Wednesday November 4

3:30-4:30 pm Family Business Basics

Speakers:  Sylvia Shepard, former Chair, Smith Family Council, Menasha Corporation; Debbie Bing, Principal, CFAR; Peter Begalla, Conference and Education Director, Family Business Magazine

Opening Session

5:00-6:15 pm Effective Cross-Generational Communication Strategies

What can the older and younger generations do to bridge the generational divide and really communicate?   Each generation has different styles and standards of communication, and often, this can be a barrier to effectively finding common ground and agreement. What is the most productive way to overcome differences in communication styles, such as a preference for making a phone call vs. sending a text? How can each generation adapt to the styles of other generations?

Speakers:  Kelly Conklin, President, Gordon's Window Decor; Lauren Tracy, Business Development Manager, Dot Foods, Inc.; Charles R. Kelley, M.D., Chairman of the Board, Outrigger Enterprises Group

Moderator:  Arne Boudewyn, Head of Family Dynamics and Education, Abbot Downing

6:15-6:45 pm

Opening Keynote Address

James D. "Jamey" Power IV  "The J.D. Power Family Governance System"

6:45-9 pm Welcome Reception and Dinner

Thursday November 5

7:30-8:30 am  Breakfast

8:30-9:45 am The Handoff:  Detailed Succession Plans and Results

A well-planned succession is a process, not a single event. In this special session, two retiring chairmen of major multi-generational family businesses will conduct an in-depth conversation on what worked and what didn't as they planned and executed their own successions, with a special focus on lessons learned that can benefit other family companies as they plan for generational succession.

Speakers:  Philip A. Clemens, retiring Chairman and CEO, The Clemens Family Corporation; Jim Ethier, retiring Chairman, Bush Bros. and Company

Moderator:  Stephanie Brun de Pontet, PhD, Senior Consultant, Family Business Consulting Group

9:45-10:15 am  Networking Break

10:15-11:30 am Succession and Non-Family Leadership

There are a variety of reasons why a non-family member may be the best choice to lead a family business, for either the short- or long-term. Panelists will discuss the circumstances surrounding the ascent of a non-family CEO, why a non-family member was chosen, how family buy-in was achieved and the recruitment and onboarding processes.  Ultimately, the panel will examine whether the decision to go outside the family for leadership was effective, and what that decision’s impact was on the family and the business.

Speakers:  Jack Ouellette, Chairman, American Textile Company; Ken Gorman, Vice President and Shareholder, Power Construction Company; Mark Contreras, CEO, Calkins Media Inc.

Moderator:  Bryant W. Seaman III, Managing Director and Head of Private Asset Advisory Services, Bessemer Trust

11:30-12:30 pm  Expert Briefings

Solving Family Conflicts: Doug Baumoel, Founder/President, Continuity Family Business Consulting

Prenuptial Agreements: Mark Haranzo, Partner, Withers Bergman LLP

Key Family Documents:  Lloyd E. Shefsky, Founder and Co-Director, Center for Family Enterprises, Kellogg School of Management

Effective Family Philanthropy:  Anna Nichols, Director of Communications, Altair Advisers LLC

Developing Family Leadership:  Daisy Medici, Managing Director of Family Governance and Education, GenSpring

Sparking Entrepreneurship in the Family Business:  Andrew D. Pitcairn, Pitcairn Family Council Chair

Engaging Family Members Who Are Not Active in the Business:  Karen Clark, Managing Director of Councils, Family Office Exchange

Capitalization and Liquidity Options for the Family Business:

12:30-1:30 pm  Lunch

1:30-2:00 pm Networking Break

2-3:15 pm Effective Family Employment Policies

One of the biggest questions a family business faces is employment of family members.  Who can join the company?  How much should they be paid?  Should they earn perks not available to other employees or family members not employed in the business?  Who judges their performance? Panelists will discuss their policies on family employment, and their effect on the tone and culture of the family and the family business.

Speakers:  Peter Latta, Chairman & CEO, A. Duie Pyle; Chris Harrison, Director of Hotel Operations, Irvine Marriott;  Shayne Wittwer, Board Member, Wittwer Inc.

Moderator:  Rhona E. Vogel, CEO and Founder, Vogel Consulting

3:15-3:30 pm Networking Break

3:30-4:30 pm Concurrent Sessions

Special Next Generation Session:   Building Your Credibility in the Family Business

Next Generation family business members will discuss the steps they took to build their knowledge of the family business, and their credibility with older family members and non-family employees.

Speakers:  Kyle Fernley, Director, Fernley and Fernley; Jordyn Rowntree, Rowntree Enterprises; Yanki Greenspan, President and COO, Westland Real Estate Group

Moderator: Scott A. Winget, Senior Managing Director,  Center for Wealth Impact, Ascent Private Capital Management

The Married-In Experience: Arne Boudewyn, Head of Family Dynamics and Education, Abbot Downing

Building the Cousin Consortium, Nancy Drozdow, Principal and Vice President, Center for Applied Research

Sibling Partnerships, Justin Craig, PhD, Co-Director , Kellogg Center for Family Enterprises; Co-Director, Kellogg ISB MFAB Program

6-9 pm Group Dinner at Family-Owned Five Crowns

(Special Next Generation Reception and Dinner Together at the restaurant)

Speaker:  Ryan  O'Melveny Wilson, Vice President and Executive Corporate Chef, Lawry's Restaurants, Inc. and Director of Operations, FIve Crowns

Friday November 6

7:30-8:30 am  Breakfast

8:30-9:15 am Keynote Address

Paula Marshall, CEO, Bama Companies

9:15-9:30 am  Networking Break

9:30-10:30 am  Focus Sessions

10:30-10:45 am Networking Break

10:45-12 noon The Role of Effective Governance in Succession

Independent directors and advisory board members can provide key outside counsel and advice to family-owned businesses on potentially difficult decisions such as succession, and their input can go a long way toward smoothing the road to generational transition. Both family and independent directors of family businesses will discuss their roles within the governance of the business...and the family.

Speakers:  Darcy A. Howe, Advisory Board Member, Bama Companies; Director, Heatron; Martha Furst, Vice Chairman, Furst-McNess Company; Cynthia Watts, Director, Furst-McNess Company; Lindsay Geyer, former Chief Human Resources Officer, Port Blakely Companies

Moderator:  Jonathan Flack, Private Company Services Partner, PwC

12-12:15 pm  Conference Takeaways

Speaker:  Robert H. Rock, President and CEO, MLR Holdings LLC

12:15-1:1 5pm Lunch