About Us and Our Services
Experience
Experience
Experience
- Over 30 years in finance and employee benefits
- 25 years working with ESOP companies
- 12+ years in institutional ESOP trustee role
- 5 years valuation experience
- 3+ years advising ESOP companies in financing from a commercial banking perspective
Services
Experience
Experience
- ESOP fiduciary advisory for both transactional and ongoing situations for ESOP companies of all shapes and sizes
- Corporate governance consulting for ESOP companies
- Ownership transition
- Financing questions
- ESOP transactions
Why Us?
Experience
Why Us?
- Practical governance and ESOP fiduciary guidance based on process
- Extensive experience advising businesses on transition matters
- Valuation knowledge from both financial advisory and ESOP trustee viewpoints
- Financing advisory understanding ESOP cash flows
Our story
Paul Trost is Founder and President of Equitable Edge Services with over 20 years of working with ESOP companies. Prior to forming Equitable Edge Services addressing ESOP trustee matters, he worked with the ESOP Advisory Group at J.P. Morgan, where he was dedicated to helping bankers and their private company clients evaluate and manage financing needs throughout the lifecycle of an ESOP. Paul's experience in the institutional ESOP trustee role also includes North Star Trust Company and the subsequent ESOP team which was acquired by GreatBanc Trust Company. Paul was also employed by Duff & Phelps, LLC where he focused on corporate valuation matters, ESOPs, fairness opinions and related corporate finance transactions.
Paul received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from the University of Illinois and holds a Master of Business Administration from John M. Olin School of Business at Washington University. Paul is an active member of the National Center for Employee Ownership and the ESOP Association, serving on the Valuation Advisory Committee.