The Future of Business - How Shared Ownership Drives Innovation and Performance

Discover how employee ownership is reshaping leadership, culture, and performance in today’s most resilient companies. Led by a panel of RIT's Saunders College of Business alumni and dedicated RIT partners, this session offers a unique look at how shared ownership fuels innovation and long-term growth.

Hear real stories from Rochester-area business leaders who have seen firsthand how an ownership mindset transforms the bottom line.

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Moderators:

Steve Storkan

Steve Storkan is the Executive Director of the Employee Ownership Expansion Network (EOX), a national nonprofit dedicated to substantially expanding employee ownership (EO) across the United States. Since launching EOX in 2019, Steve has led the expansion of the employee ownership movement from an initial 8 State Centers to a thriving national network of 25 independent organizations. Under his leadership, EOX has helped deploy millions in grant funding to State Centers to expand access to employee ownership education, outreach, direct support for business owners, and policy advocacy.

Steve brings over 25 years of experience in employee ownership, having previously served as Director of ESOP Administration at Alerus Retirement and Benefits, where he worked closely with companies to design, implement, and administer ESOPs. He also spent over a decade on the Board of the Minnesota-Dakotas Chapter of the ESOP Association, including terms as Chapter President and VP of Government Relations. Steve holds a Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) designation from Minnesota State University, Mankato.

Tracy Till

Tracy is the co-founder & former co-CEO of Rochester-based agency, Butler/Till. Her marketing mind and media prowess were what clients, and agency partners alike, desired most from her partnership. She easily bridged enterprise divides by humbly seeing no “boundaries” in terms of her role and her “seat at the table.” Internally at Butler/Till, her focus was on her people, the products, and processes – always striving for remarkable. When the time came to plan a successful exit, opting for an Employee Ownership model was easy. No one better to succeed the leaders, share in the profits & solidify retirement futures than the employees who helped build Butler/Till. Today, Tracy brings that same passion as an Independent Board of Director to Employee-Owned (EO) firms in the USA. Leveraging her experiences as a business founder, CEO, marketer, board governance and strategic planning professional. Tracy also served the broader EO community as a Board member of EOX, the Employee Ownership Expansion Network.

Panelists:

Robyn Brookhart

Robyn Brookhart is President and CEO of Liberty Pumps. She holds an MBA from RIT with a concentration in Manufacturing and spent years managing, leading, and improving manufacturing operations. She balances heart and high standards with a people-first approach that’s both warm and rigorous. Her work sits at the intersection of culture, strategy, and owner-level accountability. Robyn is at her best when she’s making the most of each day, asking the questions that unlock better thinking, and building a sense of community that makes high standards feel shared, not imposed. 

Liberty Pumps has been part of Robyn’s life for a long time, starting back in high school, in the company her great-uncle founded in 1965. She holds an MBA with a concentration in Manufacturing and spent years managing, leading, and improving manufacturing operations, so she brings deep operational experience to the CEO seat. Robyn believes a sense of ownership works best when it’s practiced daily, and with that she invests in the habits and governance that can keep the organization strong and successful for generations to come. She’s also clear on what she’s not interested in: politics, work without purpose, and leadership that values productivity but sidelines humanity. 

Robyn has invested intentionally in helping her team grow and stay connected as the organization continues to evolve. She’s introduced structured learning and development support, plus leadership forums that create an opportunity for people to ask questions, raise concerns, and learn from one another. She also makes time to meet with off-shift teams to ensure they feel supported and included in the life of the organization. She believes there are hidden ideas that rise to the surface when people feel empowered to say the thing they almost didn’t say. 

As Liberty has grown, Robyn has recognized the need to prioritize investment in product innovation, expansion into new markets, and increased production capacity to keep pace. This has included several expansions of the company’s footprint, investments in automation and efficiency, and a focus on continuous improvement. Liberty’s reputation is built on stellar customer service, product quality, and fast shipping, and Robyn stays close to customers and keeps their expectations at the center of how Liberty operates. 

Robyn serves on the Liberty Pumps Board of Directors, is a Trustee of the Genesee Country Village and Museum, volunteers at the Gillam Grant Community Center, and is a member of YPO. Outside of work, she enjoys health-related deep-dives, travel and adventure, and time with her family and her horses.

Mark Esposito

Mark has been passionate about the construction industry since he began his career in 2000. Once he joined Campus in 2007, his thoughtful approach to managing even the most complex projects led to his advancement through many roles, and he was appointed Vice President in 2017. In 2021, he stepped into his current role of President and now guides our entire company with his forward-looking strategies and natural leadership abilities. 

 During his time with Campus, Mark has managed well over $1 billion in construction throughout New York. As President, Mark’s focus is to build positive project partnerships, drive company growth, and provide overall direction and support to our project teams. He is also a champion for accountability and professional development.

 Mark holds a B.S. in Civil Engineering from SUNY at Buffalo.

Leslie Kass

As Lewis CEO, Leslie Kass is responsible for ensuring the success of the company’s customers, employees, and ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan), while developing and executing the organization’s vision and strategy for continued growth. A respected leader for over 30 years in the utility and energy sectors, Kass is proud to serve as Lewis’ first female CEO in the company’s 85+ year history. Previously, Kass was the first female CEO at Babcock & Wilcox, and served as Executive Vice President at TC Energy’s Corporate Technical Center in Calgary, Alberta. Kass has also held leadership positions at Westinghouse Electric Company, Nuclear Energy Institute, Entergy, and Duke Energy.
Kass earned an undergraduate degree in Materials Science and Engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, andan MBA from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business. She has served on the board of Bruce Power nuclear facility (the largest nuclear generation site in the world), Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises (NYSE:BW) and is currently a board member of North Coast Holdings and Lewis Services.

Mike Mandina

Mike Mandina is a founder of Optimax Systems and joined the company in 1991 as its first full-time employee. He served as President until 2021, leading Optimax’s growth from a single employee into the largest optics manufacturer in the United States. Under his leadership, the company expanded from a small operation into a major advanced manufacturing organization supporting aerospace, defense, and semiconductor technologies.

Mike’s career in optics spans nearly five decades. He founded his first optics company in 1976 and has since played a central role in building the American precision optics industrial base. Beyond Optimax, Mike has been deeply committed to workforce development, industry collaboration, and regional economic growth. Today, he serves as Chairman of the Optimax Board and as a Trustee of the Optimax Trust, helping ensure the company’s long-term independence, success, and commitment to its employees. Mike is also a long-time Board Member for Vertus High School, a Rochester based Charter School for young men. Mike holds an EMBA from RIT.