Christel Jimenez is a Vice President of ESOP Consulting at Principal. She has over 15 years of experience working with ESOPs, both from within the retirement industry and as an officer of an ESOP-owned company. She has extensive knowledge and experience in recordkeeping, ERISA plan compliance, and complex ESOP issues.

Christel engages with business owners and companies to define their objectives and design, implement, and communicate ESOPs. She takes a focused approach to partnering with ESOP companies to identify areas of opportunity in plan operation, repurchase liability, and employee communication, all with the goal of assisting companies in meeting their corporate objectives and maximizing their ESOP.

She is an active member of Employee-Owned S Corporations of America (ESCA), The ESOP Association (TEA) and the National Center for Employee Ownership (NCEO).

Christel earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from The Pennsylvania State University, and a Master of Business Administration degree from Central Michigan University.

Christel lives in North Carolina with her husband and their three children. She enjoys running, cycling, and attending their sporting events.

Kip is a Sr. ESOP Administrator at Blue Ridge ESOP Associates focused primarily on ESOP administration, repurchase obligation studies, pre-transaction ERISA compliance testing and plan design, and Form 5500 preparation. Kip is a member of the National Center for Employee Ownership (NCEO), American Society of Pension Professionals and Actuaries (ASPPA), the ESOP Association, and an associate member of The ESOP Association’s Advisory Committee on Administration.