Empowering Your Business Legacy With An ESOP

Petra is an assurance services partner with WBL and the director of the firm's Assurance Services Practice. She directs all aspects of the firm's audit and assurance services, including preparing and reviewing financial statements and compilations, performing agreed-upon procedures and other special projects.

Since joining the firm as an intern in 2005, Petra has worked with clients in the manufacturing, distribution and staffing industries as well as nonprofit education organizations and associations and ESOP-owned businesses. She also specializes in transaction services, assisting clients with M&A transactions on both the buyer and seller side.

Petra works closely with her audit team and the experts in the firm's other practices to provide outstanding personal service for clients in the areas of financial reporting, tax planning and compliance, general accounting and transaction services.

Todd is a tax partner with specific experience serving clients in the software, technology, manufacturing, distribution, staffing and professional services industries as well as private investment funds. Since joining the firm in 1999 as an intern, he has worked with corporations, partnerships, trusts, estates, individuals, publicly traded companies and organizations owned by private equity groups. He also specializes in business transaction services, accounting for income taxes (ASC 740), and tax planning and compliance for high-net-worth individuals.

An Atlanta native, Holly Sims has over 30 years of banking experience. She began her banking career in a management training program for an Atlanta bank which led to her joining their middle-market lending group. Additionally, she has had stints in Private Banking, Asset-Based lending and Middle Market. She works with a variety of commercial customers, but her specialty is in leveraged buyouts, particularly ESOPs (Employee Stock Ownership Plans).

Helping businesses become employee-owned is particularly rewarding to Holly, "Everybody wins - the seller finds a good way to transition their ownership, the employees now have an ownership stake and a path to wealth, management stays intact, and a business stays in its community."

Holly looks forward to continuing to provide an incredible banking experience for her clients at a bank such as GBC - one that gives customers a high level of service, a quick response, and eliminates the bureaucracy they may be experiencing as the banking industry continues to consolidate.

About GBC

Georgia Banking Company (GBC) is a full-service, commercial community bank headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. GBC's team of veteran bankers know their communities and are focused on leveraging technology to deliver an exceptional service experience to meet the needs of growing businesses and private banking clients. The bank also offers a unique suite of mortgage products to independent mortgage bankers across the nation. Visit GeorgiaBanking.com to learn more.

Gary Gray is a Partner with Tenor ESOP Partners, leading the construction practice and helping business owners design successful exit strategies while empowering employees through ESOPs. He also serves as President and Chief Consultant at ESOP Consulting Group, providing expertise in post transaction communication and implementing employee ownership culture.

Previously, Gary was the CEO and Founder of Graydaze Contracting, a national Painting and Sealant Contractor. Under his leadership, Graydaze grew from a residential painting business in Georgia to one of the top five largest painting contractors in the U.S., with headquarters in Atlanta and Salt Lake City.

In 2017, Gary transitioned Graydaze into an ESOP, fostering continued growth and creating uncommon success for the employees. Today, the company generates $120 million in revenue, ranks as the 2nd largest Painting and Coatings Contractor in America, and has been recognized among Georgia's 40 Fastest Growing Companies and the INC 5000 Fastest Growing Companies in America.

Gary's extensive experience in construction and employee ownership makes him a trusted advisor for companies seeking sustainable success through ESOPs. Gary serves on a number of ESOP Boards and is a Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA).

About Tenor ESOP Partners

Tenor ESOP Partners is a specialty financial advisor focused on creating shareholder solutions through employee ownership. We assist entrepreneurs, family businesses, and shareholders of closely held companies realize the value they have created in their business through the installation of Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs).

The transactions we design and install, allow shareholder(s) to unlock liquidity while taking care of their employees and executing management succession through a highly tax efficient sale of their business. Resulting in greater post-transaction proceeds for selling shareholders while continuing to maintain control of their companies and exit on their own timeline. We have worked with shareholders in a variety of industries, including construction, engineering, retail, distribution, manufacturing, professional services, food and beverage, agriculture, and movie production. http://www.tenoresop.com and http://contractoresop.com