April 2, 2024

Matrix HG Works with The Menke Group to Adopt the Employee Ownership Model with an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP)

San Mateo, CA, April 2, 2024 – The Menke Group, a leading full-service ESOP provider, announced that Matrix HG, a Concord-based innovator serving the San Francisco Bay Area with commercial HVAC systems, has become 100 percent employee owned with the help of The Menke Group. The Menke Group will assist Matrix HG to extend ownership of the company to their employees by way of an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP).

 

Matrix HG ESOP Owners

“We’re committed to our skilled and talented employee-owners,” said Dan Greeson, Founder and COO of Matrix HG, “and we want to thank the Menke Group for their excellent advice and counsel in structuring and launching our ESOP.”

 

ESOPs are the most commonly-used forms of employee ownership in the United States, according to the National Center for Employee Ownership. An ESOP lets companies offer an attractive employee benefit to workers and is often used by company owners or shareholders who wish to build a robust succession plan for their business in order to remain independent and continue to conduct “business as usual.” In addition to helping create financial security for employees, an ESOP is designed to encourage and reward increased employee productivity and efficiency.

“We have found that a 5 or 10 percent increase in individual employee productivity can result in increasing company profitability by 50 percent or more,” said Trevor Gilmore, CEO of The Menke Group. “The ESOP creates a direct link between employee productivity and employee benefits and nurtures a collaborative culture where the employee-owners and the bottom line can thrive.”

ESOPs work particularly well in companies where human capital is a key component of success. An ESOP rewards and retains staff in a remarkably efficient manner, allowing for a well-executed succession strategy.

“From our inception, our philosophy has been to build the people because it’s the people who build the business,” said Art Hoover, Founder and CEO of Matrix HG. “An ESOP provides a great retirement benefit and recognition for our hard-working employee-owners. And, an ESOP has the added benefit of reassuring our current and future customers that there is a business succession plan in place at Matrix HG so that we will continue to operate for many years to come.”

Matrix HG, a leading HVAC and building solutions provider based in Concord, California is recognized as a trusted industry leader in their field and employs talented professionals who average more than 30 years of skilled experience. The company has been operating for more than 21 years, effectively executing rapid response solutions for over 35,000+ jobs to support commercial clients throughout the Greater San Francisco Bay Area.

“Art and I believe in measuring success through building strong relationships, with our customers and with our team,” said Dan Greeson, Founder and COO of Matrix HG. “We’re committed to our skilled and talented employee-owners, and we want to thank the Menke Group for their excellent advice and counsel in structuring and launching our ESOP.”

 

About The Menke Group

The Menke Group is America’s largest and oldest ESOP advisor, with more than 50 years of experience creating and administering ESOPs. Menke has helped more than 4,000 companies become employee owned and has designed and installed ESOPs all over the United States, serving companies with as few as ten employees and as many as 15,000 employees. The Menke Group was founded in 1974 by John Menke who co-authored the landmark federal ESOP legislation which subsequently spawned the industry. Visit The Menke Group at www.menke.com for more information.

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Learn why an ESOP is better for You,
your Business, and your Employees

Upcoming Web Seminar

Free 90-Minute Webinar for Business Owners, CFOs & Advisors

Learn how ESOPs fuel growth, reduce taxes, and power succession—without giving up control.

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Why 2026 is the Time for ESOPs

Strong companies are using ESOPs to play offense. With rates stabilizing and talent still tight, employee ownership is delivering a durable edge:

    • Founder Liquidity—On Your Terms. Create a market for your shares without selling to private equity or competitors.
    • Major Tax Efficiency. Enable capital‑gains deferral for selling shareholders (Section 1042 eligibility) and reduce or even eliminate ongoing corporate income tax for S‑Corporation ESOPs—freeing cash for growth.
    • Talent Magnet. Meaningful employee ownership boosts engagement, retention, and performance—without relying solely on wage increases.
    • Resilient Margins. ESOP tax advantages help counter wage pressure, input costs, and tariffs—so more operating cash flows to strategy.
    • Control & Culture Intact. Transition ownership while keeping leadership and values in place.. Transition ownership while keeping leadership and values in place.

Bottom line: ESOPs create a rare win‑win‑win—for owners, the business, and employees.

What You’ll Learn

ESOP 101—Modern Playbook
How ESOPs work in 2026, who qualifies, deal structures, and timelines.

Tax Strategies that Change the Math
Capital‑gains deferral, corporate tax reduction/elimination for S‑Corp ESOPs, deductible contributions, and cash‑flow modeling.

Talent & Culture
Retention without across‑the‑board raises; ownership communications that actually move the needle.

Protecting Margins
How ESOP incentives can offset cost inflation and support reinvestment.

Valuation & Financing in Today’s Market
Bank/seller notes, mezzanine options, rate considerations, and why “bankable ESOPs” are closing now.

Governance & Control
Board, trustee, and management roles—what really changes (and what doesn’t).

Who Should Attend

    • Business Owners planning an exit, partial sale, or recapitalization

    • CFOs evaluating capital structure and tax strategy

    • Advisors & Succession Planners guiding owner‑led companies

    • HR & ESOP Committee Members building engagement around ownership

Agenda (90 Minutes)

    1. Welcome, Speakers & Why ESOPs in 2026 (5 min)
      Quick orientation; who Menke is and why ESOPs are winning right now.
    2. ESOP Basics & Business Owner Benefits (10 min)
      What an ESOP is; liquidity, diversification, succession, productivity.
    3. Myth‑Busting: What ESOPs Do—and Don’t—Require (5 min)
      No, you don’t have to sell 30%+, borrow big, or give up control.
    4. Deal Structures & Transaction Paths (10 min)
      Cash‑contribution (pay‑as‑you‑go), leveraged (bank/seller notes), and stock contribution; when each fits.
    5. Typical Scenarios & Outcomes (10 min)
      Gradual sales, minority/majority sales, 100% buyouts, and recap strategies.
    6. Who’s a Strong Fit (and Common Constraints) (5 min)
      Profitability, team/transition readiness, industry notes.
    7. Tax Strategy Deep Dive (10 min)
      S‑Corp ESOP distribution savings; C‑Corp §1042 capital‑gains deferral; entity‑path options.
    8. Valuation & Pricing vs. Third‑Party Sales (8 min)
      FMV standards, control vs. minority value, practical comparisons.
    9. Financing the ESOP (8 min)
      Bank market overview, seller paper, balance‑sheet effects, cash‑flow modeling.
    10. Plan Operations & Employee Communications (8 min)
      Eligibility, vesting, distributions, disclosures, and how transparency drives results.
    11. Culture, Engagement & Measured Performance Uplift (6 min)
      What changes on day 2; tying ownership to productivity.
    12. Roadmap & Next Steps (3 min)
      Feasibility, design/adopt, contributions, and timing the sale.
    13. Live Q&A (2 min)

Hear From Past Attendees

“I came in skeptical. I left with a concrete roadmap and the math to brief our board.”

“This clarified our exit plan and showed how we can reward employees at the same time."

Your Presenter: Phil DeDominicis

Phil DeDominicis is an ESOP strategist and M&A advisor who has guided 300+ companies through ESOP formations, financing, and transactions over 20+ years at Menke & Associates. He specializes in selling ESOP‑owned businesses to financial or strategic buyers and in helping ESOP companies acquire other businesses.

Before Menke, Phil spent 14 years in investment banking M&A at Morgan Stanley and Salomon Smith Barney, advising middle‑market companies on change‑of‑control transactions. He holds a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Delaware (1985) and an MBA in Finance & Accounting from UCLA Anderson (1989). Phil currently serves on six for‑profit and not‑for‑profit boards.

What Phil will cover:

    • Where ESOPs win in 2026 (tax, talent, and control)
    • Owner liquidity paths: minority, majority, and 100% sales
    • Financing options and what lenders look for
    • Valuation reality vs. third‑party sales
    • How to prep a board, trustee, and employees for a successful close

Reserve Your Spot Now

Seats are limited. Save yours now and receive the ESOP Feasibility Checklist.

10:00AM – 11:30AM PT
11:00AM – 12:30PM MT
12:00PM – 1:30PM CT
1:00PM – 2:30PM ET

No cost. Suitable for companies with $5M–$500M+ in revenue across construction, manufacturing, services, distribution, tech, and more.

FAQ (Quick Hits)

    • Do I lose control? No—most ESOPs preserve day‑to‑day control with your leadership team and board.

    • Is this only for certain industries? ESOPs work across sectors when cash flow is stable and leadership continuity matters.

    • Can we do a partial sale? Yes—stage liquidity over time while capturing tax benefits.

READY FOR AN ESOP NOW?

Interested in finding out how an ESOP could work for your company?

For a free preliminary analysis, just fill out our ESOP Feasibility Questionnaire.

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