University of Louisville College of Business

Events

Family Business Center Events

March 11	Family Meetings, Councils, and Advisory Boards - The Nuts and Bolts of Family Business Governance
May 13	Financing Transitions
June 12	A Woman's Place...The Crucial Roles of Women in Family Business
June	Women in Family Business Book Group

March 11 - 8:30 - 11:30 AM

family meetings, COUNCILS, and advisory boards -
the nuts and bolts of family business governance

with the Family Business Consulting Group

Sponsored by Northwestern Mutual

Location: Brown-Forman, 850 Dixie Highway, Jefferson Room

Research and experience support that family governance and communication mechanisms make a positive difference in how family businesses operate. These mechanisms have also been proven to aid family business in times of transition. But the challenge is knowing when to begin and with what structure. When is it time for family meetings, advisory boards, family councils and independent Boards of Directors? In addition, how do these governing mechanisms differ and how do they communicate effectively with each other? All of these mechanisms when used properly and put in place at the right time can act as a conduit for ideas and abilities of family firm members and family owners. They provide a forum to share information and can even short-circuit problems and potential misunderstandings.

In his presentation, family business expert and author Dr. Chris Eckrich will address such questions as:

When do we begin to introduce these governance structures to our family and our business?
Who should participate?
What type of governance model best fits the needs of our business?
What should be on the agenda?
How can these governance models help our family and our business?

Participants will walk away with the when, the why and the how of building solid family governance systems.

In addition, Dr. Chris Eckrich will facilitate a panel of family business members who will share with the group their own personal experiences with these governing tools. A principal of the Family Business Consulting Group, Inc., Chris Eckrich specializes in building leadership excellence and maintaining family unity in family owned businesses. He assists family owned firms in establishing orderly succession plans that maximize effective leadership transition and prevent conflict during the transition. He also provides family business members with skills and strategies to successfully manage working relationships and reduce the inherent conflict that is present when family members work together.
Dr. Chris Eckrich full bio. Join us as we help you build a stronger family and a stronger business!

Cost to attend is $95 for non-members; FREE for FBC members, includes book and materials.

May 13 - 3:30 - 6:30 PM

Financing Transitions: Managing Capital and Liquidity
in your Family Business

Financing Transitions: Managing Capital and Liquidity in Your Family Business

with the Family Business Consulting Group

Sponsored by BB&T

Location: BB&T, 2600 Eastpoint Parkway, Suite 103

Finally – an Informative, Accessible Crash Course in Family Business Finance

This workshop will be based on the book: Financing Transitions: Managing Capital and Liquidity in Your Family Business, 2nd Edition By François M. de Visscher, Craig E. Aronoff, Ph.D. and John L. Ward, Ph.D.

Family businesses are walking a constant tightrope. On one side is the need for capital to grow the family business. On the other side is a need for shareholder liquidity. Shift too far one way or the other and it’s a long way down – sometimes without a net.

Owners and managers of family businesses need to have a firm grasp of sound financial principles in order to walk that fine line between returns to shareholders and serving the needs of the business. This workshop will explore a broad array of tools, best practices, and ideas, including:

Solutions for providing liquidity and family business capital.
Private equity options for family businesses and family offices.
Case studies and examples culled from decades of family business experience.
The “family effect” and how it can make your business more effective.
Strategic insights that will make your family business more sound.

If you find family business financial practices to be among the most challenging aspects of your business, you need this workshop. And so do other family members in your business.

Gregory Greenleaf Bio: A senior associate of The Family Business Consulting Group, Inc.®, Gregory Greenleaf is the former president of the Walter J. Greenleaf Company, a regional manufacturer's representative and distributor serving the metal cutting and manufacturing industry, and a former minority owner of Greenleaf Corporation, a manufacturer of advanced cutting tool technology and technical ceramic material for the computer industry. Click here for full bio.

Cost to attend is $95 for non-members; FREE for FBC members, includes book and materials.

June 12 - 8:30 - 11:30 AM

A Woman's Place... The Crucial Roles of Women in Family Business

A Woman's Place...The Crucial Roles of Women in Family Business

with the Family Business Consulting Group

Host: Karen Dahlem
Location: University of Louisville - University Club, Belknap Campus

Women have an important role in families and in family businesses. For too long the contributions of women have been taken for granted and kept invisible. That is now changing. Women produce and raise future shareholders for family businesses, and they serve as active members on family councils managing a variety of vital issues. In addition, we've seen generations of dynamic women take the reigns of their family businesses and lead them to realize substantial financial growth.

Yet women still face challenges in family business. As wives, they are often kept in the dark about the business and its finances. As daughters, daughter-in-laws, granddaughters, sisters and nieces, they are often relegated to the position of noncontributing shareholders. Even as employees and company leaders, women face challenges establishing and maintaining authority, as well as sustaining a work/life balance. Despite the challenges, women are proving to be a crucial source of talent in family businesses.

A Woman's Place...The Crucial Roles of Women in Family Business® by the female associates of the Family Business Consulting Group, Inc. examines the unique challenges of women in family businesses. It provides strategic methods for women to maximize their understanding of the family business and provides a roadmap for success to women who seek leadership roles in their family businesses. It also provides insight on how families can groom their female relatives for succession.

Some highlights from A Woman's Place include:

real life accounts of women's experiences in family business;
tips on how women can maintain a work/life balance;
methods for couples to handle the woman being the "dominant" member;
steps to take in order to become financially literate and learned;
how to effectively communicate as a woman leader.

No family can flourish without utilizing the talents of women. A Woman's Place will provide everyone in the family business with the knowledge on how they can maximize the success of women in family business and subsequently maximize the success and continuity of their business.

The panel will be facilitated by Amy Schuman, a principal of The Family Business Consulting Group Inc. Ms. Schuman works with family businesses on leadership development, communication skills and team building.

Cost to attend is $95 for non-members; FREE for FBC members, includes book and materials.

june 2010

Women in Family Business Book Group

Who are the women in our family businesses? Owners, executives, employees, wives of owners, daughter-in-laws, family leaders, next generation nurturers, advisors, confidantes, board members, shareholders, ambassadors, and more.

Women have many roles in our family businesses, and our family businesses benefit enormously when taking advantage of the entire talent pool available within the family. Tapping into the unique and sometimes unrecognized contributions of women in family business can only increase your ability to thrive and pass your business on to the next generation.

Today, more women are involved in family business, in more capacities, than ever before in history. For women, this presents both opportunities and challenges. What are these opportunities and challenges? How can we support the women in our businesses? Karen Dahlem, who grew up in a prominent local family business and is now a consultant to family firms, will facilitate the women's book club beginning in February, 2010. Meeting dates will be determined by the group once it is assembled. Members of the book group will also serve as panelists at the Women in Family Business Seminar on June 23rd at the University Club, 8:30 AM. The June seminar will be open to BOTH men and women.

The cost for the book club is $55 for members and $75 for non-members, which includes the kickoff breakfast and the book we will use to begin our discussion: A Woman’s Place- The Crucial Roles of Women in Family Business. The roundtable will meet monthly; details will be finalized during the first meeting based on participant feedback.

To register or for more information, please contact the facilitator, Karen Dahlem at Dahlem Consulting : 502.899.3440 This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

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