Resources: Webinar Archive

SES Advisors professionals are thought leaders in the ESOP industry. Our clients have found webinars to be an efficient way to help develop a deeper understanding of the elements and complexities of ESOPs. We invite you to explore our knowledge base and insights in this webinar archive.

“SES Advisors is a great source for ESOP education. They provide a vast variety of ESOP webinars in their online archive with up-to-date information on the ESOP community. Their registration process is quick and easy to follow with current webinars offered routinely… I highly recommend their ESOP webinars if you wish to expand your background in ESOP education.”

– Mike Shuey, Employee Owner, Restek Corporation

We have divided SES Advisors’ webinars into two sections: Introductory ESOP Webinars for those new to ESOPs and Advanced Webinars for those seeking ESOP administration and mature ESOP issues expertise.

Learn about upcoming SES Advisors webinars and join our email list to receive future invitations.

Introductory ESOP Webinars

Introduction to ESOPs

Presenter: Robert E. Massengill, President - SES Advisors, Inc.

Description: Eventually you will need to sell or transfer your privately held company, and today may be the optimal time to do so. This webinar explores your liquidity options and ESOP basics, including financing, how your company will be valued and case studies.
Estate Planning Using ESOPs: A Case Study

Presenter: Stephen P. Magowan, Esq., Partner - Steiker, Fischer, Edwards & Greenapple, P.C.

Description: Sophisticated ESOP transactions present unique opportunities for business owners to lower the estate, gift and generation skipping transfer tax burdens placed on their estates. From a total-after-tax perspective (considering income and transfer taxes), this can mean that an ESOP transaction will present a far better financial return for a business owner than other types of liquidation events. This presentation uses a case study analysis to review the key estate planning opportunities and to quantify the transfer tax savings available to the business owner through the use of trusts, life insurance and other planning tools in the ESOP transaction setting.

ESOP Structure Case Studies: How to Meet Various Owner & Company Goals

Presenter: Tabitha Croscut, Esq., Partner - Steiker, Fischer, Edwards & Greenapple, P.C.

Description: No company is the same and every shareholder has a different list of reasons, goals, and expectations for their sale of stock. Using examples of transactions we have designed and closed, we look at how an ESOP transaction can be structured to meet many different needs, thanks to flexibility in their design. Whether you are thinking about an ESOP for your company or already have one in place, this webinar presents different structural options offered to both the selling shareholder and the company.
Employee Ownership as an Engine of Innovation

Presenters: Robert P. Lynch, CEO - The Warren Company and Ken Serwinski, Senior Managing Director - Prairie Capital Advisors

Moderator: Robert W. Edwards, Principal - Steiker, Fischer, Edwards & Greenapple, P.C.

Description: Learn how to utilize innovation as a business strategy and how a successful innovation strategy affects ESOP valuation. Learn ways to spark and nurture the innovative potential inside your company, and about the specific tools and advantages that employee ownership can provide. Hear how small innovations equate to dollar value increases by enhancing productivity and/or profitability, which in turn enhances retirement plan assets.
Using ESOPs in a Tough Economy

Presenter: James G. Steiker, Chairman & CEO - SES Advisors, Inc.

Description: Jim explains the benefits and limitations of using an ESOP to plan for succession in today's economy.
ESOPs in the Construction Industry

Presenter: Robert E. Massengill, President - SES Advisors, Inc.

Description: Bob explains the benefits and limitations of using an ESOP to plan for succession in the construction industry. Learn what an ESOP is and if it’s appropriate for you, tax incentives for C and S corporations and investment strategies for selling shareholders.
ESOPs for Mission-Driven Businesses

Presenter: James G. Steiker, Chairman & CEO - SES Advisors, Inc.

Description: This webinar addresses how employee ownership fits into a company's mission. Learn how to preserve your wealth AND your values through the liquidity process.
Business Succession Planning for Engineers & Architects

Presenter: James G. Steiker, Chairman & CEO - SES Advisors, Inc.

Description: An Employee Stock Ownership Plan is a unique liquidity and exit strategy for owners of engineering and architecture firms seeking to diversify wealth, maintain control and perpetuate their legacy. Learn what an ESOP is and if it’s appropriate for you, tax incentives for C and S corporations and investment strategies for selling shareholders.
Business Succession Planning for Auto Dealers

Presenter: Robert E. Massengill, President - SES Advisors, Inc.

Description: Employee Stock Ownership Plans are fast becoming a method of choice for auto dealers seeking liquidity in their privately held enterprises. Learn what an ESOP is and if it’s appropriate for you, tax incentives for C and S corporations and investment strategies for selling shareholders.

Advanced Webinars: ESOP Administration and More

ESOP Administration Pitfalls
Presenters: Mychelle Holloway and Karen Hurley, Senior ESOP Administrators - SES Advisors, Inc.
Description: Two of SES Advisors' Senior Administrators tackle some of the most confusing areas of ESOP administration and explain how to avoid falling into trouble. Topics include: synthetic equity & how it affects anti-abuse testing pursuant to IRC Section 409(p); identifying partial plan terminations & the consequences associated with them; when hours are credited for service not worked; explanation of the new Form 5558 and Form 8955-SSA, and associated notice requirements; and what to do when you cannot find a participant with a remaining vested account.
ESOP Legal Pitfalls
Presenter: Tabitha Croscut, Esq., Partner - Steiker, Fischer, Edwards & Greenapple, P.C.
Description: Whether you have recently adopted an ESOP, have been an ESOP company for years, or are now looking to implement an ESOP transition strategy, this webinar provides useful information on how to identify - and avoid - common red flags in your ESOP transaction documentation and plan operation.
Lifecycle of an ESOP
Presenter: Brian D. Wurpts, Principal & Vice President - SES Advisors, Inc.
Description:  As your Plan matures, your ESOP strategies should mature with it. Brian Wurpts applies his 12+ years of ESOP administration, funding, plan design and sustainability experience as he takes you through an overview of the various stages in the lifecycle of a typical leveraged ESOP.
DOL Investigations of ESOP Companies

Presenter: Steven B. Greenapple, Partner - Steiker, Fischer, Edwards & Greenapple, P.C.

Description: What triggers a DOL Investigation? How should you respond to an investigation notice? Steve Greenapple addresses these and other questions, from the steps involved from first notice to resolution, to the problems with which the DOL is concerned.
Corporate Governance of ESOP Companies

Presenter: Steven B. Greenapple, Partner - Steiker, Fischer, Edwards & Greenapple, P.C.

Description: Without the founding entrepreneur steering the ship, ESOP companies' corporate governance is of paramount importance. In this webinar, you will learn: the roles of trustees, directors and officers, how corporate governance affects value, and best practices for corporate governance in ESOP companies.
ESOP Accounting

Presenter: Brian D. Wurpts, Principal & Vice President - SES Advisors, Inc.

Description: ESOPs have complicated and unique accounting implications. SES Vice President Brian Wurpts guides plan administrators, controllers, accounting departments and CPAs through ESOP accounting concepts and practical examples of financial statements conforming with GAAP.
Floor Price Protection in Second-Stage, Leveraged ESOP Transactions

Presenter: Bob Massengill, President - SES Advisors, Inc.

Description: Due to the impact on share price after highly-leveraged second-stage ESOP transactions, it is increasingly common for trustees to negotiate stock price protection for selected classes of employees so they are not adversely affected by this predictable stock price decline. This protection typically takes the form of a "floor price" for retirees that is put in place while the company's stock price is most impacted by the buyout debt load. This webinar covers the situations, mechanics, fairness and considerations related to floor price protection.
401(k) Fee Disclosures and Other New DOL Regulations

Presenter: John Carl, President - Retirement Learning Center, LLC
Moderators: Tim Regnitz, Senior Vice President - SES Advisors, Inc. and Dayle Scheinman - True Freedom 401K

Description: How much are you paying in total fees for your 401(k) plan? Are you aware of how you are affected by the Department of Labor's new regulations governing 401(k) plan fee disclosures? How will you know if you and your service provider(s) are in compliance with the new trustee requirements? What information do you need to successfully complete your Form 5500? We welcome John Carl to answer your questions, explain the new requirements and how they may affect your reporting procedures, what you can expect from your plan service providers and how you can be proactive in this new process.
ESOP Administration: Rebalancing and Reshuffling

Presenters: Brian D. Wurpts, Principal & Vice President and Diane Fanelli, Principal & Senior ESOP Administrator

Description: Two of SES Advisors' most senior administrators explore the pros and cons of account segregation and account rebalancing. Segregation allows the plan to convert the shares of terminated participants to other investments. Rebalancing provides a source of shares for new participants. Find out if either of these solutions may work for your plan.

Please note: There is no audio for the last few minutes of the presentation. Please contact Brian or Diane if you would like more information.

Incorporating Employees into Formal Corporate Governance

Presenter: Stephen P. Magowan, Partner - Steiker, Fischer, Edwards & Greenapple, P.C.

Description: Can your ESOP Company make employee ownership more relevant, more powerful and more successful by incorporating employees into formal corporate governance (e.g., voting for directors)? The answer is yes. ESOP companies usually give employees a lot of information about the operation of the ESOP and the company's performance, but a vast majority do not extend to employees the right to participate in the election of directors. This webinar addresses this issue, explains why giving out financial information without the right of formal input through a vote may not be the best policy, and suggests ways for ESOP companies to incorporate employees into formal corporate governance.
Deferred and Incentive Compensation Plans in ESOP Companies

Presenter: Stephen P. Magowan, Partner - Steiker, Fischer, Edwards & Greenapple, P.C.

Description: How can you structure deferred and incentive compensation in a way that will enhance the company's bottom line and encourage managers to increase company value? This webinar focuses on deferred compensation vehicles that use stock value as the measure for success (such as phantom stock plans) and addresses the tax challenges you may face in designing such plans as they relate to Internal Revenue Code 409A.
Second-Stage Transactions/Mature ESOPs

Presenter: James G. Steiker, Chairman & CEO - SES Advisors, Inc.

Description: Jim Steiker discusses the specific issues to be considered in a second-stage transaction, what a typical transaction looks like, and the differences between a first and second-stage transaction.
Ask the ESOP Experts

Presenters:
James Higgins, Principal - SES Advisors, Inc.
Brian D. Wurpts, Principal & Vice President - SES Advisors, Inc.
Mary Beth Gray, Partner - Steiker, Fischer, Edwards & Greenapple, P.C.

Description: SES Advisors, Inc. and our sister law firm of Steiker, Fischer, Edwards & Greenapple, P.C., present a panel of ESOP experts with more than 20 years of experience in assessing and determining the feasibility of, designing and installing, and administering ESOPs for hundreds of companies nationwide.
Structuring Equity-Based Deferred Compensation Plans Under 409A

Presenters: Robert W. Edwards and Stephen P. Magowan, Partners - Steiker, Fischer, Edwards & Greenapple, P.C.

Description: Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code has created certain challenges in structuring deferred compensation plans for company executives. Rob and Steve address the tax implications of various equity-based deferred compensation arrangements and offer solutions.

Consult your advisors for up-to-date legal and tax information. IRS CIRCULAR 230 DISCLOSURE: Pursuant to Treasury Regulations, any tax advice contained in this communication (including any attachments) is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used or relied upon by you or any other person, for the purpose of (i) avoiding penalties under the Internal Revenue Code, or (ii) promoting, marketing or recommending to another party any tax advice addressed herein. Please contact a member of the firm if you require a formal, written tax opinion that satisfies applicable IRS requirements.

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