But through it all, his belief in the idea of employee ownership, and the impact it can have on the lives of working people, comes from a place of passion, and from a lifetime of working the field. GUEST INFO Anthony Mathews https://www.ownershipcalifornia.org/bod OEOC PROGRAMS https://www.oeockent.org/ohios-eo-network/virtual-programming EPISODE SPONSOR GBQ Consulting https://gbq.com/service/esop/ ***WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU*** We want to produce a show that engages with relevant questions and provides practical lessons and information. We want this podcast to include the voices of those who practice employee-ownership each and every day. Please reach out via email: oeoc@kent.edu

Owners at Work is back for season two. We talk with Anthony Mathews of the California Center for Employee Ownership about his many years working to expand employee ownership as well as how employee ownership may be a cure for what ails our economy and society more broadly.  Full episode drops soon.  Check out our past episodes here: https://www.oeockent.org/resources-events/owners-at-work-podcast

We hear a lot about the the rising level of economic inequality in our society, the increasingly precarious nature of employment, and the difficulties of saving for retirement. What we hear about much less is the how employee owned firms, in particular companies with Employee Stock Ownership Plans, can help address these an many other issues by helping workers build wealth - broadly defined. In this episode we sit down with two senior researchers, Janet Boguslaw and Lisa Schur, and talk about a they co-authored that focuses on these questions. We discuss in detail how employee ownership can help low and moderate income employees build assets as well as recommendations they have to expand the sector and spread the benefits of employee ownership to a larger share of workers. WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!! If you have a story about employee ownership that you want to share email us at oeoc@kent.edu LINK TO REPORT This report discussed in this episode was made possible by the generous support of the Kellogg Foundation. Follow the link below to learn more and access the report: https://smlr.rutgers.edu/sites/default/files/rutgerskelloggreport_april2019.pdf GUEST INFO Lisa Schur: https://smlr.rutgers.edu/faculty-staff/lisa-schur Janet Boguslaw: https://www.brandeis.edu/facultyguide/person.html?emplid=618c696e80b167f775d26cef40323f5cb830910c 

If there is one thing to know about the field of employee ownership it's that it includes a wide variety of models. In the US, Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs) and worker cooperatives are the two most well known, but there are many others. In this episode we sit down with Chris Michael, an attorney and professor, to discuss a less known model - the employee ownership trust. We dig into the history of the model, talk about its similarities and differences to ESOPs and worker cooperatives, and cover why selling business owners may want to consider it. ***WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!*** Have a comment about the work we are doing or an employee ownership story of your own? Email us at oeoc@kent.edu  EPISODE GUEST CONTACT INFOMATION Chris Michael: https://www.eolaw.com/  

We’re getting to the end of year, and a general theme of our upcoming programming, as well as many of our conversations with companies and advisors alike, focuses on taking stock of what’s happened, and is still happening, and how we are looking at, and planning for, the future. In this episode of the Owners At Work podcast we’re highlighting a couple of recent conversations on this theme. First up we have Tina DiCroce and Collin Mayer of Chartwell talking about the impacts of Covid on repurchase and sustainability, a key issue for ESOP companies. And then we talk with Nick Sypniewski of Comstock Advisors about the covid impacts for business valuations, and the general outlook for the economy, heading into 2021. As always, we welcome your feedback on the discussion and the episode.  ***We Want to Hear From You*** If you have a story about employee ownership that you would like to share, or a topic you would like us to cover, please email us at oeoc@kent.edu Speaker Contact Info: Nick Sypniewski http://comstockadvisors.com/employees/nickolas-sypniewski/ Tina DiCroce: https://www.chartwellfa.com/professionals/tina-dicroce Collin Mayer:     https://chartwellfa.com/professionals/collin-mayer    

In this episode we speak with six experts in the field of employee ownership about how to approach 'regular' operations that all ESOPs must undertake while at the same time keeping an eye on planning for the long term. The discussions, which are adapted from our Annual Conference Short Take videos, focus on ESOP processes and procedures, sustainability, and more. We talk about valuations and preparation strategies, the role of third party administrators, how to best approach repurchase obligations, the evolving concept of ESOP sustainability, what  ESOP sustainability studies are, and how to put them into action. QUEST SPEAKERS  Pete Shuler, Crowe LLP: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pete-shuler-5631044/ Nick Adamy, Adamy Valuation: https://adamyvaluation.com/team/nick-adamy/ Nick Sypniewski, Comstock Advisors: http://comstockadvisors.com/employees/nickolas-sypniewski/ Tom DeSimone, Prairie Capital Advisors: https://www.prairiecap.com/team/tom-desimone-cpa Tim Jamison , Prairie Capital Advisors: https://www.prairiecap.com/team/timothy-jamison-cpa Tina Dicroce, Chartwell: https://www.chartwellfa.com/professionals/tina-dicroce REACH OUT TO US!  We are always looking to hear from those in the employee-ownershup community and are happy to help highlight your story and bring it to a larger audience. Email us at oeoc@kent.edu  SHORT TAKE VIDEOS The interviews in this episode are adapted from video interviews that can be accessed here: https://www.oeockent.org/short-takes

It is well known within the employee ownership community that employee-owned companies do better in times of crisis compared to conventionally owned companies. However, this not a law of gravity, it is the result of countless actions taken by and processes created within employee-owned firms. In this episode we speak with five experts in the field of employee ownership and look at what actions ESOPs can take in this current economic environment to ensure that they make it to the other end of this crisis. The discussions are wide ranging and focus on legal issues for distressed companies, employee engagement and communication, trustee relationships, managing your capital position, forming good relationships with banks and other financial partners, and current trends among existing employee-owned companies. EPISODE QUESTS Chelsea Mikula: https://www.tuckerellis.com/people/chelsea-mikula Dale Vlasek: https://mcdonaldhopkins.com/Team/Attorney/d/Dale-Vlasek Eric Zaleski:                            https://www.pcecompanies.com/staff-member/eric-zaleski Cathy Ivancic: http://workplacedevelopment.com/about-workplace-development/ Corey Rosen: https://www.nceo.org/NCEO-Speaking-Consulting-Staff/id/53 LINK TO SHORT TAKE VIDEOS https://webflow.com/design/ohio-employee-ownership-center?pageId=5f2c5351fb9fc0a9762740a9

In this episode we speak with five experts in the field of employee ownership about the process of selling a business to employees via an Employee Stock Ownership Plan. Each interview focuses on a particular aspect of the process. Taken together, the interviews provide a general primer for anyone interested how the process works as well as what key issues should be considered at different points within the process. CONTACT US! Email: oeoc@kent.edu  Phone: (330)672-3028   MORE RESOURCES Short Take Video Library: https://www.oeockent.org/short-takes Video Resources For Selling Owners: https://www.oeockent.org/exit-planning/video-resources-on-selling-to-your-employees Exit Planning: https://www.oeockent.org/exit-planning/frequently-asked-questions SPEAKERS Phil DeDominicis, Menke and Associates https://www.menke.com/about-us/professionals/advisory-professionals/ Floyd Trouten, Barnes Wendling https://www.barneswendling.com/employees/floyd-trouten/ Tim Jochim, Walter Haverfield https://www.walterhav.com/professional/tim-jochim/ Brian Bornino, GBQ https://gbq.com/author/brian_bornino/ Avery Chenin, SES ESOP Strategies https://sesesop.com/team_member/avery-chenin/#:~:text=Chenin-,Avery,Chenin&text=For%20more%20than%2025%20years,in%20transactions%20involving%20employer%20securities.

There is a large body of research demonstrating that employee owned companies outperform their conventional counterparts. However, much of this research focuses on company level characteristics. In this episode we sit down with Nancy Wiefek, Research Director at the National Center for Employee Ownership (NCEO) to talk about the groundbreaking research she conducted that looks at how employee ownership improves the economic well-being of individual employee owners. OUR 34TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER CHECK IT OUT: https://www.oeockent.org/resources-events/annual-ohio-employee-ownership-conference ORIGINAL REPORT: https://www.ownershipeconomy.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/employee_ownership_and_economic_wellbeing_2017.pdf WEBSITE WITH UPDATED DATA: https://www.ownershipeconomy.org/   

he world of employee ownership is made up of a vast array of stories, experiences, and journeys. Within this diversity, there are certainly differences, but also, in our view, an overriding commonality - broadened ownership of productive assets is good for employees, the businesses they work for, and the economy at large. In this episode we sit down with Kristen Barker of Coop-Cincy and Michael Peck of One Worker One Vote, to talk about how they are working to create a network of worker cooperatives with the aim of decreasing economic inequality and generating individual and community wealth. ***WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!!!! CONTACT US*** oeoc@kent.edu ORGANIZATIONS AND CONTACT INFORMATION Co-op Cincy: https://coopcincy.org/ Kristen Barker: kristen@coopcincy.org  1 Worker 1 Vote: http://1worker1vote.org/ Michael Peck: mpeck@mapagroup.net       

Based on a recent webinar this episode includes a conversation with two financial experts, Eric Zaleski and Sean Kelleher, who talk about where we are now, and how to successfully get to the other side. We cover general market conditions; the lending and finance markets for privately held companies; managing cash flow and debt load (and staying solvent); managing your SBA loan to ensure compliance; and how to position your employee-owned company to not only survive but thrive moving forward. WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!!! Contact us at oeoc@kent.edu Sean Kelleher of First Financial Bank: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sean-kelleher-bb65a83 Eric Zaleski of PCE: https://www.pcecompanies.com/staff-member/eric-zaleski  

The sale of a private business to an ESOP can seem like a very different beast than a typical business transaction. There are, of course, components of a sale to an ESOP that you won’t find in a third-party sale or a family transfer, but there also similarities. For this episode we talk with attorney Avery Chenin of SES ESOP Strategies on outlining, and demystifying, a sale to an ESOP. We discuss the process of selling a business to employees using an ESOP; what steps need to be taken; what professionals need to be involved; how long the process may take; and the financial benefits of an ESOP transaction for the owner, the business, and employees. There are two parts to the episode, the first is an outline of the process, and the second is an update  takes into account the current economic situation and how this impacts a sale to an ESOP ***Please reach out to us with your employee ownership story by emailing oeoc@kent.edu*** Avery Chenin: https://sesesop.com/team_member/avery-chenin/

For this episode we , we talk to IntrustIT CEO (and selling owner) Tim Rettig, a new ESOP company in the Cincinnati area. Tim talks about why he chose to sell his business to the employees, and the impact the decision has had on the company; the benefits of open-book management; how the company is faring in the current crisis; and his plans to be a one-man employee ownership venture capitalist. ***If you have story you want to share please contact us!!!*** OEOC: oeoc@kent.edu Chris Cooper: ccooper1@kent.edu  Michael Palmieri: mpalmie2@kent.edu   

For this episode we head out to California and check in with Corey Rosen, Founder of the National Center of Employee Ownership (NCEO) located in the Bay Area; and Kim Blaugher, who recently became the Executive Director of the Beyster Institute at UC San Diego. Our conversation with Corey Rosen begins with the impact of the current crisis on the operations of the NCEO, how the crisis is effecting the employee-owned companies he is talking to regularly, and his thoughts on the state of the employee-owned sector now, and in the future. Our talk with Kim Blaugher of the Beyster Institute was recorded a bit earlier and more at the front end of the crisis, but we also had a chance to get his thoughts on the future of the employee-owned sector, how he came to, and what's in store for, the Beyster Institute. **CONTACT US** We want to hear from you! Send an email to oeoc@kent.edu **PLEASE DONATE TO THE OEOC** We make this show available for free, but it is not free to produce. Make a donation to the OEOC at: https://secure2.convio.net/ksu/site/Donation2;jsessionid=00000000.app20067a?2440.donation=form1&df_id=2440&NONCE_TOKEN=03B3341720750D9CE1DF51DF982D0B1F LINKS  NCEO 2020 Conference: https://annualconference.nceo.org/ Beyster Institute Programming: https://rady.ucsd.edu/centers/beyster/ OEOC Free COVID-19 Resources: https://www.oeockent.org/rapid-response-resources

With the outbreak of the COVID-19 epidemic, good strategies for building culture and facilitating communication are more important than ever. Whether it is social distancing, remote workplaces, or the stress and uncertainty that comes with an unknown future.  In this episode we connect with Jim Bado and Cathy Ivancic of Workplace Development. First up, Jim Bado in a postscript to a free webinar on maintaining  your ownership culture in tough times (see link below), discusses strategies for communicating and building culture among social distancing employee-owners. Next up, Cathy Ivanci provides insight on communication strategies for your employee-owned company, including how to talk about good and bad news, structuring your communication committee, and more.  Free webinar with Jim Bado: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/recording/50118344814350859 OEOC Rapid Response Resources: www.oeockent.org/rapid-response-resources *****Special Thanks to our Gold Sponsors*****  Apple Growth Partners Crowe  Prairie Capital Advisors PCE Investment Bankers