All in the Family & More: Sharing Value in Your Company with Key Employees

Presented by Sean Sullivan, Partner, Waller and James Bristol, Partner, Waller

Make plans now to join the Tennessee Center for Family Business for this complimentary panel discussion.

In today’s challenging marketplace, family-owned businesses must often compete with larger companies and publicly traded corporations to attract and retain key members of their management teams. Increasingly, family business owners are considering the use of equity in lieu of high salaries to reward critical employees and ensure their continuing loyalty.

At this informative program, experienced business professionals will discuss ways to

incent and award key employees who may or may not be family members. Attendees will learn how tools like equity compensation, employee stock ownership plans, stock appreciation rights, buy-sell agreements, transaction bonus plans and others can be used to respond to planned and unplanned occurrences that affect succession and ownership in family businesses of all sizes and various ownership types.

What You Will Learn:

Key questions for the business owner

Incentive choices for key employees

The process: What should you expect?

Communicating your objectives with awards

Speaker Bios:

James Bristol
Partner
Waller

From startup ventures to publicly traded companies, James Bristol advises clients on all types of compensation and benefits. Well-versed in federal and state tax rules, ERISA, SEC disclosures, and the myriad regulations that surround benefits and compensation packages, James embraces the challenge of finding solutions that meet the client’s goals. Clients who rely on the firm for a variety of corporate and litigation matters appreciate that James adds another layer of service. His experience includes:

Traditional benefit plans and equity compensation
Compensation packages for incoming executives and directors
Deferred compensation agreements, including 409A, SERPs, rabbi trusts and funding
Transitioning compensation programs following mergers or acquisitions
Severance packages for departing executives and directors
Advises business owners and trustees in ESOP transactions

A creative, convergent thinker, James recognizes that executive benefits issues are complex, not only because of regulatory requirements, but also because of the public relations aspect related to shareholder scrutiny. Clients can appreciate that James collaborates with their internal advisors to craft well-rounded solutions.

Best Lawyers recognizes James in the following categories: Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law, Employment Law – Management, Litigation – ERISA, Tax Law. Furthermore, James has been named Nashville’s 2017 “Lawyer of the Year” by Best Lawyers in America in Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law. He has also served on several occasions as an expert witness on ERISA matters. James’ expert witness CV is available here.

Sean Sullivan
Partner, Practice Group Leader, Tax
Waller

Companies requiring assistance with their benefits and compensation programs turn to Sean Sullivan for practical, real-world advice. Sean brings a bright personality to his practice, in which he focuses on:

Equity-based compensation plans, such as stock options, restricted stock, and phantom stock plans
Welfare and fringe benefit plans
ERISA disputes and negotiations
Tax-qualified retirement plans, including profit sharing, 401(k), cash balance, and traditional pension plans
Specialized employee benefit arrangements, such as employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs) and voluntary employees’ beneficiary associations (VEBAs)

From small doctors’ groups to multi-national, publicly traded businesses, a diverse group of companies utilize Sean’s services. In all cases, Sean is drawn to the personal, non-abstract nature of his work. He does not “give advice from an ivory tower,” and appreciates that real people are affected by the decisions he is helping clients make. Sean embraces the challenge of delivering timely, practical, direct counsel in a field that is not always an exact science.

Tennessee Center for Family Business

Organizer of TNCFB Breakfast Series: Sharing Value in Your Company with Key Employees

The Tennessee Center for Family Business is a diverse community of family business owners and their families working together to grow their businesses through relationships, education and successful generational transition.

VALUES AND CULTURE:

Provide a community of family business peers who understand business, family and personal issues and seek to find solutions together
Help family business owners grow and prosper by addressing problems unique to family business
Facilitate relevant, educational seminars on topics of primary interest to family business including communications, family relationships, succession and estate planning, values, as well as conflict resolution
Prepare the next generation to assume leadership roles in their family business
Teach owners to become servant leaders to their family and business