2024 AC Curriculum Guide

2024 CURRICULUM GUIDE

Consider this guide a resource to aid you in selecting sessions tailored to your area of learning interest and/or professional focus.

The NCEO has plenty of ways to support you in making employee ownership thrive at your company, from resource toolkits, to original research, to dozens of publications. We’ve tucked some of those resources throughout this curriculum guide as well.

WELCOME TO THE CONFERENCE

Dear Attendees,

We understand that with a packed schedule and various sessions available, it can be challenging to attend everything you desire. However, fear not! Our curriculum guide is designed to assist you in prioritizing your sessions effectively or coordinating attendance among your colleagues.

If your objective in Tampa is to develop an ESOP education program within your company, our latest addition this year could be the ideal fit for you. By participating in the sessions within the ESOP education curriculum, you'll depart on Wednesday equipped not only with a comprehensive plan but also valuable resources and connections with peers from other companies, facilitating the exchange of innovative ideas.

For those with a broader focus on education, the education and communication track provides an excellent starting point. Additionally, if your company is new to employee ownership, the section titled "Establishing an ESOP" covers fundamental topics ranging from the transaction process to early-stage communications.

Individuals with extensive experience in employee ownership can tailor their focus to areas such as sustainability, plan operations, management, leadership, strategy, or corporate governance.

Alternatively, you may prefer to navigate through the sections categorized by job title. Whether you hold a non-managerial, supervisory, or executive position, our guide recommends sessions tailored to your role. Furthermore, we have curated sessions specifically addressing various job responsibilities, including CEO, CFO, board member, operations, sales/marketing, HR/benefits, general counsel, and even communications committees.

In addition to the sessions, the NCEO offers a wealth of resources to support the flourishing of employee ownership within your company. From our resource toolkit to proprietary research and numerous publications, we have integrated some of these resources throughout the curriculum guide for your convenience.

We are committed to providing you with the guidance and support necessary to ensure the success of employee ownership initiatives within your organization. We look forward to seeing you in Tampa and assisting you on this rewarding journey.

Warm regards,

JobTitle Topics include: CEO

Monday, April 29

Preconference

GET IN THE GAME: Your Playbook for Engaging Employee-Owners and Driving a Winning Culture

1:00–2:00 PM

Before, During, and After Our ESOP Summit

Captive Health for ESOPs: Owning the Benefit of Collaboration

Growing Through M&A Activity as an ESOP Company

Harnessing the Power of High-Performing Teams with a One Team Mindset: Tips, Tools, and Stories

Selling an ESOP Company

Understanding ESOP Feasibility

What to Do When Your Fiduciary Liability Insurer Denies Coverage

2:15–3:15 PM

An ESOP Transaction Through Different Lenses

ESOP Leadership Dynamics: Exploring the Evolution of Directors' and Executive Officers' Roles in Ownership

How Employee Ownership Equips Us to Live Out Our Values

Implementing a Partial ESOP Transaction

Repurchase Strategies and ESOP Sustainability Case Studies

Wow Employees with ESOP Communication

JobTitle

Topics include: CEO

Monday, April 29 3:45–4:45 PM

A Mock DOL Investigation

Advantages ESOPs Have in Acquisitions

Creating an Emotionally Intelligent and Inclusive Culture

Delivering Corporate Communications: From Strategy to Execution

How to Make a Small ESOP the Right Way: From Analysis to SBA Financing to Completion!

In Search of the ESOP Booty & Bounty: Growing the Value of Your ESOP Post-Transaction

Overnight Success? How One Firm Built a Foundation for Long-Term Success as a 100% ESOP S Corp

Private Equity Investing for ESOPs: How to Diversify Your RO Assets and Fuel Growth

Strategic Planning and the Board of Directors

Who Said Educators Can't Be Owners?

WEEKLY WEBINARS

Free for NCEO Members. Up-to-date information presented by experts. Always educational, never promotional.

May 7, 2024

Designing Effective Executive Compensation Programs for ESOP Companies

JobTitle Topics include: CEO

Tuesday, April 30

10:00–11:00 AM

Creating a Culture of Feedback

Developing and Executing a Growth-Through-Acquisition Strategy

ESOPs are Great, But Still Businesses: How to Survive a Downturn

Leadership Development Throughout Your Whole Company

Minimizing Board of Director Liability Over the Life of an ESOP

Repurchase Liability Strategies: Staying Three Steps Ahead of the Sustainability Game

Successfully Raising Financing for an ESOP Transaction

What is Management's Responsibility for Corporate Governance and the Board of Directors?

11:15 AM–12:15 PM

From Risk to Reward: Strategies for Maximizing Shareholder Value and Employee Engagement

Open Book Management and Financial Literacy Training

Overcoming the "Meeting Blahs"

Seller Financing vs. Bank Financing: Pros and Cons

1:30–2:30 PM

How to Develop a Professional Advisor Network That Drives Value

Negotiating an ESOP Transaction: Common Term Sheet Factors and What They Mean

Re-Designing Your ESOP Document

Responding to Purchase Offers

NCEO Resource

CEO Network: Whether your company is in growth mode or you’re in a rebuilding year, the Network is a great place for you to explore ideas with your peers.

The Trustee and Financial Advisor Annual Valuation Review: Impacts of Management Projections

Workshop: Mastering ESOP Acquisitions

JobTitle Topics include: CEO

Tuesday, April 30

2:45–3:45 PM

Developing Trends: Private Capital Investments in ESOP-Owned Companies

Direct Employee Ownership: An ESOP Alternative

ESOP Company Governance: Who Does What? (PLUS: Interactive Examples of Challenging Issues)

Legislative, Regulatory, and Case Law Update

Strategic Preparations for the Feasibility Study: Positioning Yourself and Your Company for Success

Why D&O, Fiduciary, and Cyber Insurance are Particularly Important for ESOPs

Winding Your Way Through Leadership Succession: Developing a Succession System for the Future

4:00–5:00 PM

A Valuation Checklist for ESOP Companies

Acquisitions: The Day After

Case Study: Accounting for an ESOP Transaction and Ongoing Operations

ESOP Company Executive Compensation: Is It Different?

How to Navigate a Second-Stage ESOP Transaction

Investing in the 1042 Rollover

Presenting Valuation So Employees Understand the Process, Apply Key Concepts, and Drive Company Value

Why Innovate? The Case for Renewal in ESOPs

JobTitle

Topics include: CEO

Wednesday, May 1

10:00–11:00 AM

Capital Structure Alternatives for Mature ESOPs

CEO & Executive Succession: Building Leadership Profiles for Continued Growth

Debt Trends and Capital Markets Update

ESG 101: A Primer for ESOP Companies

How to Effectively Write and Speak About Employee Ownership

How to Manage Your Board & Fiduciary Succession

Preparing for a Transition to ESOP Ownership? 5 Things to Know in 2024

The Compounding Effect of Culture on Stock Value

Winning the Leadership Transition: Preserving Relationships and Retaining People

11:15 AM–12:15 PM

Case Studies: Incentive Compensation in ESOP Companies

ESOPs and M&A: Exploring the Intersection, the Prudence, and Process for Unsolicited Offers

Thriving Through Time: Overcoming Benefit Level Hurdles in ESOP Maturity

Using Earnouts & Clawbacks in ESOP Transactions Within the Current Valuation: Capital Markets & the Regulatory Environment

Using Employee Ownership and Public Benefit Corporation Laws to Reinforce the Principles of Long-Term Ownership

Using the Stewardship Climate Scale to Measure the Perception of Governance and Employee Ownership Culture

Monday, April 29

1:00–2:00 PM

Before, During, and After Our ESOP Summit

Captive Health for ESOPs: Owning the Benefit of Collaboration

ESOPs are So Complicated: How Do I Get Up to Speed?

Making the Most of Your Valuation Diligence Meeting

Selling an ESOP Company

Understanding ESOP Feasibility

2:15–3:15 PM

An ESOP Transaction Through Different Lenses

NCEO Resource

ESOP Finance Working Group: a small group of finance-focused professionals from NCEO member companies. Benefit from in-depth discussion with your peers at other ESOP companies to talk about tools, ideas, advisors, and governance.

ESOP Leadership Dynamics: Exploring the Evolution of Directors' and Executive Officers' Roles in Ownership

Implementing a Partial ESOP Transaction

Repurchase Strategies and ESOP Sustainability Case Studies

Unlocking Value: A Comprehensive Guide to Annual ESOP Valuations for CFOs

3:45–4:45 PM

Advantages ESOPs Have in Acquisitions

How to Communicate with Stakeholders from the CFO Perspective

How to Make a Small ESOP the Right Way: From Analysis to SBA Financing to Completion!

In Search of the ESOP Booty & Bounty: Growing the Value of Your ESOP Post-Transaction

Private Equity Investing for ESOPs: How to Diversify Your RO Assets and Fuel Growth

Who Said Educators Can't Be Owners?

Tuesday, April 30

10:00–11:00 AM

Developing and Executing a Growth-Through-Acquisition Strategy

ESOPs are Great, But Still Businesses: How to Survive a Downturn

Leadership Development Throughout Your Whole Company

Minimizing Board of Director Liability Over the Life of an ESOP

Not Your Basic ESOP Distributions

Repurchase Liability Strategies: Staying Three Steps Ahead of the Sustainability Game

Successfully Raising Financing for an ESOP Transaction

The CFO and the Board: Keys to a Strong and Effective Relationship

What is Management's Responsibility for Corporate Governance and the Board of Directors?

11:15 AM–12:15 PM

Annual ESOP Administration: "Don’t Get Behind the Eight Ball"

From Risk to Reward: Strategies for Maximizing Shareholder Value and Employee Engagement

Open Book Management and Financial Literacy Training

Seller Financing vs. Bank Financing: Pros and Cons

Tuesday, April 30

1:30–2:30 PM

How to Develop a Professional Advisor Network That Drives Value

Negotiating an ESOP Transaction: Common Term Sheet Factors and What They Mean

Re-Designing Your ESOP Document

Responding to Purchase Offers

The Trustee and Financial Advisor Annual Valuation Review: Impacts of Management Projections

Workshop: Mastering ESOP Acquisitions

2:45–3:45 PM

Developing Trends: Private Capital Investments in ESOP-Owned Companies

Direct Employee Ownership: An ESOP Alternative

ESOP Company Governance: Who Does What? (PLUS: Interactive Examples of Challenging Issues)

Legislative, Regulatory, and Case Law Update

Why D&O, Fiduciary, and Cyber Insurance are Particularly Important for ESOPs

Tuesday, April 30 4:00–5:00 PM

A Valuation Checklist for ESOP Companies

Acquisitions: The Day After

Case Study: Accounting for an ESOP Transaction and Ongoing Operations

Financing Your ESOP Transaction with Warrants

How to Navigate a Second-Stage ESOP Transaction

Investing in the 1042 Rollover

Presenting Valuation So Employees Understand the Process, Apply Key Concepts, and Drive Company Value

Wednesday, May 1 10:00–11:00 AM

Building Wealth: How an ESOP Can Change Your Life

Capital Structure Alternatives for Mature ESOPs

CEO & Executive Succession: Building Leadership Profiles for Continued Growth

Debt Trends and Capital Markets Update

Preparing for a Transition to ESOP Ownership? 5 Things to Know in 2024

JobTitle Topics include: CFO

Wednesday, May 1 11:15 AM–12:15 PM

Case Studies: Incentive Compensation in ESOP Companies

ESOPs and M&A: Exploring the Intersection, the Prudence, and Process for Unsolicited Offers

Thriving Through Time: Overcoming Benefit Level Hurdles in ESOP Maturity

NCEO Resource

Finance Toolkit: The goal of this toolkit is to help NCEO member companies secure financing, either for an ESOP transaction or commercial lending, and it includes guidelines to best practices when seeking financing as well as a directory of bank and non-bank lenders with ESOP experience.

JobTitle

Topics include:

CULTURE & COMMUNICATIONS

Monday, April 29

Preconference

GET IN THE GAME: Your Playbook for Engaging Employee-Owners and Driving a Winning Culture

1:00–2:00 PM

Celebrating Employee Ownership Month as a Multilocation Hybrid Firm

ESOPs are So Complicated: How Do I Get Up to Speed?

NCEO Resources for ESOP Education

2:15–3:15 PM

Company Podcast: Communicating Employee Ownership

How Employee Ownership Equips Us to Live Out Our Values

The Fun Stuff: A Share Session on Celebrations

Wow Employees with ESOP Communication

3:45–4:15 PM

Creating an Emotionally Intelligent and Inclusive Culture

Who Said Educators Can't Be Owners?

Tuesday, April 30

10:00–11:00 AM

Smarter, Better, Faster: The Value of Well-Trained Employee-Owners

NCEO Resource

Innovative Communication Coalition:

The purpose of this coalition is for participants to put their heads together to create and share communication initiatives, activities, and projects that make employee ownership stronger.

JobTitle

Topics include:

CULTURE & COMMUNICATIONS

Tuesday, April 30

11:15 AM–12:15 PM

From Risk to Reward: Strategies for Maximizing Shareholder Value and Employee Engagement

Grow Your People: An Interactive Panel on Innovative HR/L&D Practices in Employee-Owned Companies

Not Your Typical Workshop: How Champ Camp Empowers Spokespeople and Ambassadors to Effectively, Consistently, and Passionately Advocate for Your Brand

Open Book Management and Financial Literacy Training

Overcoming the "Meeting Blahs"

Take Ownership: Cultivating an Ownership Culture Through Leadership Development and Storytelling

1:30–2:30 PM

Communicating the Value of a Mature ESOP

Destination Education: A Discussion of the Vehicles That Can Be Used on the Road to Employee-Owner ESOP Education

Estimating Repurchases: A Workshop

Madmen to Mayberry: Lessons Learned From Changing ESOP Corporate Culture in a Service Industry

Re-Designing Your ESOP Document

2:45–3:45 PM

Demystifying Financial Statements: Putting it in Plain English

Direct Employee Ownership: An ESOP Alternative

ESOP Committees: Fun Ideas for Educating and Engaging Employee-Owners

Establishing an Inclusive Culture Across International Offices

JobTitle

Topics include:

CULTURE & COMMUNICATIONS

Tuesday, April 30

A Valuation Checklist for ESOP Companies

How to Create an INSPIRING Safety Culture

Wednesday, May 1 4:00–5:00 PM

10:00–11:00 AM

Building Wealth: How an ESOP Can Change Your Life

How to Effectively Write and Speak About Employee Ownership

The Compounding Effect of Culture on Stock Value

11:15 AM–12:15 PM

How to Build a Bench of a Players

Using Employee Ownership and Public Benefit Corporation Laws to Reinforce the Principles of Long-Term Ownership

Using the Stewardship Climate Scale to Measure the Perception of Governance and Employee Ownership Culture

JobTitle

Topics include:

COO & OPERATIONS EXECUTIVES

Monday, April 29

Preconference

GET IN THE GAME: Your Playbook for Engaging Employee-Owners and Driving a Winning Culture

1:00–2:00 PM

Before, During, and After Our ESOP Summit

Captive Health for ESOPs: Owning the Benefit of Collaboration

ESOPs are So Complicated: How Do I Get Up to Speed?

Harnessing the Power of High-Performing Teams with a One Team Mindset: Tips, Tools, and Stories

Making the Most of Your Valuation Diligence Meeting

The Take 5 Movement

2:15–3:15 PM

Basics of ESOP Distributions

Cybersecurity Issues in ESOP Litigation/DOL Enforcement

ESOP Leadership Dynamics: Exploring the Evolution of Directors' and Executive Officers' Roles in Ownership

Implementing a Partial ESOP Transaction

Repurchase Strategies and ESOP Sustainability Case Studies

Wow Employees with ESOP Communication

JobTitle Topics include:

COO & OPERATIONS EXECUTIVES

Monday, April 29 3:45–4:45 PM

Creating an Emotionally Intelligent and Inclusive Culture

Delivering Corporate Communications: From Strategy to Execution

How to Make a Small ESOP the Right Way: From Analysis to SBA Financing to Completion!

In Search of the ESOP Booty & Bounty: Growing the Value of Your ESOP Post-Transaction

Overnight Success? How One Firm Built a Foundation for Long-Term Success as a 100% ESOP S Corp

Who Said Educators Can't Be Owners?

Tuesday, April 30 10:00–11:00 AM

Developing and Executing a Growth-Through-Acquisition Strategy

Leadership Development Throughout Your Whole Company

Repurchase Liability Strategies: Staying Three Steps Ahead of the Sustainability Game

What is Management's Responsibility for Corporate Governance and the Board of Directors?

NCEO Resource

Recruitment & Retention Toolkit: The goal of this toolkit is to help NCEO member companies improve their ability to both recruit and retain employeeowners.

JobTitle

Topics include:

COO & OPERATIONS EXECUTIVES

Tuesday, April 30 11:15 AM–12:15 PM 2:45–3:45 PM

Annual ESOP Administration: "Don’t Get Behind the Eight Ball"

From Risk to Reward: Strategies for Maximizing Shareholder Value and Employee Engagement

Not Your Typical Workshop: How Champ Camp Empowers Spokespeople and Ambassadors to Effectively, Consistently, and Passionately Advocate for Your Brand

Open Book Management and Financial Literacy Training

Overcoming the "Meeting Blahs"

Seller Financing vs. Bank Financing: Pros and Cons

1:30–2:30 PM

Negotiating an ESOP Transaction: Common Term Sheet Factors and What They Mean

Re-Designing Your ESOP Document

The Trustee and Financial Advisor Annual Valuation Review: Impacts of Management Projections

ESOP Company Governance: Who Does What? (PLUS: Interactive Examples of Challenging Issues)

It's Not Just a Retirement Plan: How to Make ESOPs Matter to Employees Every Day

Strategic Preparations for the Feasibility Study: Positioning Yourself and Your Company for Success

JobTitle Topics include:

COO & OPERATIONS EXECUTIVES

A Valuation Checklist for ESOP Companies

Acquisitions: The Day After

Investing in the 1042 Rollover

Presenting Valuation So Employees Understand the Process, Apply Key Concepts, and Drive Company Value

Why Innovate? The Case for Renewal in ESOPs

Wednesday, May 1 10:00–11:00 AM

ESG 101: A Primer for ESOP Companies

Tuesday, April 30 4:00–5:00 PM 11:15 AM–12:15 PM

Winning the Leadership Transition: Preserving Relationships and Retaining People

Internal Trustee Duties & Responsibilities: Legal, Administration, and Valuation

JobTitle Topics include: GENERAL COUNSEL

Monday, April 29 1:00–2:00 PM

Before, During, and After Our ESOP Summit

Selling an ESOP Company

2:15–3:15 PM 3:45–4:45 PM

Cybersecurity Issues in ESOP Litigation/DOL Enforcement

NCEO Resource

Lessons from Recent ESOP Litigation: A fresh look at what we can learn from trends in ESOP litigation in the last few years.

How to Make a Small ESOP the Right Way: From Analysis to SBA Financing to Completion!

Tuesday, April 30

What to Do When Your Fiduciary Liability Insurer Denies Coverage 10:00–11:00 AM 11:15 AM–12:15 PM

What is Management's Responsibility for Corporate Governance and the Board of Directors?

Seller Financing vs. Bank Financing: Pros and Cons

JobTitle

Topics include:

GENERAL COUNSEL

Tuesday, April 30

1:30–2:30 PM

Negotiating an ESOP Transaction: Common Term Sheet Factors and What They Mean

2:45–3:45 PM

The Department of Labor’s "Adequate Consideration” Regulation: What Now?

2:45–3:45 PM

A Valuation Checklist for ESOP Companies

Acquisitions: The Day After

How to Navigate a Second-Stage ESOP Transaction

Wednesday, May 1

11:15 AM–12:15 PM

This toolkit is a guide to the NCEO resources that can help you adequately plan for your repurchase obligation and become a more sustainable ESOP company.

ESOPs and M&A: Exploring the Intersection, the Prudence, and Process for Unsolicited Offers

Using Earnouts & Clawbacks in ESOP Transactions Within the Current Valuation: Capital Markets & the Regulatory Environment

JobTitle

Topics include:

HR BENEFITS & RECRUITING

Monday, April 29

1:00–2:00 PM

Before, During, and After Our ESOP Summit

Captive Health for ESOPs: Owning the Benefit of Collaboration

Celebrating Employee Ownership Month as a Multilocation Hybrid Firm

Harnessing the Power of High-Performing Teams with a One Team Mindset: Tips, Tools, and Stories

NCEO Resources for ESOP Education

The Take 5 Movement

2:15–3:15 PM

Basics of ESOP Distributions

Company Podcast: Communicating Employee Ownership

3:45–4:45 PM

Creating an Emotionally Intelligent and Inclusive Culture

Delivering Corporate Communications: From Strategy to Execution

NCEO Resource

HR Peer Networking Group: Join a community of passionate and likeminded individuals who are eager to share their knowledge and experience in the field. Share HR questions, ideas, and initiatives that make employee ownership stronger.

JobTitle

Topics include:

HR BENEFITS & RECRUITING

Tuesday, April 30

10:00–11:00 AM

Not Your Basic ESOP Distributions

Smarter, Better, Faster: The Value of Well-Trained Employee-Owners

What is Management's Responsibility for Corporate Governance and the Board of Directors?

11:15 AM–12:15 PM

Annual ESOP Administration: "Don’t Get Behind the Eight Ball"

Grow Your People: An Interactive Panel on Innovative HR/L&D Practices in Employee-Owned Companies

Take Ownership: Cultivating an Ownership Culture Through Leadership Development and Storytelling

1:30–2:30 PM

Estimating Repurchases: A Workshop

Madmen to Mayberry: Lessons Learned From Changing ESOP Corporate Culture in a Service Industry

Re-Designing Your ESOP Document

2:45–3:45 PM

ESOP Committees: Fun Ideas for Educating and Engaging Employee-Owners

Establishing an Inclusive Culture Across International Offices

It's Not Just a Retirement Plan: How to Make ESOPs Matter to Employees Every Day

NCEO Resource

Recruitment & Retention Toolkit:

The goal of this toolkit is to help NCEO member companies improve their ability to both recruit and retain employeeowners.

JobTitle

Topics include:

HR BENEFITS & RECRUITING

Tuesday, April 30 4:00–5:00 PM

ESOP Company Executive Compensation: Is It Different?

How to Navigate a Second-Stage ESOP Transaction

Wednesday, May 1

10:00–11:00 AM

Building Wealth: How an ESOP Can Change Your Life

How to Effectively Write and Speak About Employee Ownership

The Compounding Effect of Culture on Stock Value

NCEO Resource

The ESOP Communication Committee Guide: A complete guide to developing and improving ESOP committees, with case studies.

Winning the Leadership Transition: Preserving Relationships and Retaining People

11:15 AM–12:15 PM

How to Build a Bench of a Players

Using the Stewardship Climate Scale to Measure the Perception of Governance and Employee Ownership Culture

VALUATIONS.

WE SEE WHAT OTHERS DON’T LOOK FOR.

Since our founding in 1988, we have grown into one of the nation’s leading and most respected ESOP valuation firms. We have been 100% employee owned since 2021.

SELL-SIDE FINANCIAL ADVISORY

• Identify ESOP transaction structures that meet sellers’ and company goals

• Provide preliminary valuations and feasibility studies

• Assist with sourcing financing and Quarterbacking the transaction

BUY-SIDE FINANCIAL ADVISORY

• Advise ESOP trustees in the purchase of shares by an ESOP

• Provide adequate consideration, solvency, and fairness opinions

• Complete annual administrative valuation updates

JobTitle

Topics include:

INTERNAL TRUSTEE

Monday, April 29 1:00–2:00 PM

Making the Most of Your Valuation Diligence Meeting

Selling an ESOP Company

2:15–3:15 PM

Basics of ESOP Distributions

Cybersecurity Issues in ESOP Litigation/DOL Enforcement

Unlocking Value: A Comprehensive Guide to Annual ESOP Valuations for CFOs

3:45–4:45 PM

A Mock DOL Investigation

In Search of the ESOP Booty & Bounty: Growing the Value of Your ESOP Post-Transaction

NCEO Resource

The Inside ESOP Fiduciary Handbook: An essential resource for any inside fiduciary at an ESOP company, this book is meant to provide an overview of life as an inside ESOP fiduciary.

Overnight Success? How One Firm Built a Foundation for Long-Term Success as a 100% ESOP S Corp

Who Said Educators Can't Be Owners?

JobTitle

Topics include:

INTERNAL TRUSTEE

Tuesday, April 30

10:00–11:00 AM

ESOPs are Great, But Still Businesses: How to Survive a Downturn

Minimizing Board of Director Liability Over the Life of an ESOP

Not Your Basic ESOP Distributions

What is Management's Responsibility for Corporate Governance and the Board of Directors?

11:15 AM–12:15 PM

Annual ESOP Administration: "Don’t Get Behind the Eight Ball"

Seller Financing vs. Bank Financing: Pros and Cons

1:30–2:30 PM

Responding to Purchase Offers

2:45–3:45 PM

ESOP Company Governance: Who Does What? (PLUS: Interactive Examples of Challenging Issues)

Winding Your Way Through Leadership Succession: Developing a Succession System for the Future

The Department of Labor’s "Adequate Consideration” Regulation: What Now?

JobTitle

Topics include:

INTERNAL TRUSTEE

Tuesday, April 30 4:00–5:00 PM

A Valuation Checklist for ESOP Companies

Acquisitions: The Day After

Financing Your ESOP Transaction with Warrants

How to Navigate a Second-Stage ESOP Transaction

Wednesday, May 1

10:00–11:00 AM

How to Manage Your Board & Fiduciary Succession

11:15 AM–12:15 PM

NCEO Resource

The Fiduciary’s Guide to ESOP

Valuation: Written to teach inside ESOP trustees, company leaders, board members, and others how ESOP valuation works, how control is treated nowadays, how to read and understand a valuation report, and how to select an appraiser.

ESOPs and M&A: Exploring the Intersection, the Prudence, and Process for Unsolicited Offers

Internal Trustee Duties & Responsibilities: Legal, Administration, and Valuation

JobTitle

Topics include:

MANAGER/SUPERVISOR

NCEO Resources for ESOP Education

Monday, April 29 1:00–2:00 PM 2:15–3:15 PM 3:45–4:45 PM 10:00–11:00 AM

Company Podcast: Communicating Employee Ownership

How Employee Ownership Equips Us to Live Out Our Values

NCEO Resource

Understanding ESOPs: A general, basic guide to ESOPs for public and private companies alike.

Creating an Emotionally Intelligent and Inclusive Culture

In Search of the ESOP Booty & Bounty: Growing the Value of Your ESOP Post-Transaction

Overnight Success? How One Firm Built a Foundation for Long-Term Success as a 100% ESOP S Corp

Who Said Educators Can't Be Owners?

Tuesday, April 30

Creating a Culture of Feedback

Leadership Development Throughout Your Whole Company

What is Management's Responsibility for Corporate Governance and the Board of Directors?

JobTitle

Topics include:

MANAGER/SUPERVISOR

Tuesday, April 30

11:15 AM–12:15 PM

From Risk to Reward: Strategies for Maximizing Shareholder Value and Employee Engagement

Grow Your People: An Interactive Panel on Innovative HR/L&D Practices in Employee-Owned Companies

Open Book Management and Financial Literacy Training

Take Ownership: Cultivating an Ownership Culture Through Leadership Development and Storytelling

1:30–2:30 PM

Destination Education: A Discussion of the Vehicles That Can Be Used on the Road to Employee-Owner ESOP Education

Madmen to Mayberry: Lessons Learned From Changing ESOP Corporate Culture in a Service Industry

2:45–3:45 PM

Demystifying Financial Statements: Putting it in Plain English

4:00–5:00 PM

A Valuation Checklist for ESOP Companies

How to Create an INSPIRING Safety Culture

NCEO Resource

Ps for Employee Owners: in-depth, customizable uide to employee stock wnership plans for plan participants.

JobTitle

Topics include:

MANAGER/SUPERVISOR

Wednesday, May 1

10:00–11:00 AM

ESG 101: A Primer for ESOP Companies

11:15 AM–12:15 PM

How to Build a Bench of a Players

WEEKLY WEBINARS

Free for NCEO Members. Up-to-date information presented by experts. Always educational, never promotional.

June 11, 2024

Foundational Leadership Skills for Ownership and Inclusion

JobTitle

Topics include:

MEMBER OF THE BOARD

Monday, April 29

1:00–2:00 PM

Before, During, and After Our ESOP Summit

Growing Through M&A Activity as an ESOP Company

Selling an ESOP Company

What to Do When Your Fiduciary Liability Insurer Denies Coverage

2:15–3:15 PM

NCEO Resource

The ESOP Company Board Handbook: A practical, up-to-date guide for board members in ESOP companies that discusses crucial issues and best practices.

ESOP Leadership Dynamics: Exploring the Evolution of Directors' and Executive Officers' Roles in Ownership

3:45–4:45 PM

A Mock DOL Investigation

Advantages ESOPs Have in Acquisitions

Creating an Emotionally Intelligent and Inclusive Culture

How to Communicate with Stakeholders from the CFO Perspective

In Search of the ESOP Booty & Bounty: Growing the Value of Your ESOP Post-Transaction

Overnight Success? How One Firm Built a Foundation for Long-Term Success as a 100% ESOP S Corp

Private Equity Investing for ESOPs: How to Diversify Your RO Assets and Fuel Growth

Strategic Planning and the Board of Directors

JobTitle

Topics include:

MEMBER OF THE BOARD

Tuesday, April 30

10:00–11:00 AM

Developing and Executing a Growth-Through-Acquisition Strategy

ESOPs are Great, But Still Businesses: How to Survive a Downturn

Minimizing Board of Director Liability Over the Life of an ESOP

The CFO and the Board: Keys to a Strong and Effective Relationship

What is Management's Responsibility for Corporate Governance and the Board of Directors?

11:15 AM–12:15 PM

Seller Financing vs. Bank Financing: Pros and Cons

1:30–2:30 PM

How to Develop a Professional Advisor Network That Drives Value

Negotiating an ESOP Transaction: Common Term Sheet Factors and What They Mean

Responding to Purchase Offers

Workshop: Mastering ESOP Acquisitions

NCEO Resource

ESOP Compensation Survey: This yearly survey contains benchmark data on both executive and board director positions. The report includes base pay, cash incentives, stock-based compensation, and retirement contributions for eight common executive positions at ESOP companies.

JobTitle

Topics include:

MEMBER OF THE BOARD

Tuesday, April 30

2:45–3:45 PM

Developing Trends: Private Capital Investments in ESOP-Owned Companies

ESOP Company Governance: Who Does What? (PLUS: Interactive Examples of Challenging Issues)

Strategic Preparations for the Feasibility Study: Positioning Yourself and Your Company for Success

The Department of Labor’s "Adequate Consideration” Regulation: What Now?

Why D&O, Fiduciary, and Cyber Insurance are Particularly Important for ESOPs

Winding Your Way Through Leadership Succession: Developing a Succession System for the Future

4:00–5:00 PM

A Valuation Checklist for ESOP Companies

ESOP Company Executive Compensation: Is It Different?

How to Navigate a Second-Stage ESOP Transaction

Why Innovate? The Case for Renewal in ESOPs

JobTitle

Topics include:

MEMBER OF THE BOARD

Wednesday, May 1

10:00–11:00 AM

Capital Structure Alternatives for Mature ESOPs

CEO & Executive Succession: Building Leadership Profiles for Continued Growth

Debt Trends and Capital Markets Update

How to Manage Your Board & Fiduciary Succession

Preparing for a Transition to ESOP Ownership? 5 Things to Know in 2024

11:15 AM–12:15 PM

Case Studies: Incentive Compensation in ESOP Companies

ESOPs and M&A: Exploring the Intersection, the Prudence, and Process for Unsolicited Offers

Internal Trustee Duties & Responsibilities: Legal, Administration, and Valuation

Thriving Through Time: Overcoming Benefit Level Hurdles in ESOP Maturity

Using Earnouts & Clawbacks in ESOP Transactions Within the Current Valuation: Capital Markets & the Regulatory Environment

Using Employee Ownership and Public Benefit Corporation Laws to Reinforce the Principles of Long-Term Ownership

JobTitle

Topics include:

Monday, April 29 NON-MANAGER

2:15–3:15 PM

The Fun Stuff: A Share Session on Celebrations

3:45–4:45 PM

Creating an Emotionally Intelligent and Inclusive Culture

Who Said Educators Can't Be Owners?

Tuesday, April 30

11:15 AM–12:15 PM

NCEO Resource

An Introduction to ESOPs: This concise book explains the rules, uses, benefits, and other aspects of employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs).

From Risk to Reward: Strategies for Maximizing Shareholder Value and Employee Engagement

Grow Your People: An Interactive Panel on Innovative HR/L&D Practices in Employee-Owned Companies

1:30–2:30 PM

Destination Education: A Discussion of the Vehicles That Can Be Used on the Road to Employee-Owner ESOP Education

Estimating Repurchases: A Workshop

2:45–3:45 PM

Demystifying Financial Statements: Putting it in Plain English

ESOP Committees: Fun Ideas for Educating and Engaging Employee-Owners

It's Not Just a Retirement Plan: How to Make ESOPs Matter to Employees Every Day

NetworkingOpportunities

Sunday, April 28

5:00–7:00 PM

The Sail Cocktail Reception

Monday, April 29

9:30–9:45 AM

Coffee Break

11:30 AM–12:30 PM

Welcome Luncheon

3:15–3:45 PM

Ice Cream Social Break

5:00–7:00 PM

Opening Cocktail Reception

Tuesday, April 30

8:00–9:00 AM

Welcome Breakfast

11:00–11:15 AM

Coffee Break

12:15–1:15 PM

Cuban Networking Luncheon

2:30–2:45 PM

Smoothie Bar Break

5:15–7:15 PM

Closing Reception

Wednesday, May 1

8:00–9:00 AM

Welcome Breakfast

11:00–11:15 AM

Coffee Break

AreaofInterest

Topics include:

BUILDING AN ESOP EDUCATION CURRICULUM

Monday, April 29

1:00–2:00 PM

NCEO Resources for ESOP Education

2:15–3:15 PM

Wow Employees with ESOP Communication

3:45–4:45 PM

Who Said Educators Can't Be Owners?

Tuesday, April 30

10:00–11:00 AM

Smarter, Better, Faster: The Value of Well-Trained Employee-Owners

11:15 AM–12:15 PM

Open Book Management and Financial Literacy Training

2:45–3:45 PM

NCEO Resource

The ESOP Communications Sourcebook: Provides a jumpstart to your ESOP communications.

It's Not Just a Retirement Plan: How to Make ESOPs Matter to Employees Every Day

AreaofInterest

Topics include:

BUILDING AN ESOP EDUCATION CURRICULUM

Tuesday, April 30 4:00–5:00 PM

Presenting Valuation So Employees Understand the Process, Apply Key Concepts, and Drive Company Value

Wednesday, May 1

10:00–11:00 AM

How to Effectively Write and Speak About Employee Ownership

NCEO Resource

Ps for Employee Owners: in-depth, customizable uide to employee stock wnership plans for plan participants.

Topics include:

CFO MINI TRACK

Monday, April 29 1:00–2:00 PM 2:15–3:15 PM 3:45–4:45 PM

Making the Most of Your Valuation Diligence Meeting

Unlocking Value: A Comprehensive Guide to Annual ESOP Valuations for CFOs

How to Communicate with Stakeholders from the CFO Perspective

Tuesday, April 30 10:00–11:00 AM

The CFO and the Board: Keys to a Strong and Effective Relationship

AreaofInterest

Topics include:

EFFECTIVE GOVERNANCE

Tuesday, April 30

10:00–11:00 AM

Minimizing Board of Director Liability Over the Life of an ESOP

What is Management's Responsibility for Corporate Governance and the Board of Directors?

1:30–2:30 PM

How to Develop a Professional Advisor Network That Drives Value

2:45–3:45 PM

ESOP Company Governance: Who Does What? (PLUS: Interactive Examples of Challenging Issues)

NCEO Resource

ESOPs and Corporate Governance: Discusses corporate governance in ESOP companies.

NCEO Resource

Board Excellence Toolkit: The goal of this project is to help NCEO member companies improve the effectiveness of their boards of directors, primarily by successfully recruiting and onboarding independent directors.

AreaofInterest

Topics include:

STRATEGY & SUSTAINABILITY

Monday, April 29

Preconference

An Integrated Approach to Sustainable ESOP Ownership

1:00–2:00 PM

Captive Health for ESOPs: Owning the Benefit of Collaboration

Growing Through M&A Activity as an ESOP Company

Selling an ESOP Company

2:15–3:15 PM

Employee Ownership Trusts and Direct Employee Ownership

Repurchase Strategies and ESOP Sustainability Case Studies

3:45–4:45 PM

Advantages ESOPs Have in Acquisitions

How to Communicate with Stakeholders from the CFO Perspective

NCEO Resource

Sustainable ESOPs: Discusses how to remain successfully employee-owned for the long term.

In Search of the ESOP Booty & Bounty: Growing the Value of Your ESOP Post-Transaction

Private Equity Investing for ESOPS: How to Diversify Your RO Assets and Fuel Growth

AreaofInterest

Topics include:

STRATEGY & SUSTAINABILITY

Tuesday, April 30

10:00–11:00 AM

Developing and Executing a Growth-Through-Acquisition Strategy

ESOPs are Great, But Still Businesses: How to Survive a Downturn

Repurchase Liability Strategies: Staying Three Steps Ahead of the Sustainability Game

Shared Interests: Creative Ways to Integrate Your ESOP, 401(k), and Synthetic Equity Benefit Plans

11:15 AM–12:15 PM

From Risk to Reward: Strategies for Maximizing Shareholder Value and Employee Engagement

1:30–2:30 PM

Estimating Repurchases: A Workshop

Responding to Purchase Offers

2:45–3:45 PM

Direct Employee Ownership: An ESOP Alternative

The Department of Labor’s "Adequate Consideration” Regulation: What Now?

Winding Your Way Through Leadership Succession: Developing a Succession System for the Future

4:00–5:00 PM

ESOP Company Executive Compensation: Is It Different?

How to Navigate a Second-Stage ESOP Transaction

Why Innovate? The Case for Renewal in ESOPs

AreaofInterest

Topics include:

STRATEGY & SUSTAINABILITY

Wednesday, May 1

10:00–11:00 AM

Capital Structure Alternatives for Mature ESOPs

Debt Trends and Capital Markets Update

ESG 101: A Primer for ESOP Companies

How to Manage Your Board & Fiduciary Succession

11:15 AM–12:15 PM

ESOPs and M&A: Exploring the Intersection, the Prudence, and Process for Unsolicited Offers

Thriving Through Time: Overcoming Benefit Level Hurdles in ESOP Maturity

Using Employee Ownership and Public Benefit Corporation Laws to Reinforce the Principles of Long-Term Ownership

WEEKLY WEBINARS

Free for NCEO Members. Up-to-date information presented by experts. Always educational, never promotional.

May 21, 2024

Review of Sustainability Analysis

AreaofInterest

Topics include:

ESOP PLAN DESIGN & FEASIBILITY

Monday, April 29

1:00–2:00 PM

Understanding ESOP Feasibility

2:15–3:15 PM

An ESOP Transaction Through Different Lenses

Implementing a Partial ESOP Transaction

3:45–4:45 PM

How to Make a Small ESOP the Right Way: From Analysis to SBA Financing to Completion!

Tuesday, April 30

10:00–11:00 AM

Successfully Raising Financing for an ESOP Transaction

11:15 AM–12:15 PM

Seller Financing vs. Bank Financing: Pros and Cons

1:30–2:30 PM

NCEO Resource Selling to an ESOP and Financing the Deal: A detailed guide for owners, managers, and advisors of closely held businesses are who considering a sale to an ESOP.

Pre-Feasibility Toolkit: a collection of resources to help you determine if an ESOP is right for you, and, if so, what steps to take next.

Negotiating an ESOP Transaction: Common Term Sheet Factors and What They Mean

Re-Designing Your ESOP Document

AreaofInterest

Topics include:

ESOP PLAN DESIGN & FEASIBILITY

Tuesday, April 30 2:45–3:45 PM 4:00–5:00 PM

Developing Trends: Private Capital Investments in ESOP-Owned Companies

Strategic Preparations for the Feasibility Study: Positioning Yourself and Your Company for Success

Financing Your ESOP Transaction with Warrants

Investing in the 1042 Rollover

Wednesday, May 1 10:00–11:00 AM

Preparing for a Transition to ESOP Ownership? 5 Things to Know in 2024

11:15 AM–12:15 PM

NCEO Resource

Understanding ESOPs: A general, basic guide to ESOPs for public and private companies alike.

Using Earnouts & Clawbacks in ESOP Transactions Within the Current Valuation: Capital Markets & the Regulatory Environment

AreaofInterest

Topics include:

ENGAGEMENT & CULTURE

Monday, April 29

Preconference

GET IN THE GAME: Your Playbook for Engaging Employee-Owners and Driving a Winning Culture

Maximizing ESOP Success: Effective Communication, Cultural Engagement, and Technical Foundations

1:00–2:00 PM

Celebrating Employee Ownership Month as a Multilocation Hybrid Firm

Harnessing the Power of High-Performing Teams with a One Team Mindset: Tips, Tools, and Stories

The Take 5 Movement

2:15–3:15 PM

Company Podcast: Communicating Employee Ownership

How Employee Ownership Equips Us to Live Out Our Values

The Fun Stuff: A Share Session on Celebrations

3:45–4:45 PM

Creating an Emotionally Intelligent and Inclusive Culture

Delivering Corporate Communications: From Strategy to Execution

NCEO Resource

Beyond Engagement: The most successful ESOP companies have one thing in common: their employees are not just motivated and engaged, they are actively engaged in structured opportunities to identify problems and generate new ideas.

AreaofInterest

Topics include:

ENGAGEMENT & CULTURE

Tuesday, April 30

10:00–11:00 AM

Creating a Culture of Feedback

Leadership Development Throughout Your Whole Company

11:15 AM–12:15 PM

Grow Your People: An Interactive Panel on Innovative HR/L&D Practices in Employee-Owned Companies

Not Your Typical Workshop: How Champ Camp Empowers Spokespeople and Ambassadors to Effectively, Consistently, and Passionately Advocate for Your Brand

Overcoming the "Meeting Blahs"

Take Ownership: Cultivating an Ownership Culture Through Leadership Development and Storytelling

1:30–2:30 PM

Communicating the Value of a Mature ESOP

Madmen to Mayberry: Lessons Learned From Changing ESOP Corporate Culture in a Service Industry

2:45–3:45 PM

Demystifying Financial Statements: Putting it in Plain English

ESOP Committees: Fun Ideas for Educating and Engaging Employee-Owners

Establishing an Inclusive Culture Across International Offices

4:00–5:00 PM

How to Create an INSPIRING Safety Culture

AreaofInterest

Topics include:

ENGAGEMENT & CULTURE

Wednesday, May 1

10:00–11:00 AM

Building Wealth: How an ESOP Can Change Your Life

The Compounding Effect of Culture on Stock Value

11:15 AM–12:15 PM

How to Build a Bench of a Players

Using the Stewardship Climate Scale to Measure the Perception of Governance and Employee Ownership Culture

NCEO Resource Ownership: Reinventing Companies, Capitalism, and Who Owns What: How employee ownership originated, how it works now, and what needs to be done to expand it.

AreaofInterest

Topics include:

ONGOING OPERATIONS

Monday, April 29

1:00–2:00 PM

Before, During, and After Our ESOP Summit

What to Do When Your Fiduciary Liability Insurer Denies Coverage

2:15–3:15 PM

Basics of ESOP Distributions

Cybersecurity Issues in ESOP Litigation/DOL Enforcement

3:45–4:45 PM

A Mock DOL Investigation

Demystifying the ESOP Trustee Team's Process in an ESOP Stock Purchase Transaction

Overnight Success? How One Firm Built a Foundation for Long-Term Success as a 100% ESOP S Corp

Tuesday, April 30

10:00–11:00 AM

Not Your Basic ESOP Distributions

11:15 AM–12:15 PM

Annual ESOP Administration: "Don’t Get Behind the Eight Ball"

AreaofInterest

Topics include:

ONGOING OPERATIONS

Tuesday, April 30

1:30–2:30 PM

The Trustee and Financial Advisor Annual Valuation Review: Impacts of Management Projections

Workshop: Mastering ESOP Acquisitions

2:45–3:45 PM

Legislative, Regulatory, and Case Law Update

Why D&O, Fiduciary, and Cyber Insurance are Particularly Important for ESOPs

4:00–5:00 PM

A Valuation Checklist for ESOP Companies

Acquisitions: The Day After

Case Study: Accounting for an ESOP Transaction and Ongoing Operations

Wednesday, May 1

10:00–11:00 AM

Winning the Leadership Transition: Preserving Relationships and Retaining People

11:15 AM–12:15 PM

Case Studies: Incentive Compensation in ESOP Companies

Internal Trustee Duties & Responsibilities: Legal, Administration, and Valuation

NCEOMemberResources

Toolkits at the NCEO

Employee Ownership Month Toolkit

This toolkit is designed to highlight the why behind Employee Ownership Month and to provide resources to assist with planning and execution.

Recruitment & Retention Toolkit

This collection of resources focuses on how employee-owned companies can leverage their ESOP advantage to attract, onboard, and retain employeeowners.

Pre-Feasibility Toolkit

The readings, webinars, and research in this toolkit will help you decide if it makes sense to take the next steps with an ESOP.

Being Acquired by an ESOP Company Toolkit

The Being Acquired by an ESOP Company Toolkit has been developed to help companies considering an alternative path to employee ownership.

Board Excellence Toolkit & Candidate Directory

Strengthen your recruitment and onboarding of independent directors with dozens of resources on all aspects of effective board governance in the Board Excellence Toolkit. Search for potential independent directors among more than 70 NCEO members using the Board Candidate Directory.

ESOP Finance Toolkit & Lender Directory

The goal of this toolkit is to help NCEO member companies secure financing, either for an ESOP transaction or commercial lending. It includes guidelines to best practices, plus a directory of bank and non-bank lenders with ESOP experience.

Repurchase Obligation Toolkit

The Repurchase Obligation Toolkit is a guide to the NCEO resources that can help you adequately plan for your repurchase obligation and become a more sustainable ESOP company.

Guiding successful ESOP companies for over 35 years.

www.employeebenefitslawgroup.com