Transitions West 2017

The conference for family businesses by family businesses

 

This conference is for family companies and enterprises of all sizes and ages.  

Business family or family business?  That’s no longer the question.  The goal now is to nurture the family and steward the business concurrently.

Transitions West 2017 will address:

  • The Impact of the Business on Family Identity
  • The Board's Role in Balancing Family and Business Concerns
  • Aligning the Strategies of the Family and the Business
  • Leveraging the Strengths of the NextGen
  • When to Think Family and When to Think Business
  • Special Session: Fam Tank--NextGen Entrepreneurs Pitch Business Ideas to a Family Business Panel 

Special Bonus:  To extend and enhance conference learning, all attendees will receive a free one year's subscription to Family Business Magazine (or a one-year extension to their current subscription). Subscription includes access to Family Business' online archive of more than 800 articles.

We continually strive to enhance your conference experience:

  • 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.

Transitions features:

  • 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

Heidi Vermeer-Quist

Board Member, Vermeer Corporation

Todd Simon

Senior Vice President, Omaha Steaks International, Inc.

Philip A. Clemens

Retired Chairman and CEO, The Clemens Family Corporation

Jackie Sheetz Foderaro

Family Council Member, Sheetz, Inc.

Martha C. Huber

Former Director, J.M. Huber Company

David W. Henderson

President and CEO, Samaritan Medical Center

Franklyn Augustus Butler II

Managing Director, Milo B. Butler & Sons Ltd.

Laura Gicela

Family Employee Engagement Liaison, Elkay Manufacturing Company

Elizabeth Rees

Founder, Chasing Paper

William "Stacey" Cowles

President, Cowles Company

Shimon Greenspan

CFO, Westland Real Estate Group

Austin Herschend

Family Council Chair, Herschend Family Entertainment

Alexandra Burton

Foundation and Event Planning Committee Member, Leupold & Stevens

Susanne Cambre

Chairman of the Board, The J. M. Burguières Co., Limited 

Ashley Palm

Vice Chairman, SI Group

William J. (Bill) Kellogg

President, La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club

Scott Hunt

CEO, Hunt Brothers Pizza LLC

Jacob Gorman

Family Assembly Member, Power Construction

Betsy Johnson

Founder, SwimZip

Steve Lytle

Board Member, The Agnew Company

 

Yanne Root

Founder, Violent Little Machine Shop, Board Member, The Root Organization

Register Today!

Registration Information

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.

Past attendees of any Transitions Conference receive an additional 10% discount on their registration fees.

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.

 

Transitions West 2017 is SOLD OUT.

Standard Pricing (after September 10, 2017)
$1,850 - First attendee from your family company
$1,350 - Each additional attendee (age 30 and above)
$1,150 - Each additional Next Generation attendee (age 29 and below)
 

For general questions on attendance or help with registration, please contact Justine Wood at (703) 850-5497. Please register all attendees from your company on the Registration Form at the same time.  If you determine at a later time that you need to add registrants, we will need to process the registrations offline in order to apply the discounted registration fees.  To register offline, please email registrant information (name, title, company name, mailing address, phone number and email address) to jwood@familybusinessmagazine.com.  For the payment, please call  Jerri Smith at 215-405-6071 to provide the credit card number or use the Credit Card Authorization Form available here.

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.

Registration price includes all conference materials, as well as breakfast, lunch and dinner on November 2, breakfast and lunch on November 3, and a welcome reception with buffet dinner on November 1, as well as refreshment breaks.

Registration contact:
Justine Wood
Events Director
jwood@familybusinessmagazine.com
(703) 850-5497

Cancellation policy: All conference cancellations must be made in writing and sent to Justine Wood, Transitions Events Director, 13631 Maidstone Lane, Potomac, MD 20854, or emailed to jwood@familybusinessmagazine.com. Registrants who cancel more than four weeks prior to the program date are entitled to a full refund of the registration fee less an administrative fee of $150 per registrant; if canceled within four weeks, but more than 10 business days prior to the conference date, 50% of the conference registration fee will be refunded less an administrative fee of $150 per registrant; within 10 business days of the conference date and no shows, no refund is possible. Family Business Magazine may cancel the program if attendance does not meet required levels; in case of cancellation or rescheduling, full refunds of registration fees will be made. Travel fares and hotel deposits cannot be reimbursed.

Program

Wednesday, November 1

2:30-6:30 p.m. Registration Open

3:30-4:30 p.m. Family Business Basics and Conflict Management 101

An optional, complimentary pre-conference session for first-time Transitions attendees and others who wish to brush up on key family business terms and practices. A special section has been added on family conflict management basics. The session will also offer tips on how to get the most out of the conference experience.

Speakers:  Joshua Nacht, PhD, Consultant, The Family Business Consulting Group; Doug Baumoel, Founder, Continuity FBC; Peter Begalla, Conference and Education Director, Family Business Magazine

4:30-5:00 p.m.  Networking Break

5-6:15 p.m. The Business and Family Identity—Pros and Cons

There are both risks and rewards of having the family name—especially when that name is on the door of a business. Families often rally around their personal values—how do you meet the market without losing your identity?

Speakers:  Philip A. Clemens, Retired Chairman and CEO, The Clemens Family Corporation; Jackie Sheetz Foderaro, Family Council Member, Sheetz, Inc.; Scott Hunt, CEO, Hunt Brothers Pizza LLC

Moderator:  Charlie Carr, Managing Director, Family Enterprise Advisory, PwC

6:15-6:45 p.m. Opening Keynote Conversation

Heidi Vermeer-Quist, Board Member, Vermeer Corporation

Interviewed by:  Jonathan Flack, US Family Business Services Leader, PwC

6:45-9 p.m. Welcome Reception and Dinner

Thursday, November 2

7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Registration Open

7:30-8:30 a.m. Breakfast

8:30-9:30 a.m. The Board’s Role in Balancing Business and Family Dynamics

A board of directors can be the ambassador between the business family and business management, ensuring the voice of the family is understood and enacted. It should be an island, free of personal family dynamics and staffed with qualified directors. How can board composition keep communication open and decisions moving?  How can the board play a role in succession planning and setting family employment policies, while managing any potential family controversy?

Speakers:  Martha C. Huber, Former Director, J.M. Huber Company; David W. Henderson, President and CEO, Samaritan Medical Center; Susanne Cambre, Chairman of the Board, The J. M. Burguières Co., Limited

Moderator:  Rhona Vogel, CEO and Founder, Vogel Consulting

9:30-10:00 a.m. Networking Break

10:00-11:00 a.m. Setting Boundaries Between the Business and the Family

While business discussions around the dinner table are common, how can families ensure that there are clear boundaries between family and business.  Which hat (family, business, personal) should you wear, and when? What work/life balance should be expected?  Can you avoid taking work home?  The goal is a healthy family and a healthy business, and panelists will discuss their challenges in achieving this.

Speakers:  Franklyn Augustus Butler II, Managing Director, Milo B. Butler & Sons Ltd.; Shimon Greenspan, CFO, Westland Real Estate Group; Ashley Palm, Vice Chairman, SI Group

Moderator:  Scott Winget, Senior Managing Director at Ascent Private Capital Management of U.S. Bank

11:00-11:15 a.m. Networking Break

11:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m. Expert Briefings

  • Liquidity Options for the Family Business--Debt, Equity, ESOPs and more:  David Guin and Clyde TInnen, Partners, Withers Bergman LLP
  • Learning Financial Literacy, Regardless of Age:  Jeff Strese, Chief Talent and Learning Officer, Tolleson Wealth Management
  • The Family Office as an Administrative Tool for the Family:  Rhona Vogel, CEO and Founder, and Shannon Zur, Family Office Director. Vogel Consulting
  • Financial Readiness for Women: Diane K. Doolin, Senior Vice President, Wealth Management, Morgan Stanley 
  • Driving Development and Business Results: Action learning for the Next Gen:  Nancy Drozdow, Founder, and Debbie Bing, President, CFAR
  • Sustaining Wealth and Preserving the Family:  Michael Cole, President. Ascent Private Capital Management
  • Thinking About What’s Next: Coping with ownership transitions and business lifecycle changes:  Janice DiPietro, Founder and CEO, Exceptional Leaders International
  • Creating a Legacy--Turning Your Family Values into an Operating System:  Sue Bingham, Founder and Principal, and Jenna Bingham Grizzard, Principal, HPWP Consulting

12:15-12:30  Networking Break

12:30-1:45 p.m. Lunch and Keynote Interview

Todd Simon, Senior Vice President, Omaha Steaks International, Inc.

Interviewed by:  Jeff Strese, Chief Talent and Learning Officer, Tolleson Wealth Management

1:45-2:00 p.m. Networking Break

2:00 p.m.-2:45 p.m.  Fam Tank

What’s harder than getting family business seniors to listen to new business ideas from the next generation? Fam Tank is here to help! Fam Tank is a Family Business Shark Tank-style panel competition to foster entrepreneurism in the family business arena. NextGen family business members will present a new business venture, product or idea to a panel of successful NextGen family entrepreneurs.

Judges:  Elizabeth Rees, Founder, Chasing Paper; Betsy Johnson, Founder, SwimZip (Backed on Shark Tank); Yanne Root, Founder, Violent Little Machine Shop

Session Leader:  Scott Porter, Managing Director, Brightwood Capital

2:45-3:45 p.m. Leveraging the Strengths of the NextGen

Developing human capital is wise on the part of any multi-generational business. This session will examine the pitfalls and prizes of development and onboarding the NextGen, leveraging the strengths of the millennial generation and building the family’s human capital through effective intergenerational communication and mentoring.

Speakers: William “Stacey” Cowles, President, Cowles Company;  Alexandra Burton, Foundation and Event Planning Committee Member, Leupold & Stevens; Jacob Gorman, Family Assembly Member, Power Construction

Moderator:   Nancy Amick, Senior Director of Family Dynamics and Education, Abbot Downing

3:45-4:00 p.m. Networking Break

4:00-5:00 p.m. Intensive Workshops (select one)

  • Forming and Operating an Owner’s Council.  Owner’s councils are different from family councils and can be where the vision for the business gets decided, as well as where families work out ownership issues.  Led by Doug Baumoel, Founder, Continuity FBC.
  • Developing and Updating the Succession Plan.  If you don't have a written succession plan, you need one.  And if you have a plan, have you updated it recently?  Led by Kent Rhodes, EdD, Senior Consultant, the Family Business Consulting Group.
  • Should Your Family Have A Family Office?  If you don't have a family office, do you need one?  How do you go about forming an effective family office?  Led by Charlie Carr, Managing Director, Family Enterprise Advisory, PwC.
  • Leveraging Your Family History.  Consider your past as a bridge to planning your future.  Led by Julian Saltman, Senior Historian at Wells Fargo, and Nancy Amick, Senior Director of Family Dynamics and Education with Abbot Downing

6:30-9 p.m. Family Dinner

At Coasterra, with a brief talk by members of the owning multi-generational Cohn family. Bus transportation will be provided.

Speakers:  David and Lesley Cohn

Introduced by: Bryant Seaman III, Managing Director, Bessemer Trust's Private Asset Advisory Group

Friday, November 3

7:30-8:30 a.m. Breakfast

8:35-9:35 a.m. Expert Briefings

Repeats sessions from Thursday

9:35-10 a.m. Networking Break

10:00-11:15 a.m. Keeping Family and Business Goals in Sync

What happens if the goals of the business conflict with the goals of the family? An example might be a desire for business investment and growth versus differing appetites for risk within the family.  This session will feature families who create separate family and business goals, and examine how they make sure that both are in sync.  There will also be a discussion of family organizational charts (versus business org charts), and how to use these to ensure that the family’s goals are clear and earn buy in from key family members.

Speakers: Austin Herschend, Family Council Chair, Herschend Family Entertainment; Laura Gicela, Family Employee Engagement Liaison, Elkay Manufacturing Company; Steve Lytle, Board member, The Agnew Company

Moderator:  Bryant Seaman III, Managing Director, Bessemer Trust's Private Asset Advisory Group

11:15 a.m.-12 noon Keynote Interview

William J. (Bill) Kellogg, President, La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club

Interviewed by: Peter Begalla, Family Business Magazine

12 noon-1:15 p.m. Lunch

 

About Conference

Transitions West 2017 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

“This is one of the best conferences I've ever attended.  The diversity of topics, the openness and candidness of the attendees, the structure.  All of it was awesome.”
 
"The best ever!  Messages were clear, consistent and well organized.  People shared openly whether on stage or otherwise."
 
“This was a great conference--the person-to person idea exchanges were vibrant”
 
"I always learn something new and meet new people experiencing the same things I am.  I've never had a support network like this one."
 
"I was amazed at how open everyone was about sharing their stories.  I got several ideas on dealing with the issues facing our family and our business.  Very beneficial."
 
“Loved having access to dynamic family businesses in a helpful environment.  The speakers were so giving and open--a true gift!”
 
"Good cross section of different family companies dealing with a variety of relatable issues. Got a lot of very valuable information throughout the two days."
 
"Such an open environment--eye opening would be an understatement.  I look forward to coming back next year and bringing more family with me."
 
"Best seminar I have attended.  Focused on family rather than sponsors."
 
"Excellent conference, superbly implemented and presented."
 
“Very well done, with friendly people.  The conference was set up to be very easy to talk to others and the crowd was really good.”
 
“Excellent.  I appreciated all the takeaways from the conference and enjoyed meeting and talking with others.  I liked the positive/negative shared experiences from the family businesses.”
 
“Transitions is just a great place to learn about family business issues.”
 
“I am a small business owner.  Initially, I was intimidated by the general body of large family businesses.  What was amazing to me is that, large or small, we all experience the same issues.  Very inspirational and comforting to know obstacles can be overcome.”

 

Confirmed Speakers

Heidi Vermeer-Quist

Board Member, Vermeer Corporation

Dr. Heidi Vermeer-Quist is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist, a Family Business Consultant, and a Director on the Board of Vermeer Corporation, a privately held family-owned business based on Iowa. 
 
Vermeer Corporation is a manufacturer of industrial and agricultural equipment. The company distributes more than 120 products globally from seven production facilities and offices in Pella, Iowa, and multiple locations worldwide. Founded in 1948 by Gary Vermeer, as Vermeer Manufacturing Company, the company is in its third generation of family management under Chief Executive Officer Jason Andringa, Chairman of the Board Mary Vermeer Andringa and Chairman Emeritus Robert L. Vermeer.
 
At Vermeer Corporation, Heidi developed and facilitated the Ownership Council as well as various family business governance best practices. She works closely with leaders of the Vermeer family and business to ensure healthy communication, alignment of goals, and growth of all persons involved. She transitioned her role as Ownership Council Chair to her cousin Mindi Andringa and still serves on the OC Governance Committee, as well as on the Board of Directors as a Shareholder Director and member of the Audit Committee.
 
Heidi is certified on the Hogan assessment and the Leadership Versatility Index, to assist organizations in leadership development.  She has provided psychological assessment and psychotherapy to people struggling with a variety of mental health and relational problems for over 15 years. Heidi actively teaches a variety of classes that incorporate stress management skills, positive psychology and resiliency, effective communication and team building. She works full-time for her own organization, Vermeer Quist Consulting LLC, doing both clinical psychology and consulting with family businesses.
 
Heidi received her Bachelors degrees in Psychology and Music from Calvin College and her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Wheaton College.
 
She resides in Iowa, with her husband, Chad, and their three kids.

Todd Simon

Senior Vice President, Omaha Steaks International, Inc.

Todd Simon is a 5th Generation owner of the Omaha Steaks® group of companies,
serving as Senior Vice President of Omaha Steaks International, Inc., President of
OSSalesCo, Inc. and Vice-Chairman of Omahasteaks.com, Inc.
 
In his various roles, Mr. Simon is responsible for and involved in all consumer sales
and marketing of Omaha Steaks branded products and services in many channels
including Mail Order, Stores, Telemarketing, Internet, and Business-to-business.
 
Mr. Simon joined Omaha Steaks three decades ago after graduating from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.  He is responsible for developing and
implementing Omaha Steaks’ award-winning marketing programs, as well as the
employee development efforts that make Omaha Steaks one of the finest customer
service businesses in the country.
 
Omaha Steaks and the Simon Family have a strong commitment to community
philanthropy and Todd has been extremely involved in shaping his family’s
leadership in supporting the arts as well as social and human services agencies and
programs.
 
Todd currently serves as a member on the Board of Directors of a number of philanthropic organizations including the Omaha Community Foundation, the Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts and United States Artists.  

Philip A. Clemens

Retired Chairman and CEO, The Clemens Family Corporation

Mr. Clemens has spent his entire working career with the family business. He began working in the legacy business, Hatfield Quality Meats, on a part time basis while going to school. He began his full-time career in 1967 while attending Peirce College. His career has allowed him to work in all areas of the business. He began on the clean-up crew and worked his way to be the CEO and President of the Company. He began both the Data Processing and Human Resource Departments. He spent 20 years of his career in Human Resources and 7 years as CEO and President of the legacy business.

In 2000 he became Chairman and CEO of The Clemens Family Corporation - a holding company. He currently serves as the CEO of all of the businesses in the Clemens Food Group: Hatfield Quality Meats, Country View Family Farms, PV Transportation, and CFC Logistics. He also serves as the CEO of Clemens Development which is the real estate arm of the Corporation with several holdings including Hatfield Pointe and Clemens Business Center.

Mr. Clemens received the American Meat Institute's Industry Advancement Award, the highest award given in the meat industry; The Edward C. Jones award for community service; the Knowlton Award for innovation in the meat industry; Pride of Peirce for outstand alumni of Peirce College; Pillar of the Community from Harleysville Senior Center; Philadelphia Area Sunday School Association's Superintendent of the Year; and the Research Institute of America for the outstanding management suggestion of the year.

Mr. Clemens is active in his community and other organizations. He serves as the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Lancaster Bible College; former Chairman and member of the Executive Committee of the American Meat Institute; Board member and Compensation Chair of Delaware Valley Wholesale Floral Group, Sewell, N.J.; Barron Collier Partnership, Naples, FL.; Board member of Ambassador Foundation; Center for Ministry Advancement; Three Springs Ministries; and North Penn United Way.

Mr. Clemens has been married to Linda for 40 year and has 3 adult children - Julie who works in the family business; Beth, married to Paul College and serving as a missionary in Indonesia; and Ruth, married to Brett Harris and is a school teacher in North Carolina. He also has 5 grandsons. His hobbies are hunting and fishing.

Jackie Sheetz Foderaro

Family Council Member, Sheetz, Inc.

Established in 1952 in Altoona, PA, Sheetz, Inc. is one of America's fastest growing family-owned and operated convenience store chains, with more than $6.9 billion in revenue and 17,000 employees. The company operates over 500 store locations throughout Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, Ohio and North Carolina. Sheetz provides an award-winning menu of M*T*O(r) sandwiches and salads, which are ordered through unique touch-screen order point terminals along with Sheetz Bros. Coffeez(r), a full-service espresso and smoothie bar where customers can order handmade specialty coffee drinks including lattes, cappuccinos and mochas -- hot, frozen or iced. All Sheetz convenience stores are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
 
Jacquelyn (Jackie) is a third-generation family member and shareholder of the Sheetz family. She and her husband, Tony, currently reside in Maryland with their two children (Carter, 6 and Olivia, 3) where Tony works as a Real Estate Site Selector for Sheetz, Inc. Jackie earned her undergraduate degree in Psychology from Indiana University of PA and her master's degree in School Counseling from Loyola College in Maryland. She worked as a school counselor at both a high school and middle school until the birth of her son, Carter. After Carter was diagnosed with autism at the age of 2, Jackie decided to stay at home and focus full time on advocating for her son and his needs. 
 
Jackie has always had an interest in becoming involved with the family business in some manner and is happy to be a member of the Family Council. She works primarily on the Philanthropy committee and helped create the Kathleen and Gerald Sheetz Memorial Grant program. This program allows younger family members to award a grant to an organization of their choice after completing a number of volunteer hours. She also helps create educational and social activities for the annual family retreat. Jackie is looking forward to working more and expanding her responsibilities within the Family Council.

Martha C. Huber

Former Director, J.M. Huber Company

Martha Huber served on the board of J. M. Huber Corporation (Huber), a $2 billion industrial company entering its sixth generation of family ownership, for twenty years. During this period, Huber, its board, and family governance went through significant transformation while remaining true to fundamental Huber family principles.
 
Through divestitures, acquisitions and internal growth, Huber evolved from a primarily domestic commodity producer of inorganic chemicals and natural resources to a global, specialty engineered materials portfolio company.  Huber also transitioned from a family run company with a board of family directors to a professionally managed company and a board comprised by design of a majority of independent directors. The Huber family navigated a generational transition and also developed a formalized family governance structure to assure appropriate communication and connection between the family and the company.  The Huber portfolio today consists of Huber Engineered Woods (building products), Huber Engineered Materials (specialty chemicals), and C.P. Kelco (specialty hydrocolloids).  In 2013, Huber received the IMD Lombard-Odier Global Family Business Award for excellence in family business and governance.
 
 Martha was one of the first fourth generation family members elected to the Huber board.  During her tenure on the board, she served on every committee including Corporate Governance & Nominating, Environmental Health & Safety, Executive, Management & Compensation, Finance, and Audit.  She chaired the Audit Committee from 2008 through 2013.  Although private, Huber holds itself to public company standards.  She chaired the Finance Committee from 2008 through 2010.  Huber first entered the credit markets in the late 1990’s and has built a capital structure to support its strategic growth plans.  Martha served on the Management & Compensation Committee when it led the CEO succession process on behalf of the board, resulting in the appointment of Huber’s current CEO & President in 2009.  Martha also served on the board of Huber’s regulated Irish finance subsidiary.  In 2013, Huber having weathered the financial crisis which began in 2008, and successfully transitioned to non-family board co-chairs and to a non-family CEO & President, Martha left the Huber board, having served for a period roughly double the tenure guideline.  She is proud to have been an integral part of the team guiding Huber’s progress through this period, reshaping Huber for long term profitable growth for future generations.
 
Martha has also been active in Huber family governance.  She continues to mentor many family members.  She currently serves on the family Nominating and Evaluation Committee.  She is also serving on the Owner’s Room Task Force which is assessing the effectiveness of current family governance for Huber shareholders.  She previously served on several task forces which have shaped governance for both Huber and the Huber family. She served on the Family Employment Committee, a board and family working group, which reviewed family employment policies and practices for Huber.  She also served on the board of HFO Services, the Huber family office, for eight years.
 
Martha worked for the Rockefeller Group (RGI) from 1984 through 1995.  When she joined RGI, it was a real estate and real estate development company owned in trust by the Rockefeller family.  RGI’s strategic goals were to diversify and to provide liquidity to its shareholders.  Martha’s initial responsibilities in Treasury included development of financial plan models and investment analysis.  
 
In 1985, she joined Corporate Planning and Development with responsibility for identifying industries for diversification, direction of acquisition teams, development of recapitalization alternatives and divestitures.  She also directed strategic planning for RGI and its operating subsidiaries, Rockefeller Group Management Company, Rockefeller Group Development Company, Rockefeller Group Telecommunications Services, Cushman & Wakefield, and Radio City Music Hall.
 
In 1987, after a change in its strategic goals, the Rockefeller Group established a leveraged buyout fund, Rock Capital Partners, to pursue higher risk equity investments.  Martha was involved in all aspects of Rock Capital Partners from its inception including seeking limited partners and analysis and execution of acquisitions.  Martha worked closely with the portfolio companies providing support in strategic planning, evaluation and recruitment of management, cash management, refinancings and divestitures.
 
In 1989, Martha assumed responsibility for maximizing the recovery value of an RGI portfolio of debt investments in unaffiliated companies.  Many of these debt investments resulted from bridge loan financings and required significant restructuring.  Martha continued to work with the equity portfolio companies as well.  Martha enjoyed the diverse range of companies and people she worked with at RGI including Drake Bakeries (snack cakes); Outlet Communications (television and radio broadcasting); Best Products (catalog showroom retailer); Appletree Markets (grocery stores); HCA (hospitals); and Unimast (construction metals manufacturer). She served on the boards of Appletree Markets and of Unimast.
 
Prior to joining RGI, Martha worked for Coopers & Lybrand as a staff accountant in audit from 1982 until 1984.
 
Martha was born in western Massachusetts.  She received her AB from Barnard College in 1978.  She then worked as a research associate in a biochemistry lab at Rockefeller University before deciding to pursue a business career.  She returned to Columbia and received an MBA with concentrations in finance and accounting from Columbia Business School in 1982. Martha and her husband, Michael, live in New York City.  They have two children, Jacob, age 23 and Isabella, age 20. 

David W. Henderson

President and CEO, Samaritan Medical Center

Dave Henderson has almost 30 years of management experience and community involvement. He has been President and CEO of Samaritan Medical Center, a family-owned business in San Jose, Calif., since 1988. His responsibilities include strategic planning, leasing, and developing medical office properties. Currently the portfolio consists of over 300,000 square feet of premier medical office buildings serving more than 250 physicians and health care professionals. On most days over 3,500 patients will visit the medical campus for care. The business is 50 years old and has grown to include 42 owners over four generations. Prior to joining Samaritan Medical Center, Dave held the position of General Manager with Arrow Electronics both in Salt Lake City (1983-1984) and Chicago (1985-1988). Arrow is a worldwide supplier of electronic components. 
 
As part of his family business interest, Dave is a guest presenter at Stanford’s Graduate School of Business several times a year where he engages students involved in family businesses nationally and internationally.
 
Dave has served as a Board member of the Stroke Awareness Foundation, American Cancer Society and Wells Fargo Bank Advisory Board. He was also instrumental in the founding of Cancer CAREpoint, a local nonprofit organization that provides support services to cancer patients, their families and caregivers.  
 
Dave has a bachelor’s degree in Business from Pennsylvania State University (1973). He has been married to Noelle for over 38 years, has three grown children and two grandchildren. They currently reside in Los Gatos, Calif. Dave enjoys traveling, playing golf, attending Broadway shows and visiting Presidential libraries.

Franklyn Augustus Butler II

Managing Director, Milo B. Butler & Sons Ltd.

Milo B Butler & Sons Co has been in business for more than 80 years. The late Sir Milo Boughton Butler founded the company in 1920.  The business was developed as a means to support his family and as a vehicle to help further the cause of many Bahamian people who struggled to find meaningful work under the political and social landscape of the Bahamas at that time.  The company in its earliest days traded in livestock, cattle, ice, agricultural and prepared food products.  At present the third-generation company now focuses primarily on distribution of grocery, meat and general merchandise products throughout the Bahamas Islands. The business consists of two companies: Milo B. Butler & Sons Limited, a wholesale and retail distribution company with four outlets in Nassau, Bahamas, and a commercial development company that operates two commercial shopping centers. The company is also a significant investor in several local companies ranging from cable and telecommunications to banking.  .  
 
After completing ‘A’ levels in the U.K. and obtaining a Bachelors of Science degree in Accounting & Finance from the University of Warwick in Coventry, England, Franklyn Butler joined his family business of Milo B. Butler & Sons Limited, where he started as a salesperson. Since then, he has served in several capacities, including VP of Sales & Marketing, VP of Operations and now President and CEO of the company. His major challenge in the business to date has been transitioning business ownership and management from the second generation to the third.  
 
Whenever his schedule allows it, he enjoys traveling, singing, reading and generally being on the waters. He serves on the YPO Bahamas Chapter Board. He also serves as a director of several publicly traded Bahamian companies and is an active member in his church, Bahamas Faith Ministries.

Laura Gicela

Family Employee Engagement Liaison, Elkay Manufacturing Company

Elkay Manufacturing Company is an industry-leading privately held international manufacturer with 19 operating facilities and business operations in the U.S., China, Mexico and Canada, employing over 3,500 people worldwide. A family-owned company, Elkay has been an innovative manufacturer of stainless steel sinks, faucets and fixtures for residential and commercial use for over 94 years. Headquartered in Oak Brook, IL, Elkay has operations in 10 states as well as China and Mexico. The company expanded its commercial plumbing offerings 43 years ago to include efficient water coolers, drinking fountains and the award-winning EZH2O rapid bottle filling stations. Elkay is also one of America’s leading cabinetmakers, with eight brands in the marketplace. Elkay’s products are sold through a variety of channels, including home centers, builders and traditional plumbing, kitchen and bath, and cabinetry dealers. The company’s best-known product brands include Halsey Taylor, Elkay Sinks and Water Coolers, Medallion Cabinetry, Mastercraft Cabinetry, Yorktowne Cabinetry, Elkay Foodservice, Schuler Cabinetry, American Cabinetry and InnerMost Cabinetry.

As a member of the founding family, Laura Gicela has been actively employed by Elkay Manufacturing Company in various positions at its corporate headquarters in Oak Brook, IL since May of 1991. Laura earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Economics and Management from Russell Sage College in Troy, NY. After earning her degree, Laura started her career at Elkay and has worked in accounting, marketing, finance, engineering, IT, and now in corporate management as a Senior Manager, focusing on Family & Employee Engagement. In addition she is involved on the strategic direction of the company, maintaining a strong open relationship with the board of directors as well as the executive leadership team and the shareholders.

Henry Hunte II

Director and Family Council Chair, H.G. Fenton Group of Companies

Henry Fenton Hunte II is a fourth generation beneficial owner of the H. G. Fenton Group of Companies which owns and operates commercial and residential real estate in San Diego, California.   He serves on the Board of Directors and is the Family Council Chair where he works with the Director of Shareholder Affairs on issues such as Family Policies, Family Council Meetings, Strategic Planning, Estate Planning, and other family and ownership related matters. He previously worked in the family business in different departments including Quality Control, Dispatch, Service, and Technical Support in the aggregates business and as Assistant Asset Manager in the Residential Real Estate Portfolio. Henry is a licensed attorney in the State of California and received his J.D. from the University of San Diego. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, San Diego.  Henry is married and has an nine year old son.

Elizabeth Rees

Founder, Chasing Paper

Elizabeth Rees is the founder of Chasing Paper, a stylish, removable wallpaper company. A graduate of Indiana University and The American University of Paris, Rees, who holds third generation leadership in her family’s printing business, Kubin-Nicholson, started Chasing Paper in 2013. Chasing Paper offers customers an affordable, fun way to transform spaces of all sizes. Available in a wide variety of colors and patterns, Chasing Paper’s “peel-and-stick” application makes it the perfect solution for any interior project. Manufactured in the United States (Milwaukee, WI), Chasing Paper is printed on a high-quality removable fabric, backed with a low tack adhesive and sold in panels measuring 2 feet by 4 feet.

William "Stacey" Cowles

President, Cowles Company

Stacey Cowles is publisher of The Spokesman-Review and oversees several other publications and affiliated websites and the Company’s venture capital arm. He is a director of The Associated Press and serves on the boards of Greater Spokane, Inc., United Way and the local Boy Scout council. He has been an angel and venture capital investor since joining the board of Spokane Capital Management, the region’s first VC firm in 1989. He was the founding chair of the Downtown Spokane Partnership and serves as community liaison for the Washington State University Spokane Applied Sciences Lab. 
 
Prior to joining Cowles Company, Stacey was a news writer for The Associated Press London bureau.  After receiving his MBA in 1986 from Columbia, he worked as a senior manager for KPMG’s Merger & Acquisition Department in New York City. He holds a BA in economics from Yale. He and his wife Anne have a son who’s an industrial engineering student and daughter who’s about to enter nursing school.
 
Cowles (pronounced “coles”) is a fourth-generation, family-owned holding company that operates a portfolio of legacy companies and invests in disruptive technology through its venture capital division. The company’s flagship is The Spokesman-Review, the leading daily newspaper for Eastern Washington and North Idaho. Stacey’s great grandfather William H. Cowles grew up in a Chicago newspaper family and was an early investor in The Spokesman. After consolidating ownership of the paper, he led consolidation of the region’s two other major dailies and diversified the company into real estate, newsprint manufacturing and farm publications. Subsequent generations added television; the company now owns 16 stations in Spokane and Tri-cities, Washington and in DMA’s across Montana. The company developed Spokane’s downtown mall, River Park Square and is a lead developer in downtown retail and urban and suburban office, industrial and residential property. Cowles subsidiaries include Inland Empire Paper Company, a forest and newsprint manufacturing company. Stacey’s sister Betsy is Chairman of the company and oversees television, real estate and insurance sales operations. His uncle Jim oversees newsprint and forestry. The family formed a Family Council in the mid-1990s to support family communication and education about business strategy, ownership issues, investing and estate planning. Nine members of the fifth generation—nearly all whom are over 18—have interned at the company. The family plans to recruit members of the fifth generation into company leadership over the coming decade. 

 

Shimon Greenspan

CFO, Westland Real Estate Group

 
Shimon Greenspan is portfolio manager for Westland Real Estate Group. He is a focused, analytic and methodical financial professional with strong communication skills and the ability to comprehend, translate and act upon market fundamentals and breaking news. His transition from business development to financial markets offers experience in performing and collaborating in a rapid-paced, high-pressure environment and developing trade concepts and strategies that generate alpha while minimizing risk.
 
Westland Real Estate Group develops, redevelops and manages commercial and multifamily properties throughout Southern California. Whether building safe, friendly environments for families, enabling prospective homebuyers to finally achieve their dream or assisting the budding entrepreneur to find just the right location, Westland strives to offer properties that meet and exceed the needs of its customers and tenants.

Austin Herschend

Family Council Chair, Herschend Family Entertainment

Austin Herschend is a proud family member and part owner of Herschend Family Entertainment. Herschend Family Entertainment, the largest family-owned themed attractions corporation, creates, develops and operates entertainment, tourism and hospitality properties that currently span 26 locations in ten states. Austin currently serves as the Family Council Chair of the Herschend family system. He is also a General Partner of his family’s investment company, Covenant Capital. He has been engaged in his family’s enterprise as a board observer for Herschend Family Entertainment for the last three years.  Austin is the CEO and co-owner of Big Whiskey Franchising, which owns 5 corporate restaurants in Missouri and has two franchisees in Bentonville, Arkansas and Kansas City, Missouri. He attended the University of Missouri where he received his BS in Business Administration as well as Missouri State University where he received in Masters in Education. He is married to his wife Michelle and the two have a daughter Lillian.

Alexandra Burton

Foundation and Event Planning Committee Member, Leupold & Stevens

Alexandra Burton is a fifth-generation shareholder of Leupold & Stevens, Inc. She joined the Family Council in June 2013 where she served her four-year term. In 2014, she joined the company’s Foundation after her grandfather stepped off and will continue to stay in this role as long as she has the opportunity to do so. She currently sits on the Events Committee with three other family members. Alex had her first job working for the company in the summer of 2012 as a temporary employee in the mounts and rings department on the manufacturing floor. In 2013, Alex was one of ten people selected to work as a full-time sales intern through the company’s Future Focus internship the Human Resources department created earlier that year. She continued to work as a part-time sales temp until February 2014. Since then Alex has completed her Bachelors of Science in Business Administration with a focus in Marketing from Portland State University, obtained her Project Management Training Certificate from PSU’s Center of Education for Business Executives and is now in the process of studying for the PMP certification exam. She is currently working at Portland General Electric through HTG, Inc. as Project Coordinator and Business Analyst. Alex plans on staying actively involved with Leupold & Stevens, Inc. whether it be through employment in later years or continuing serving on the council and various committees. She feels that its extremely important to have younger family members show interest in the company, not just through hobbies and family gatherings but through employment as well. 

Susanne Cambre

Chairman of the Board, The J. M. Burguières Co., Limited 

Susanne Cambre is a founding member of the Dwyer, Cambre & Suffern law firm in Metairie, La., a practice focused on commercial transactions, commercial lending, real estate development construction and financing.  She received a B.S. degree from Tulane University and a Juris Doctor from Loyola University, both in New Orleans, La. Ms. Cambre joined the Board of Directors of the J.M. Burguières Co. in 2009 and was elected Chairman in 2011.

 
The J.M. Burguières Co., Limited. was founded in 1877 with three plantations and has prospered through the years as a land acquisition and holding company with property interests in Louisiana, Florida and Texas. The Company is a holding company with numerous subsidiaries. However, the Company conducts operations within three strategic business units, Agriculture, Minerals, and Environmental.
 
An elected Board of Directors governs the Company with eight members – six are family member stockholders and two are independent. The Company is currently staffed with 13 full-time employees and 5 part-time. The Company is committed to long term investment opportunities with a moderate risk profile.

 

Ashley Palm

Vice Chairman, SI Group

SI Group is a leading global supplier of chemical intermediate and specialty resins with annual sales of approximately $1.5 billion.  SI Group was founded in 1906 by Howard Wright and was originally known as the Schenectady Varnish Works. Today, SI Group has 20 sites in 10 countries and employs 2700 people.  
 
Ashley G. Palm is Vice Chairman of SI Group and is a Trustee on the Wright Family Foundation. Ashley was also Corporate Secretary for many years.  Ashley has a BS in Industrial Relations from the University of North Carolina, at Chapel Hill and began working for the Company in 1988.  Ashley is a fourth generation family member. Experience in the company included Customer Service, International Division Manager, and Human Resources.    
 
By 2007, there had been four G4 members working in the business for close to two decades when it was decided, as Board Members, we could not properly function in our operational roles reporting to the President and COO. There are currently no family members working in the business.  
 
Ashley loves to walk outdoors and enjoys spending time with family. Ashley and Bram have been married 14 years and have a blended family of four adult children. They spend their time between Syracuse, NY and Tiburon, CA.  

William J. (Bill) Kellogg

President, La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club

William J. “Bill” Kellogg, President of La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club, Inc., is the fourth generation Kellogg family member to serve as president of the Kellogg-family properties. He joined the Club’s management team in September 1979 and in 1987 was named Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club, Inc. In August of 1989, he became President and continues to serve as the Chief Financial Officer of the company. Kellogg is responsible for overseeing all family holdings, which consist of the La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club, The Sea Lodge at La Jolla Shores, The Marine Room Restaurant, The Shores Restaurant, the Playa del Oro Apartments and the F. W. Kellogg commercial building. Before joining the “Beach Club”, Kellogg served from 1974 to 1979 as the General Manager and Head Tennis Professional of the Westlake Swim and Tennis Club in Westlake, Calif.
 
An avid tennis player, Kellogg grew up playing tennis at the Altadena Town and Country Club in Altadena, CA and quickly established himself as a top-ranked Southern California junior. He attended the Thatcher School in Ojai, CA where he not only played on the varsity tennis team for all four years, but was also named captain of the varsity soccer team in his senior year.
 
After graduating from high school in 1969, Kellogg briefly competed in professional tournaments in Ireland, France and Switzerland. During that summer he also served as a linesman and chair umpire at Wimbledon.  Later, that year, after matriculating at Dartmouth College, Kellogg became the top-ranked player and captain of the freshman tennis team. He lettered in tennis all four years and was the #1 player and co-captain of the varsity tennis team in his senior year. He was named to the All-Ivy League Tennis Team in 1973 for his stellar record in doubles and represented Dartmouth in the NCAA championships in the spring of 1974. To this date, Kellogg’s playing record in college ranks among the top-ten all-time best for the college.  Kellogg graduated from Dartmouth College in 1973 with a bachelor’s degree in engineering science.
 
Kellogg currently serves as Sectional Delegate of the Southern California Tennis Association.  He was a longtime member of the International Advisory Council of the International Tennis Hall of Fame and served two terms on the Nominating Committee of the United States Tennis Association (USTA). He served the USTA as chairman of the Senior International Competition Committee and as a member of the USTA International Committee. Kellogg was also selected to be a member of the International Tennis Federation’s Veterans Committee.
 
For the extensive volunteer time he has devoted to community tennis, he was awarded the 2001 Eve Kraft Community Service Award by the USTA, an award given to individuals who demonstrate the ability to create, organize and carry out recreational tennis programs for people of all ages and ability levels.
 
In addition to his volunteer work for tennis, Kellogg is active in numerous community and professional organizations. Most notably, he served as President/Chairman of the Mt. Soledad Memorial Association from 1989 until 2012. This organization raised the money to build and operate the new Veterans Memorial Walls located at the top of Mt. Soledad in La Jolla, CA. Kellogg served for five years as President of the La Jolla Shores Association, presiding over community efforts to rewrite the La Jolla Community Plan and is a member of the La Jolla Town Council, the La Jolla Community Planning Association, and the La Jolla Historical Society, just to name a few. Kellogg was named to the Scripps Institution of Oceanography’s Director’s Circle Cabinet and to the Advisory Council of the Scripps Memorial Hospital
 
He and his wife, Tricia, reside in La Jolla, California and have two daughters and five grandsons.
 

Scott Hunt

CEO, Hunt Brothers Pizza LLC

Scott Hunt is CEO of multiple companies under the Hunt Brothers Pizza umbrella including Hunt Brothers Pizza, LLC. He is blessed to be surrounded by the most talented and passionate team in the pizza industry. His top priority is to develop people, provide vision and support as they prepare the company for continued success in the competitive pizza and c-store space.
 
Hunt Brothers Pizza puts pizza shops in convenience stores, gas stations, rural markets, sports venues & schools. The company was started in 1990 and is headquartered in Nashville Tennessee. The roots of the company go back to 1962 when 4 brothers from Evansville Indiana - Don, Lonnie, Jim & Charlie Hunt -sold pizza supplies to restaurants, taverns, bowling alleys and drive in theatres. Today Hunt Brothers Pizza is the largest brand of Made to Order and Grab & Go pizzas to the convenience store industry with over 7300 locations in 28 states plus Germany & Italy. A NASCAR sponsor since 2008, the company is proud to partner with Kevin Harvick, 2014 Sprint Cup Champion. The company is deeply involved in supporting a number of schools and charitable organizations.
 
Mr. Hunt was born and raised in Nashville. His career path originally took him into the financial services industry for 17 years where he developed strategies for families and business owners to achieve their financial dreams. As a partner at Heritage Financial Group, LLC, he served as a member of the Million Dollar Round Table, the premier association for financial professionals worldwide.
 
In 2001, his life changed abruptly when he was struck by a car while training for the Chicago marathon. He has said, “It was one of those life moments when you stop, re-evaluate your purpose and make life changes.” He refocused on what was truly important- family- and joined his brother & cousin in the company founded by his father, Don Hunt. In 2009, he was officially named Chief Executive Officer. His career in the financial services industry has been fundamental to his stewardship of the company for sustainable growth and hopefully easier transitions for the next generation of leadership. A member of St. Henry’s Catholic Church, Mr. Hunt resides in Nashville with his wife, Patricia, and their two children Miller & Robinson.

Jacob Gorman

Family Assembly Member, Power Construction

Betsy Johnson

Founder, SwimZip

Betsy Johnson is co-founder and president of SwimZip, the stylish go-to brand for sun protective clothing, sun hats, rash guards and swimwear for mostly children. The self-titled mompreneur created the company in early 2010 with her brother and co-founder Berry Wanless.
 
In the summer of 2013, Betsy and Berry flew to Los Angeles to pitch the business on Shark Tank to Mark Cuban, Lori Greiner, Robert Herjavec, Daymond John and Kevin O’Leary. The total pitch took about two hours and aired six months later on Jan. 24, 2014. The company was offered $60,000 for a 20-percent equity stake.
 
Since the SwimZip episode aired on Shark Tank, business has exploded for Betsy and Berry. In just two days after the show aired, their sales nearly surpassed what they had made the previous year. They’ve used their exposure to grow heir brand in brick and mortar and online stores, high-end hotels, boutiques, blogs and across social media.  They also opened another business, Shedo Lane, makers of plush, fashion forward clothing with the highest rated UV protection. Shedo Lane generously gives 5% of net profits to non profit skin cancer fighting organizations.

Steve Lytle

Board Member, The Agnew Company

 

A fourth-generation business owner, Steve Lytle has experienced firsthand the benefits and challenges of multigenerational family business. His personal mission is "to enable greatness and unleash the potential in business families and their leaders."

Like many family business leaders, Steve learned the family business from the bottom up. After college, he returned to Southern Oregon to lead Gold River Distributing, a beer and wine distributorship that he co-owned with his brother, implementing the systems and culture that enabled multiple acquisitions and organic growth of over 300%.

Next, Steve moved to Portland, Oregon to succeed his father and uncle at Mt. Hood Beverage as president and CEO. There, along with his leadership team, he worked to transform the corporate culture and positively impact the bottom line, ultimately leading the organization through a successful three-way merger to create Columbia Distributing, one the largest beverage distributors in the country.

Today, Steve is the principal of Clearpath Family Advisors which provides consulting, executive coaching, strategic planning, and facilitation services to multigenerational family businesses and their leaders. As a successful executive and leader with a passion and understanding of family-run businesses, Steve works with family leaders on topics that include family business vision, strategy and constitution, governance, conflict resolution, communication, generational transition, and succession planning.

Steve is the immediate past Chairman of Columbia Distributing, and serves on the board of The Agnew Company, a family business holding company. He is a master graduate of Rapport Leadership International, an officer of the Evergreen Chapter of Young Presidents Organization (YPO), a board member of the Austin Family Business Program at Oregon State University, and on the Board Executive Team for Elevate Oregon. Steve also actively serves as a director on other national and local boards of both industry and community service organizations from Portland, Oregon where he lives with his wife Trese and two daughters Olivia and Chloe.

Yanne Root

Founder, Violent Little Machine Shop, Board Member, The Root Organization

Yanne Root is the founder of Violent Little Machine Shop, one of the market leaders in MORALE PATCHES - the patches that military, police, and tactical enthusiasts wear on their uniforms and gear to identify themselves. Based out of the mountain town of Sun Valley, Idaho, and founded in 2013, Violent Little recently surpassed their 50,000th order on their website and recently opened up their first retail store. Yanne holds an undergraduate degree from Babson College, is a veteran of the U.S. Navy, and is involved in the family board of directors for the Root Organization, a family office based out of Ormond Beach, FL.
 

Jonathan Flack

Partner, US Family Business Services Leader, PwC

Jonathan Flack, U.S. Family Business Services leader for PwC, is a lead engagement partner to some of the U.S.’s largest family-owned businesses and leverages a strong global network of partners with a similar focus. He also taps external advisors (attorneys, family business counselors, trust advisors) as needed to deliver innovative solutions to multi-generational family businesses.
 
As part of his role in leading the U.S. family business practice for PwC, Jonathan spearheads the strategy, operations, talent development, thought-leadership and marketing for the family-owned business sector. He supports other client teams serving this sector and has published thought-leadership and led regional forums on family business issues.
 
Jonathan is also an assurance partner where he has extensive international experience with multi-billion-dollar, private clients. He assists clients with business transactions and new products. He started his career in the Carolinas working on large privately held businesses in multiple industries.
 

Ryan Ellis

Board Member, Calkins Media

Ryan Ellis is a fourth generation member of the Calkins Family, owners of Calkins Media, which has interests in media, digital technology and real estate.   Ryan serves on two of the company’s Boards, providing strategic oversight to those organizations.
 
He recently joined Poka, Inc. a Canadian company specializing in effective technology solutions for large manufacturers whose founder was inspired by his own family business, Leclerc Foods.  In his new role he is responsible for the company’s expansion into the U.S. market.
 
Prior to joining Poka, Ryan worked for three years at Revlyst, a consulting firm that matched legacy media companies with startups looking to enter that industry.  In that role he served as the Head of Startup Partnerships.
 
Ryan has embraced the entrepreneurial spirit of the Calkins family.  A passionate sports fan, he launched a website, the Sports Nomad (thesportsnomad.com), focused on the origin and traditions of sporting rivalries by highlighting fan cultures from around the world.  His current projects include the development of a show for Calkins Media covering the Philadelphia Union, the region’s Major League Soccer franchise. 
 
He received his undergraduate degree in History and International Communications from Franklin University Switzerland and a Masters Degree from the Hult International Business School.

Conference Location

sdmarriott2_300With stunning views of the San Diego skyline across the Bay from our hotel, Coronado Island Marriott Resort & Spa offers a comfortable atmosphere for relaxation and renewal. Our Coronado resort welcomes guests with its many luxurious on-site features, including a full-service health spa, convenience to beautiful sandy beaches, shopping, and restaurants at Ferry Landing. Spacious guest rooms and villas make you feel at home in this tranquil beach community. Enjoy the freshest seafood at Current restaurant, rent a bicycle and explore, bask on sun-filled beaches, or take the ferry into San Diego to see the Zoo. After the day is done, you can return to our Coronado Island resort where you'll find oversized bath tubs, down comforters and plush beds with cotton-rich linens, plus flat-panel TVs, connectivity panels and high-speed Internet access.

Our special group rates for Transitions West 2017 attendees have SOLD OUT.

Rooms are still available for $399 plus state and local taxes (Net, non-commissionable). 

 Use this link to make your reservation online. (Please disregard the "resort fee" popup when booking--no resort fees will be charged to attendees within our room block).

Reservations may be made by calling (800) 228-9290 or (619) 435-3000 and referring to the group (Family Business Magazine) and meeting name (Transitions West 2017).

Cancelation of room reservations must be made 24 hours in advance of arrival.

Register Today!

Registration Information

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.

Past attendees of any Transitions Conference receive an additional 10% discount on their registration fees.

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.

 

Transitions West 2017 is SOLD OUT.

Standard Pricing (after September 10, 2017)
$1,850 - First attendee from your family company
$1,350 - Each additional attendee (age 30 and above)
$1,150 - Each additional Next Generation attendee (age 29 and below)
 

For general questions on attendance or help with registration, please contact Justine Wood at (703) 850-5497. Please register all attendees from your company on the Registration Form at the same time.  If you determine at a later time that you need to add registrants, we will need to process the registrations offline in order to apply the discounted registration fees.  To register offline, please email registrant information (name, title, company name, mailing address, phone number and email address) to jwood@familybusinessmagazine.com.  For the payment, please call  Jerri Smith at 215-405-6071 to provide the credit card number or use the Credit Card Authorization Form available here.

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.

Registration price includes all conference materials, as well as breakfast, lunch and dinner on November 2, breakfast and lunch on November 3, and a welcome reception with buffet dinner on November 1, as well as refreshment breaks.

Registration contact:
Justine Wood
Events Director
jwood@familybusinessmagazine.com
(703) 850-5497

Cancellation policy: All conference cancellations must be made in writing and sent to Justine Wood, Transitions Events Director, 13631 Maidstone Lane, Potomac, MD 20854, or emailed to jwood@familybusinessmagazine.com. Registrants who cancel more than four weeks prior to the program date are entitled to a full refund of the registration fee less an administrative fee of $150 per registrant; if canceled within four weeks, but more than 10 business days prior to the conference date, 50% of the conference registration fee will be refunded less an administrative fee of $150 per registrant; within 10 business days of the conference date and no shows, no refund is possible. Family Business Magazine may cancel the program if attendance does not meet required levels; in case of cancellation or rescheduling, full refunds of registration fees will be made. Travel fares and hotel deposits cannot be reimbursed.

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Conference Hosts: 
Barbara Spector, who grew up in a family business, has served on the editorial staff of Family Business Magazine since 2000 and has been the magazine's editor-in-chief since 2004. She has also compiled and edited six volumes in the acclaimed Family Business Handbook Series, most recently The Family Business Legacy Handbook. Previously, she was the managing editor of Jewelers' Circular Keystone, a trade magazine for the jewelry industry, which is primarily composed of family businesses.
 
Caro Rock is the publisher of Family Business Magazine, which is itself owned by a family company with interests in media and information technology research. She was the founder and publisher of Main Line Life, a weekly newspaper with 15,000 readers covering the western suburban communities of Philadelphia. She grew up in a family business that manufactured and sold flour under the labels Ceresota and Heckers Flour. The Uhlmann Company, formerly Standard Milling Company, also produced Wheatena and Maypo hot cereals, Patio Chef Charcoal and Just Add Water jelly mix. Today, her brother and his son-in-law are involved in the family business, which has ventured into additional related businesses.
 
Peter Begalla is a family business owner, Family Business Magazine's Conference and Education Director, and Adjunct Professor with Stetson University's Family Enterprise Center. He is at the forefront of Next Generation Leadership Development, having helped hundreds of college-aged students establish credibility and marketability with their family, with their family businesses or with non-family employers. He combines years of counseling experience with over 10 years of business development and marketing experience in online education.

 

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