Lisa Reardon is an innovative leader who’s focused on creating a successful portfolio of diverse businesses to return value to the OwnersEdge ESOP so its employee owners can achieve their American Dream.
The origins of OwnersEdge trace its roots back to Lisa’s time at CC&N. She was recruited to the company in 2005 and became president in 2008. Over the years, the success of CC&N provided an opportunity to create a diversified ESOP holding company. In 2015, Lisa established OwnersEdge to protect and serve the sustainability and wealth creation for employee owners. Since then, Lisa has led eight business acquisitions, restructured two companies, completed two divestitures, and executed four business mergers. To date, OwnersEdge has achieved more than 300% revenue growth to reach $100 million and expanded its workforce to 300-plus employees.
Lisa possesses a diverse skillset that relies on a strong trifecta of expertise in strategy, execution, and business finance. She has held numerous board positions and has industry experience that covers multiple competitive markets, including service, manufacturing, healthcare, retail, non-profit, automation, and construction. An accomplished problem solver and ESOP expert, Lisa has a track record of growth, even amidst recession and the recent pandemic. In 2023, she was recognized by the Smart Business Network as a Master Dealmaker and inducted into the Milwaukee Dealmakers Hall of Fame.
Lisa’s current board experience includes public, private, and ESOP-structured organizations. Internally, she leads the OwnersEdge board as Chair. Externally, she leads board committees on strategic CEO succession, audit, finance, and compensation.
In her role as Executive Chair, Lisa focuses primarily on strategic board leadership and acquisitions. She works with the co-CEOS and the OwnersEdge board to achieve the long-term vision for the holding company, which includes cementing OwnersEdge as a nationally known leader in the ESOP industry. Her role encompasses acquisition strategy, evaluation, and negotiations; board leadership; long-term visioning and strategic planning for OwnersEdge; and high-level ESOP strategies.
Lisa is a graduate of Marquette University where she obtained her bachelor’s degree in business administration with a concentration in finance. She has attended executive post-graduate continuing education programs at Marquette and the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.