Exit Planning Institute - Find a CEPA

Mark is head of the finance group at SES ESOP Strategies, a Stevens & Lee Company, and a Senior Managing Director at Griffin Financial Group where he works with clients and their principals, providing M&A advisory services and private placements of debt and capital. He works extensively with business owners, evaluating their business and personal situations and assisting in preparing for succession of or exit from their businesses by performing an exhaustive analysis of alternatives (including management buyouts, ESOPs, recapitalizations, and minority or majority sales of the business) to ensure business owners have all of the information necessary to decide the best path to achieve their goals. Finally, he assists business owners in optimizing the strategies designed to achieve the desired outcome.

As a non-practicing CPA and a lawyer, Mark’s background provides an important link between clients and their accountants and lawyers to creatively address accounting, tax and financial planning issues.

Mark is a former National Tax-Product Development Manager for PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP in Washington, D.C., where he was responsible for conceiving creative corporate tax planning strategies and analyzing publicly available information to determine the applicability of those strategies. He was also responsible for implementing large projects and coordinating project teams and corporate personnel.

Mark is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) and a Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA®). He holds Series 79, 7 and 66 licenses from FINRA.

Education

Georgetown University Law Center, LL.M. in Taxation, with distinction, 1996
Texas Tech University School of Business, MBA, 1995
Texas Tech University School of Law, J.D., 1995
Texas Christian University, BBA in Accounting, 1992

Memberships/Affiliations

The ESOP Association
The National Center for Employee Ownership
The Exit Planning Institute
Texas Center for Employee Ownership, Organizational Board Member and Treasurer

Selected Publications

“What are the various ways for a business owner to transfer their privately-owned business?” Co-author with Edward C. Renenger. Business Expertise section of Catalyst. PA Chamber of Business and Industry publication. Summer 2018.
“Evaluating Offers to ESOP Companies: The Case for Engaging an Investment Banker.” NCEO’s Responding to Acquisition Offers in ESOP Companies, 3rd Edition, February 2023.

Selected Speaking Engagements

“Structuring an Acquisition,” NCEO Fall ESOP Forum, Salt Lake City, UT, September 17, 2019
“Strategic Alternatives for Minority ESOPs,” panelist, NCEO 2019 Employee Ownership Conference, Pittsburgh, PA, April 10, 2019
“Growing Your ESOP Through Acquisitions,” The ESOP Association’s Southwest Chapter Annual Spring Conference and Awards Luncheon, Grapevine, TX, March 29, 2019
“Passing the Torch: The Pros and Cons of Succession, Sale and Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs) for Effective Business Continuation,” Pennsylvania Center for Employee Ownership Event at St. Joseph’s University’s Haub School of Business, Philadelphia, PA, July 20, 2017
“Utilizing ESOPs for Tax Efficient Liquidity,” Financial Planning Association of Dallas/Fort Worth Chapter Meeting, Dallas, TX, June 6, 2017
“ESOP Company Growth by Acquisition,” NCEO 2017 Employee Ownership Conference, Denver, CO, April 4-6, 2017
“Proposed Tax Law Changes Under the New Administration and Their Impact on Shareholder Liquidity, Mergers & Acquisitions, ESOPs and other Business Transition Strategies,” 2017 South Central Pennsylvania Vistage Executive Summit, Reading, PA, March 23, 2017
“ESOP Advantages in Acquisitions,” Multi-State ESOP Conference, Wilkes-Barre, PA, September 27, 2016
“Evaluating Offers to ESOP Companies,” National Center for Employee Ownership’s Employee Ownership Conference, Minneapolis, MN, April 22, 2016

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Mark is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) and a Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA®). He holds Series 79, 7 and 66 licenses from FINRA.

Education

Georgetown University Law Center, LL.M. in Taxation, with distinction, 1996
Texas Tech University School of Business, MBA, 1995
Texas Tech University School of Law, J.D., 1995
Texas Christian University, BBA in Accounting, 1992

Memberships/Affiliations

The ESOP Association
The National Center for Employee Ownership
The Exit Planning Institute
Texas Center for Employee Ownership, Organizational Board Member and Treasurer

Selected Publications

“What are the various ways for a business owner to transfer their privately-owned business?” Co-author with Edward C. Renenger. Business Expertise section of Catalyst. PA Chamber of Business and Industry publication. Summer 2018.
“Evaluating Offers to ESOP Companies: The Case for Engaging an Investment Banker.” NCEO’s Responding to Acquisition Offers in ESOP Companies, 3rd Edition, February 2023.

Selected Speaking Engagements

“Structuring an Acquisition,” NCEO Fall ESOP Forum, Salt Lake City, UT, September 17, 2019
“Strategic Alternatives for Minority ESOPs,” panelist, NCEO 2019 Employee Ownership Conference, Pittsburgh, PA, April 10, 2019
“Growing Your ESOP Through Acquisitions,” The ESOP Association’s Southwest Chapter Annual Spring Conference and Awards Luncheon, Grapevine, TX, March 29, 2019
“Passing the Torch: The Pros and Cons of Succession, Sale and Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs) for Effective Business Continuation,” Pennsylvania Center for Employee Ownership Event at St. Joseph’s University’s Haub School of Business, Philadelphia, PA, July 20, 2017
“Utilizing ESOPs for Tax Efficient Liquidity,” Financial Planning Association of Dallas/Fort Worth Chapter Meeting, Dallas, TX, June 6, 2017
“ESOP Company Growth by Acquisition,” NCEO 2017 Employee Ownership Conference, Denver, CO, April 4-6, 2017
“Proposed Tax Law Changes Under the New Administration and Their Impact on Shareholder Liquidity, Mergers & Acquisitions, ESOPs and other Business Transition Strategies,” 2017 South Central Pennsylvania Vistage Executive Summit, Reading, PA, March 23, 2017
“ESOP Advantages in Acquisitions,” Multi-State ESOP Conference, Wilkes-Barre, PA, September 27, 2016
“Evaluating Offers to ESOP Companies,” National Center for Employee Ownership’s Employee Ownership Conference, Minneapolis, MN, April 22, 2016

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Advisor Type: M&A Advisor
Website:
https://www.sesesop.com
Phone: (817) 566-1013
City: Fort Worth
State: Texas
Postal Code: 76107
Country: United States
Designations: CEPA, TX Bar, PA Bar, CPA (non-practicing), CFP, FINRA Series 7, 66 and 69 Registered Representative, CEPA
Markets Served:
Company Name: SES ESOP Strategies

Articles

Books/eBooks

PDF/Download

Whitepaper

Issue One: The Annual Exit Magazine

The Annual Exit is a valuable resource for professionals in the exit planni..

Infographic

Know Your Gaps

Three numbers every business owner should know and manage to meet their goa..

Phase 1 Stage 1: The Value Maturity Index - Identifying Value

Materials to use within the Value Maturity Index: Identifying Value portion..

Whitepaper

The Impact of Unplanned Consequences on Business Value Whitepaper

Learn how professional advisors help mitigate the risks associates with the..

Infographic

Securian Approved Content

UBS Approved Content

Merrill Approved Content

MassMutual Approved Content

The Value Acceleration Methodology

Download to utilize in your exit planning education or training with owners..

Whitepaper

120-Day CEPA Playbook: Download the Playbook

For a new CEPA, following the 120-day CEPA Playbook will be a critical piec..

Brochure

2022 Colorado State of Owner Readiness Quick Look Brochure

Review the most notable statistics and findings from the 2022 Colorado Stat..

PDF/Download

UBS Approved Content

2022 Colorado State of Owner Readiness Report

Download the 2022 Colorado State of Owner Readiness Report to see where Col..

PDF/Download

2023 National State of Owner Readiness Report

Download the 2023 National State of Owner Readiness Report to see where Uni..

Videos/Recordings

2024 Webinar Series

Join us as EPI interviews our 2024 speakers about their experiences.

Videos/Recordings

2025 Webinar Series

Join us as EPI interviews our 2025 speakers about their experiences.

5-4-3-2-1 Whitepaper

This whitepaper takes the Value Acceleration Methodology and breaks it into..

Whitepaper

5-4-3-2-1 Whitepaper

This whitepaper breaks the Value Acceleration Methodology into 5 easy conce..

Whitepaper

PDF/Download

A Look Inside The Unique World of - Value Creation Whitepaper

EPI interviewed 13 Value Advisors within the Exit Planning Community to lea..

Case Study

A Look Into Pressure Solutions Inc.: An Exit Planning Case Study

Download the sample case study to use with business owner clients or in wor..

Courses

Access My Courses

Navigate to your purchased EPI Academy content.

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Whitepaper

Best-In-Class Whitepaper

At Exit Planning Institute® (EPI), being best-in-class is a deliberate choi..

Case Study

Case Study: Human Capital, The Exit Planning Institute

How Exit Planning Institute focused on improving their Human Capital.

Case Study: The Value of Transitioning a Business to its Employees

Learn more about Happy Earth Cleaning’s transition from LLC to Co-operative..

Case Study

Case Study: The Value of Transitioning a Business to its Employees

A case study to help owner's determine the best course of action for their ..

Case Study

UBS Approved Content

Case Study: Value Acceleration

Learn more about value acceleration by downloading the case study which giv..

Infographic

PDF/Download

CEPA Development Scorecard

Track your progress and growth by completing the CEPA Development Scorecard..

View details and resources for your upcoming CEPA program.

Logos/Branding

Chapter Logos

Download your Chapter's logo to use in marketing or business development in..

Infographic

Decentralizing the Business Owner

Do you know the risks in with a business that is completely dependent on th..

Infographic

UBS Approved Content

Decentralizing the Business Owner

Do you know the risks in with a business that is completely dependent on th..

Template

Email Marketing Templates

Sample templated emails to begin to educate owners and advisors and build y..

PDF/Download

EPI Chapter President Circle Meeting Notes

Meeting minutes from previous Chapter President Circle Meetings can be foun..

Case Study

Exit as a Business Strategy: A Collection of Case Studies from Advisors and Owners

When deciding to exit their business, an owner has several internal and ext..

First Steps

The first steps after earning your CEPA designation.

Infographic

Five Stages of Value Maturity Infographic

An in-depth look at the Five Stages of Value Maturity

Infographic

Five Stages of Value Maturity Infographic

An in-depth look at the Five Stages of Value Maturity

Whitepaper

UBS Approved Content

From Successful to Significant

The framework for a high value business transition.

Merrill Approved Content

From Successful to Significant Whitepaper

Business, Personal, Financial: A Holistic Approach to High-Value Transition..

Infographic

PDF/Download

Infographic: Beyond CEPA Path

The Beyond CEPA Roadmap is designed to provide Certified Exit Planning Advi..

Infographic

Infographic: Decentralizing the Business Owner

See the importance of decentralizing the owner and ensuring the business ru..

Infographic

Infographic: Five Stages of Value Maturity

The Five Stages of Value Maturity impact the growth and ultimate sale of a ..

Infographic

Merrill Approved Content

MassMutual Approved Content

Infographic: The 5 D's

Educate an owner on the ways they may be forced out of their business due t..

Infographic

Infographic: Who Has a Seat at the Table

Understand the key members on your exit planning team and the roles they pl..

Articles

Books/eBooks

PDF/Download

Whitepaper

Issue One: The Annual Exit Magazine

The Annual Exit is a valuable resource for professionals in the exit planni..

Infographic

Know Your Gaps

Three numbers every business owner should know and manage to meet their goa..

Phase 1 Stage 1: The Value Maturity Index - Identifying Value

Materials to use within the Value Maturity Index: Identifying Value portion..

Whitepaper

The Impact of Unplanned Consequences on Business Value Whitepaper

Learn how professional advisors help mitigate the risks associates with the..

Infographic

Securian Approved Content

UBS Approved Content

Merrill Approved Content

MassMutual Approved Content

The Value Acceleration Methodology

Download to utilize in your exit planning education or training with owners..

Whitepaper

120-Day CEPA Playbook: Download the Playbook

For a new CEPA, following the 120-day CEPA Playbook will be a critical piec..

Brochure

2022 Colorado State of Owner Readiness Quick Look Brochure

Review the most notable statistics and findings from the 2022 Colorado Stat..

PDF/Download

UBS Approved Content

2022 Colorado State of Owner Readiness Report

Download the 2022 Colorado State of Owner Readiness Report to see where Col..

PDF/Download

2023 National State of Owner Readiness Report

Download the 2023 National State of Owner Readiness Report to see where Uni..

Videos/Recordings

2024 Webinar Series

Join us as EPI interviews our 2024 speakers about their experiences.

Videos/Recordings

2025 Webinar Series

Join us as EPI interviews our 2025 speakers about their experiences.

Learn About CEPA

Select a Course Category

Events

Chapters

Resources

MARK RUSSELL

Selected Publications

Selected Speaking Engagements

Selected Publications

Selected Speaking Engagements

MARK RUSSELL

Issue One: The Annual Exit Magazine

Know Your Gaps

Phase 1 Stage 1: The Value Maturity Index - Identifying Value

The Impact of Unplanned Consequences on Business Value Whitepaper

The Value Acceleration Methodology

Top Questions To Ask Your Business Owner's Advisors

120-Day CEPA Playbook: Download the Playbook

2022 Colorado State of Owner Readiness Quick Look Brochure

2022 Colorado State of Owner Readiness Report

2023 National State of Owner Readiness Report

2024 Webinar Series

2025 Webinar Series

5-4-3-2-1 Whitepaper

5-4-3-2-1 Whitepaper

A Look Inside The Unique World of - Value Creation Whitepaper

A Look Into Pressure Solutions Inc.: An Exit Planning Case Study

Access My Courses

Best-In-Class Whitepaper

Beyond CEPA Roadmap

Business Attractiveness Scorecard

Case Study: A Framework To Build Value In Your Business

Case Study: CEPA and CPAs

Case Study: CEPA and EOS

Case Study: CEPA and M&A

Case Study: How to Strategically Build Transferrable Value

Case Study: How To Utilize Your CEPA Credentials In A National Wealth Management Firm

Case Study: Human Capital, The Exit Planning Institute

Case Study: The Value of Transitioning a Business to its Employees

Case Study: The Value of Transitioning a Business to its Employees

Case Study: Value Acceleration

CEPA Development Scorecard

CEPA: 2024 APR | Online

CEPA: 2024 AUG | Online

CEPA: 2024 FEB | Online

CEPA: 2024 JAN | Online

CEPA: 2024 JUL | Online

CEPA: 2024 JUN | Online

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CEPA: 2024 MAY | Online

CEPA: 2024 OCT | Online

CEPA: 2024 SEP | Online

Chapter Logos

Decentralizing the Business Owner

Decentralizing the Business Owner

Email Marketing Templates

EPI Chapter President Circle Meeting Notes

Exit as a Business Strategy: A Collection of Case Studies from Advisors and Owners

First Steps

Five Stages of Value Maturity Infographic

Five Stages of Value Maturity Infographic

From Successful to Significant

From Successful to Significant Whitepaper

Infographic: Beyond CEPA Path

Infographic: Decentralizing the Business Owner

Infographic: Five Stages of Value Maturity

Infographic: The 5 D's

Infographic: Who Has a Seat at the Table

Issue One: The Annual Exit Magazine

Know Your Gaps

Phase 1 Stage 1: The Value Maturity Index - Identifying Value

The Impact of Unplanned Consequences on Business Value Whitepaper

The Value Acceleration Methodology

Top Questions To Ask Your Business Owner's Advisors

120-Day CEPA Playbook: Download the Playbook

2022 Colorado State of Owner Readiness Quick Look Brochure

2022 Colorado State of Owner Readiness Report

2023 National State of Owner Readiness Report

2024 Webinar Series

2025 Webinar Series