Long Term ESOP Success: What Are the Critical Elements and How Can We Position Our Company to Get There?
Alex Moss will present with Christine M. Hurtfrom Ayers Saint Gross
Learning Objectives:
- Connect the dots of the various elements that enable ESOP companies to thrive over the long run including finance, leadership, culture, strategy, and any others identified by attendees.
- Challenge your teams and advisors to consider a holistic approach to long-term ESOP success.
- Answer more specific questions on the various individual critical success components, in context of the whole.
Ownership Culture by Design: How to Use Research to Inform Your Strategy
Jon Sweigart will present with Michael L. Palmieri (Ohio Employee Ownership Center) and Liza Shifrin (NCEO)
Learning Objectives:
- Identify and access trustworthy sources regarding research on employee-owned companies, and receive a list of trustworthy employee ownership research sources and links.
- Understand how research can inform and be integrated into company communications and engagement strategies. Generate at least one way to deliberately apply research to their company's strategy, leadership, and culture.
- Describe the critical role leadership, supervisors, and managers play in building an ownership culture and assess how well their company’s leadership practices encourage what research says builds a strong ownership culture
Leading Change During Times Of Uncertainty: An Opportunity for Engagement
Linshuang Lu will present with Ron Scheese from F.M. Brown’s Sons, Inc.
Learning Objectives:
- Understand general principles for leading through change.
- Explore the best ways to navigate resistance to change.
- Gain practical ideas for how to communicate and maintain optimism in times of uncertainty.
Designed to Thrive: A Culture Playbook for Mergers & Acquisitions'
Marsha Wesley Coleman
Learning Objectives:
- Define what a strong, resilient culture looks like during a merger or acquisition—and understand why shaping it is a key leadership skill.
- Recognize common cultural conditions that can create friction or misalignment—and explore how to turn differences into strengths rather than sources of conflict.
- Apply four practical leadership strategies to blend cultures, build trust, and create a shared sense of purpose across teams.
- Develop a personal action step you can take immediately to encourage a strong, inclusive culture in your post-merger or acquisition environment.
After DEI, What?: How to Talk About What We Are Not Supposed to for ESOPs
Nelson Parrish
Learning Objectives:
- Understand the evolving landscape of DEI. Participants will be able to describe the shift from traditional DEI frameworks to emerging models like FAIR (Fairness, Access, Inclusion, and Representation), and explain the factors driving this transition.
- Identify strategies for navigating polarized conversations around inclusion. Attendees will learn practical communication techniques to engage in meaningful, respectful dialogue on sensitive topics, even in politically or culturally tense environments.
- Explore the role of employee ownership culture in fostering inclusivity. Learners will recognize how shared ownership structures, such as ESOPs, can strengthen an organization's culture, trust, and sense of belonging, complementing DEI efforts.
