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Cleveland Chapter Event | Key Governance Considerations in Forming an ESOP Owned Company

Great Lakes Brewing
2701 Carroll Ave
Cleveland, OH 44113

Wednesday, February 19, 2025, 5:00 PM - 7:30 PM EDT

Category: Cleveland

Key Governance Considerations in Forming an ESOP Owned Company

Overview

Frank Fantozzi is the founder of Planned Financial Services, LLC, a comprehensive wealth management practice he started in 1994. After extensive deliberation he has concluded that his ultimate exit is most likely a sale to his employees. Frank will moderate a unique panel discussion that will not only inform our guests, but himself as well, as he explores considerations relative to forming a board of directors that will govern the ESOP he plans to form to achieve this transfer of ownership.

Registration

$35 Members
$45 Non-Members

Register

Speakers

Peter Jones
Partner
Tucker Ellis

As a partner at Tucker Ellis LLP, Peter advises business owners, companies, and fiduciaries on employee stock ownership plans, transition strategies, corporate governance, employee benefits, executive compensation, and mergers and acquisitions. Peter is a graduate of Bradley University (B.A.) and Capital University Law School (J.D.). He is admitted to the bar of Ohio as well as the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, the U.S. District Courts for the Northern and Southern Districts of Ohio, and the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Ohio. He is chair of the Legislative and Regulatory Affairs Advisory Committee of the ESOP Association and a member of the Ohio Employee Ownership Center.

Shawn Ely
Managing Director
Lazear Capital Partners

Shawn is a Managing Director with Lazear Capital Partners, a Columbus-based ESOP advisory firm. He lives and works here in the Cleveland area and advise owners and management teams across the country. Over the years, Lazear has grown to become one of the preeminent firms in the country doing ESOP deals. And by “doing ESOP deals”, this means that we work collaboratively with the Company founder/owner/family, the Management Team, and their trusted advisors, as an Investment Banking Sell-Side advisor, to manage and quarterback the sale of the company to the employees via an ESOP.
He has over 30 years of diverse corporate finance, investing, operations and advisory experience.
Shawn received his B.S. degree, cum laude, from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, and his M.B.A. degree, with honors, from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.
Shawn enjoys travel, golf, skiing, SCUBA diving, and the outdoors.

Bob Nara
CFO
Midwest Transatlantic Lines

Dan Bender
SVP and Commercial Lending Team Leader
Westfield Bank

Senior Vice President and Commercial Banking Team Lead at Westfield Bank, a $2B bank that is headquartered in NE Ohio. He has two decades of banking experience and leads Westfield Bank’s ESOP lending efforts. Dan earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Finance from John Carroll University and an MBA from Cleveland State University. Moreover, in 2020, Dan completed a certification to become a Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA). Dan is passionate about working with exiting business owners to ensure a successful exit for all parties whether that be a via an ESOP or an alternative approach.

Moderator

Frank Fantozzi
CPA, MST, PFS, CDFA, AIF®, CEPA
President and Founder

Frank Fantozzi is the founder of Return on Life Wealth Partners, a comprehensive wealth management company he started in 1994. After extensive reflection about the best interests of his organization, Frank determined that his preferred exit strategy is a sale of his firm to his employees under an ESOP. He understands that thoughtful execution is critical for him achieve his desired outcome. Frank will moderate a nuanced discussion with panelists who have rich and diverse experiences in the ESOP space to not only inform our guests, but also to guide him as he embarks on this endeavor. The conversation will largely focus on the formation of a board of directors of an ESOP company and the decisions that will come before the board, as well as significant other considerations in the ESOP exit such as financial, tax, and legal.

Thank you to our National Sponsors!