***Members of Ohio's Employee-Owned Network have unlimited free registrations to live webinars and unlimited access to all archived webinars.
Consider joining Ohio's Employee-Owned Network here
Members of Ohio’s Employee Owned Network have free unlimited access to live OEOC webinars. For non-network members, the cost of attendance is $40 per registrant for each webinar. Contact the OEOC at oeoc@kent.edu with questions about registration and costs; and to access archived webinars.
Celebrate Summer with 3 FREE webinars from the Ohio Employee Ownership Center (2 remain)
Wednesday June 25th, 12pm - 12:45pm
Presented by: Lindsay Isaac, National Center for Employee Ownership
Summary: At this Lunch N Learn Webinar, our speaker will outline effective tools and strategies to jumpstart (or restart) your communications and culture, using lessons learned from working with employee-owned companies from across the country. Learn what your peers are facing, and solutions that they've developed - and bring your questions!
Network Members Register Here
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Wednesday July 17th, 12pm - 12:45pm
Presented by: Thomas Jalics, Fifth Third Bank
Summary: For this webinar, we welcome back Tom Jalics, Chief Market Strategist from Fifth Third Bank, to talk about and analyze economic trends and the outlook for the economy. Together, we'll take a look at the ongoing impact of tariffs, expected changes in interest rates, what’s happening in the capital and employment markets, and how this will impact your Employee-owned business going forward. We'll do our best to make some sense of it all!
Network Members Register Here
Wednesday August 20th, 12pm - 12:45pm
Presented by: Michael McGrath and Nathan Maude, McGohan and Brabender
Summary: Managing HR, benefits, payroll, and compliance can be especially complex for employee-owned companies. This webinar will provide a practical overview of Professional Employer Organizations (PEOs) and other support solutions, including what they are, how they differ, and when they may or may not be a good fit for your Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). We'll explore their core functions and differences, discuss unique considerations for ESOPs such as fiduciary responsibilities and cultural alignment, and examine whether these models support or conflict with employee ownership values. Finally, we’ll walk through how to evaluate whether these solutions meet your organization's current and future needs. Whether you're exploring outsourcing options or want a clearer understanding of how these models work, this session will help you make informed decisions about your HR infrastructure.
Note: This webinar was inspired by discussions held within our HR Roundtable series with ESOP companies. AS always the OEOC designs its programs to meet the needs of its member companies! Join the nework today, or email Michael Palmieri (mpalmie2@kent.edu) to join the OEOC's HR Roundtables.
Network Members Register Here
Non-members Pay here (you will receive a registration link upon payment).
Wednesday June 18th
Managing Cash Flow and Financial Resilience: An ESOP Perspective on Tariffs, Inflation, and Uncertainty
Presented by Tom Lazzaro, Midwest Transatlantic Lines, Dan Bender, Westfield Bank, Brett Larick Columbia Chemical Corporation -In today’s volatile economic environment, employee-owned companies face unique challenges—and opportunities. Join a seasoned banker and the CEO of an employee-owned logistics firm for a discussion on managing cash flow, navigating tariffs, inflation, interest rates, and supply chain disruptions. Learn how the ESOP model shapes financial strategy and decision-making in uncertain times.
Wednesday Feb. 12th
What We've Learned: Ideas, Tools, and Resources for Building an Ownership Culture
Presented by Michael Palmieri and Chris Cooper, Ohio Employee Ownership Center - Over the last year, the staff of the OEOC has engaged in dozens of conversations with you and your peers on what it takes to build a strong ownership culture. In addition, we've been developing additional sets of resources (with more to come) that your peers have helped us create, and that can help you build understanding and buy-in for employee ownership at your company. At this session, we'll share some of what we learned, including common issues we have seen, best practices for developing solutions, and resources we’ve created that can help solve them. We will also use this webinar to engage with the audience and identify additional resources that we can develop for the community.
Wednesday Jan 29th
Strategies to Enhance the Effectiveness of Compensation Programs for ESOP Companies
Presented by Tim Jamison and David Horvath, Prairie Capital Advisors - Compensation committees of ESOP companies often look for benchmarking tools that help determine reasonable market ranges for executive positions. We will discuss available resources and ideas for long-term equity incentives that align with stakeholders' interests..
Wednesday December 11th
Avoiding Business Interruptions During Leadership Transitions
Presented by: Mike Frommelt, Strategic Talent Partners - It’s been said that companies are never more vulnerable than when they are going through a change in leadership - or even ownership. Whether you're a new ESOP transitioning away from the founder, or a current employee-owned company concerned with the impending retirement of a long time ESOP leader, there are some key steps to ensure the transition goes smoothly. Unfortunately, when these transitions do not go smoothly both former owners as well as employee owners can suffer. In this webinar Mike Frommelt will discuss some of these critical steps, who’s involved in the key activities, and some typical pitfalls to avoid with these critical transitions.
Wednesday November 6th
Maximizing Employee Ownership: Strategies for New, 5-Year, and 10-Year-plus ESOPs
Presenter: Ken Sommers, PCE Investment Bankers - Join our expert-led webinar to explore effective strategies for managing Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs) at different stages. We'll cover key aspects like employee engagement, corporate governance, management succession, incentive plans, and cash management for new ESOPs. We'll also dive into plan design, refinancing, second-stage transactions, and acquisitions for mid-term ESOPs, and discuss sell vs. hold analysis and repurchase obligations for mature ESOPs. Gain valuable insights to optimize your ESOP and ensure long-term success.
Tuesday August 27th
Empowering Employees Through Open Book Management: A Path to Success in Employee-Owned Companies
Presenter: Steve Baker, Great Game of Business - Implementing some form of Open Book Management (OBM) at your employee-owned company can be a challenge, both conceptually and practically. And yet, transparency, shared financial information, and inclusive decision-making can drive engagement, accountability, and business success. Join Steve Baker from the Great Game of Business as he shares practical strategies, real-life case studies, and actionable steps to implement OBM. Whether you're a company leader, HR professional, or an ESOP Committee member, this webinar will equip you with the knowledge to harness the full potential of OBM, fostering a culture of trust and shared prosperity.
Thursday July 11th
Maximizing Value and Stability: Capital Structure Considerations in an ESOP-Owned Company
Presenters: Tim Jamison, Richard (Dick) Shuma, and Joseph Labetti, Prairie Capital Advisors
Join us for an insightful talk on the intricate dynamics of balancing financial strategy with employee ownership. In this webinar, our expert panel will explore the unique challenges and opportunities presented by ESOP ownership and its implications for capital structure decisions. From leveraging tax advantages to fostering employee participation, we'll uncover key strategies to optimize value and ensure long-term financial stability in ESOP-owned companies.
Tuesday June 25th
AI Demystified: Exploring Its Potential Applications in Your Business
Presenter: Fred Franks, FIT Technologies
We have all heard about the transformative potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and how it will reshape our personal interactions, work processes, and business operations. But what is AI? What is it capable of now? And how can it be used in day-to-day operations within your company? In this webinar, Fit Technologies, an Ohio-based employee-owned IT solutions company will answer these questions. Topics will include what AI is and how it works, what the current offerings are for integrating AI into your business operations, creating acceptable use policies regarding AI usage, and frameworks for structuring company investments in AI. This webinar’s goal is to demystify AI technology and provide you with the basic information needed to begin thinking about how to make use of this powerful technology in your company.
Wednesday June 19th
Employee Ownership Trusts: An ESOP Alternative for Smaller Companies
Presenters: Greg Daugherty and Nicolas Sasso, Porter Wright Morris & Arthur
Many companies have the cultural traits that would make them a great fit for an ESOP. The problem is that they may have too few employees or support a valuation that is too small for an ESOP to make economic sense. What are these companies to do if they want to transition to employee ownership? An employee ownership trust, long popular in the UK but not receiving attention in the USA until recently, could be a solution. It is flexible, fairly simple in structure, and offers some tax benefits (though not as much as an ESOP).
Wednesday February 21st
The Lifecycle of an ESOP Participant
Presenter: Pete Shuler, Blue Ridge ESOP Associates
One way to understand how ESOPs work is to follow a participant through their time in the plan, from date of hire to date of retiring, and being fully paid out. In this Lunch N Learn webinar, we will do exactly that. If you are new to ESOP administration at your company, or a veteran hand that wants to learn more about best practices, this webinar is designed for you.
Wednesday January 31st
Inexpensive (and Free) Tools to Help You with Your Employee Ownership Communications
Presenters: Michael Palmieri and Chris Cooper, Ohio Employee Ownership Center
Over the years we have had to create flyers, postcards, newsletters, even audio and video. We’ve used the expensive platforms and software packages – and we’ve used the free and open-source platforms too. At this first Lunch N Learn webinar for 2024, we share some of the better options that you can use – on a budget – to help you create effective communications tools at your company.
Wed. January 18 - "2023 Economic Outlook Update"
Presenter: Tom Jalics, Chief market Strategist, Fifth Third Bank
For our first webinar of the new year, we'll step outside the world of employee ownership for an hour and discuss the broader economic outlook for the remainder of 2023. We welcome back Tom Jalics the Chief Market Strategist of Fifth Third Bank. We'll take a look at the likelihood of sinking into a recession in 2023; the ongoing upward inflation pressures and higher interest rates; continuing delays (and added costs) in shipping and supply chains; the economic impacts of the decisions in Washington; and more - and how this all might impact your employee-owned business going forward. We'll do our best to make some sense of it all!
Wed. February 22 - "Launching or Rebooting Your Ownership Communication and Engagement"
Presenter: Kyla Alterman, Workplace Development
Creating a strong culture of ownership can be a challenge. Each of your employee-owners bring their own experiences and perspectives to work with them every day - that includes what they think, or understand, about what it means to be an owner. Getting everyone rowing in the same direction begins with clear and frequent employee communication and engagement. Whether you are a new employee-owned company just starting out, or a mature one hitting the reset button, this session will provide principles and examples of successful communication and engagement to build the foundation of a strong ownership culture - from the bottom-up.
Thursday March 30 - "Leadership Development and Succession Planning in Your Employee-Owned Company"
Presenter: Jon Sweigart, Praxis Consulting Group
Succession planning and leadership development are complementary activities that sustain high-performing shared ownership cultures. This interactive webinar describes how to integrate succession and development in a system that continuously builds a pipeline of leadership. Participants will explore general principles, key steps in the process, and common challenges to beginning and sustaining a succession system.
Wed. June 7 - "Executive Compensation Through the ESOP Lifecycle"
Presenter: Katie Lind, Chartwell
We all need to find ways to attract and retain the right people in our organizations, but doing so in an ESOP can be challenging. This latest Lunch N Learn webinar will review the most common types of executive compensation plans for ESOP companies; look at the technical and legal requirements and how to stay on the right side of regulations; and how things change depending on where you are at in your ESOP journey – and we’ll answer your questions too! If you have advance questions for our presenter, you can send them to us at oeoc@kent.edu or put them in the field on the registration form.
Thurs. October 5 - Personality, Leadership, and Employee Ownership
Presenter: Andrea Capuano, Capuano Consulting
Presented by Andrea Capuano, Capuano Consulting - We all want to create the culture where everyone is thinking and acting like an owner, but our employee teams are anything but monolithic. Every employee owner brings their individual experiences, expectations, and motivations to the table, and you do too! At this Lunch N Learn, we have a former VP of Organizational Development from an employee-owned company introducing us to leadership styles and personality traits, and how they can make -- or perhaps even break -- a successful ownership culture.
February 2nd, Presented by Matt Silla and Eric Flickinger, Apple Growth Partners
Feb 23rd, Presented by EricZaleski, PCE Investment Bankers, and Howard Kaplan, Kaplan Fiduciary Group
March 9th, Presented by Chris Cooper, Ohio Employee Ownership Center
May 4th, Presented by Thomas Jalics, Fifth Third Bank
June 1st, Presented by Tom DeSimone and Tim Jamison, Prairie Capital Advisors
July 29th, Presented by Jennie Msall, Praxis Consulting
August 31st, Presented by Eamon Mulholland, Wise Consulting
September 14th, Presented by Eamon Mulholland, Wise Consulting
Members of Ohio’s Employee Owned Network have free unlimited access to archived OEOC webinars. Non-members of the OEOC can access the archive for a nominal fee. Contact Kelley Fitts at kfitts@kent.edu for information on how to access our webinar archive.
Want to Join Ohio’s Employee Owned Network? Click Here.
Wednesday February 10, 2021 - Presented by David Whaley, Thompson Hine; and Andrew Kulesza, Fifth Third Bank.
Wednesday March 31, 2021 - Presented by Pete Shuler, Crowe
Wed. July 7th, 2021 - Christine Gorey & Rachel Borden, Columbia Chemical Corp. and David Sullivan, Terrapin Media Development
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- Issues Update Q&A: Managing Company Debt Load and Cash Flow Planning for the FuturePresented by Eric Zaleski, PCE; and Sean Kelleher, First Financial Bank
- OEOC “Pop-Up” Webinar: PPP and Loan Forgiveness for Employee-Owned CompaniesPresented By Kim Blaugher, The Beyster Institute, and Chris Cooper, Ohio Employee Ownership Center
- Where Are We Now? An ESOP and Employee Ownership Issues Update - Presenters: David Diehl, Rocky Fiore, and Ken Serwinski, Prairie Capital Advisors
- ESOP Administration In A Changed World - Presenter: Pete Shuler, Crowe
- Navigating the SBA COVID-19 Response Programs - Presenter: Andrew Kulesza, Fifth Third Bank
- Virtual Lunch 'n' Learn: Employee Ownership CultureQ & A - Presenter: Cathy Ivancic, Workplace Development
-Leadership Succession in Your Employee-Owned Company - Presenters: Tim Jamison & Tom DeSimone, Prairie Capital Advisors
- Virtual Lunch 'n' Learn: Recycling, Redeeming, and Your Repurchase Obligation - Kevin Rusch, Blue Ridge ESOP Associates
- ESOP Legal Q&A - Presenter: Avery Chenin, SES ESOP Services
Members of Ohio’s Employee Owned Network have free unlimited access to archived OEOC webinars. Contact Kelley Fitts at kfitts@kent.edu for information on how to access the webinar archive. Non-members of the OEOC can access the archive for a fee of $25 per webinar.
Want to Join Ohio’s Employee Owned Network? Click Here.
Working with your TPA to manage your ESOP Administration Calendar/Year – Presenters: Pamela J. Themar & Kevin Rusch, Blue Ridge ESOP Associates – Wed, Feb 6, 2019 10:00 AM – It is important that you stay on top of the various duties, and deadlines, that occur with administering an ESOP. Whether its IRS filing due dates, participant compliance due dates, census issues, or any other component of your ESOPs annual cycle, this session will provide clear guidelines and processes for managing it all, and in partnership with your TPA. .
ESOP Valuation Q & A – Presenter: Davin Gustafson, Apple Growth Partners – Wed, Feb 13, 2019, 10:00 AM – Continuing our series of successful Q&A webinars, this webinar is to answer the burning questions you have on ESOP valuations. You will have the opportunity to ask your questions in advance, or at the time of the webinar. Also covered will be common client questions on valuations. Either way, it’s a tremendous opportunity to spend an hour with a valuation expert.
Forecasting the Repurchase Obligation – Presenter: Tina DiCroce, Chartwell – Wed, Mar 13, 2019 10:00 AM – Every ESOP company has the obligation to repurchase stock from employees for various reasons over the life of the ESOP, and it is critical for ESOPs of all sizes and stages to understand and plan for this obligation. In this webinar, we’ll focus on the process for completing a repurchase obligation study, including the factors that need to be considered and what kinds of information you can get from a study. We’ll also discuss the importance of integrating the repurchase obligation forecast into your corporate financial forecast, to help assess whether you’ll be able to afford the obligation and still meet the other needs of your business.
ESOP Corporate Governance: Understanding the Interaction Between the Shareholder (Trustee) and the Board – Presenter: Peter Jones, Horizon Trust & Investment ManagementWed – Apr 3, 2019 10:00 AM You will often hear that good governance in an ESOP company is different – is this really true? And if so, from what perspective? The ESOP Trustee is a shareholder under state law and has all the rights (and no additional rights) that a shareholder may have. Complexity occurs because the prior owner was likely the CEO, the Chairman of the Board, and the primary (or sole) shareholder. Officers, boards, and ESOP Trustees all have their own responsibilities, and understanding where those boundaries are is paramount to good ESOP corporate governance. This session will help you do this by explaining the concepts, as well as the hands-on day-to-day realities, of getting it right.
Building Leadership, At All Levels – Presenter: Matt Hancock and Kathleen McInerney Kane, Praxis Consulting – Wed. May 1st 10 am EST – Integrating leadership, and leadership development, at all levels in your organization is an essential ingredient to creating a culture where all employees think, act and feel like owners. Regardless of level, or title, when all employee-owners are given the tools and the opportunity to be leaders, the results are healthier workplaces, more successful companies and greater wealth-sharing through ownership. This webinar will teach principles and practical ideas for how to structure leadership development for people at various levels of your company. This webinar will answer questions such as: “How can I do leadership development within our company to support and build our culture?“ “How do new leadership behaviors become habits on the job?” “How do I integrate leadership development in my company for people at all levels?”
Ownership Roles & Beneficial Ownership – Presenter: Cathy Ivancic, Workplace Development – Wed, May 29, 2019 10:00 AM – ESOP participants are the beneficiaries of a benefit plan. Being a beneficiary is a passive role. But “thinking and acting like an owner” is an active role. How do you reconcile these concepts and strengthen your ownership culture? This webinar will:
* Define beneficial ownership and things to avoid in defining ESOP ownership
* Provide insight into why traditional communication on this topic can be ineffective and create more confusion
* Outline 4 steps to overcoming obstacles to cultivating engaged, active employees with an ownership mindset.
Wed, Aug 21, 2019, 10:00 AM EST – Communicating Value Drivers & Creating an Effective Ownership Culture –Presented by Jim Bado, Workplace Development, and Tim Jamison, Prairie Capital Partners – Employee owners need to know about key valuation drivers and how their day-to-day decisions impact the valuation trajectory of their company. This session will share best methods for communicating value drivers to employees and constructing an effective ownership plan. Prairie professionals will review: 1) ESOP Philosophy; 2) Financial Statements 101; 3) Valuation of ESOP Companies; and, 4) Driving Value: Connecting Behavior and Share Price.
Wed, Sep 4, 2019, 10:00 AM EST – The Interplay Between the ESOP and Other Qualified Retirement Plans – Presented by Kristin Steinhauser, Senior Manager at Crowe, Crowe LLP – If you are one of those companies that has a 401k, or other qualified retirement plan, in addition to the ESOP you know that getting them to coexist seamlessly takes some work, and some planning. In this first of a two part series on ESOPs and other benefit plans, you will get seasoned advice on the employer match, deduction limits, testing requirements, using 401k assets in ESOP transactions, and more.
Wed, Sep 18, 2019, 10:00 AM EST – Do You Understand Your ESOP Valuation? –Presented by Eric Flickinger and Matthew Silla, Apple Growth Partners – As an ESOP trustee, board member, or company leader, there is important information about a valuation you should know to truly understand the process, and how it effects your company. This program will explore those items and discuss questions internal trustees and others should be asking their valuation advisor – in the information gathering stage, as the valuation is delivered and reviewed, as well as throughout the year. Specific items will include selection of valuation methods, the reasonableness of projections, changes from prior reports, valuation discounts and premiums, and more.
Wed, Oct 2, 2019, 10:00 AM EST – Long-Term Compensation at ESOP Companies –Presented by Tim Daum, Crowe LLP – This webinar will focus on the various types of long-term compensation arrangements that are available to help ESOP companies recruit, retain and motivate executives and other leaders. Included in the discussion will be the tax treatment of various long-term awards, such as stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock and phantom stock, as well as why ESOP companies might choose one type of an award over another.
Wed, Oct 30, 2019, 10:00 AM EST – The Ins, and Outs, of Buying and Selling Companies with (and through) your ESOP – Presented by Avery Chenin, SES ESOP Strategies – Does your ESOP Company have a “target company” in mind for growth? Is your ESOP company receiving inquiries from potential buyers? This webinar is designed to discuss the issues related to an ESOP Company buying or merging with another Company, offers being made to buy an ESOP Company, Board duties and fiduciary responsibilities and interaction with the ESOP Trustee.
Wed, Dec 4, 2019, 10:00 AM EST- Telling Your Story: How to Communicate Your Employee Ownership Message – Presented by David Wecker, BrandFlick – Surveys have shown that the general public likes employee ownership, and is more likely to utilize the services of, or buy products from, employee-owned companies. In today's world of shortened attention spans and unlimited opportunities to get distracted by something else, are you doing enough to promote your ownership structure (and the difference that it makes) to your customers? Are you telling your story effectively and concisely? This session will provide an introduction to the do's and don'ts of effective storytelling, and how to communicate the power of employee ownership.
Members of Ohio’s Employee Owned Network have free unlimited access to archived OEOC webinars. Contact Kelley Fitts at kfitts@kent.edu for information on how to access the webinar archive. Non-members of the OEOC can access the archive for a fee of $25 per webinar.
Want to Join Ohio’s Employee Owned Network? Click Here.
Members of Ohio’s Employee Owned Network have free unlimited access to archived OEOC webinars. Contact Kelley Fitts at kfitts@kent.edu for information on how to access the webinar archive. Non-members of the OEOC can access the archive for a fee of $25 per webinar.
Want to Join Ohio’s Employee Owned Network? Click Here.
Members of Ohio’s Employee Owned Network have free unlimited access to archived OEOC webinars. Contact Kelley Fitts at kfitts@kent.edu for information on how to access the webinar archive. Non-members of the OEOC can access the archive for a fee of $25 per webinar.
Want to Join Ohio’s Employee Owned Network? Click Here.
Members of Ohio’s Employee Owned Network have free unlimited access to archived OEOC webinars. Contact Kelley Fitts at kfitts@kent.edu for information on how to access the webinar archive. Non-members of the OEOC can access the archive for a fee of $25 per webinar.
Want to Join Ohio’s Employee Owned Network? Click Here.
To answer any questions you may have, or for further information concerning these events please email Chris Cooper at the Ohio Employee Ownership Center or call 330-672-3028. Contact Kelley Fitts at kfitts@kent.edu for information on how to access the webinar archive.
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