This session will provide a glance behind the scenes into the world of ESOPs, the market in which they exist, and the different ways they can impact business owners, companies, and professional advisors alike. Keith Apton (The Capital ESOP Group, UBS) and Blake Head (BDO Capital Advisors) will dive into a foundational analysis that explores ESOPs at all levels including market trends; transaction structures; tax-advantaged strategies; and designing exit plans. Attendees will walk away with a deeper understanding of when and how an ESOP can add value for their clients and their own practice.
- Identify current market observations and trends related to Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs).
- Analyze the implementation of an ESOP by BDO USA and its impact on professional services.
- Gain a foundational understanding of ESOPs, including their structure and benefits (ESOP 101).
- Explore the tax advantages and implications of ESOPs, with a focus on Section 1042 rollover benefits.
- Evaluate how ESOPs can be integrated into exit planning strategies for business owners.
Event Details
Who Should Attend?
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Attorneys
You have close relationships with clients, and can benefit from being the first advisor to introduce the idea of exit planning.
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CPAs/Accountants
Owners participating in the State of Owner Readiness research continue to indicate that you are the No. 1 "Most Trusted Advisor." You are a natural fit to lead the exit planning team and deepen your relationship (and retention) of next generation owners.
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Wealth Managers
You’re a skilled relationship person. Being entangled into your clients’ professional lives matters as you build a strategy to manage their wealth upon them harvesting it from their business. Exit planning allows you to build a deeper relationship with your client, expands your COI network, while giving you an early seat at table well before the liquidity event.
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Investment Bankers
Only 2 of every 10 businesses that come to market actually sell. Learn how exit planning can bring attractive AND ready business to your purview.
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Valuation Analysts
Valuation is both a billable engagement AND an opportunity to provide owners some perspective on how to accelerate value drivers (and deal with value killers). Use exit planning to make that valuation into a longer term value acceleration engagement.
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Financial Advisors
One of the critical ‘legs of the stool’ is personal financing planning. An owner must have a strong financial plan & contingency plan post-transition to enable them to thrive in the next act of the lives personally and financially. Exit planning brings this future mindset into the present. Exit is now.
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Estate Planners
Exit planning is a natural fit for estate planners who want to operate more holistically with their owner clients.
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Strategic Consultants
One of the most critical roles in exit planning is building transferable value. Strategic consultants have the ability to expand options and drive rapid business value that affect performance today.
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Mergers & Acquisition Advisors
Proper exit planning causes less deals to fall through at the last minute. Connect with CEPAs to build your healthy deal flow network.
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Commercial Lenders
One of the best relationships a business owner makes is with their banker. How can you help your corporate clients think about the future and ensure financial continuity? Answer: exit planning.
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Insurance Professionals
Exit planning addresses the 5 D's. So do you. Approach the risk conversation differently with exit planning.
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Family Business Advisors
More than 50% of lower middle market business owners would prefer to transition to the next generation. Help them succeed with exit planning strategies.
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Other Professional Advisors
Regardless of your unique specialty, there is seat at the exit planning table for you. Learn more at www.EarnCEPA.com.
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Private Business Owners
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Members of Family Business Boards
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Professional Advisors
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Business Consultants
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Other Business Professionals
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Business Owners
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Business Owners & Their Trusted Advisors
EXIT PLANNING IS GOOD BUSINESS STRATEGY
The Exit Planning Institute, provides Financial Advisors, Accountants, Consultants, and other advisors of business owners with the critical education to differentiate themselves and add value to their existing client relationships through a credential, conference, courses, and content. Download the CEPA brochure for more information.
ABOUT THE PRESENTERS
Keith has over 21 years of experience in the financial services industry, with
an extensive background in corporate finance. As the founding partner of The
Capital ESOP Group at UBS, Keith heads the team’s private wealth practice, in
which he works to determine client needs and match them with the proper
resources of UBS, a leading global bank. Keith focuses on solutions
encompassing asset allocation, wealth and liability management, and tax and
estate planning in order to create tailored financial plans for his clients. Prior
to joining UBS in 2009, Keith was a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley, where
he was an integral member of the team handling all of the firm’s ESOP
transactions. Keith’s process entails a disciplined approach to help small- to
middle-market business owners with sell-side advisory solutions and post-sale
financial planning to include holistic wealth management and tax and estate
planning strategies. Keith is an author and nationally recognized leader on
ESOPs and Internal Revenue Code §1042 rollovers.
Blake is a Managing Director at BDO Capital Advisors, LLC, and the leader of
BDO Capital’s ESOP Advisory Services division. He has more than 17 years of
corporate financial advisory experience. Blake focuses on providing a variety of
services to clients, including valuation analyses, review of strategic alternatives
for owners considering an exit, raising capital from both non-traditional and
traditional lenders, and advisory services related to the sale, merger and
divestiture of privately-held companies. His experience lies in helping clients
assess the feasibility of ESOPs and, thereafter, structuring, negotiating and
executing successful sales to ESOPs.
Prior to joining BDO Capital Advisors, Blake was a Partner at BDO USA and the
National Group Leader for BDO USA’s People and Organization Strategy. His
group was comprised of ESOP Advisory Services, Executive Compensation
Consulting and Workforce in Transactions practices. Blake’s experience in
compensation matters included benchmarking and surveying projects, design
and implementation of performance management review systems, and the
design and implementation of performance incentive plans for executive, nonexecutive, and sales employees. He has worked with both for-profit and taxexempt entities. Blake has consulted with a variety of manufacturing,
construction, retail, technology, and oil and gas industry firms in the area of
compensation and broad-based rewards. In addition, he has extensive
experience in consulting on employee benefit plans
