Verit Advisors will participate in the NCEO Employee Ownership Conference (NCEO) in Atlanta, April 18 to 20, 2018. This annual conference is a premier gathering on employee ownership and over 1,700 attendees are expected.

Verit Advisors’ CEO, Mary Josephs, will participate on a panel titled “Grow or Sell: Key issues in Mergers and Acquisitions with Existing ESOPs” on Wednesday, April 18 at 4:30. In addition, on Thursday, April 19 at 2:00, Ms. Josephs will discuss “ESOP Professional Seminar on Key Current Legal, Fiduciary, and Structuring Dynamics.” Ms. Josephs founded Verit Advisors in 2009 and has over three decades of experience in corporate finance. She is a nationally recognized leader having advised, structured, and closed more than 300 transactions for middle market companies. Ms. Josephs is a past two term board member of NCEO. Ms. Josephs was named one of most Influential women in mid-market M&A by Mergers & Acquisition magazine, January 2016, 2017, and 2018.

Also on Thursday, Ms. Josephs will host an expert one-on-one session titled “Using ESOPs as an Acquisition Strategy” at 5:15-6:15 PM.

John Solimine, Managing Director, will participate in a panel “ESOP Financing from the Lender’s Perspective” on Wednesday, April 18, 2018 at 9:00 AM. Mr. Solimine will also be on a panel titled “Unique Issues involved in Professional and Personal Service Companies with ESOPs,” on Thursday, April 19, 2018 at 3:45 PM. Mr. Solimine has 20 years of experience in investment banking and debt capital markets. He began his career at LaSalle Bank (Bank of America), where he provided debt financing for middle-market sponsors and portfolio companies. He gained investment banking experience at Bear Stearns and Jefferies & Company in New York. He later joined Equibase Capital, a Chicago private equity firm.

Thursday, April 19, Rob Ruszkowski, Principal, will speak on “Preparing to Sell an ESOP: Material Handling Systems’ Success Story.” Mr. Ruszkowski joined Verit Advisors in 2011 and has a particular proficiency in sell-side M&A as well as ESOP transactions involving a diverse set of middle market companies. Ruszkowski also possesses substantial technical and analytical know-how following a distinguished career in chemical engineering.

About ESOPs

According to the NCEO, the first employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) was in 1956 and today there are about 10,900 ESOPs and equivalent plans employing more than 13 million employees in the U.S. ESOPs are spread throughout the nation and industries and range from just a few employees to more than 150,000 employees. Over a 10-year period, ESOPs have 25 percent higher job growth than comparable companies without an ESOP. These companies have 4 to 5 percent higher productivity in the year an ESOP is adopted. Employee ownership keeps businesses and jobs in state with ESOP companies 25 percent more likely to stay in business.

About Verit Advisors

Verit Advisors unites sophisticated middle market investment banking capabilities with a client centric boutique, fluent in M&A, ESOPs, debt and equity capital markets, valuation, and board advisory services. Integrity, teamwork, service, and innovation are at the heart of the organization, as the Verit Team strives to provide unparalleled advice and custom solutions to its clients. Mary Josephs founded Verit Advisors in 2009 in Chicago and has over three decades of experience in corporate finance for private businesses. Josephs and her team are considered to be the foremost experts in ESOP transactions and middle market strategic alternatives.