MILWAUKEE — After 37 years as a locally-owned Milwaukee staple, Pizza Shuttle celebrates the transition to employee ownership as pizzeria founders, Mark Gold and Louis Siecinski, set their retirement plans in motion. Pizza Shuttle partnered with Teamshares, a financial technology company, to transition the family-owned and operated business to its 80 employees as it plans for the next generation of sustainable ownership.
Pizza Shuttle employees will keep their jobs through the ownership transition and will be granted stock. Employees collectively will receive 10% stock in the company, which will be earned through four years of ongoing service at the company. The goal is for Pizza Shuttle to be 50% employee owned in 10 years and 80% employee owned in 15 to 20 years.
“I dreamed of opening a pizzeria when I was a teenager. This restaurant has been my life, which makes stepping away from the business a very difficult decision,” said Mark Gold, Pizza Shuttle owner. “Many of our employees have been with us for years – even decades. When I discovered the employee ownership model, I knew this was how I wanted to transition into retirement – empowering my employees to take ownership and benefit from business growth and success.”
Protecting a legacy and securing the future
Since opening its first location in 1985, Pizza Shuttle has become a Milwaukee institution. Beloved both locally and nationally, Pizza Shuttle is continuously ranked in the top 100 of independently owned pizzerias in the country. With over 65 percent of employees from diverse backgrounds, Pizza Shuttle is well known in the community for serving delicious food in a vibrant, inclusive environment. Maintaining the Pizza Shuttle legacy and culture remains a top priority throughout the ownership transition.
Siecinski and Gold partnered with Teamshares, a venture-capital-backed firm that helps small and medium-sized businesses transition from retiring owners to employee-ownership. Teamshares assists with issuing employee stock and helping employee-owners become financially fluent through software and education.
“Pizza Shuttle is an exciting partnership opportunity for us. We have been impressed with Mark and Louis’ dedication and passion for the business they grew into a community staple,” said Michael Brown, co-founder and CEO of Teamshares. “We are proud that Teamshares is becoming the exit strategy of choice for retiring small business owners because we offer the opportunity of ownership for dedicated employees and ensure the business can thrive for generations to come.”
As part of the transition, Pizza Shuttle will hire a new president, and Gold’s daughter, Jessica Gold, will serve as the General Manager and manage many day-to-day responsibilities within the business. Its storefront at 1827 N. Farwell Ave., will maintain regular hours of operation.
NOW HIRING: Become an employee-owner of Pizza Shuttle
For years, Pizza Shuttle has been dedicated to employing Milwaukeeans of all backgrounds. The current staff includes a base of 80 employees, ranging in age from 16 to 75 years old, with an average tenure of seven years with the company.
“It’s extremely rare in the restaurant industry to have built a passionate, loyal team like we have here at Pizza Shuttle,” said Jessica Gold, General Manager and Pizza Shuttle employee for 15 years. “We’re always looking to grow our team, and now, employee ownership turns a job at Pizza Shuttle into a future career opportunity.”
Employee stock ownership offerings makes Pizza Shuttle a unique and desirable employment opportunity for current job seekers, especially for those pursuing sustainable career paths in the service industry.
The company is currently looking to grow their team of dedicated employee-owners, with open roles from managers to delivery drivers. Employees will receive stock with dividends, in addition to benefits including competitive industry wages of up to $20 per hour for delivery drivers, flexible full- or part-time day, evening or late-night hours, 401K options, food and beverage discounts, and a positive company culture. Visit pizzashuttle.com/nowhiring to learn more and apply today.
ABOUT PIZZA SHUTTLE: Pizza Shuttle is a family-owned and operated pizzeria located on Milwaukee’s East Side. Since opening their first location in 1986, owners Mark Gold and Louis Siecinski have created a Milwaukee legacy, born out of a best friendship and a love for pizza. Pizza Shuttle is known for its friendly staff, late-night hours, wide-raging delivery service, and delicious, creative pizzas made with love and local ingredients. Aside from its classic, hand tossed pizzas, Pizza Shuttle also offers an extensive menu of food items including ice cream, chicken wings, appetizers, sandwiches and more. A staple in the community, Pizza Shuttle has donated more than $750,000 over the past 37 years to support local causes and organizations. Learn more at https://www.pizzashuttle.com/.
ABOUT TEAMSHARES: Teamshares is a financial technology company that helps small businesses become employee-owned through education, good governance and digital products that make financials and operations simpler. Its mission is to make employee ownership the future of small business and create new wealth and opportunity for every hard-working American. Teamshares helps small businesses become employee-owned at the point of the founding owner’s retirement by acquiring the company, issuing employee stock, and helping promote financial fluency through software and education. The company employs a team that has decades of cross-functional expertise in accounting, company acquisitions, business training, employee ownership, recruiting, operations, service design, and software to ensure smooth, well-informed transitions. Learn more at https://www.teamshares.com/.
