The ESOP Association wants to hear from you: Would you mind taking a few minutes to tell us about your website experience today? Your feedback is confidential, and will take less than 5 minutes to complete.

Take the Survey

The ESOP Association

Public Policy Council

The ESOP Association was envisioned and formed first and foremost as an advocacy organization to protect, defend, and expand government policies that promote the establishment and ongoing operations of ESOPs. To this end, the advocacy function of the Association is one of the paramount activities and functions of TEA.

The ESOP Association's Public Policy Council is a volunteer group of advocacy champions representing the most highly engaged TEA Member companies, professionals, and individual employee owner volunteers and is charged with the responsibility of helping to shape and guide the public policy initiatives and advocacy activities of TEA.

When Congress is in session, members of the Policy Council join monthly conference calls with TEA Public Policy staff for an in-depth discussion on TEA’s advocacy efforts and the most recent developments. During these calls, council members will have the opportunity to participate in the overall programming, positions, and plan of execution for advocacy.

Members of the Council are the most politically engaged members in TEA, maintain well-established relationships with policy makers, and possess a deep knowledge of The ESOP Association and issues affecting employee ownership. Advocacy experience preferred but not required.

 

The members of the inaugural Public Policy Council were appointed by the Board of Directors on April 30, 2021. Thanks to the following individuals for volunteering their time and energy to help our public policy efforts. 

 

Executive Committee of the Public Policy Council

Chair

Ben Holder
Plastic Products, Inc.

Immediate Past Chair of TEA

Karen Ellis
Superior Farms

Professional Member Representative

Marcus Piquet
Ambrose Advisors

Chapter Advocacy Officer Representative

Jean Bergmann
Ramaker

ESOP Company Representative
(Up to 250 Employees)

Matthew Sharpe
Diamond Saw Blades

ESOP Company Representative
(More than 250 Employees)

Trey Winthrop
Bob's Red Mill

At Large Membership Representative

Rick Pearl
Faegre Drinker

At Large Membership Representative

Chris Hicks
Gemini Industries

At Large Membership Representative

Barbara Clough
Empire Valuation

 

At Large Membership Representative

Gary Shorman
Eagle Communications

 

 

Members of the Public Policy Council

Kim Abello
Wells Fargo Bank, NA

Kerri Ames
Baxter, Inc. 

Deepa Ayer
Menke & Associates, Inc.

Ted Becker
McDermott, Will & Emery LLP

Sarah Bothner
The Capitol ESOP Group at UBS

Brian Bowers
Bowers + Kubota

Clifford Canavera
Canavera Financial Group, LLC

Elizabeth Di Cola
EDiCola Consulting

Cat Dunham
PatchPlus Consulting, Inc.

Steve Earle
Mid South Building Supply, Inc.

Mariann Fuller
Columbia Chemical Corporation

Ramon A. Gaanderse
Tucson Asphalt Contracting

Georgiana Garcia
California Sheet Metal

Will Giese
The Soloray Corporation

Jenna Hayes
Palmer Holland Inc.

Rob HIlton
South Park Advisors, LLC

Brian Ippensen
TI-TRUST, Inc.

Sean Jackson
Bob's Red Mill Natural Foods, Inc.

Alan Kandel
Husch Blackwell LLP

Amy Kirby
DCS Corporation

Diane Lewis
The Lewis Chemical Company

Joseph Lucot
Guttman Holdings, Inc.

Christy Magee
DVL Group Inc.

Julia Mangin
Recology

Aaron Moberger
Spring Hill Consulting

Peter Ney
EA Engineering, Science, and Technology, Inc., PBC

Griffin O'Gara
Krieg DeVault LLP

Zahra Rahnama
Performance Composites, Inc. 

Kathleen Scheidt
Ice Miller LLP

James Steiker
SES ESOP Strategies LLC

Eric Tober
Cornerstone

David Waltmon
Cisco-Eagle

Jason Wellman
ESOP Partners

 

 

 

The next council will be appointed in 2024 to serve in 2025. To express your interest in future council membership, click the button below.

PPC Application