Menke: Celebrating 50 Years – A Timeline of ESOP Excellence

As we celebrate our 50th anniversary, take a tour of the history of The Menke Group and ESOPs.

1974

The Menke Group, founded by John D. Menke, is incorporated in June.

Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), including ESOP provisions drafted by John D. Menke, is signed into law on September 2.

1975-1985

1975	John D. Menke writes and publishes the first book about ESOPs, How to Design, Install and Administer an ESOP.
1976	Menke forms its Third Party Administration (TPA) division.
1978	Menke expands its geographical footprint, opening its first East Coast office in New Jersey.
1979	Kyle Coltman joins the Menke Group as CEO. Menke reaches an employee milestone, hiring its tenth employee.
1981	The Economic Recovery Tax Act (ERTA) simplifies rules for ESOP formation.
1983	The Menke Group becomes employee-owned with the launch of its ESOP.
1985	The 1984 Tax Reform Act creates the IRC §1042 tax-free rollover tax benefit for ESOP transactions to further incentivize owners of privately-held companies to form ESOPs.

1986-1996

1988

Menke introduces M&A Advisory Services to expand its client offerings.

1991

Victor Alam joins Menke to lead its legal department.

1993

Menke further expands its legal team by adding Chuck Bachman as Senior Legal Counsel

John Menke drafts key provisions regarding S corporation ESOPS (including the repeal of the application of the Unrelated Business Income Tax (UBIT) to ESOPs), thus making ESOPs available to S corporations for the first time.

1997-2007

1997	The Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 is signed into law, including provisions drafted by John Menke. Menke expands its geographical footprint further, opening an office in Atlanta, Georgia.
1998	Menke acquires BSI, expanding its national footprint and enhancing its third-party administration (TPA), consulting, and advisory offerings.
2000	Menke opens its Chicago office.
2001	Internal Revenue Code Section 409(P) is enacted as part of the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 (EGTRRA) and sets forth anti-abuse rules for S corporation ESOPs.

2008-Present

2012	Menke launches Menke ESOP Online Services, its secure online platform to streamline ESOP compliance and administration, and help its clients communicate the value of their ESOP to their employee-owners.
2018	Rutgers University launches the Rutgers Institute for Employee Ownership and Profit Sharing under the leadership of Joseph Blasi, the J. Robert Beyster Distinguished Professor at Rutgers. The Institute lists John D. Menke of The Menke Group as one of its supporters.
2021	Menke introduces another innovation, the Menke Success Score® to help clients better understand the health of their ESOP and future share repurchase obligations.
2024	Trevor Gilmore becomes CEO of The Menke Group with the retirement of Kyle Coltman. The Menke Group celebrates 50 Years of ESOPs! The company has designed and installed 4,000 ESOPs all over the US and administers more than 700 ESOPs on behalf of clients.

Menke - 50 Years

For more in-depth insights and reflections on our journey, don’t miss our special article celebrating Menke & Associates’ 50th anniversary. Dive into our rich history and discover how we’ve pioneered ESOP solutions for half a century. Read the full story here: Reflections on the 50th Anniversary of The Menke Group, Inc.
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