Robert S. Socol is a Managing Director in the Valuation & Litigation Advisory Services Group. His concentration is in ESOP and ERISA Advisory Services. Mr. Socol has worked on over 250 ESOP transactions of all sizes, from small private companies to major public corporations. He has performed engagements for the valuation of ESOP securities, the valuation of business entities and the valuation of business and security interests. Additionally, Mr. Socol has performed analyses in a broad range of industries for numerous purposes, including transaction opinions, mergers and acquisitions, financing leveraged buyouts, corporate planning, business valuations litigation support and financial restructuring. He also has extensive experience in equity allocation issues, complex deal structuring, deal negotiation and design of innovative securities.

Mr. Socol is a nationally recognized expert in the arena of ESOPs and has extensive experience in multi-investor employee stock ownership plan leveraged buyouts. He has been involved in many of the earliest and most complex ESOP transactions completed or attempted, including Aramark Corporation, Appleton, Dan River, Dentsply International Inc., Ferrell Companies, Inc., HT Research Institute, The Parsons Corporation, Raymond International Inc., STV Group, Inc., United States Sugar Corporation and US Investigations Services, Inc.

Prior to joining our firm, Mr. Socol was a principal and director of Employee Benefits with a national valuation firm specializing in the valuation of closely held companies. Prior to that, he was a Managing Director with Houlihan, Lokey, Howard & Zukin, Inc., where he provided valuation and financial advisory services for a variety of purposes including ESOPs, corporate planning, mergers and acquisitions, recapitalizations and leveraged buyouts.

Mr. Socol earned an MBA in Finance and Accounting from the University of Chicago and a BA in Finance from the University of Illinois. Additionally, he is the chairman of the Valuation Advisory Committee of The ESOP Association and is on the advisory board of the Employee-Owned S Corporations of America.