About
Your life's work matters.
What happens next does too.
Empowered is more than just a name – it’s a call to action. Your company’s future success is in no better hands than the people who’ve been making it happen for years. Our job is to support great leaders and empower workers as owners and beneficiaries of their work.
Potential lies within people.
Businesses grow best when people lead the way. Through employee ownership, we place the focus back on the people, aligning worker and owner interests for more healthy and prosperous businesses.
progress over perfection
We abide by a "do-no- harm" approach when shepherding our acquisitions. Rest assured, we won’t meddle in your current operating management. Our interest is in stewarding your legacy.
Purpose beyond profits.
Great businesses define a purpose beyond just profit. The impact we have on our employees, customers, vendors, partners, and communities defines our value. Your life's work has purpose beyond monetary.
A letter from the CEO
Why we do what we do
I feel thrilled and privileged to be leading Empowered Ventures. I get to be part of a large group of people working collectively as employee owners. Our employees benefiting financially from their work and feeling empowered to be their best selves unlocks tremendous pride in our workplaces and leads to better service for customers and more healthy, sustainable
businesses.
Long-time, successful, privately-owned businesses are special. They tend to have proud employees and loyal customers and be pillars of their local communities. They also tend to have owners who care deeply about prolonging those positive impacts well beyond an ownership transition. I relate to that feeling which makes me so excited that the employees of a company EV
acquires get to become employee owners of Empowered Ventures and their place of work! For many of them, it is a great reward for their long service. For all of them, it is a potentially life-changing event that creates the opportunity to build a nest egg and achieve real financial security.
When I imagine Empowered Ventures in the future, I see a large family of businesses and ambitious employee owners throughout our enterprise continuing to provide outstanding service and solutions to our companies’ customers and seeking new opportunities for growth and improvement. I see business owners continuing to select EV to steward their life’s work. Because of our employee owners and the business owners who partner with us, I believe
Empowered Ventures has an incredibly bright future with unlimited potential.
Thank you for being here. I hope we get to work together to create that bright future!
Chris Fredericks
President & CEO
The
Team
Chris Fredericks
President & CEO
Chris Fredericks, the Founder and CEO of Empowered Ventures, brings a diverse background in management, accounting, M&A, and supporting and developing people. Chris’s 20+ years of experience guide his pursuit of continuous improvement and strategic growth, balanced with a deep care for fostering people-oriented cultures and shared financial success.
Emily Bopp
Chief of Staff
With over two decades of experience in small business management, leadership, strategy, and ownership, Emily Bopp brings a unique perspective. A Purdue University graduate with a background in Audiology and Speech Pathology, she enjoys facilitative leadership and continuous improvement.
Kim Dinwiddie
Vice President – HR
Kim is a graduate of the University of Indianapolis with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a master’s degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Organizational Leadership. Kim’s career spans over 25 years in Human Resources, holding various roles, amassing a wealth of knowledge in the intricacies of HR management.
Mike Algrim
Vice President
Mike Algrim brings rich experience from a third-generation family business in real estate and a distinguished career in commercial banking. With a background in Finance from Northern Illinois University and a Corporate Ventures Master’s from DePaul University, Mike also devotes his time to nonprofit business growth acceleration and the Illinois Small Business Development Center.
Tabitha Lewis
Financial Controller
With a diverse background spanning accounting, finance, operations, and strategic planning, Tabitha Lewis is a graduate of Indiana State University and Drury University. She has successfully managed the financial aspects of family-owned businesses undergoing acquisition by public companies and served as CFO for privately held companies.
Bruce Kidd
Board Member
With over 30 years of experience advising numerous private firms, Bruce Kidd is the mastermind behind Indiana’s inaugural Angel Investor Network and played a crucial role as the Director of Entrepreneurship under Governor Mitch Daniels. Bruce’s impact extends beyond the corporate realm; he’s the founder of Indy Concerts for a Cause, supporting local non-profits dedicated to helping those in need.
John Craun
Board Member
John Craun’s impressive career includes serving as President of the Agriculture & Nutrition Division and VP of Strategic Initiatives at Vertellus Specialties. He dedicates his free time to volunteering as an English as a second language tutor, acting as treasurer for three nonprofit boards, and contributing to the finance committee of Indianapolis Public Schools.
Lisa Reardon
Board Member
With over 30 years of experience in senior-level operations, finance, marketing, and sales management, Lisa Reardon is an expert in employee-owned models. Her influence extends to multiple nonprofit and for-profit boards, encompassing retail, manufacturing, distribution, and service industries. She’s a multifaceted leader in the realm of employee ownership and corporate governance.
Sean-Tamba Matthew
Board Member
Sean-Tamba Matthew is a noted speaker on ESOP-related topics and serves as an Adjunct Professor at Temple University’s Beasley School of Law. He actively contributes to the Business Law Section of the Pennsylvania Bar Association, Talley Management Group’s advisory board, and The ESOP Association’s Public Policy Council. Sean is involved with multiple nonprofit organizations, including Independence Mission Schools and Nutritional Development Services.
Life Changing Work:
The Empowered Ventures Story
Sharing stories with our employee owners.
Discover the inner workings of our business on our podcast empowered owners.
International fabrics supplier established in 1974.
Employee-owned with
Leading thermoformed plastics since 1982.
Employee-owned with
Precision machining in ohio for over 23 years.
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