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ESL Power Systems, Inc. Becomes 100% Employee-Owned Through Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP)

Erika Thorson

ESL Becomes Employee Owned

After 28 years of expansion and growth, ESL Power Systems opens its next chapter

CORONA, CALIFORNIA:  ESL Power Systems, Inc. has completed a transaction to become 100% employee-owned through its Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP).  Since its inception in the early 1990’s, ESL Power Systems has emerged as an innovative leader in the design and manufacturing of safety-interlocked electrical solutions.  The Company has been owned and managed by Michael Hellmers and David Hellmers, with Douglas Roy, Carlos Valero, Pete Mehalechko, John Chaney, Jaime Hatzfeld, Tom Zinchuk and Greg Leger rounding out the management team.

ESL ESOP Group Photo

 

According to Michael Hellmers, President, “ESL employees have always been the cornerstone of our company’s success.  Our team embodies ESL’s core values and share David’s and my commitment to our business and stakeholders.  Employee ownership is the next logical step to ensure the legacy of our founders carries on.  David and I will continue to lead the ESL team and are confident the new structure will foster an ownership culture focused on growth and customer satisfaction.”

ESL Power Systems was advised by AmbroseAdvisors, a national investment banking firm specialized in employee-ownership transitions.  Michael Harden, Senior Managing Director, stated “Michael and David’s goal was to secure a sustainable future for the Company in a way that would be highly beneficial to the employees, customers, suppliers, and the community in addition to themselves.  Employee ownership, done right, benefits all stakeholders and should be celebrated.  We heartily congratulate the ESL team and thank them for trusting AmbroseAdvisors to manage this transition process.”

About:

ESL Power Systems, Inc.  is a leading electrical equipment manufacturer for industrial and commercial applications for a variety of industries.

About: AmbroseAdvisors is a national middle-market investment bank and financial advisory firm focused on guiding and assisting business owners with ownership succession planning, primarily through employee ownership.  http://www.AmbroseAdvisors.com

 

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For a formal press release click here.

ESL’s Donation Match Campaign!

Erika Thorson

Don_Match_Campaign_Header_blog

ESL strongly believes in giving back to our community and supporting those in need. Additionally, we recognize encouraging employees to contribute to charities they feel are important helps build a better work environment and positive company moral; especially when your company provides support in the form of financial matching! With these values in mind, ESL decided to launch its first ever Donation Match Campaign encouraging its team to give back to the causes they believe in.Goal_Chart_Donation_Match

… especially when your company provides support in the form of financial matching!

ESL started the new venture by gathering suggestions on charities from our employees. The suggestions were then carefully evaluated and 15 nonprofits were selected for this year’s matching.  All employees were encouraged to give anywhere from $25 to $1000 with the ESL promise to match each donation dollar-for-dollar.  This year’s Charities included:

  • ALSAC – St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
  • Americares
  • American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
  • American Red Cross
  • Augies Quest to Cure ALS Inc.
  • Cure Alzheimer’s Fund
  • Direct Relief
  • Dr. Susan love Foundation
  • Feeding America
  • Hope for the Warriors
  • JDRF
  • Khan Academy
  • Make a wish America
  • Our Companions Animal Rescue
  • Ronald Mc Donald House

The campaign ran for two months and raised $8,180.00 in all! To engage the team and keep the giving going, weekly emails were sent out highlighting charities available for giving. To help keep the company informed on progress, employee contributions were tracked on a donation chart visible in the company lunch room. The participation was outstanding for our first attempt and feedback on the program was excellent.

We would love to hear how your company contributes! Send us a comment with the great things your work place does for its community.

Check out our other blogs on volunteering to see how our company and its awesome employees continue to contribute to worthy causes.

ESL’s Mission to Paradise

Erika Thorson

ESL Motorhome dedicated to camp fire victim

On Monday, December 10th, ESL owners Michael and David Hellmers drove the company motorhome 565 miles north to the devastated town of Paradise, CA.

What was the mission? To drive the motorhome north and donate it to a family who had lost their home in the fire. In addition, ESL reached out to family and friends to help fill the motorhome up with new toys, clothes, unwrapped gifts, and any other helpful items that could be donated.

The one day mission took two days due to a minor rear suspension issue with the Winnebago (possibly caused by all the donations that filled up the motorhome).

Fifteen miles before arriving in Paradise, Michael and David dropped off donations in the form of gifts, supplies, gift cards and checks to the Salvation Army in Chico. Together, with the Red Cross online donation campaign for the Camp Fire Victims, the ESL fundraising program’s total exceeded $15,000.00.

ESL donations to salvation army

Upon arrival in Paradise, the local Cal Fire Battalion Chief, Jason Morris led Michael and David through the burned out city. During their trek to the motorhome’s new residence at Cal-Fire’s Butte Camp, they learned that all of Paradise is completely closed off to the public and most people will not be allowed back in until February or March.

By the end of the second day, Michael and David had given the motorhome to a Cal Fire Captain’s family that was displaced due to the devastation caused by the Camp Fire. Chief Morris, his Captains and staff were extremely appreciative as were the fine folks at the Salvation Army in Chico.

ESL motor home gifted

It will be a while before any of the families displaced by the Paradise fire can return to their homes and even then, the rebuilding of what was lost will be an exhaustive task. ESL was humbled by the efforts made by family and friends to help with this humanitarian mission and realize that there are many ways to give. If you are interested in helping the victims affected by the fire below are a few options.

Donate New/ Unused Gifts:  Specific items that the local Salvation Army’s distribution center in Chico, CA is asking for are unwrapped new underwear/socks, blankets/pillows, hygiene items, diapers/baby wipes, and new toys (no electronics). Salvation Army’s address is: 1100 Marauder St., Chico, CA 95973

Gift Cards: Gift Card donations have been shown to be extremely effective at providing the best benefit to those in need. This allows 100% of the donated funds to quickly help the wide-ranging short-term needs of those who have lost everything.  ESL has been advised that Gift Cards for clothing, food and especially gas are best.

Donate Directly to the Red Cross:  The American Red Cross has over 500 volunteers on the ground locally providing shelter, food, support, clothing, etc and they can definitely use your donation. You can simply visit redcross.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS to contribute!

ESL Provides New Resources

Erika Thorson

ESL Resources

 

ESL’s mission is to, “continuously provide our customers with innovative solutions.”  As we strive to provide better solutions we also aim to provide better resources.  ESL recently updated our technological resources to help serve our customers. The hope is it will not only educate, but also make finding the right “innovative” solution easier.

We built an App for that!

On the path to providing better tools, we created a new and improved online Catalog Manager. You know how catalogs can read like lengthy instruction manuals? Well, we decided to simplify the information and look to make finding what you need easier. ESL’s product offerings are now presented in an easy to locate format. Not only is the new catalog much more legible and direct on your desktop, but also more conducive to smartphones and tablets for customers on the go.

And speaking of smartphones and tablets…. We built an App for that!

We are pleased to introduce the new “ESL Power APP,” available for both IOS and Android devices. You can quickly and easily measure both kW output needed and Wire Size Bend Radius in either one swipe of the slider or a press of the button. The equations are based on the National Electrical Code (NEC) and the Insulated Cable Engineers Association (ICEA) minimum bend radius requirements. The “ESL Power APP” is the easier equation. You can download our app from Google Play or the iTunes App store.

These are just a couple of things ESL has done to make your experience with us a positive one. We are constantly looking for ways to improve our own avenues of information and resources to help simplify your day-to-day tasks.

Still need more help on finding the right solution? Our Customer Service Reps are here to assist.  Click here to request more info.