Become Worker Owned and the Business Legacy Fund are projects of Co-op Cincy. These initiatives are designed to preserve local businesses and retain good jobs in Greater Cincinnati and Southwest Ohio. By partnering with retiring business owners, their employees, and the Seed Commons national financial cooperative, we are able to bring transitions to worker ownership within reach. We also provide technical assistance, including feasibility studies, legal and governance best practices, and ongoing support in business financial literacy and strategy for your employees as they navigate their new ownership culture.

The team behind the Project

Co-op Cincy is a non-profit business incubator that partners with individuals and organizations to create a collaborative network of family-sustaining, worker-owned businesses.

We are members of the national Workers to Owners Collaborative.

Co-Director

Kristen Barker is a social entrepreneur and a co-founder of Co-op Cincy. She leads participatory education with co-op workers, helps determine feasibility of potential co-ops, helps co-ops access capital, and helps existing business owners interested in succession determine if selling their business to their employees is feasible. She also hosts delegations from around the country and adopts the Mondragon co-op model to the U.S. cultural context. She is a 2016-18 BALLE fellow (Business Alliance for Local and Living Economies, now Common Future). Read full bio here.

Co-Director

Ellen Vera is a co-founder of Co-op Cincy, developing worker-owned businesses since 2011. Ellen oversees fundraising and the organizing of new businesses. She works passionately to create family-sustaining jobs, and her strengths lie in overseeing the development process including feasibility studies, business plans, capitalization campaigns, community engagement, and the initial management of cooperative enterprises. Read full bio here.

Business Legacy Fund Acquisition Program Manager

Christopher Bennett is an entrepreneur focused on creating transformational wealth and change through business equity and acquisitions. Formerly employed by Procter & Gamble, he currently serves as the Business Legacy Fund Acquisition Program Manager for Co-op Cincy and is responsible for the strategic development, management, and execution of the program. Prior to joining Co-op Cincy, Chris created value across numerous for-profit and non-profit roles spanning marketing, sales, business development, curriculum development, corporate strategy, and internal audits.

Chris has an undergraduate degree from Morehouse College (a HBCU) as well as Master of Business Administration and Master of Science in Management Information Systems degrees from the University of Alabama.