8:30am – REGISTRATION & EARLY NETWORKING

Location: Main Ballroom
Coffee and continental breakfast provided

 

9:00am – WELCOME & INTRODUCTIONS

Location: Main Ballroom
Mark Adams, Sebago Technics & Danielle Moody, Moody’s Co-Worker Owned

 

9:10am – Sponsor Presentation

 

9:30am – KEYNOTE PRESENTATION

Location: Main Ballroom

"Maine Economic Outlook: A Positive Path Forward"
(MIT Research on Maine's Economy) Speakers: Amanda Rector

Presenting MIT research findings on Maine's economic landscape with a focus on opportunities and realistic growth strategies. This session will explore Maine's competitive advantages, workforce development initiatives, and how ESOPs can play a crucial role in the state's economic future.

 

10:30am – 11:15am SESSION I

 

Leadership Track - GREAT FALLS VIEW ROOM

"Cultivating the Next Generation of Leaders"
(Leadership development panel)

Systems Engineering; Benjamin Schlosser, Revision Energy

• Identifying and developing emerging leaders within ESOPs

• Succession planning strategies for employee-owned companies

• Creating leadership pathways that align with ESOP culture

• Mentorship programs and leadership training best practices

 

Technical Track - MILLPOND ROOM

"Sustainability: Under the Hood of Repurchase Obligations"
(Advanced technical session)

Jeannine Pendergast, Spinnaker Trust and Ryan Graham, Chartwell 

• Deep dive into repurchase obligation studies and outputs

• Before and after analysis: how decisions are made

• Plan design flexibility and ability to modify plans

• Long-term sustainability planning and cash flow management

 

Communications Track - CANAL ROOM

"Marketing the ESOP to New Hires: Timing and Strategy"

Dave Vasconcelos, Ed McKersie, ProSearch

• When to introduce ESOP concepts in the hiring process

• Pre-hire vs. post-hire ESOP education strategies

• Attracting qualified candidates with employee ownership

• Best practices for initial ESOP presentations

 

11:20am – 12:05pm SESSION II

 

Leadership Track - GREAT FALLS VIEW ROOM

"Managing and Leading Through Challenging Times"
(Crisis leadership workshop)

Lynne Kelly, Mainely Tubs; Angela Gillespie, Howell Labs; Jessica Browne, Mainely Therapy

• Leadership strategies during economic uncertainty

• Maintaining ESOP culture during difficult periods

• Communication strategies for challenging news

• Building resilience in leadership teams

 

Technical Track - MILLPOND ROOM

"Valuations: How Employees Impact Company Value"
(Employee ownership and valuation analysis)

Kylie Mason, Sebago Technics; Seth Webber, Berry Dunn

• The connection between employee engagement and company valuation

• Measuring and demonstrating employee ownership impact

• Value creation through ESOP culture and productivity

• Case studies of value enhancement through employee ownership

 

Communications Track - CANAL ROOM

"Maine Ideas, In the Fast Lane"
(Lightning round of ideas from ESOP companies)

Ericca Young, Howell Laboratories; Jenn Broad, Lanco

• October is ESOP Month

• Ideas for events at work

• Communicating events and challenges

• How to gauge if events were well received

 

12:10pm – 1:00pm LUNCH & NETWORKING

Location: Main Ballroom
(Networking with vendors and peer connections)

 

12:55pm – Sponsor Presentation

 

1:15pm – 2:00pm SESSION III

 

Leadership Track - GREAT FALLS VIEW ROOM

"Living Company Values & Accountability"
(Values-based leadership session)

Priscilla Mahoney, Blazing Trails Coaching

• Defining and communicating core company values

• Holding people accountable to stated values

• Leading by example in employee-owned companies

• Creating accountability systems that support ESOP culture

 

Technical Track - MILLPOND ROOM

"Risk Management: Cybersecurity & Disaster Recovery"
(Insurance and security focus)

Systems Engineering, Allen Insurance & Financial

• Cybersecurity policies and insurance considerations

• Disaster recovery planning for ESOPs

• Protecting employee data and company assets

• Proactive risk management strategies

 

Communications Track - CANAL ROOM

"Financial Literacy & Retirement Communication"
Nate Moody, Lebel & Harriman

• Communicating the importance of 401k participation

• KPI education and financial transparency

• Retirement package value communication

• Making complex financial concepts accessible to all employees

 

2:05pm – CLOSING REMARKS & VENDOR RAFFLES

Location: Main Ballroom