Transitions West 2018
The conference for family businesses by family businesses
Taking the Business From the Founder to the Future
Transitions West 2018 will address:
- Pivotal Moments for the Family Business
- Family: More Complicated Than It Seems
- Evolution of the Family Council
- Making an Impact as a NextGen
- Building the Family Legacy in a Disruptive World
- Starting Those Difficult Conversations
- Shareholder Buyouts
- Investing Outside the Family Business
- Challenges of G4 and Beyond
Featured Speakers
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.
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, NOVEMBER 7
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8
- Philanthropy
- Family Documents
- Succession Planning
- Raising the Youngest Generation
- Tax & Estate Planning
- Avoiding Intrafamily Litigation
- Shareholder Agreements
- Family Employment Policies
- Starting Those Difficult Conversations
- Shareholder Buyouts
- Investing Outside the Family Business
- Challenges of G4 and Beyond
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 9
About Conference
Transitions West 2018 is sponsored by Family Business Magazine, and is the only conference created for family companies, by family companies.
- 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.
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
Morrie Stevens Sr.
Chairman and CEO, Stevens Worldwide Van Lines
Allison Parks
Family Council Committee Chairman, Laird Norton
A fifth-generation family member, Allison Parks began serving as Laird Norton Company’s Family President in August 2014 after a previous career in teaching and school administration. Allison is a director on the board of Laird Norton Company and Chairman of the Family Council Committee. She is responsible for overseeing the annual Family Summit and facilitating communication among over 400 Laird Norton family members. Allison also focuses on developing family programs with an emphasis on education and responsible company stewardship.
Now seven generations and over 400 members later, the Laird Norton family continues to promote intellectual growth, responsible investing and business experience in order to ensure excellence for generations to come.
Peter Latta
Chairman & CEO, A. Duie Pyle
Since joining A. Duie Pyle as Vice President in 1985, Peter Latta has held a number of leadership positions, currently serving as Chairman & CEO. Over the past 30 years, he has been part of a management team that has guided the company’s growth from a Southeastern Pennsylvania Less-Than-Truckload Common Carrier with annual revenue of $11 million to the Northeast’s leading asset-based supply chain service provider with 2014 revenues exceeding $300 million. Today, Peter’s focus is on strategic planning, real estate matters, tax and financial planning, perpetuating the company culture, business continuity and succession planning. He also works to ensure that A. Duie Pyle remains a privately owned family business by establishing the foundation for a successful transition to the next generation of ownership.
Peter currently serves on the Board of Advisors of a family owned regional automotive dealership business.
Prior to his position with A. Duie Pyle, Peter practiced law with McNees, Wallace & Nurick in Harrisburg, PA, and worked as a CPA for Greenawalt & Company and Asher & Asher. He holds a B.S. in Accounting from the University of Delaware, and earned his law degree from the Dickinson School of Law.
Peter and his wife Robin have four children and three grandchildren. Interests outside of work include tending to his vegetable garden & fruit trees, raising beef cattle and pigs, and hunting wild pheasants and ruffed grouse with his German Shorthair Pointers.
Kathy Munson
Family Council Chair, Crescent Electric Supply
Katy Wilder Schaaf
Director of Development and Education, E. Ritter & Company
John R. Taylor III
Chairman of the Board, Olmsted-Kirk Paper Company
Summer Worden
President, Port Blakely Companies Family Council
Summer Worden is the president of the Port Blakely Companies Family Council. Summer’s education accomplishments include the NSA Cryptologic School, graduate degrees in strategic intelligence & digital forensics, and an M.B.A. from Rice University. Summer currently serves on the Emerging Leaders Committee at the Baker Institute for Public Policy, a think tank led by former Secretary of State James A. Baker. She shares her passion for inspiring youth through advocating various education programs promoting leadership development and entrepreneurship for K-12 graders and the Port Blakely Eddy Family Assembly Youth.
Maggie Bender-Johnson
President, Warren G. Bender Company
Alex Jackson Berkley
Assistant Sales Manager, Frieda's Specialty Produce
Christie Lloyd Ernst
Vice President of Property Management, Lloyd Companies
Chad Quist
Ernie Patterson
VP, Director of Family Shareholder Relations, Brown-Forman
Campbell Brown
President and Managing Director, Old Forester, Brown-Forman
Campbell Brown has been President and Managing Director of Old Forester, Brown-Forman's founding bourbon brand, since 2015. A 22-year employee of the Company, he previously served Brown-Forman in the emerging markets of India, the Philippines, and Turkey, and most recently led the Company’s wine and spirits portfolio in Canada and the Midwest region of the U.S. He is a founding member of the Brown-Forman/Brown Family Shareholders Committee.
Brown-Forman is a diversified producer of fine quality consumer products. It was founded in 1870 by George Garvin Brown in Louisville, KY, U.S. His original brand, Old Forester Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky, was America's first bottled bourbon and remains one of Brown-Forman's finest brands today.
Brown-Forman employs 4,120 people worldwide with about 1,000 located in Louisville. Brown-Forman, one of the largest American-owned spirits and wine companies and among the top 10 largest global spirits companies, sells its brands in more than 135 countries and has offices in cities across the globe. In all, Brown-Forman has more than 25 brands in its portfolio of wines and spirits.
Brown has been with the company since 1994 and spent his early years developing the company's spirits portfolio in India, the Philippines and Turkey. Over the four-year period of 2001-2005, he held positions as both the Southern Comfort U.S. Brand Manager and Jack Daniel's U.S. Brand Manager. Prior to his current role as Vice President, Director Midwest Division and Canada, Brown served as Vice President, Director, Southern Comfort Americas. Brown also had territorial responsibility for a number of key East coast markets, working with one of the company's key distributor partners, Charmer Sunbelt.
Brown is a member of the Board of Directors for Republic Bank and Trust and The James Graham Brown Cancer Center.
He earned degrees from Rollins College and the University of Miami.
Kristin Anthony
Director of E-Commerce and Digital, Anthony’s Ladies Apparel
A fourth generation family member, Kristin Anthony is the Director of E-Commerce and Digital of Anthony’s Ladies Apparel, a women’s retailing company founded in 1895 in West Palm Beach, FL. Kristin joined the family business in 2014 at the request to see if she could build an online store to elongate the shopping season that defines South Florida. In her first year running the website, she was able to triple the annual sales projections and continues to grow the E-Commerce revenue at over 50% year over year.
Kristin earned her B.S. in International Business from the University of Delaware and after college moved to South Africa for a year to work for an HIV/AIDS non-profit. In the years prior to joining Anthony’s, Kristin worked in the youth travel industry leading and managing educational programs for middle school, high school and college students around the world.
When Kristin is not working, you can find her renovating houses in South Florida with her husband or traveling. Kristin serves as the President of the Board for the Broadreach Foundation which provides scholarships to students to study abroad and continues to run a travel blog, which she started in 2009.
Nicole Vermeer
Conference Location
There are certain elements that attract visitors to Southern California: beautiful beaches, incredible cuisine and an attitude that acts as a gentle reminder to slow down and enjoy the present. Guests of The Ritz-Carlton, Marina del Rey are invited to experience SoCal living with the hotel’s collection of amenities, including LA’s only waterfront saltwater pool, farm-to-table dining, a luxury spa and accommodations overlooking the marina or city.
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.
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.
Photo Gallery
Sponsors
Your 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.