Unlike in previous years, and due to the ongoing (and ever-changing) economic crisis, we are rolling out new webinars on a regular basis with an eye towards developments and adjusting topics as conditions warrant. Check back frequently for updated programs. 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. Contact Chris Cooper for information on upcoming webinars. For non-network members the cost of attendance is $50 per registrant for each webinar. Contact Chris Cooper at ccooper1@kent.edu with questions about registration and cost.
Want to Join Ohio’s Employee Owned Network? Click Here.
Year-End, and New Year, Planning for ESOP Administration
Thursday, November 19th, 10 AM EST
Presented by Renee Stadtmueller, Blue Ridge ESOP Associates
We're at an interesting moment: looking back to get a good picture of what's happened over the last few months; staying in the here and now to keep everything running smoothly; all while planning for a future that may have some surprises still in store. What is the impact on the processes, and planning, in administering your ESOP? We will cover reduction in force issues (including partial plan terminations); impact of the CARES Act on distributions; S Corp Anti Abuse (409(p)) testing; strategies to conserve corporate cash with the ESOP; and much more.
FREE for Member companies of Ohio's Employee-Owned Network
$50 per person for Non-Member companies
Network Members: Register for this webinar Here
Non-Network Members: Pay Here. Upon payment you will receive a link to register for the webinar.
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 the webinar archive.
Want to Join Ohio’s Employee Owned Network? Click Here.
Wed, May 27, 2020 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM EDT
Presented by Eric Zaleski, PCE; and Sean Kelleher, First Financial Bank
Now that some of the dust has settled, are there opportunities for your employee owned company in this crisis? At this session, we talk with two financial experts to get their views on where we are now, and how to successfully get to the other side. We will 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.
Thursday May 21st 4:00 pm EDT
Presented By Kim Blaugher, The Beyster Institute, and Chris Cooper, Ohio Employee Ownership Center
This week and next mark a distinct milestone for companies that have received funds from PPP – How do we manage, and ensure, maximum loan forgiveness? At this webinar Kim Blaugher from the Beyster Institute will discuss:
1) Latest information on how the SBA is treating ESOPs re: PPP, and ESOP specific expenses like contributions and repurchase.
2) Best practices on how to segregate, track, and document PPP funds and uses of funds.
3) How to make your case, if challenged in the future on what you’ve done, in order to obtain loan forgiveness.
4) Answer questions on accounting issues you may be experiencing
Where Are We Now? An ESOP and Employee Ownership Issues Update
Wed. April 29th 10:00 AM - 11:00 EDT AM - Presenters: David Diehl, Rocky Fiore, and Ken Serwinski, Prairie Capital Advisors
As we approach 2 months in on this new (and still changing) world, we thought it time to take stock of what's happened over the last 60 days, how that's impacted where we are right now, and share some thoughts on where we might be heading. We will take a big picture look at a number of areas, including:
- Valuation issues
- Repurchase obligation and sustainability
- What your Board of Directors should be thinking about and discussing
- Communicating constant change to your employees
- Radical market changes and their impact on your ESOP
- Other related topics
ESOP Administration In A Changed World
Wed, APR 15, 2020 - 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM EDT - Presenter: Pete Shuler, Crowe -The world has clearly changed, and how you administer your ESOP is going to change as well. We may not know right now when this current crisis will end nor how deep the change will be, but this session will present strategies and ideas on what you can do now to not only handle today but prepare you for tomorrow. The full gamut of administration issues will be covered: including allocations and distributions; the impact of furloughs and layoffs; 415, 404, 410b, and 409p testing; diversification options; and more.
Navigating the SBA COVID-19 Response Programs
TUE, APR 7, 2020 - 10:00 AM - 10:45 AM EDT - Presenter: Andrew Kulesza, Fifth Third Bank - Like you, we’ve been scrambling to find good information on the SBA’s COVID-19 programs. Prior to joining Fifth Third, Andy was the CFO/Treasurer, then President/CEO and ESOP Trustee at Diversified Industrial Capital Group (fka Kramig Group) and his long-time involvement in the Employee Ownership community. At this session, we will be talking with Andy about the new SBA programs, what you need to prepare (and watch out) for if you plan on applying, what specific issues Employee-owned companies need to think about, and more.
Virtual Lunch 'n' Learn: Employee Ownership CultureQ & A - WED, FEB 19, 2020 12:00PM - 12:30 PM EST
Presenter: Cathy Ivancic, Workplace Development
For this inaugural “virtual lunch ‘n’ learn” webinar, joinus for an open-ended 30 minute conversation with Cathy Ivancic of WorkplaceDevelopment - who will share her expertise on everything regarding employee ownership culture. Tips, tricks, and helpful hints will be discussed, along with your questions.
Leadership Succession in Your Employee-Owned Company - WED, FEB 26, 2020 10:00AM - 11:00 AM EST
Presenters: Tim Jamison & Tom DeSimone, Prairie Capital Advisors
A key challenge for any business is understanding the importance leadership development with the goal of sustaining the health of the organization through the inevitable key transitions. Covered will be: developing a strategically focused leadership team; building a succession system which will identify, develop and retain the leadership talent necessary to sustain the organization through multiple, future transitions; and more.
Virtual Lunch 'n' Learn: Recycling, Redeeming, and Your Repurchase Obligation - WED, MAR 4, 2020. 12:00 PM - 12:30 PM EST
Kevin Rusch, Blue Ridge ESOP Associates
As you pay out your ESOP participants, what’s the best way to handle the repurchased shares? Whether you recycle or redeem them can depend on any number of factors, and how you approach the decision can be a significant part of your long-term (and even short-term) planning. This30-minute “virtual lunch ‘n’ learn” webinar will provide some basic principles, and examples, of what works, and perhaps more importantly, when a particular choice might make sense for you.
ESOP Legal Q&A - WED, MAR 18, 2020 10:00AM - 11:00 AM EDT
Presenter; Avery Chenin, SES ESOP Services
Join us for the latest in our series of open forums for ESOP companies – this time on ESOP legal and regulatory issues. Unlike most webinars you might attend, we will not have a set presentation. Rather, our expert willspend the 60 minutes answering your questions on ESOP legal and regulatory issues. You can send in your question to oeoc@kent.edu, or you may bring them with you to the webinar.
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.