Situation
A family-owned automotive group wanted to create an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) to help sustain growth and incentivize employees. The Husch Blackwell team led the transaction, preparing the purchase and sale documents, developing employment contracts for the owners, and collaborating with other advisors under a tight timeframe to ensure the ESOP was created properly.
Result
The sibling owners remain with the automotive group, which retains the family name. The transaction provides tax benefits to the corporation, and the ESOP continues to attract high-caliber, loyal employees.