Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) Retreat 2006

February 8-10, 2007 attended by the Employee ESOP Committee

The team was up early to make six am flights to Orlando, in order to make our first sessions at 1 p.m. Thursday, which went until about nine that evening.

The three-day training seminar was attended by non-managerial employee owners to learn from and interact with their peers from other ESOP companies. Specifically, we received training on the ABC's of ESOP's, on managing an ESOP company while playing the ESOP Game and on team building group problem-solving skills.

Through small groups, structured exercises, we developed and maintained a fictional company, in which we gained a better understanding of management's role in creating a better P&L and Balance Sheet. The P&L and Balance Sheets are the two things that directly affect the share value at the end of the year.

We also learned a problem solving technique that will help the ESOP Committees prioritize common goals and solving problems. This technique will also keep the committee focused.

Through the interaction with other committees from other companies, our committee feels we have a better understanding of ESOP's and how ESOP committees function.

Employee Committee