Service Provider Directory

Employee Ownership Expansion Network (EOX)

Arlington, VA

EOX is the nation’s only nonprofit focused on building awareness and engaging local communities around all forms of employee ownership at the state and national levels via a network of State Centers for Employee Ownership. Our passion for expanding employee ownership is rooted in its transformative power to increase community wealth, strengthen businesses and create a more vibrant, participatory economy. We envision an America where employee ownership transforms the economy, strengthens communities, creates greater wealth equality, and enables business owners and employees to be co-creators of their economic future

Project Equity

Oakland, CA

Founded in 2014, we help businesses transition to employee ownership, securing liquidity and a fair sale price for the owner while helping employees build equity and a solid career path. We conduct in-depth regional data studies that analyze business and workforce numbers to help communities retain jobs and address long-standing wealth inequalities that can hold local economies back. We also work with other leaders in the field to advance policies and practices that scale employee ownership across the nation.

Co-op Cincy nurtures a resilient, integrated network of worker-owned businesses in the Greater Cincinnati region. Our goal: to create an economy that works for all.

The Ohio Employee Ownership Center, a non-profit outreach center of Kent State University, supports the development of business across Ohio and around the world by its efforts that are proven to save jobs, create wealth, and grow the economy. The OEOC’s work rests on a simple philosophy: broader ownership of productive assets is a good thing for employees, communities, and our country. The OEOC provides technical assistance, training, & outreach to the business community in 4 major areas: To business owners looking to exit their business; To owners interested in selling their business to their employees; To employee groups, local governments, and community groups seeking to avoid business shutdowns and job loss in their communities; To existing employee-owned companies, designed to help them be better employee-owned companies.

Kreischer Miller

Horsham, PA

Kreischer Miller is a leading independent accounting, tax, and advisory firm serving the Greater Philadelphia and Lehigh Valley areas. We've built our firm to respond to the unique needs of private companies, helping them smoothly transition through growth phases, business cycles, and ownership changes. The companies we work with quickly adapt and respond to changing market opportunities and challenges. That's why our focus is on being responsive, decisive, and forward-thinking. We're up to the challenge - always looking at the road ahead, not in the rear-view mirror.

The Pennsylvania Center for Employee Ownership (PaCEO) promotes better understanding of the values of employee ownership among business leaders, public officials, employees, members of the media, students, teachers, nonprofit leaders, consumers, and other persons and organizations in Pennsylvania. The PaCEO has a single focus – to assist businesses in the State of Pennsylvania in understanding employee ownership and its benefits. We lend guidance by educating interested parties and by supplying a listing of subject matter experts who have become known to us through their expertise and working support of our organization, and who have demonstrated extensive experience in working with ESOP clients.

SES ESOP Strategies

Bala Cynwyd, PA

SES ESOP Strategies is a national ESOP firm that combines the expertise of ESOP consulting, financial, investment banking and legal professionals to assist companies in creating and maintaining successful, sustainable employee ownership results throughout the entire ESOP lifecycle. We balance the needs of owners, managers, the company and its employees to ensure long-term corporate sustainability with substantial employee ownership. As the preeminent ESOP consulting company providing services to companies in all stages of employee ownership, SES ESOP Strategies takes a uniquely strategic and responsible approach that maximizes value for owners, their companies and their employees. With guidance from our ESOP consultants and attorneys, who work for our affiliated firm, Stevens & Lee, PC, an ESOP can support a succession strategy and ownership transition that delivers sustainable benefits to all stakeholders. Our cross-disciplinary approach integrates legal, finance, banking, tax and ERISA expertise, allowing SES ESOP Strategies to deliver a full range of ESOP consulting, design, legal and financial services.

Kleinbard LLC

Philadelphia, PA

Kleinbard attorneys advise corporations, shareholders, directors and employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) trustees on a wide variety of ESOP-related issues. Kleinbard's ESOP team is led by Mary Beth Gray and Chris Wingard, who together have completed hundreds of ESOP and other strategic transactions for middle market corporate clients across a wide range of industries, including engineering, manufacturing, construction and professional services. Contact Kleinbard to learn how their team of trusted advisors can provide guidance regarding corporate governance, business succession planning, ESOP plan design and ongoing ESOP compliance.

Stevens & Lee

Reading, PA

Among the 250 largest law firms in the country, Stevens & Lee is a full-service law firm with 200 lawyers serving clients from 15 offices. Our lawyers provide strategic and practical legal counsel at both the regional and national levels, and remain dedicated to solving clients’ most complex problems and delivering an exceptional client experience. Stevens & Lee is the cornerstone of The Stevens & Lee Companies, a platform of affiliated professional service firms which provides a full range of legal, investment banking, financial advisory, insurance risk management, public affairs and government consulting services.

Cargas Systems

Lancaster, PA

Cargas Systems is an employee-owned software development company headquartered in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The company was founded by Chip Cargas in 1988 who used the Macintosh SE computer and a dot matrix printer, state-of-the-art technology for its time. The company’s founding mission was to help businesses use computers effectively. Today, Cargas  offers ERP and CRM software from Microsoft, Sage, and Salesforce, as well as custom-developed solutions. Cargas sells the software, sets it up, teaches customers how to use it, and helps them adapt it as their needs change over time. Cargas’ products streamline processes in accounting, supply chain management, sales, and marketing. In 1998, company founder, Chip Cargas, began selling the company to his employees when he implemented an Employee Stock Ownership Plan. The ownership culture at Cargas is built on teamwork, customer care, and shared success. Being an employee-owned company allows employees to share in the financial success of the company. This creates a rewarding, team-oriented environment that will help the company remain viable in the future.  Employee ownership uniquely motivates employees because they have a financial stake in their client’s successes. They are dedicated to providing high quality solutions and an exceptional customer experience. The communities in which Cargas serves, also benefit because of their ownership structure. Employee ownership uplifts local communities and economies. 

HB Global is a near-100% employee-owned company based in Harrisburg, PA that provides HVAC, plumbing, and electrical services. HB Global has pursued an aggressive acquisition strategy — which has driven nearly eightfold growth in revenue since the company started its Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) in 2010 — while making considerable investments in its growing workforce of [LOCKED_ICON] Bassett McClure founded HB McClure in 1914, and in 1931 the company established its headquarters in Harrisburg. A year later, two inventors pioneered an individual room air conditioner that could sit on a window ledge, and HB McClure soon after entered the air conditioning business. By the 1980s, the company had expanded to commercial HVAC [LOCKED_ICON] 2008, with the Great Recession looming, Bob Whalen took over as the company’s new owner from its third generation of family ownership and became President and CEO. Soon after becoming the new owner, Whalen identified ESOPs as an effective tax-advantaged strategy to ensure the company’s long-term stability. After gaining the support of the board of directors, he sold the company back to the employees in 2010 in the ESOP [LOCKED_ICON] company then embarked on a growth strategy that included 19 acquisitions between 2011 and 2020, and it established HB Global, LLC in 2017 as the holding company for the new divisions.“When we started the ESOP, we were all within about 45 miles of Harrisburg,” Whalen said in a recent interview. “Today we have eight divisions spanning nine states and the U.S. Virgin Islands. We are now doing work across the Southeast, Mid-Atlantic, and New England regions as well as Arizona.”Acquisitions have helped the company diversify its clients across industries, including large contracts with government, life sciences, healthcare, and convention centers. Between 2010 and 2020, the company’s revenue surged from $25 million to $275 million, and it plans to become a perennial billion-dollar company within the next [LOCKED_ICON] acquisitions of existing companies have not meant cutting staff. “A big part of what private equity does is they find synergies, which is code for reducing headcount. We do none of that,” Whalen said. “Our strategy is to grow these businesses and create value for our employee-owners, it’s not to shrink them.”HB Global employs over 1,700 individuals, most of whom are now employee-owners who become eligible after one year of service. Since it created the ESOP, the company has generated over $87 million in retirement savings for employee-owners. For the average field technician who has been with the company since it became employee-owned a decade ago, their ESOP account has generated more than $203,000 in retirement savings, driven in part by the company’s 12% contribution of annual compensation to ESOP accounts. (The current average U.S. net worth at retirement age is $213,000.) Whalen has a strong belief that every business has an obligation to build wealth for their employees through retirement savings, with employees at all levels sharing in the success or failure of the company.“Our intent is for this structure to go on for multiple generations and to continue to thrive,” Whalen said. “That doesn’t happen in three years or five years. It certainly doesn’t happen on a quarterly basis. Everything we’re doing is really a multi-generational project.”

ComStock AdvisorsComStock Advisors develops creative solutions for private companies focused on a wide array of strategic initiatives. Corporate boards, trustees, business ownersand acquisitive investors rely on us to provide expert advisory and execution [LOCKED_ICON] Transaction…

Whitestone Associates is a niche market investment firm, specializing in the facilitation of acquisitions, divestitures, strategic planning, business development, capital investment and transactional services. We target the lower end of the middle market that proves too small for large investment…

Sunbelt Pittsburgh is part of the Sunbelt Network, the world’s largest business brokerage operation. As part of a successful franchise company with over 30 years of experience in the business brokerage industry, Sunbelt Pittsburgh has the expertise to guide you through the business buying and…

Institute for the Study of Employee Ownership and Profit Sharing at Rutgers School of Management and Labor Relations

Piscataway, NJ

The purpose of the Institute for the Study of Employee Ownership and Profit Sharing is to study the various models that have emerged and will emerge of employee ownership shares and profit shares in the corporation and society of the United States and around the world. The Institute will study approaches that broaden financial participation and inclusion in the economy and business organizations, and allow employees to be fully engaged and share the rewards of their work. The Institute coordinates the University Consortium on Employee Share Ownership, the first international academic network dedicated to fostering collaboration among university-based initiatives and major educational institutions, made possible with funding by the Ford Foundation.

Big Sandy Superstore is your one stop shop for all home furnishing and appliance needs. The company is headquartered in Franklin Furnace, OH. Big Sandy Superstore has been proudly serving customers since 1953 and been ranked as one of the fastest growing home furnishings retailers in the country. The company has 25 retail locations across Kentucky, Ohio, West Virginia, Indiana, Michigan, and Missouri. Employee Owned and Operated – each Big Sandy Superstore employee gains an ownership stake in the company over time. That means buying from Big Sandy Superstore, the money stays in your community and supports local business owners. Big Sandy Superstore gives back in big ways. The company supports numerous local teams and organizations throughout the community. In addition to these local sponsorships, there are three initiatives the company partners with to get veterans and families the home furnishings they need, Homes for Hope, Ashland Build-a-Bed, and Neighborhood Bridges- Ohio.

Onex began in 1966 as a refractory distributor to the local foundries in the Erie, PA area. Then, in the 1980’s, Onex branched out to serve the heat-treating industries by becoming a “one stop shopping” source and a solutions provider for its growing extensive customer base. In 1992, our…, Onex is a 100% employee-owned company in the fabricated metal industry headquartered in Erie, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1966, Onex has over 55 years of experience designing and servicing industrial furnaces across the U.S. with American-made products wherever possible. In 2019, Onex became employee-owned when it established its Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). Having an ownership stake in the company gives Onex employee owners a voice and motivates them to bring their best every day. They take pride in their work and strive to give the best possible customer experience. Employee ownership is evident in their mission to make things better. Onex strives to empower their employee owners, make their customers happy, and help their communities thrive.

CFO Advantage will identify and introduce new ways for you to add to your company’s cash flow, improve business value, and create more time for you, your staff and strategic partners to focus on business success. We provide financial leadership, support and strategies to entrepreneurial organizations.

Valley National Bank (formerly Bank Leumi USA by merger) is a relationship-driven boutique bank with global ties. We’ve been operating in the United States for more than 60 years. Headquartered in New York City, with offices in Chicago, Los Angeles, Palo Alto, Alabama and Florida, we serve the…

World Travel, Inc. is a 100% employee-owned corporate travel management company headquartered in Exton, Pennsylvania. The company was founded in 1983 and has two locations. World Travel focuses primarily on servicing corporate transient, groups and meetings, and leisure [LOCKED_ICON] Travel became employee-owned in 2017 when they implemented an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). Employee ownership reinforces the company's commitment to providing clients with the highest level of service.

Industry: IT services

About LubrizolLubrizol may not be a household name, but chances are good that you'll find Lubrizol products throughout your home…your workplace…anywhere your day takes you. As a company, we strive to be an essential ingredient in our customer's success through collaboration, applied science and…

GBS is a leading technology, marketing, and print manufacturing and services provider. GBS has successfully executed over 20 acquisitions and joint venture partnerships. Since 2005, the company's year-over-year increase in the company's stock price is 23.5% per [LOCKED_ICON] develops innovative software…

Dave Dennis is a 100% employee-owned company in the automotive industry, headquartered in Dayton, Ohio. Dave Dennis Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram delivers a wide selection of vehicles at competitive prices. They also have a robust selection of used and certified pre-owned vehicles from various manufacturers, ensuring options for individuals across the income spectrum. They also have an on-site finance team that is equipped to help their buyers find their chosen care within budget. Dave Dennis dealership’s offer maintenance services to take care of customer’s vehicles in the future. The company also boasts an extensive department specializing in Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram parts and accessories, providing genuine OEM components and Mopar parts. In 2017, Dave Dennis became employee-owned when they implemented an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). Their dedicated team of employee owners are committed to finding the perfect vehicle to suit their customers’ requirements, budget, and lifestyle. As employee owners, they take immense pride in serving the Dayton community not only with top-quality vehicles but with a strong community-oriented approach.

We’re not just making steel. We’re making it smarter. Every day, our customers push the limits of what’s possible – digging deeper, moving faster and reaching further than ever before. We know. We’re pushing those same limits creating stronger, cleaner steel to make our customers’…

Intrust IT is an employee-owned company in the IT industry headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. The company was founded in 1992 by Tim Retting, providing business technology solutions to their customers. For more than three decades, the company has cultivated relationships with and provided technology solutions exclusively to small and medium sized businesses. In 2019, Intrust IT became employee-owned when they established an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). Since transferring ownership to employees, the company has furthered its commitment to their clients. Their employee-owned structure ensures that the company will remain a dependable IT partner to clients for the long-term. The company has also embraced the Great Game of Business (GGOB) to enhance the financial literacy of their team, empowering them to thrive as employee owners. Each team member actively participates in overseeing budget line items, engaging in spirited and in-depth budget discussions during their regular huddles. This unity within their team significantly benefits their clients, as efficiency and effectiveness are ingrained in their ownership culture. This unique business model has not only nurtured a sense of value and belonging among their employees but also contributed to higher employee retention and the ability to attract top talent. In doing so, their clients experience the advantages of enduring partnerships and exceptional support for their IT systems. Moreover, Intrust IT's open-book management approach promotes knowledge sharing, enabling team members to stay updated with the latest advancements in technology, further ensuring the best service for their clients.

Eaton Corporation operates as a power management company primarily in the United States, Canada, Latin America, Europe, and the Asia Pacific. The company provides electrical components and systems for power quality, distribution, and control hydraulics components, systems, and services for…

Drs. Frankel & Puhl, Inc. is a 100% employee-owned dental practice headquartered in Toledo, Ohio. Founded in 1946, the practice serves the community by providing the highest standards of dental care. They provide a comprehensive approach so that patients receive the most aesthetic, minimally invasive, caring, cost effective therapies available. They have since opened a second location in Maumee, Ohio.  In 2020, Drs. Frankel & Puhl, Inc. became the first employee-owned dental practice, when they implemented an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). Employee owners strive to provide positive experiences for their clients while delivering high quality dental care. Employees are encouraged to pursue personal and professional growth opportunities so they are equipped with knowledge about the latest technologies and best practices. The ownership culture at the practice fosters a collaborative and positive work environment.

We leverage a neighborhood trust model to maintain local control of property use and values in perpetuity while using profit to reinvest for the existing community.

Henny Penny Corporation is a 100% employee-owned food service equipment manufacturer headquartered in Eaton, Ohio. The company was founded in 1957 with the first commercial pressure fryer. Henny Penny designs, develops and manufactures a large variety of foodservice equipment with the goal of reliability, ease of use, and low operating [LOCKED_ICON] Penny became employee-owned in 2014 when the company implemented an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). Employee ownership reinforces the company’s commitment to putting people first and creating a culture of trust, accountability and relationships.

Grossman Yanak & Ford LLP

Tarentum, PA

Grossman Yanak & Ford LLP is a regional certified public accounting and consulting firm headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Grossman Yanak & Ford LLP offers a diversity of resources and services built on a foundation of three traditional accounting disciplines – assurance, tax and consulting. Combining diverse technical skills with extensive "hands-on"​ experience, our professionals address varied and complex issues for clients on a daily basis. We pride ourselves on bringing value-added resolution to these issues in a progressive and innovative manner.

Wawa is an employee-owned chain of convenience stores headquartered in Wawa, Pennsylvania. Established in 1803 as an iron foundry in New Jersey, Wawa, Inc., a privately held company, has a rich history that evolved into a renowned convenience retail brand. Presently, Wawa stands as an all-day, every-day destination for fresh, made-to-order foods, beverages, coffee, fuel services, and surcharge-free ATMs. With a network of over 750 convenience retail stores (with more than 500 offering gasoline), Wawa serves customers in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and Central Florida. The stores feature an extensive selection of fresh food services, showcasing Wawa brands, including made-to-order hoagies, freshly brewed coffee, hot breakfast sandwiches, specialty beverages, soups, sides, and [LOCKED_ICON] 1992, Wawa became employee-owned when they implemented an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). Wawa provides associates with a unique opportunity to share in the company's success through the ESOP. With this program, around 13,000 Wawa associates currently enjoy the benefits of their contributions, collectively holding over a 40% ownership stake in the company.

Larson Design Group (LDG) is a 100% employee-owned architectural company headquartered in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Since its founding in 1986, LDG has collaborated with clients across the nation, striving to provide them with responsive and innovative solutions. Their approach involves a variety of capabilities, combined with a steadfast commitment to sustainable business practices. For over three decades, these principles have not only guided their work but also served as the cornerstone for their substantial growth. Today, the team is in a phase of expansion, opening new offices and introducing new [LOCKED_ICON] 2001, Larson Design Group became employee-owned when they implemented an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). LDG  understands that every achievement is a result of the dedication and participation of their employee-owners. The company's ownership culture profoundly influences their decision-making processes and serves as motivation for their teams, which bolsters productivity, enhances employee retention, and plays a pivotal role in shaping the future accomplishments of their organization. Employees are committed to enhancing the quality of life in both their residential areas and the communities they serve. 

A unique, two-story concert & event venue on the Cuyahoga River.

Triple T Transport, Inc. was founded in 1988 by Tom Sanfillipo and John Walker, who built the company on the old-school values of acting with integrity and delivering exceptional service to clients and carriers alike. Over the last 30 years, Triple T has maintained a steady, slow-growth process of expansion, extending the company’s reach and capabilities while remaining small enough to preserve a personal approach to third-party logistics (3PL).With considerable experience and multi-generational ties to the produce industry, Triple T’s focus in the beginning was primarily on the over-the-road transport of produce. Now, our focus has broadened to include brokering a range of freight shipping cargo, including produce, dry goods, refrigerated goods, frozen foods, food packaging, and much more. We have gained a strong reputation in our industry for providing timely, cost-effective transport solutions, specializing in refrigerated [LOCKED_ICON] a freight company and truck broker, we provide a seamless logistics experience to everyone we serve, and we always strive to develop repeat business. Our emphasis on delivering exceptional service drives us to act with integrity in all facets of our operations, especially in every interaction with our clients and carriers. This approach to serving our clients makes us the go-to third-party logistics team for customers throughout the country.

We’ve built Marshall to be a home for realizing your financial future. We provide a welcoming, open-minded environment where you can feel comfortable asking questions, exploring options and planning for what is most important to you. We meet you where you are, regardless of your level of financial knowledge. We listen, learn about your family’s hopes and dreams, and we create plans to mitigate risk, create opportunities and build long-term paths to [LOCKED_ICON] decades of working with entrepreneurs, businesses and families through multiple generations, we’ve developed a holistic “life planning” approach that brings peace of mind to you and your family. We have everything you need under one local roof, a convenient one-stop wealth management shop. Our reports and 24/7 client portal keep you informed and connected, and we’re never more than a phone call or email [LOCKED_ICON] matter what life brings, your Marshall team will be with you—to provide steady, dependable advice you can count on, today and well into the future.

Columbia Chemical Corporation is a 100% employee-owned company in the chemical manufacturing industry headquartered in Brunswick, Ohio. Founded in 1975, Columbia Chemical has been defined by innovative R&D, quality manufacturing, responsive customer service and expert product technical support for over 40 years. Columbia Chemical became employee owned when it established its Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) in 2004. As an employee owned company, Columbia Chemical employee owners have an investment in the company's success. This motivates employees to constantly improve the products and services they offer. Employee owners take pride in their work and that is reflected in the way their employees work with their customers, suppliers, and community. Today, Columbia Chemical supplies their plating chemistries across the US, Canada, Mexico and over 30 countries outside North America through direct sales, distribution partners, and Joint Venture companies. 

P.T. Services Rehabilitation, Inc. is a leading provider of physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech pathology, and athletic training services. P.T. Services began in 1972 with a small group of physical therapists and has grown into a Tiffin-based company with over 250 employees and numerous locations. Our company has been in business for over 45 years and continues to provide excellent service in Ohio through a variety of outpatient clinics, hospitals, long-term care facilities, home health agencies, practitioners, industrial sites, and schools. We have a wealth of experience helping community hospitals improve quality of care while also improving rehab profitability. We go the extra mile, helping hospitals build community loyalty for their hospital. In 2011, P.T. Services made an innovative change from being a privately held company to operating as an ESOP corporation. 

Nicklas Supply is a 100% employee-owned plumbing supplier headquartered in Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania. The company was founded in 1956 by Elmer Nicklas and provides commercial and residential plumbing, kitchen, and bath products. Nicklas Supply became employee-owned in 2019 when they implemented an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). Employee ownership reinforces the company’s commitment to unparalleled customer service. 

AORTA is a worker-owned cooperative devoted to strengthening movements for social justice and a solidarity economy.

Visual Graphic Systems (VGS) is a 100% employee-owned company in the visual communications industry, headquartered in Carlstadt, New Jersey. For over 35 years, VGS has been designing, fabricating, and implementing a wide variety of visual systems. In 2018, VGS became employee-owned when it established its Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). At VGS, people are what makes projects and business relationships magnificent. VGS employee-owners always work with integrity and pride themselves as being nice people. 

Talley Management Group, Inc., (TMG) is an employee-owned association management company headquartered in Mount Royal, New Jersey. Founded in 1987 by Bog and Gregg Talley, TMG offers customized and flexible strategies for association management. Association management firms serve as vital partners in handling the routine administrative and operational aspects of organizational management, allowing associations to channel their efforts into broader strategic initiatives while minimizing the burden of dealing with minutiae. TMG works with over 40 national and global associations providing full association management services, outsourced solutions and consulting services, plus in-person, virtual and hybrid meetings and events services. Its mission is to create stronger communities and human connections to enhance global society. In 2018, Talley Management Group became employee-owned when they established an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). As an employee-owned company, employees benefit when the company is successful. This dynamic aligns incentives across the organization and motivates employees to do their best work. To be successful, the ownership culture at TMG empowers employees to cultivate enduring professional relationships with their clients.

Joy Cone is a 100% employee-owned food production company headquartered in Hermitage, Pennsylvania. The company was founded in 1918 and has been honing their craft of cone baking since. With a legacy spanning over a century, Joy Cone produces one of the finest cones in the market. The company's commitment to delivering top-quality products, complemented by exceptional customer service, has propelled it to be one of the largest ice cream cone manufacturers in the United States. Currently, Joy Cone boasts an annual production capacity exceeding 2 billion cones to customers in the United States and Mexico. Their operating facilities in Arizona, Iowa, and Mexico allow Joy Cone to offer its complete product range, including cake cones, sugar cones, waffle cones, and waffle bowls. In 1992, Joy Cone became employee-owned when they implemented an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). Joy Cone's robust ESOP rewards each eligible employee with shares upon reaching their first anniversary. Annually, employees are granted shares and receive valuation reports, thus enhancing their retirement packages and expanding in tandem with the company's growth. At Joy Cone, a steadfast commitment to personal attention and excellence fuels the transformation of a century of baking wisdom into a foundation for a bright future.

Standard Air & Lite Corporation is a majority employee-owned HVAC wholesale distributor headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The company was founded in 1940 with branches in Erie, PA Export, PA and Shinnston, WV serving both residential and commercial [LOCKED_ICON] Air & Lite Corporation became employee-owned in 1993 when they implemented an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). Employee ownership reinforces the company’s dedication to responsive, knowledgeable, and accurate service.

Touch of Color Flooring is a 100% employee-owned flooring company headquartered in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Brothers, Bill and Joe Hamad, started the company in 2002. Touch of Color Flooring now operates in four major regions in Pennsylvania with a geographic reach of over seven states. Since 2002, the company has expanded to service multiple construction divisions including Builder, Multifamily, Senior Living, Commercial, Retail, and Design. In 2021, Touch of Color Flooring became employee-owned when they implemented an Employee Stock Ownership Plan  (ESOP). Touch of Color Flooring boasts 150 employee owners who are a dedicated team that contributes to the success of the company. When the company is successful, employee owners benefit, as do the communities they serve. The ownership culture at Touch of Color Flooring empowers employees to do their best work while thriving in their career. 

Sunbelt is the world’s largest business brokerage firm with approximately 250 licensed offices located throughout the world. More than 1,400 Sunbelt brokers annually coordinate an estimated 4,000 Main Street and Middle Market business transactions. Sunbelt is the place to go to buy or sell a business! Historically, Sunbelt’s primary focus has been on Main Street business transactions, which we define as businesses with sales of less than $5,000,000. Main Street businesses typically include franchised and non-franchised restaurants, retail stores, professional service firms, small manufacturers and a broad array of other small, privately-held businesses. At any given time, Sunbelt has 10,000 or more Main Street businesses for sale. Many Sunbelt offices are also active in Middle Market transactions, managing both “sell-side” and “buy-side” engagements. We define Middle Market companies as privately-held companies with annual sales of $5,000,000 to $100,000,000. Whether you are interested in buying or selling a business, we invite you to contact us for a confidential, obligation-free conversation.

Exit Planning Institute

Westlake, OH

The Exit Planning Institute (EPI) is an education company. We are powered by a dedicated staff, industry experts, and market leaders, that are passionate about providing top professional advisors the best industry content, ongoing practice support, and owner education resources. From humble beginnings, EPI has grown to become the exit planning market leader while staying focused and true to our mission. We are an education company that certifies and supports more than 5,000 CEPAs (and counting) as well as thousands of advisors worldwide through national, regional, chapter, and virtual education. Explore our history and make plans to play a part in our future.

Midwest Transatlantic Lines, Inc., is a 100% employee-owned company in the freight forwarding and Customs brokerage industries, headquartered in Berea, Ohio. Richard Gareau, a local native of Cleveland, OH started Midwest Transatlantic Lines, Inc. in 1980 with the vision of making Cleveland a strategic hub for cargo moving between Europe and the Midwest. Over Rick’s 41-year career, he has led the company from an office of only a few to the largest independent International Freight operation in [LOCKED_ICON] Transatlantic Lines Inc., became employee-owned in2021 when it established their ESOP. 

Waste Gas Fabricating is a 100% employee-owned manufacturing company headquartered in Fairless Hills, Pennsylvania. Waste Gas Fabricating boasts a storied history in various metalworking disciplines, including press brake metal forming, metal rolling, structural steel fabrication, stainless steel fabrication, fiber laser cutting, and the assembly of custom equipment. The company's origins date back to 1975 when its founder identified a demand for repairing waste gas devices and tackling challenging projects within the steel manufacturing sector. Their state-of-the-art facility, coupled with a fleet of company vehicles, empowers them to offer exceptional custom metal fabrication products at competitive prices. In 2007, Waste Gas Fabricating became employee-owned when it established its Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). As owners, employees at Waste Gas Fabricating benefit when the company is successful. Together, employee owners contribute their ideas and work to contribute to the company’s success. The ownership culture at Waste Gas Fabricating empowers employees to do their best work and provide an exceptional customer experience.

Avail Technologies is an employee-owned software company headquartered in State College, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1999, Avail Technologies  has a mission dedicated to cultivating lifelong customer relationships by delivering exceptional value through a well-rounded portfolio of high-quality products and services. They actively collaborate with their clientele, leveraging their enterprise transit management software to devise customized solutions. In 2009, Avail Technologies became employee-owned when they implemented an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). As an ESOP organization, each employee at Avail Technologies is also an owner, holding a vested interest in the company's success. Employee owners at Avail enjoy a range of benefits, including membership in the Fun, Enjoyable Workplace Crew (F.E.W. Crew). This crew organizes and sponsors various events for employees and their families, such as off-site Christmas parties, cook-offs, and outdoor activities. The company's flexible and relaxed work environment encourages employees to maintain a healthy work-life balance, aligning with the philosophy that they should work diligently and enjoy their time to the [LOCKED_ICON] Certified EO mark symbolizes Avail Technologies' unwavering dedication and passion that permeates every facet of their operations.

Ohio Valley Electrical Services is headquartered in Cincinnati, OH. In 1972 Garfield W Hartman started Garfield Electric which was one of the first merit shops in Cincinnati. 16 years later, in 1988, Garfield Electric shareholders became partners in another contractor, Indecon. The primary market was industrial. Ohio Valley Electric stemmed from these companies and opened their doors in 2002. The team of Ohio Valley Electrical Services has worked together managing some of the largest commercial and industrial projects in the Tri-State area for the past 26 years. Ohio Valley Electric’s projects include Princeton Schools, Proctor and Gamble, DHL, FedEx, Good Samaritan Hospital, Liberty Center, Renaissance Hotels, and [LOCKED_ICON] 2018, Ohio Valley Electric became 100% employee-owned. The company is invested in the relationships with customers and their fellow employees. Ohio Valley Electric Service project managers and estimators work every day to develop a relationship that is built on trust with customers, that's the reason over 68% of our sales comes from existing customers. When Ohio Valley Electrical Service employees step onto the job-site, they are proven and prepared. The customer’s project is Ohio Valley Electrical Services reputation. 

Guttman Holdings is an employee-owned holding company headquartered in Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania. Guttman Holdings is made up of Guttman Energy, Guttman Renewables, and Source One Transportation who are all 100% employee-owned subsidiaries. Guttman Holdings and its subsidiaries offer customers innovative and customized solutions. Source One Transportation is a logistics company that provides safe and efficient deliveries of the petroleum products they sell.  Guttman Renewables markets renewable energy such as ethanol and biodiesel. Guttman Holdings services 30 states throughout the East and South East. In 2022, Guttman Holdings, and its subsidiaries became employee-owned when they established an Employee Stock Ownership Plan. As owners, employees now have a heightened sense of commitment to the company’s  vision, mission, customers, and vendors. Being an employee-owned company provides a motivating and rewarding environment for their dedicated team of owners, who take pride in their work.  Through a shared work ethic, Guttman Holdings employee owners thrive in collaborative and challenging situations. This collective mindset of accountability moves the company forward.