2022 Worker Co-op Conf

Sept 9-10, 2022 – Philadelphia, PA

We are focusing on what we’ve missed so much: in-person connection, innovative strategy, collective learning, and celebration!

The first day will include informal convenings, an outdoor table fair with a rally with elected representatives, and our Fall Member Meeting. Daylong workshops will take up most of the second day, and the conference will end with an outdoor party, featuring our Worker Co-op Awards ceremony.

This year, each participant can sign up for one day-long track to allow for deeper strategic discussion focused on one topic. These day-long tracks center participatory learning and discovery and encourage small cohort gatherings to minimize COVID exposure & build relationships for a stronger worker co-op movement.

Click HERE for more information.

Click HERE to register.

2022 Cooperative IMPACT Conf

Oct 5-6, 2022 – Washington, DC

NCBA CLUSA’s 5th Annual Cooperative IMPACT Conference will be held October 5-6, 2022. This year’s conference will be hybrid, with virtual programming and live, in-person sessions at the National Press Club in Washington, DC.*

Under the theme “Forward, Together,” IMPACT 2022 will challenge the cooperative community to come together and capture a generational opportunity: applying the lessons we’ve learned from the past two exceptional years to our work as we move forward.

Click HERE for more information.

Click HERE to register.

Building Community Wealth through Cooperation

Oct 28-29, 2022 – Indianapolis, IN
This is a conference dedicated to sharing successful strategies for rebuilding the economy in a way that benefits the 99%. Become part of the growing movement of individuals and grassroots organizations that are collaborating on community-based solutions in areas of housing, food, workplace, and finance.

This a hybrid event with in-person and virtual options Friday, Oct 28 and Oct 29 (morning sessions).

There is no charge to attend, but registration is required.

Masks required for all in-person attendees. Free N-95 masks will be available at the door.

Schedule of Events (all times are Eastern):

Friday, October 28

16 Park Community Bldg (Old School 27)
546 East 17th St., Indianapolis

4:00pm-5:00pm  Registration
5:00pm-6:00pm  Keynote Address – “Where do we go from here?”  Dr. Jessica Gordon Nembhard

Dr. Gordon Nembhard is a political economist specializing in solidarity economy, community economics, black political economy, and popular economic literacy. Her research and publications explore the African American community through the lens of cooperative economic development, worker ownership, wealth inequality, and community-based asset building and approaches to justice.

Her magnum opus, Collective Courage: A History of African American Cooperative Economic Thought and Practice, takes an in-depth look into the socialized approaches of our predecessors.

6:00pm-7:00pm   Community Reception

Click HERE to register for Friday.

Saturday, October 29

P30
3039 N. Post Road, Indianapolis

8:30am-9:00am     Registration
9:00am-10:15am    Housing Co-ops and Land trusts – Vernon Oakes

Vernon Oakes hosts the leading weekly national radio program for the U.S. cooperative community. He is General Partner in Everything. Coop Communications, LLC, a media company that promotes cooperative business models by providing education and resources specifically for under resourced Americans and their communities. He became familiar with cooperative business models as a residential property management company owner and has more than 40 years of experience in property and asset management.

10:15am-10:30am   Break

10:30am-12:00pm  Grocery models: Food Co-ops, non-profit models – Amaha Sellassie, Gem City Market

Amaha Sellassie is director of the Center for Applied Social Issues and an assistant professor of Sociology at Sinclair Community College.  A lifelong community organizer, Amaha currently serves as president of the Gem City Market Board, co-founder of West Dayton Strong, a STEAM based summer and afterschool program in public housing. He is also a community based participatory researcher focused on health equity and bringing the marginalized voice to the center of public policy.

12:00pm-1:00pm    Lunch

1:00pm-1:30pm      Remaking the Economy Through Cooperatives and Worker Ownership with Jamila Medley

Jamila Medley leverages her background in organizational development to move organizations towards transformational change. She supports organizations with board governance, resource mobilization, leadership development, strategic planning, project management, as well as diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts.

1:30pm-3:00pm      Break out Discussion Groups

3:00pm-3:30pm      Discussion Group Reports

3:30pm-3:45pm       Closing

3:45pm-5:00pm       Social Gathering

Click HERE to register for Saturday.

Presented by: Indiana Cooperative Development Center, Kheprw Institute, The Indianapolis Recorder, P30 and Midtown Indy.

Economic Recovery and Employee Ownership Conference

Nov. 2
9:00am-2:45pm (Eastern time)
This is a virtual conference. There is no charge to attend, but registration is required.
Click HERE to register.

What is employee ownership? It can take many forms, but the two most common forms of employee ownership in the US are the worker co-op model and the employee stock ownership plan (ESOP).

As our cities continue to recover from the economic impact of the pandemic, supporting the transition of companies to employee-owned businesses can help save small businesses and support economic resiliency.

Agenda:

9:00 AM – Welcome

9:00-9:30 AM – Keynote Presentation – Chris Cooper, Ohio Employee Ownership Center (OEOC)

Chris Cooper is the Director of the Ohio Employee Ownership Center (OEOC) at Kent State University. In his 20-plus years at the OEOC, he has done almost everything at one point or another, but now focuses primarily on ownership culture education and coordinating Ohio’s Employee-Owned Network; working with business owners on succession planning and sales to employees; and business development and employee-owned start-ups. Prior to joining the Center, he spent over 15 years working in various capacities in small, family-owned, and closely-held businesses in the hospitality and foodservice industries; he was a substitute teacher with the Kent City Schools; worked at SEIU Local 47 in Cleveland, OH; and is a graduate of Kent State’s Political Science program.

9:30-10:00 AM – SBA Conversion Resources – Eric Armacost, U.S. Small Business Administration

Since joining the SBA as a Lender Relations Specialist in October 2012, Eric Armacost, Lead Lender Relations Specialist and District International Trade Officer, has enjoyed building and growing relationships with lending institutions and providing technical assistance and training to borrowers, lenders, and resource partners. Eric brings more than twenty years of banking and financial services experience and expertise to the SBA and calls on the skills he gained at Merrill Lynch, JP Morgan and the US Navy to provide an outstanding client experience.

10:00-10:45 AM – Legal Considerations – Fenton Strickland, Kreig DeVault; Robyn Zoccola, ParrRichey
The Conversion Process

Fenton Strickland is a Senior Attorney in Krieg DeVault’s Employee Benefits Group.  He focuses his practice on employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs) and ESOP transactions and advises clients on all matters of retirement plans, incentive plans, and executive compensation.  Mr. Strickland represents ESOP trustees, companies, boards of directors, banks, and selling shareholders across the country in ESOP transactions, ESOP plan design and implementation, and ESOP administration and governance.  He has represented companies and trustees in purchases and sales of business in dozens of transactions and is a frequent speaker on a wide range of topics regarding ESOPs.

Robyn Zoccola joined Parr Richey Frandsen Patterson Kruse, LLP as an Associate Attorney in 2022. She concentrates her practice in utility and business law. Robyn has been involved in a variety of projects for the firm’s cooperative clients and has enjoyed learning about the cooperative model throughout her time at the firm.

10:45-11:00 AM – Break

11:00 AM-12:00 PM – Business Valuation – Brad Minor, Blue & Co; Shawwn Storms, Blue & Co.
What is My Business Worth?

Brad Minor started with Blue in 1989 with a degree in business (accounting major) from Indiana University. Brad began performing business valuations in 1990. He is a Certified Valuation Analyst (CVA) and an Accredited Senior Appraiser (ASA) – Business Valuation member of the American Society of Appraisers. Additionally, he is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and has earned the AICPA’s specialty designations for business valuators (ABV) and forensic accountants (CFF). He is also a Certified Machinery and Equipment Appraiser (CMEA) member of the National Equipment and Business Brokers Association. Brad was elected to Director in 2008 and has overseen the firm’s Valuation and Financial Forensics Group since 1999. He performs business valuations, assists with real estate and machinery & equipment appraisals, and has supported attorneys and clients in various areas of litigation.

Shawwn Storms is a 1991 graduate of Indiana University in Bloomington where he majored in Accounting. He received his CPA license in 1995. Shawwn holds memberships in the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Indiana CPA Society and Institute of Internal Auditors. Shawwn’s introduction to ESOPs came in 2014 when he began working with Tom Potts in an advisor and support role. Since then, he has been involved in numerous ESOP transactions and ongoing ESOP engagements. He has assisted with the design, implementation and monitoring of ESOP transactions and ongoing Trustee services.

12:00-12:30 PM Lunch

12:30-1:30 PM – Governance – Chris Cooper, Ohio Center for Employee Ownership
Who Does What in an Employee Owned Company?

1:30-2:30 PM – Panel Discussion – Adam Rupp (Midwest Mole); Chris Fredericks (Empowered Ventures); Ole Olson (Isthmus Engineering & Mfg)

2:30-2:45 PM – Wrap up

Hosted by the Indiana Cooperative Development Center and the Indiana Center for Employee Ownership.