Part 1: Employee Ownership Basics for Business Owners & Advisors

This program is the first of a 3-part series (Built to Last: Exploring Employee Ownership as a Business & Succession Strategy) designed to provide business owners, executives, advisors, and students with a comprehensive introduction to employee ownership (EO) and its role in business succession, growth, and long-term value creation. The event is structured in two parts, combining expert insight with real-world perspectives from employee-owned companies and industry professionals.

The program begins with a keynote presentation by Kevin McPhillips, a nationally recognized advocate for employee ownership and representative of The Baker Project at Rutgers University and the PA Center of Employee Ownership.

Drawing from more than 30 years of leadership experience in both the for-profit and nonprofit sectors, Kevin will provide an overview of employee ownership models, explore the business case for EO, and discuss how ownership structures can help companies address succession planning, employee engagement, and long-term sustainability. As a former business owner, CEO, and entrepreneur, he brings practical insight into why employee ownership can be a powerful strategy for preserving and growing successful companies.

Following the keynote, attendees will hear from a distinguished panel of employee ownership practitioners, company leaders, and advisors moderated by Fisher alumnus Ray Isaac, Executive Vice President of Industry Relations for Northwinds Services Group and a respected business leader with decades of experience in family-owned business growth and succession.

The panel will feature perspectives from:

• Ryanne Close, Financial Controller & ESOP Administrator, G.W. Lisk Company, Inc. (St. John Fisher University alumna)
• Mark Esposito, President, Campus Construction Management Group
• Robyn Brookhart, President & CEO, Liberty Pumps
• Pat Farrington, President, Vance Metals
• Paul Fusco, Employee Ownership Attorney and Shareholder, Stevens & Lee
• Dr. Hugh Lambert, CPA, PhD, Assistant Professor, St. John Fisher University and expert in valuation, succession planning, and privately held business continuity

Panelists will discuss the practical realities of employee ownership, including implementation, governance, valuation, legal considerations, succession planning, and the impact of employee ownership on company culture and performance. Through their diverse experiences, attendees will gain firsthand insight into the opportunities and challenges associated with employee-owned enterprises.

Together, these two sessions will provide attendees with both a foundational understanding of employee ownership and practical perspectives from leaders and advisors who have successfully navigated the employee ownership journey.

Tickets are $50 per person, per session or $100 for all three sessions (more details below).

Part 2: Performance & People - Leading and Innovating in an Employee-Owned Business

4:00 - 7:00 PM on Tuesday, December 8

St. John Fisher University | 3690 East Avenue, Rochester, NY 14618

Part 3: From Interest to Action - Employee Ownership Seems of Interest - Let's Talk About the Process and Roadmap

4:00 - 7:00 PM on Thursday, January 21

Nixon Peabody, LLP | 211 High Point Drive, Victor, NY 14564

The events are made possible through the support of Cardinal Sponsor Key Private Bank and series sponsors Rutgers School of Management and Labor Relations, the NJ/NY Center for Employee Ownership, The Baker Project, EO/ROC and Nixon Peabody, LLP.

For more information, visit the Family Business website or call the Office of the Dean of the School of Business at (585) 385-8446. Learn more about St. John Fisher University at www.sjf.edu.

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St. John Fisher University, 3690 East Avenue, Rochester, United States

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