ABOUT PFS
The Professional Fiduciary Services (PFS) group serves as an unbiased, independent fiduciary and trustee to mid-market institutional investors including ESOPs and retirement trusts. The firm was formed in 2007 and has experienced consistent year-over-year growth since inception. Transaction values have ranged from under $1,000,000 to over $250,000,000. We work with a variety of investment bankers, custodians, and money managers in an open architecture environment. Many of our clients are based in the upper mid-West; however, satisfied clients have referred us to new relationships on both coasts and the Southwest. Roles include transactional fiduciary, fiduciary committee member, independent board of director member, and ESOP trustee.
OUR TEAM
Over 30 years of experience ensure your project is perfect.
MICKEY MAIER
PRESIDENT
Mickey Maier is the President and founder of Professional Fiduciary Services LLC based in Milwaukee, WI. He serves as an independent transactional fiduciary, ongoing trustee, co-trustee or board member for a number of ESOP companies. He has been actively involved in retirement planning, trust banking, investment advising and financial services businesses for thirty years serving as a technical expert, business manager, business owner and fiduciary. Mickey is an active member of The ESOP Association and the National Center for Employee Ownership.
262.627.0366
KYLE SPADER
ASSOCIATE
Kyle has experience as both an internal and external ESOP Board member, internal trustee, executive leadership of an ESOP company and practical business experience as a P & L manager.
Kyle's experience with both buy and sell side merger and acquisitions as a business leader and as a consultant make him uniquely qualified to assist in due diligence, negotiation and transaction closing assignments. Kyle handles all new ESOP formation transactions as trustee under Acumen Advisory Services LLC.
GINA RYAN
ANALYST
Gina Ryan joined PFS as an analyst in 2015. During her career, she has been an associate at the Emjay Corporation, a pension planning firm where she oversaw IRS compliance projects. In later years, as a member of the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) Finance and Administration Section Council, she served as dean of finance and administration for the ASAE School of Association Management at the University of Maryland University College.
Gina has been CEO of a number of not-for-profit organizations. In 2018 the NY Society of Association Executives honored her with its Outstanding Association Executive Award. As a consultant to associations and businesses in transition, Gina has served as an interim executive, conducting board orientations, strategic planning and organizational assessments. She joined The ESOP Association in 2016, has served on the executive committee of the NY/NJ Chapter since 2018 and is currently the chapter vice president of communications. Gina is also an associate member of The ESOP Association Valuation Advisory Committee and belongs to the National Center for Employee Ownership.
MONICA RYAN
CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER
Monica joined PFS in June of 2018. She manages all administrative and operational aspects of the business. Monica studied economics and philosophy at Fordham University and is currently a candidate for the Beyster Institute ESOP Professionals certification through the UC San Diego Rady School of Management. Monica worked in Private Client Services and Middle Market Institutional Sales at Lehman Bros. in NYC, where she was involved in equities sales trading and account management for hedge fund, arbitrage and high net-worth clients. She was licensed by the NASD with both Series 7 and 63 licenses. Monica is an active member of The ESOP Association.
Monica also has extensive work experience in administration, bookkeeping, marketing, client relations, design and business management. She has been a volunteer for her children's schools, athletic programs and as a dance teacher for the YMCA Dance Company competition team, is a USTA team captain and has coached junior team tennis at one of New England's elite tennis academies.
THE TRUSTEE ROLE
The Trustee acts as the buyer or seller in an ESOP transaction. After a buy-side transaction, the Trustee acts as the shareholder on behalf of the plan participants. The Trustee is a fiduciary under ERISA and is held to the highest fiduciary standards in acting in a prudent manner in the best interests of plan participants. The Trustee, its' financial consultants and legal advisors are independent of the seller and the company sponsoring the ESOP.
Company background
Professional Fiduciary Services group individuals act as Trustee for ESOP transactions and are often retained to provide ongoing Trustee services. John Michael Maier JD is the President and owner of PFS, and has been advising and acting as a fiduciary since 1984.
Maier did his first leveraged ESOP transaction in 1985 and served as Trustee for that client until the ESOP company issued publicly held stock as part of its growth strategy. Maier and PFS have completed over 100 ESOP and fiduciary assignments since PFS was formed in 2007. Maier also serves on the board of directors of two ESOP companies. The value of the employer stock assets involved in these transactions ranged from under $1,000,000 to over $250,000,000. Complexity ranges from straightforward non-leveraged minority purchases or sales to complex multi-stage leveraged corporate transactions, recapitalizations and releveraging.
Following analysis of the due diligence documents, PFS makes a site visit to the company and interviews key managers and advisors. After building that knowledge base regarding the company, PFS is in a position to efficiently review, negotiate and execute the ESOP transaction. After the transaction, the Trustee approves the annual stock valuation, reviews the nominating committee report, and votes for the board of directors, in addition to carrying out Trustee responsibilities written in the ESOP document, such as investing non-ESOP stock assets of the trust.
Professional Fiduciary Services, LLC
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