Companies with Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs) must not only have a clear picture of past performance, they must also have an understanding of where they see themselves in the future. While ESOPs present many financial rewards and tax advantages, ESOP trustees have a lot to consider, such as: Is the company's capital structure strong enough to support an ESOP? Will key executives need to be rewarded with synthetic equity? How can the company ensure the ESOP will continue to deliver value years down the road?

At Prairie Fiduciary Advisors, Inc., we specialize in companies with internally trusteed ESOPs and understand the unique challenges they face. Our executives are widely regarded throughout the financial services industry as "ESOP experts." We have the knowledge and experience to help you maintain your ESOP program and guide it successfully into the future. In doing so, we will:

• Act as a financial advisor to the ESOP trustee;
• Interview the trustee to determine the current processes employed in performing his or her services under the ESOP trust and provide a written evaluation of those processes;
• Review the ESOP plan documents and consult with the trustee regarding the performance of the trustee's duties;
• Review the company's financial performance and prior ESOP valuation reports for consistency and accuracy, and prepare a written evaluation of the reports; and
• Provide the trustee with a written outline, which will serve as a guide to assist with the review of future ESOP valuation reports.

Prairie Fiduciary Advisors is also available to answer any ESOP-related question and can review the company's financial performance on an annual basis in order to determine whether it is meeting its goals. In the event that the company is not performing as expected, Prairie Fiduciary Advisors will make any necessary recommendations.

To learn more about Prairie Fiduciary Advisors, contact Robert Gross, Senior Managing Director or John Banasek, Director of Corporate & Fiduciary Advisory Services, at 630.443.9933 or e-mail info@prairiecap.com.