Cincinnati Based Ingage Converts to ESOP
In May 2018, Ingage announced that it has completed a transaction that will transition the company to a 100% employee owned organization. With the implementation of an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), Ingage Partners' founders will sell and transfer stock to a qualified retirement trust that will annually distribute the stock to each eligible employee.
"Ingage Partners was formed from a vision that business should operate to be a force for good. This is foundational to being a Certified B Corp. 100% Employee-Ownership is a culmination of this vision and central to honoring the values of our business," said CEO and co-founder Michael Kroeger.
As shareholders in the company, Ingage Partners employees will now have a long-term reward from future financial growth, while protecting the values and mission of the business indefinitely. Ingage Partners current management and operating structure will remain intact. Kelly Dolan, Co-Founder and CEO shares, "Being 100% Employee-Owned places the emphasis on our collective interest in what Ingage stands for: to be a positive force for good. Each Employee Owner will continue to be aligned to this vision for the life of the business."
Ingage Partners has been part of the Cincinnati Fast 55 and Best Places to Work multiple times since 2011. This recognition is a result of attracting some of Cincinnati's best talent, forming deep client relationships, and placing emphasis on having a positive community impact. Ingage has donated a portion of its profits every year since inception to local nonprofit organizations, and created a culture of volunteerism through Paid Volunteer Time Off. The ESOP will further cultivate long-term growth and commitment from Ingage Partners' team of Developers, UX Designers, and Organizational Transformation experts.
"Certified B Corps and ESOPs are kind of kindred spirits. Both are motivated to grow profits and have a positive impact on the world. Our employees and their families will benefit, our clients will benefit from a committed group of Consultants, and our community will benefit from our shared vision of improving our world," said Dolan.
Ingage Partners' original founders – Kelly Dolan and Michael Kroeger – will continue to have a long-term vested interest in the company, function as corporate officers, and remain on the Board of Directors.