Tim Rettig
Chief Employee Ownership Advocate · 3LS, Inc.
IT Services · Employee Ownership Advocacy13 yrs in EO
The rest of Tim's story is inside the speakeasy.
Bio, fun facts, conversation starters, and the best ways to connect.
About
Tim Rettig is a second-generation serial ESOP entrepreneur who founded Intrust IT, a Cincinnati managed IT and cybersecurity services provider, in 1992 while still in college. He grew the company into a multi-time Best Place to Work and Inc. 5000 honoree, then transitioned it to full employee ownership, culminating in Intrust IT joining the 3LS ESOP holding company in 2025. He now serves as Chief Employee Ownership Advocate at 3LS, spreading the word about employee ownership to business owners, employees, and policymakers.
Who You Should Meet
Your top suggested 1:1s, matched on complementary needs, shared ground, and proximity.
Chris Frutkin
- You can help Chris with: fresh perspectives from newer EO members to mentor
- You're both in Cincinnati — this one can happen over coffee
- Chris is new to the chapter — be their welcome
Jeremy Staadeker
- You can help Jeremy with: warm intros to EO founders nearing an exit
- Jeremy can help with what you're looking for: deal flow — founders raising capital for Queen City Angels
- Shared craft: m & a exits
David Kakish
- Both building in it services
- Both building in cybersecurity
- Shared craft: cybersecurity
Genevieve Bos
- Genevieve can help with what you're looking for: deal flow — founders raising capital for Queen City Angels
- Shared craft: m & a exits
- Genevieve is new to the chapter — be their welcome
Richard Mulholland
- Richard can help with what you're looking for: deal flow — founders raising capital for Queen City Angels
- Richard has 10+ years in EO — a great first 1:1 for your new-member year
- Both speakers
On LinkedIn
3.2Kconnections
3.4Kfollowers
VerifiedOn LinkedIn since 2006
Cloud ComputingCiscoVDICitrixVMwareVirtualizationVoIPManaged Services
Congratulations to all of the new employee-owners at BHDP Architecture, the newest #ESOP in Cincinnati! Great job making it happen Kirsch CPA Group, Lazear | ESOP and M&A Advisors and GreatBanc Trust Company. https://lnk…
This week I traveled to Washington DC to advocate for #employeeownership, highlighting how #ESOPs benefit retiring business owners, employees, communities and society as a whole. I was part of the Ohio delegation, along …
I'm excited to be the keynote speaker at the Ohio Employee Ownership Center annual conference in Akron on Thursday, April 23rd. The event is SOLD OUT! I will be sharing my journey to employee-ownership at Intrust IT and …
Employee ownership creates a fork in the road. One path — equity paired with genuine participation — radically outperforms. The other? Ownership installed without participation actually underperforms. What is genuine par…
Fun Facts
- Started Intrust IT in 1992 while still a University of Cincinnati engineering student, sold it four years later, ran it for the new owner, then bought it back eleven years after that
- Under his leadership Intrust IT was named a Best Place to Work in Cincinnati for 14 years running (through 2025) and made the Inc. 500|5000 list six times
- His father, Jay Rettig, took his own company (Software Solutions) employee-owned in 2004 — Tim followed the same path with Intrust IT starting in 2019
- Has a stated life goal of helping create 10,000 employee-owners
- Active angel investor with Queen City Angels, backing Greater Cincinnati startups
Conversation Starters
- Ask what it took to buy back the company he'd sold eleven years earlier
- Ask what convinced him to follow his father's path and take Intrust IT employee-owned
- Ask what he tells business owners who are on the fence about an ESOP
- Ask what he's learned as an angel investor with Queen City Angels
EO Leadership
- President - 2018/2019 - Local Leadership Position
- President-Elect - 2017/2018 - Local Leadership Position
- Member Engagement Chair - 2016/2017 - Local Leadership Position
- Member Engagement Chair - 2015/2016 - Local Leadership Position