I have known and worked with John Kober for nearly a decade. John has been a trusted legal and financing advisor throughout this period. He was instrumental in setting up the deal that took our company to a 100% ESOP-owned entity, as well as the deal that successfully...
ESOP Blog
Frank Bibb, CFO, Adams Management Services Corporation
We've only worked with Carla for a year; we've found her to be exceedingly knowledgeable in the areas of ESOP administration and ESOP law. She's very easy to communicate with and very accessible. She's been most helpful for us in an advisory, consulting capacity, in...
That Age-Old Question: Is an ESOP Right for Me?
That Age-Old Question: Is an ESOP Right for Me? To sell to an ESOP or not sell to an ESOP, that is the question. And the answer lies within an expertly prepared feasibility study. While ESOPs are a fantastic tool for exiting business owners, it is not a...
Lorien Prince CPA, Controller, Forum Architecture & Interior Design, Inc.
I rate Carla Klingler as a 5! She is wonderful. I have worked with Carla on our ESOP since 2004. ESOP administration can be very confusing, to say the least, and the laws seem to be constantly changing. I have found Carla to be extremely knowledgeable about the...
William Beeker, CFO, Storage Solutions, Inc.
We met John last January, have known him for 7 months now. He was the quarterback when we were putting together our ESOP deal. He's very knowledgeable and seemed to know everything that went on with the ESOP; more importantly, he referred us to other people who were...
The Modern ESOP and Fair Market Value After the End of Tax Cuts
The Modern ESOP and Fair Market Value After the End of Tax Cuts by Keith D. Butcher, John A. Kober, and Jason C. Ray Read in PDF format
Manufacturer, Orlando FL: $7,000,000
This $7,000,000 transaction allowed the ESOP to purchase of 51% of the company's stock from its two owners. The buyout was structured through a term note and line of credit. Additionally, we provided the company with a working capital line of credit to assist with the...
Healthcare Services Provider, New York, NY: $20,000,000
The purpose of this transaction was to finance the purchase of the remaining 52% of the company stock from various shareholders of the company. First American Bank took advantage of the company’s strong cash flows and implemented a line of credit two-way sweep, coupled...
Manufacturer, Norwood, NJ: $12,000,000
First American Bank was able to refinance the existing ESOP debt and liquidate the seller notes from the original ESOP financing that had been issued to support the purchase of 53% of the company stock by a previous ESOP. In addition, working capital needs were met and...
R.K. Schaaf Offers Free Online Financial Tools
R.K. Schaaf Offers Free Online Financial Tools R.K. Schaaf Associates, a financial services firm with over 3 decades' worth of experience in ESOP administration and other services, offers a number of free financial tools on its website for the benefit of current and...










