ABOUT US

ABOUT GACEO

The Georgia Employee Ownership Center (GACEO), a member of the Employee Ownership Expansion Network of state centers, serves the entire state of Georgia as the central hub for free, unbiased information on employee-ownership. Its primary mission is to educate business owners and their advisors on the benefits of employee ownership. GACEO provides resources, case studies, articles, and a list of service providers who can assist with employee ownership transitions.

In 2019 The Employee Ownership Expansion Network (EOX) began to create a network of State Centers for Employee Ownership across the country. The purpose of this grass roots effort is to provide education and outreach on the benefits of all forms of employee ownership to workers, businesses, and the communities in which they reside as well as being a hub for resources to business owners and their advisors.

The GACEO was the third state center EOX assisted in opening when it was formed in early 2020. The mission of the GACEO is to be the local unbiased “boots on the ground” hub to help guide GA business owners and their advisors on their options when starting their ownership transition process.

David Beckum

Board Member

After graduating from Augusta State University in 1998, David Beckum began working with Augusta Industrial Services. David became the Operations Manager responsible for managing the fleet and field operations. Between 2012 and 2014, David, along with two original owners of AIS worked to develop a business succession plan and formed an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). David became Vice President and was appointed to the Board of Directors. Since the formation of the ESOP, David has been working closely with the CFO, Director of Operations, Safety Manger and Sales Manager developing business strategy, the AIS “We Own It!” culture, regional growth, and product development. He is currently in the role of President and CEO and serves on the Board of Directors with the retiring owners.

Amy Blanco

Board Member

Amy Blanco, a seasoned marketing veteran with two decades of experience in the AEC industry, combines her expertise in strategic thinking, effective communication, and creativity as she leads successful campaigns and elevates brand presence as the Marketing Manager for the Atlanta Market at JE Dunn; she is not only a champion for Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs) for the Georgia workforce, but also an unwavering advocate for volunteerism and philanthropy, driven by her passion for empowering individuals, creating equitable opportunities, and promoting financial well-being within her community.

Christina Cummings

Board Member

Christina is a solution-driven leader and entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience across multiple professional sectors. Her professional experience includes extensive work with the City of Atlanta and more recently the City of South Fulton. She is well-versed in federal programs, fiscal policy, economic development, strategic planning, community organizing, and coalition building.

Mike Davies

Board Member

Mike has been working at Essential Ingredients, Inc. for more than 16 years leading the technical support group. Essential Ingredients is a nationwide chemical distributor headquartered in Lawrenceville, Georgia primarily dealing with the personal care and household, Industrial & Institutional markets. In 2011 Essential Ingredients became a 100% employee-owned through an ESOP. Mike was asked to be part of the charter Employee Benefits Committee (EBC). Through this committee Mike came in contact with the employee

Adrian R. Loud

Service Provider Liason

Adrian R. Loud is the Founder and Managing Director for Censeo Advisors, LLC, a professional services firm, dedicated to delivering proven business valuation, financial advisory, forensic analysis, and real and personal property appraisal services. He brings to the GACEO Board over 25 years of experience providing valuation and advisory services for a variety of engagements: ESOP transactions, valuations, feasibility analyses, and other financial services. His leadership extends to various professional organizations, such as The ESOP Association, Employee-Owned S Corporations of America, and more. Adrian is a seasoned expert witness in business valuation and is also known for his writings and speaking engagements on valuation and litigation support topics at national events. Adrian is your trusted guide in navigating the complexities of business valuation and financial advisory services.

Steve Storkan

Board Member

Steve Storkan is the Executive Director of the Employee Ownership Expansion Network (EOX). Steve has been involved with employee stock ownership plans for over 25 years, most recently as the Director of ESOP Administration for Alerus Retirement and Benefits where he worked closely with businesses in the creation of an ESOP and the technical administration and compliance required in subsequent years. Steve spent 11 years as a member of the Board of Directors of the Minnesota-Dakotas Chapter of the ESOP Association where also served as Chapter President and VP of Government Relations. Steve holds a Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) designation from the University of Minnesota State Mankato.

Tom Strong

Board Member

Tom Strong is an independent workforce development consultant, as well as a contract coach with the Great Game of Business®, one of the leading companies teaching the practice of open-book management. Tom previously worked for nearly a decade at The Hitachi Foundation, a DC-based philanthropy dedicated to the idea that businesses can create better jobs for low-income people without sacrificing performance.

Marie Davis

Executive Director, GACEO

In her role as the Program Manager for the Georgia Center for Employee Ownership (GACEO), Marie Davis is responsible for establishing the network of partners and delivery of programming necessary for the GACEO to carry out its mission of the creation of new employee-owned companies throughout all of Georgia by providing unbiased education, outreach, and technical assistance on all forms of employee ownership. In addition to her passion for employee ownership, Marie is also passionate about providing opportunities for all children through mentoring programs. Using her degree in Social Work from the University of Georgia, Marie has spent many years in different roles in the mentoring field including the Director of Mentoring for Center Point, a non-profit in Hall County Georgia and a Technical Assistant for mentoring.org, the National MENTOR program. Marie is a lifelong Georgia native – Go Dawgs!

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