About SDCooper Company

We have specialized experience in sophisticated plan design and difficult cases; defined benefit, class allocated / cross tested, profit sharing, 401(k), VEBA's, Davis-Bacon, and orphan plans. The firm does not sell investments, rather it bills fee-for-service.

• Steven Cooper, President
  Steven D. Cooper, President, has 25 years of Benefits Consulting and Pension Administration experience. Steven was the first to successfully market the ERSOP™ Plan to Franchisors and Business Brokers (beginning in 1999). He coined the term “ERSOP™ (Entrepreneur Rollover Stock Ownership Plan)” in 2001. Steve entered the pension field in 1979 by designing and installing sophisticated defined benefit defined contribution pension plans for the California Medical Association endorsed plan system. He was an early marketer of VEBAs (voluntary employees' beneficiary association plans). He has owned and operated his own pension consulting and administration firm since 1984, designing several thousand plans over the years. Steve Cooper and Karen Franklin incorporated and formed SDCooper Company in 2002.

• Karen L. Franklin C.P.A., VP/CFO
  Karen L. Franklin, C.P.A. Vice-President and CFO, has 20 years of Accounting and Tax experience specializing in small business taxation and employee benefits. Karen graduated Cum Laude from San Diego State University in 1988, and has taken extensive graduate courses in Taxation and Business Entities. Karen has practiced as a CPA Since 1991, worked with a large local CPA firm for several years, and served as Corporate Controller for a large ($60 Million) manufacturing company before working with Steve Cooper beginning in 1997. Karen developed the essential ERSOP™ Plan Exit Strategy in 1999 that entails the retirement of the stock in the ERSOP™ plan, and the subsequent S-Corporation election within the first few years of the business to minimize income taxes on the operations and eventual sale of the business.

• Noel G. Conway, VP/General Counsel
  Noel graduated from Oregon State with BS in mechanical engineering in 1954, He received his JD from U.S.C. in 1959. Noel was originally a patten lawyer in the early1960's. Noel started private law practice in Orange County California from 1960 through 1975. From 1975 to1984 entered in the oil business. In 1984 Noel went back into private law practice as an environmental lawyer. Through the years represented and was involved in corporations and their retirement plans. Noel practiced business law, forming corporations and issuing stock. Noel took advanced courses in corporation organization. He has worked with the SBA explaining the proper use of an ERSOP Plan when combined with functions of the SBA to waive the guarantee. He has acquired ERISA experience having been involved in pension plans since 1973.

• Miranda Wisniach
  Manager, Plan Administration

• Kenny Greer
  Supervisor, Documents

• David Jordan
  Plan Administration