 Cheryl & David Copham
Following the sale of Liberty Enterprises in June 2006 Dave and Cheryl have been active in charitable activities supporting such efforts as Habitat for Humanity, Lee County Equestrian Center, Trustees for the Naples Children and Education Foundation and founding Trustees for the Southwest Florida Children’s Charities Foundation. Dave and Cheryl are both active in recreational activities such as golf, motorcycle riding, travel and boating.
Dave established a track record of remarkable entrepreneurial success. Liberty truly was a “bootstrap” startup from its beginning in 1985. By 2004 Liberty had become the credit union’s leading check printer and provider of ancillary products and services. At the time of the sale Liberty had grown from the 4 person start up to nearly 1000 people serving more than 6000 financial institutions in all 48 states.
These successes did not go unnoticed. In 1996 Dave was named Minnesota and Dakotas manufacturing Entrepreneur of the Year. As such he is a member of the Entrepreneur of the Year Institute which honors the worlds’ top business entrepreneurs.
As a vocal advocate for employee rights, Dave testified before Congress to urge for changes in corporate tax laws that would allow increased opportunities for employee stock ownership in sponsoring companies. His tireless efforts for S Corporation which included significant financial support led to a new era of American business. On January 1, 1998 Liberty became the first S Corporation to sponsor an Employee Stock Ownership Program (ESOP). The plan allowed Liberty employees and those of other S Corporations to share more fully in the successes of their companies. Because of the Cophams generosity by matching Liberty stock to employees 401 K contributions, at the time of Liberty’s sale the employees owned 18% of the Company and participated proportionately in the proceeds. Subsequent to the original legislation Dave was instrumental in founding the Employee Owned Corporations of America (ESCA) to protect and serve employee ownership advances on behalf of the now thousands of like companies.
Cheryl had a successful career in residential real estate sales until coming full time to Liberty in the early 1990s. There she held numerous positions and ultimately served on the Board of Directors.
The couple has two children and two grandchildren. Their son Jed owns Brainerd International Raceway and Resort in Brainerd, MN and their daughter Kristen is a successful musician, artist and owner of NY Studio Gallery in New York City.
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