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Robert J. Hartman is chair of Lindquist & Vennum’s Employee Benefits, Executive Compensation and Employment Law Practice Group. He practices in the employee benefits area, with an emphasis on qualified and non-qualified deferred compensation and counseling clients on fiduciary matters.Bob has extensive experience with the creation and operation of ESOPs, and service as special counsel to ESOP trustees with respect to fiduciary issues and merger and acquisition transactions. During the past 30 years, Bob has represented companies, shareholders and fiduciaries in a variety of ESOP transactions. Clients represented in recent ESOP transactions include: Financial company and its shareholders in the establishment of a new ESOP and the financing and sale of all outstanding shares to the ESOP Special ESOP trustee of a manufacturing company in the sale of ESOP shares to the sponsoring employer Special ESOP trustee of a manufacturing company in the acquisition of the company by a third party Special ESOP trustee of a manufacturing/distribution company in the acquisition by the ESOP of 100 percent of the company shares from various shareholders in conjunction with a corporate reorganization Manufacturing company and its shareholders in the establishment of an ESOP and the structured, periodic sales by shareholders to the ESOP in connection with ownership transition planning Manufacturing company and its ESOP in the acquisition of another ESOP company in a transaction designed to permit the selling shareholder to qualify for tax-favored treatment ESOP trustee in connection with the negotiation and purchase of a significant block of shares of a thinly traded public company Special ESOP trustee of a manufacturing company in connection with the sale of ESOP shares to a third party upon termination of the ESOP Financial institution in the establishment of an ESOP, including funding by third party lenders and participants through the transfer of assets from existing plans to the ESOP ESOP trustees of a service company in connection with the purchase by the ESOP of the remaining shares held by Company founders In addition to his benefits practice, Bob regularly provides general business advice to closely held companies in various aspects of their operations, including contracts, dispute resolution and employment practices. | 