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Conference Agenda

36th Annual Ohio Employee Ownership Conference

Moving Forward, Renewing Purpose
*View the Conference Program PDF*

Day 1 | May 5th, 2021 | 8:20 am - 12:15 pm

PRE SESSION - 8:20am-9:00am

Conference Welcome and Networking

Chris Cooper, Director, Ohio Employee Ownership Center

ROUND 1 - 9:00am-10:00am

What's New 1: Legal and Regulatory Update

Speakers: Mary Giganti, Waldheger Coyne & Chelsea Mikula, Tucker Ellis

Attend this session to get the latest info on the legal and regulatory framework under which all ESOPs operate. Covered will be the latest rulings, court cases, and other sound advice on how to avoid issues, and stay on the right side of things.

What’s In Store for Your Valuation?

Speaker: Brian Bornino & Joseph Borowski, GBQ

As we head out of crisis and into recovery, what’s in store for your valuation for this year, and next? This session will cover everything you need to know for this year, and going forward.

Managing Your Repurchase Obligation During Changing Times

Speaker: Josh Young, UBS & Kristin Steinhauser, Crowe

Managing your repurchase obligation is always a challenging task. For Many of us, it became a bit harder this year. This session will provide guidelines, best practices, and strategies to help you learn from the last 12 months, and prepare for now, and the future.

ROUND 2 - 10:10am-11:10am

What’s New 2: ESOP Administration

Speakers: Renee Stadtmueller, Blue Ridge ESOP Associates & Ann Caresani, Baker Hostetler

Perhaps you’ve had furloughs, layoffs, or added new employees. We have had a couple rounds of new legislation, and the IRS and DOL have given us more to think about, like finding missing participants. Then there are the “usual” administration issues to keep track of as well. What’s clear is that it has been an interesting year in ESOP Administration, and what has happened, and is still happening now, will impact how you fulfill your administrative duties.

ESOP Acquisitions 1: The Mechanics of Acquisitions

Speakers: Eric Zaleski, PCE Investment Advisors & David Whaley, Thompson Hine

Two experts outline the process for successful acquisitions, including strategic planning for acquisitions; identifying the right targets; arranging financing; due diligence and structuring the deal; and closing the deal.

Keys to ESOP Sustainability

Speakers: Tina DiCroce, Chartwell Financial Advisory & Kjersti Cory, GreatBanc Trust

Sustainability is on our minds - rightly so! From brand new ESOPs to mature (and everywhere in between), all face unique challenges managing the ESOP today while thinking about tomorrow. This session will cover the 3 R’s (redeeming, recycling, and releveraging), managing active vs. inactive participants, determining optimal benefit levels, and more.

ROUND 3 - 11:15am-12:15pm

Cash Flow Management Through Crisis and Into Recovery

Speakers: Nick Jevic, Fifth Third Bank & Tim Jamison, Prairie Capital Advisors

The last 12 months have been challenging, but recovery is on its way. Starting from where you are now, and looking into the future, how can you manage your cash effectively? This session will engage you with key principles and concepts, as well as specific tools and ideas, for managing your ESOP company’s cash flow successfully.

ESOP Acquisitions 2: Lessons Learned from Acquisitions

Speakers: Davin Gustafson, Apple Growth Partners & Avery Chenin, SES ESOP Strategies

Two expert advisors discuss the impacts of an acquisition, including: what they’ve seen go right, and not so right; lessons learned from both the process, as well as the impact on the buyer, and the acquired, companies going forward; thoughts on integrating the new company into existing company; and more.

Expert Roundtables

Each conference day we will have single-topic expert roundtables, designed for you to meet individually or in small groups with subject matter experts - to engage in conversation, and talk over issues you may be experiencing in your employee-owned company.

Day 1  Expert Roundtables | Wednesday May 5th | Round 3 - 11:15am-12:15pm

Company

Speaker

Topic

Description

GBQ Consulting LLC

Brian Bornino

What’s in Store for Your ESOP Valuation

Join Brian Bornino for a continuation of his session from earlier on what to look for in your upcoming valuation and through 2021 and into next year.

Chartwell Financial Advisory, Inc.

Tina DiCroce

ESOP sustainability – ESOP RO and Sustainability Challenges

Visit Tina and bring your questions on repurchase obligation, sustainability as well as other related issues.

Menke & Associates

Phil DeDominicis

Employee Communications and Strategies

Join Phil to discuss communication strategies that can help you connect culture with performance.

Crowe LLP

Pete Shuler

ESOP Administration

Visit Pete and bring your questions on ESOP Administration issues, as well as distributions and other related issues.

OPEN MEETING TIME - 12:15pm-?

Open Meeting time - Set up one-on-one or small group meetings with other conference participants;session panelists and experts, or with the OEOC staff, directly in the conference platform

Day 2 | May 6th, 2021 | 8:20 am - 12:15 pm

PRE SESSION - 8:20am-9:00am

Awards & Company Videos & Networking

ROUND 1 - 9:00am-10:00am

Trustee, Board of Directors, and Governance Issues and Relationships Post-Covid

Speakers: Dale Vlasek, McDonald Hopkins LLP & Mark Mills, Mills, Potoczok & Co.

Did the covid crisis expose weaknesses in how you manage fiduciary and governance relationships within your company? The two experts at this session will provide guidance on best practices, what they’ve experienced with their client companies, and how to make course corrections for now, and for the next time a crisis hits.

Driving Results Through Diversity and Inclusion

Speaker: Dr. Joy & Ty Miller, Carver & Associates

In this session, we will cover why diversity and inclusion is important, as well as strategies for building D&I into your company's DNA. Explore the impact differences and similarities have on how we approach building trust. Understand the impact cognitive diversity (thinking differences) can have on trust, communication, and productive relationships in the workplace. Gain tools and approaches to bridge the differences gap.

ABCs of Worker Cooperatives for Cooperative Members

Speakers: Chris Cooper & Mike Palmieri, Ohio Employee Ownership Center

This session will provide new worker cooperrative members with a basic grounding in your cooperative. What is a worker cooperative? How does it differ from a typical business? How is it the same? What is my role as an employe, and an owner? How do I benefit from being a worker owner? These questions and more will be answered at this session.

ROUND 2 - 10:10am-11:10am

Aligning your ESOP’s provisions with your ownership culture in the post-pandemic world

Speakers: Pete Shuler, Crowe & Jim Bado, Workplace Development

You’ve now seen how your ESOP Plan provisions, and your ESOP culture, has been impacted by a crisis. What have we learned? What needs to change? How do we prepare our company and culture for the next time?

Leadership Succession and Development in An ESOP Company

Speakers: Jeff Evans, Strategic Executive Partners & Patrick Helmuth, CEO, P. Graham Dunn

One of the biggest challenges for any company is handling leadership transition. As baby boomers continue to retire, more and more of us will be facing this issue. This session will review key principles of leadership development; when to look inside, and outside, for a new generation of leadership; and how to keep your business, and your ownership culture, growing through the transition, and beyond.

Leadership Development in Your Worker Cooperative Company

Speaker: Wynette A. Bryant, Evergreen Cooperatives

We traditionally consider company leaders to exist only in the C-Suite. Even though your business will likely have CEO or GM, and managers of some sort, a worker cooperative is a slightly different animal. Worker ownership works best when everyone engages with the benefits, as well as the responsibilities, embedded in the idea - regardless of your current level within the cooperative. This session will provide principles and practices to help build leadership throughout your cooperative.

ROUND 3 - 11:15am-12:15pm

CEO/CFO ROUNDTABLE

An open forum for company leaders to discuss issues of importance. This session will be limited to C-Suite leaders of employee owned companies only. Facilitator: Rhonda Newman, Board Member and Former CEO, Foundation Wellness

EXPERT ROUNDTABLES

Each conference day we will have single-topic expert roundtables, designed for you to meet individually or in small groups with subject matter experts - to engage in conversation, and talk over issue you may be experience in your employee-owned company

HR ROUNDTABLE

An open forum for HR Professionals to discuss issues of importance. This session will be limited to HR Professionals of employeeowned companies only. Facilitator: Jill Kuhlman, Chief Administrative Officer & Human Resources, FST Logistics

Day 2  Expert Roundtables | Wednesday May 6th | Round 3 - 11:15am-12:15pm

Company

Speaker

Topic

Description

Fifth Third Bank

Steve Kuhn

Acquisition Mechanics & ESOP Senior Debt Reloads

Visit Steve to and bring any questions you may have on acquisitions and senior debt, as well financing repurchase and cash flow management.

McDonald Hopkins

Dale Vlasek

ESOP Legal and Technical issues

Visit Dale and bring your questions on everything related to legal and technical issues for ESOPs.

PCE Investment Bankers

Eric Zaleski

Financial Considerations for Mature ESOPs

Visit Eric and bring your questions on mature ESOP financing questions, as well as ESOP acquisitions and sales, general financing issues.

Prairie Capital Advisors

Tim Jamison

Leadership development, succession and culture for a successful ESOP company

Visit Tim and bring your questions on the topic of leadership development and succession, as well as other questions you may have on general ESOP sustainability issues.

OPEN MEETING TIME - 12:15pm-?

Open Meeting time - Set up one-on-one or small group meetings with other conference participants;session panelists and experts, or with the OEOC staff, directly in the conference platform

Day 3 | May 7th, 2021 | 8:20 am - 12:15 pm

Awards & Company Videos & Networking

PRE SESSION 8:20am-9:00am

ROUND 1 - 9:00am-10:00am

Communication Committees 101: Purpose, Method, more

Speakers: Chris Cooper & Mike Palmieri, Ohio Employee Ownership Center

What is a communication or culture committee? What is its purpose? What makes for a strong committee - that adds value instead of wasting time? Do you even need a committee at all? Whether you are just starting, or need to remake your committee, this session will provide an outline of communication committees, detail some best practices, and how to make your committee work for you rather than against you.

What’s Normal? Communicating Change, and Recovery

Speakers: Jen Briggs, The Beyster Institute & Anne-Claire Broughton, Broughton Consulting

We are all looking forward to “getting back to normal.” But what does that mean? Regardless of how each of us have fared during the last 12 months, getting back to normal will likely be different than before. This session will invite you to think about your new normal (to use a cliche) and how you communicate that to your co-owners - as well as provide ideas for communicating the change that is still happening

Employee Owner Track: ABCs of ESOPs for ESOP Participants

Speaker: Phil DeDominicis, Menke & Associates

This session will provide new employees (and experienced employees needing a refresher) with the essentials of what it means to be an ESOP participant. Covered will be - how do I participate; how do I build value - in the company and my ESOP account; how do I recevie my benefit; and more.

ROUND 2 - 10:10am-11:10am

Managing Your Culture/ Communications Committee Year

Speaker: Jon Sweigart, Praxis Consulting Group (moderator) & Aaron Moberger, Harpoon Brewery & Greg Corban, Hypertherm & Valerie Strohm, Restek & Sasha Sulkosky, Brinkman Construction & Paul Dougherty, Recology

This session builds on ESOP Committees 101 with a moderated panel discussion among five representatives from diverse Employee Owner Committees. Panel members will share how they structure and develop their committees to support continuous improvement, financial literacy, ESOP education, cultural events, and relaunch.

Training and Education issues in a mixed workplace

Speakers: Theresa Riley & Dawn Marie Lecklikner, E²G | The Equity Engineering Group, Inc.

Working remotely has been an integral part of our lives, and our companies, for at least a year - and, we’ve had different levels of experience. Whether just a few of your co-owners, or large numbers of them, will remain working remotely, what’s clear is it creates challenges. This session will look at how one company has addressed the challenges of maintaining your ownership culture in such an environment.

Employee Owner Track: Basics of Business Financials

Speaker: Roy Messing, EOX

Every employee-owned company knows that if you want your co-owners to truly impact the bottom line, they need to know (at some level) how the company is performing financially. A key challenge is - how do we know the information we are providing is being understood? This session will provide a basic grounding in the key terms, concepts, and context for understanding the numbers.

ROUND 3 - 11:15am-12:15pm

COMMUNICATIONS ROUNDTABLE

An open forum for your entire communications team, from leadership to committee, and everywhere else. Bring your experiences, questions, and ideas! Session attendance will be limited to employee owners from employee-owned companies. Facilitator: Cathy Ivancic, Workplace Development

Employee Owner Track: Understanding Your Retirement Planning with Your ESOP

Speaker: Jordan Howd, Applied Financial Concepts, Inc.

Do you understand how your employee ownership benefit ties into the big picture, and your overall retirement plan? This session will provide you with the basic understanding of what constitutes effective retirement planning, dos and don’ts, and more.

OPEN MEETING TIME 12:15pm-?

Open Meeting time - Set up one-on-one or small group meetings with other conference participants;session panelists and experts, or with the OEOC staff, directly in the conference platform

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