ABOUT ME

JOHN BURGESS

I'm a CPA and attorney with Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, based in Tampa and Sarasota, Florida. I majored in accounting in college and became a CPA while working for a Big Six CPA firm. After going to law school, I started my legal career focused on tax, I've concentrated on employee benefits and executive compensation since 2006. I work with employers of all sizes on their ESOPs, 401(k) plans, 403(b) plans, welfare plans and executive compensation arrangements, including equity compensation programs and non-qualified deferred compensation plans.

I have always taken a particular interest in ESOPs, which was piqued by attending my first NCEO Employee Ownership Conference in 2010. I immediately noticed how those attending the conference took pride in where they work and how willing they are to share their stories, challenges and best practices. I've been hooked on employee ownership ever since.

I was actively involved in the creation of the Florida Center for Employee Ownership in 2020 and currently serve on its Board of Directors. I am a member of the NCEO and the ESOP Association, and regularly present at their conferences. I am also the President of the Florida West Coast Employee Benefits Council for the 2022-2023 season, and have served on the Employee Benefits Conference Committee for the Florida Institute of CPAs for the past several years.

I'm a native of Painesville, Ohio and came to Florida in 2017 after nearly a dozen years working for one of the largest employee benefits practices in the country in Washington, DC. I enjoy watching sports (including all of the teams from Cleveland and Tampa Bay), playing golf, early morning workouts and of course, eating key lime pie from Publix.

You can reach me at john@theexopexperience.com or jburgess@shumaker.com.