Employee Ownership Foundation Leadership

The EOF is governed by an independent national Board of Trustees, eight of whom make up the Foundation’s Executive Committee, the primary decision-making body for the organization. The Board is led by an elected Chairman who serves no more than two consecutive two year terms. The EOF staff is led by a President, who is a non-voting member of the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees.

EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP

David Fitz-Gerald

David Fitz-Gerald

Chair of the Board of Trustees
Vice President and CFO
Carris Reels, Inc.

David Fitz-Gerald is Vice President, CFO, and Treasurer of Carris Reels, a manufacturer of packaging for the wire and cable industry. The company is a 100% Silver S-ESOP, headquartered in Vermont with locations throughout North America. Dave has been with the company for over thirty years and played a major role in establishing the ESOP. Carris Reels is a past winner of The ESOP Association’s ESOP Company of the Year Award. For many years, Dave served on the Executive Committee of the State and Regional Chapter Council. He is a past President of the New England Chapter and served as chair of The ESOP Association, 2017-2019. In his spare time, Dave writes historical fiction. His 7th novel, If It’s the Last Thing I Do, features a fictional company transitioning to employee ownership. A summer, 2023 publication date is anticipated. Dave looks forward to spreading the word about ESOPs and employee ownership with his new book and as Chair of the Employee Ownership Foundation.

Bonham EOF

James J. Bonham

President

James Bonham serves as the President of the Employee Ownership Foundation and the President & CEO of The ESOP Association. He is a recognized expert in public policy, government advocacy, and executive leadership, with more than 25 years of experience as a high level government official, advisor, advocate, and business leader.

Before joining the Foundation, James served for eight years as Chairman of the highly regarded Federal Public Policy and Government Relations practice at Manatt, Phelps, & Phillips, LLP, a nationally recognized law and business consulting firm. In his practice, Bonham advised national trade associations, non-profits, and Fortune 100 businesses.

During more than a decade of public service, he held multiple senior staff positions in both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives where he was frequently cited in the media as one of the 50 most influential aides of either political party.

Bonham has served in leadership positions for several non-profits. In addition to the EOF, he is currently serving or has served on the Board of Directors for the California State Society, the National Maritime Heritage Foundation, the Robert T. Matsui Foundation, and Per Scholas.

His passion for shared capitalism springs from a family commitment to employee ownership: His grandfather had a personal and professional relationship with James Cash (J.C.) Penney, based partly on a shared business philosophy. One of their beliefs was granting a form of ownership to employees in the small mercantile businesses they ran. Bonham is proud to carry on today his family tradition of expanding employee ownership.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Cindy Turcot

Cindy Turcot

Executive Committee Member

CEO and President

Gardener's Supply Company

Ali Jamshidi, CTL Engineering, Inc.

Ali Jamshidi

Executive Committee Member
VP of Finance & CFO
CTL Engineering, Inc. 
Karen L. Ellis

Karen L. Ellis

Executive Committee Member
EVP, Human Resources
Superior Farms/Transhumance Holding Company Inc.
Steve Earle, Mid South Building Supply

Steve Earle

Executive Committee Member
VP of Kitchen Operations 
Mid South Building Supply 
Gary Shorman

Gary Shorman

Executive Committee Member

Chairman & CEO

Eagle Communications

Becky Streff

Becky Streff

Executive Committee Member

CEO

Holden Industries, VP

Cara Benningfield

Cara Benningfield

Executive Committee Member

Partner

FORVIS

Connie Burnette

Connie Burnette

Executive Committee Member

Vice President, Dept. Mgr. Human Resources

Wiley|Wilson

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Merri Ash

Sr. Vice President, Fiduciary Trust Group
TI-Trust, Inc.

Ted Becker

Partner
McDermott, Will & Emery, LLP

Dr. Daphne Berry

Associate Professor of Management
University of Hartford

J. Randall Bishop

Owner
J. Randall Bishop Consulting Services

Brian Bowers

President/CEO
Bowers + Kubota Consulting, Inc.

Tabitha Croscut

Shareholder
Devine, Millemet & Branch, PA

Kurt David

Eagle Communications, Inc.
President, CEO

Janet M. Edmunson

President
JME Insights

Mark R. Fournier, CFA

Managing Director
STOUT

Jeffrey Gelburd

Vice President
Murray Securus

Steven Greenapple, Esq.

Principal
SES ESOP Strategies

Davin R. Gustafson

Principal
Apple Growth Partners

Susan Hoesly

Principal
Verit Advisors, LLC

Brian Ippensen

President

TI Trust INC.

Jeffrey Jamerino

Business Advisor/Consultant
Lazear Capital Partners, Post-Closing ESOP Advisory Services

Mick Lamond

CFO
Newport Harbor Corporation

Mark Lomele

Board Member

Recology

Andy Manchir, ASA, CMA, CEPA

Director of Business Valuation & ESOP Services
Kats, Sapper & Miller

Alexander Moss

President
Praxis Consulting Group, Inc.

Marcus Piquet, CPA

Senior Managing Director
Ambrose Advisors

Robert Schatz

Partner
ESOP Plus: Schatz, Brown, Glassman LLP

Peter Shuler

Partner
Crowe LLP

Scot Storjohann

Sr. Vice President
GreatBanc Trust Company

Steve Suckow

Director of ESOP Practice
BMO Harris Bank 

Raman Venkat

Office of the CEO/CFO
LeFiell Manufacturing Company

Doug Wright

President
Mountain Hardware & Sports

Joseph Verri

Senior Vice President- Financial Advisor
Morgan Stanley

Derrick Vick

VP, CFO
Freedom Industries Inc.

Peter Ney

Executive Vice President, Treasurer and Director

EA Engineering, Science, and Technology, Inc., PBC