Transitions East 2018
The conference for family businesses by family businesses

Transitions East 2018 will address:
- 'Whole System' Family Governance
- Succession Planning: What Works and What Doesn’t
- Women’s Changing Roles in the Family Business
- Why I Joined/Didn’t Join/Left the Family Business
- Healthy Conflict: How Family Disagreements Can Go Right
Plus:
- Sleep Better! A workshop on what keeps family business shareholders awake at night
- Building the Best Family Meeting
- Creating a Family Development Plan For Steward Owners
- Effective Mentoring in the Family Business
- Smaller group sessions to facilitate discussion.
- Topic-based expert briefings to allow you and your family members to drill down more deeply into areas of specific interest or need.
- Some families bring family members who do not attend the conference itself. We've created the opportunity for these families to schedule a working family meeting prior to and after the conference, with a professional facilitator. (Limited space available, please contact Justine Wood at 703-850-5497 for details). Please note: our hotel room block allows families to book rooms before and after the conference, at our group rate, to extend the duration and value of your visit.
- Family Business Basics--a pre-conference session focused on key family business terms and ideas, and on how to get the most out of the conference itself.
- Speakers from family companies: Our focus is on speakers from family enterprises, sharing real-life problems and solutions.
- Intimate, open environment: Limited attendance, and a private "safe harbor" environment in which to openly share challenges and opportunities with other families.
- Collaborative discussions: Opportunities to work through family issues via guided discussions.
- No-Sell environment: Conference sponsors understand and commit to participating as thought leaders and experts, and are restricted from actively selling their products and services.
- Special content and sessions for next-generation and married-in family members
- Networking with families like yours: Hosted networking, opening reception, meals, breaks and workshops are all designed to allow you to meet many family enterprise attendees.
- Family focus: Brought to you by family-owned Family Business Magazine. We use family-owned or family-controlled hotels, transportation services, restaurants and service providers whenever possible. We believe in, and invest in, America's family businesses.
- Hosted family meetings: For attending families who want to meet before and after the conference, professionally facilitated. Limited availability.
Featured Speakers

Kent Lundberg
Chair, Governance Committee, Lundberg Family Farms; CEO, Howard Van Dyke Family Enterprise

Steve Napoli
Register Today!
Begin Your Registration By Clicking Here.
The cost to attend is listed below. Members of families who have previously attended a Transitions conference receive a 10% discount on their cost of attendance. Your registration also includes a one-year subscription to Family Business Magazine or a one-year extension to your current subscription.
Standard Pricing (after February 18, 2018)
- $1875 - First attendee from your family company
- $1375 - Each additional attendee (age 30 and above)
- $1150 - Each additional Next Generation attendee (age 29 and below)
Please Note: Attendance at this conference is limited to members, owners, senior executives (including non-family executives and non-family board members) or shareholders of family-owned businesses whose primary business is other than advising family-owned businesses. Senior advisers to family businesses may attend only with family members. Attendance is strictly limited to the first 75 family businesses/enterprises who register.
All attendees will be verified prior to acceptance of registration. A family company's advisers may attend only if accompanied by one or more family company members. Other family company advisers may contact Mike Bachman at (215) 405-6070 for information on attending.
All registrants receive a free one year subscription to Family Business Magazine ($79 value), or a one-year extension to their current subscription. Subscriptions include free online access to the magazine's extensive online archive of articles. Registration fees do not include hotel or travel expenses.
Program
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 11
THURSDAY, APRIL 12
Philanthropy--Creating a Family Legacy and Building Family Engagement: Kate Coughlin, Director, Kellogg Center for Family Enterprises
Philanthropy can be an excellent way to engage family members not involved in the business, and help to cement the legacy and values of the family. This session will feature a discussion of engagement strategies and expected outcomes of philanthropic endeavors.
The Non-Family Executive and Family Relationships: F. Douglas Raymond, Partner, Drinker Biddle Reath LLP
The three essential ingredients of a successful relationship between the family and non-family executives are timing, fit and an effective governance structure.
Marrying-in and Dealing with Family Conflict: Blair Trippe, Managing Partner, Continuity Family Business Consulting
Those who marry in to a family business are in a unique position, and can both create and help deal with family conflict. This session will look at the positive roles married-ins can play in the overall emotinal health of a family.
Family History: Your Past as a Bridge to Planning Your Future: Jill Shipley, Managing Director and Mark Speltz, Senior Historian & Vice President, Abbot Downing
One of the greatest sources of joy within a family are the stories told about the successes, struggles and lessons learned across generations. In this workshop, we will explore how sharing a family’s history and stories creates meaningful engagement across multiple and diverse generations of a family and helps bridge the generation gap. Included will be strategies for using family history and values to preserve a family’s legacy and to engage and prepare the rising generation for stewardship. Case studies and best practices for learning about your family history will also be discussed.
How to Keep the Family Business in the Family: Mike Pinkans, President, and Greg Stevens, Vice President, Capital Formation Counselors
Strategies families can use to ensure that the business remains family-owned, including concentration of voting control, shared values, the passing of stewardship values to each generation, and managing cash flow objectives.
Financial Readiness for Women: Diane K. Doolin, Senior Vice President, Wealth Management, The Doolin Group at Morgan Stanley
An in-depth discussion of the strategies women should employ to ensure their financial future.
How Should NextGen Family Members Prepare for Future Family Leadership? Charlie Adams, US NextGen Program Leader, PwC
A research-based discussion of the key issues on the minds of Next Generation family members, with a focus on how they can prepare and position themselves for future leadership within the family and/or the business.
Choosing or Changing a Family Wealth Adviser: Lynn Erskine, VP, Senior Portfolio Manager, and Erich Hickey, VP, Chief Investment Strategist, Drexel Morgan Capital Advisers
Choosing a wealth adviser for your family can be daunting. A successful long‐term relationship with a trusted wealth adviser is key to generational wealth transfer and your family’s financial legacy. This interactive session will explore how to find the best fit for your family.
Building the Best Family Meeting
This session will focus on great family meeting ideas and a planning processes that promote engagement across the generations. Attendees will come away with a framework to plan and deliver family meetings that are fun and will promote clarity and cohesion across the whole family.
Session Leaders: Nancy Drozdow, Founder/Principal and Debbie Bing, President, CFAR
Effective Mentoring in the Family Business
Preparing family members for the various roles and responsibilities in a family enterprise can be daunting. From the emerging family executive to the family champion and potential trustees, families have to cultivate skills and talents that are rooted in the family values & principles while insuring the technical competence is in firmly in place. A well developed mentoring process helps families track and develop family members to steward the enterprise in their generation.
Session Leader: Andrew L. Busser, Managing Director of Strategy, Pitcairn
Compensation in the Family Business
Hiring and retaining the best people is crucial to growing a family business, and not all of this talent will come from family members. Compensation issues in the family business are different than compensation issues in investor-owned companies. These differences cause challenges at multiple levels; not only in compensating family members, but in compensating non-family member talent that the business needs to be successful. It can also be a potential source of family conflict. This session will discuss best practices in family business compensation for both family members and non-family members, including strategies for aligning compensation with both family and business goals.
Session Leader: Rhona Vogel, Founder, Vogel Consulting
FRIDAY, APRIL 13
About Conference
Transitions East 2018 is sponsored by Family Business Magazine, and is the only conference created for family companies, by family companies.
Who Should Attend
Attendance at this conference is strictly limited to owners, shareholders, family members, in-laws and executives of 75 family businesses/enterprises. The conference is designed to facilitate conversation on important family issues among generations. There is special programming for family business members aged 15-29, and for those who have married-in to the family business.
The Transitions conference is for family companies and family offices of all sizes. Approximately one third of attendees represent companies with revenues of under $25 million, one third of attendees have revenues of between $26 million and $300 million; and one third have revenues of over $300 million. And approximately a third of attendees are in the third generation or less; a third were in generations 4 and 5; and third were part of companies more than 6 generations old. What all attendees share is a desire to see their family enterprise grow successfully through generational transitions.
68% of attendees at Transitions are coming to the conference for the first time; 100% of attendees at our last conference say they'll attend again, and that they'd recommend the conference to other family members.
NOTE: All attendees will be vetted to ensure that they are family company leaders, members or shareholders. This event is only for family-run companies or enterprises. Senior advisers to family companies may attend ONLY with the family company they represent.
For further information, contact conference director David Shaw at (301) 963-6162 or email dshaw@familybusinessmagazine.com.
Registration
Registration fees do not include hotel or travel expenses. Due to the customization of the conference seating and session assignments, registrations need to be submitted at least one week prior to the start of the conference. On-site registration is not available.
Attire
The dress code for the conference is business casual to casual. Meeting room temperatures will vary, so please bring and wear the appropriate layers of clothing to ensure your personal comfort.
Propose a Topic or Speaker
Contact Peter Begalla, Conference and Education Director, (386) 785-7856 or email pbegalla@familybusinessmagazine.com. Please note that the conference extends a complimentary registration for conference speakers. In addition, conference speakers are featured in Family Business and Directors & Boards magazines and websites. Speakers are responsible for their own expenses, to include hotel, meals, and travel. Proposals promoting company products or services will not be considered.
Advisers and Sponsors
If your company provides services to family businesses, please considering sponsoring the conference. Access to Transitions conference attendees—by attending the conference, a tabletop exhibit and/or by participating as a moderator/panelist is only available to conference sponsors. Alternatively, if you are an adviser to family businesses, you may register to attend the conference with a family member for a business you advise. Contact Mike Bachman at (215) 405-6070, or email mike.bachman@familybusinessmagazine.com.
Student Registration
Students who are interested in attending the conference should apply through the standard attendee registration process (submit a registration form for consideration). Complimentary student registrations are not available.
Press
Press passes are not available for this conference.
What Attendees Say About Transitions
Confirmed Speakers

Susan Marvin
Chair of the Board, The Marvin Companies

Andrew Cathy
Senior Vice President, Chief People Officer, Chick-Fil-A

John W. Reininger
Chief Relationship Officer, The Clemens Family Corporation

Ross J. Born
Co-CEO, Just Born, Inc.
Ross Born is Co-CEO of Just Born Inc., a family-owned candy business located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Just Born was founded in 1923 in Brooklyn, New York and moved to Bethlehem in 1932. Just Born produces brand names MIKE & IKE™, Hot Tamales™, and Peanut Chews™ as well as marshmallow Peeps™. Just Born products are now distributed in all 50 states as well as in 45 countries. Ross joined the family firm in 1978 and shares the responsibility of managing the company with his cousin, David Shaffer, who shares the title of Co-CEO.
Ross, an Allentown native, is a graduate of Tufts University (1975) and received a law degree from Hofstra School of Law (1978). He and his wife, Wendy, have two daughters, Lisa and Amy, and a grandson, Jacob. Lisa's husband, Andrew Ellis, joined Just Born in 2007. Ross is involved in a wide variety of community activities and is the immediate past chairman of the National Confectioners Association.

Heath Nunnemacher
Director, Galland Henning Nopak, Inc.

Barbara Moran-Goodrich
Co-Founder, Chairwoman, CEO, Moran Family of Brands
Barbara Moran-Goodrich is one of Moran Family of Brands’ co-founders and she has served as a member of Moran’s Board of Directors since its inception in 1990. Ms. Moran has served as Chief Executive Officer and President of Moran since 1999. In 2010, Ms. Moran was appointed as Chairwoman of Moran’s Board of Directors. Barbara Moran has also served as Chief Executive Officer and President of Transmission City, Inc., an automobile repair and service equipment supplier in Midlothian, Illinois since 1999. Barbara Moran began working for Transmission City, Inc., in 1995 and has served in many capacities including finance, marketing, customer relations, production and operations. Ms. Moran is also a co-founder of Mor Property Development and a general partner since its inception in 1994. She currently serves as Managing Member of Mor Property Development. She has served in that capacity since 2004.

Kent Lundberg
Chair, Governance Committee, Lundberg Family Farms; CEO, Howard Van Dyke Family Enterprise

Daniel Ariens
Chairman and CEO, Ariens Company

Letitia Hussey Beauregard
Chair of the Board of Directors, Hussey Seating Company

Michelle Clements
President, Synergy Trust Partners, LLC
Michelle Clements is the President of Synergy Trust Partners, LLC. In addition to working with the Board of Managers on strategic planning and estate planning, Michelle serves on the Investment Committee. She is a frequent speaker on family office, wealth management and governance topics. Michelle is a consultant to families working in the areas of governance, organizational structure and the creation of private trust companies. Ms. Clements holds a B.A. degree in International Trade and French from Auburn University and a M.A., Ed. degree from the University of Alabama-Birmingham. Michelle has studied at the Stanford Wealth Management program and the Cannon Financial Institute.

Howard Holmes II
Regional Business Manager, Chelsea Milling Company
Chelsea Milling Company is operated by a family whose roots in the flour milling business date back to the early 1800s. Mabel White Holmes, grandmother of current president Howdy S. Holmes, developed and introduced to the homemaker the first prepared baking mix product, “JIFFY” Baking Mix, in the spring of 1930. Currently Chelsea Milling offers 22 “JIFFY” mixes. “JIFFY” is the market-share leader in retail prepared baking mixes. In 2007, Chelsea Milling entered the institutional market, selling to mass feeders such as large hotels and prisons. The company is currently investing $35 million to build additional facilities to provide products for the foodservice sector.

Ralph Brennan
President, Ralph Brennan Restaurant Group

Laura M. Neiman
President & CEO, Neiman Brothers Company, Inc.

Steve Napoli

Travis York
President & CEO, GYK Antler

Tamara Smith
Chair, Smith Family Council, Menasha Corporation
Tam Smith practices yoga and holding her tongue around her 2 fabulous kids. She is a long time advocate of school garden programs, zealous about healthy food, passionate about the value of family, and believes everything in life should work well and look better. A former retail maven at Marshall Field, Benetton, The Gap, and Marin Outdoors, she now utilizes her skills as a Sonoma Country Day School Trustee, Sonoma Academy Parent Board Member, and serving as chair of the Smith Family Council.

Jonathan Flack
Partner, US Family Business Services Leader, PwC

Andrew D. Pitcairn
Pitcairn Family Council Chair
Andrew Pitcairn, John’s Pitcairn’s great grandson, is a 4th generation member of the Harold Pitcairn Family line and is the current Pitcairn Family Council Chair. The Pitcairn Family Council was one of the first in the nation, established in 1982 as a platform for identifying family talent, educating family members about the operating business, identifying and implementing solutions for family connectedness and interfacing directors, management and owners, among other duties. Growing up in the small suburban town of Bryn Athyn and attending the community Swedenborg faith based school gave Andrew a spiritual sense that we are all here for a greater purpose and that to live life helping others was the highest calling one could achieve.
After studying psychology at Temple University, Andrew entered the world as a small business owner and from 1999-2008 owned and operated two small businesses in the Philadelphia area. This proved to be invaluable in gathering real world experience and setting the path for the next chapter in his life.
As a Pitcairn Family member Andrew has spoken at many events, including Transitions, South Eastern Family Office Forum, Hamptons Family Office, New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants, Opal Financial, Delaware Family Business Center and the Private Asset Management Group.
In 2009 Andrew moved from a Family Council member to the Co-Chair position, and after one year he took over as Chair of the Board. In 2010 he became a committee advisory member of Pitcairn's Capital Committee, a member of the Governance Committee as well as Chair of the Nominating Committee. Recently Andrew completed a course from Cannon Financial for qualification to sit as Co-Trustee with Pitcairn Trust Company on Family Trusts. Andrew sits on the Board of Directors for Pitcairn as well as Chairman of the Board for LighTouch Medical.

Carolyn Brown
Chair, Campbell Family Council, Mannington Mills
Carolyn Brown was named to the board of directors of Mannington Mills Inc. in 2014. Mannington is in its 100th year as a family-owned business, now in its fifth generation. Mannington manufactures (in the United States and England) a wide variety of commercial and residential flooring products including carpet, luxury vinyl tile, wood, laminate and porcelain tile. Carolyn was also named by the family to head up and formulate the Campbell Family Council, now in its second year. Carolyn worked in the telecom industry for over 35 years and held several management positions. She first worked for AT&T and then MCI, where she was vice president of global sales and then vice president of global customer service before retirement.

Krister Ungerboeck
Former CEO, Ungerboeck Software
Conference Location
The Vinoy Renaissance St. Petersburg Resort & Golf Club, from family-owned Marriott Hotels, is near the area's most popular attractions, including the Salvador Dalí Museum, the Morean Arts Center, Tropicana Field and a variety of pristine Florida beaches. The hotel also offers easy access to Tampa International Airport (TPA), St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport (PIE) and a variety of shopping and restaurants. Guest rooms feature stylish decor, expansive marble bathrooms, plush bedding and LCD TVs. The Vinoy Renaissance is also home to five celebrated restaurants, a full-service spa, beautiful 18-hole golf course, ultramodern fitness center, and shimmering outdoor pool.
Our special conference room rate is $269 plus tax (net non-commissionable), and reservations must be made before March 21, 2018 to earn this rate. You may book online by clicking here.
To book by phone, call:
Reservations Toll Free: 1-888-789-3090
Reservations Local Phone: 1-888-303-4430
Ask for the Transitions East 2018 Conference group rate.
Register Today!
Begin Your Registration By Clicking Here.
The cost to attend is listed below. Members of families who have previously attended a Transitions conference receive a 10% discount on their cost of attendance. Your registration also includes a one-year subscription to Family Business Magazine or a one-year extension to your current subscription.
Standard Pricing (after February 18, 2018)
- $1875 - First attendee from your family company
- $1375 - Each additional attendee (age 30 and above)
- $1150 - Each additional Next Generation attendee (age 29 and below)
Please Note: Attendance at this conference is limited to members, owners, senior executives (including non-family executives and non-family board members) or shareholders of family-owned businesses whose primary business is other than advising family-owned businesses. Senior advisers to family businesses may attend only with family members. Attendance is strictly limited to the first 75 family businesses/enterprises who register.
All attendees will be verified prior to acceptance of registration. A family company's advisers may attend only if accompanied by one or more family company members. Other family company advisers may contact Mike Bachman at (215) 405-6070 for information on attending.
All registrants receive a free one year subscription to Family Business Magazine ($79 value), or a one-year extension to their current subscription. Subscriptions include free online access to the magazine's extensive online archive of articles. Registration fees do not include hotel or travel expenses.