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Lessons Learned From the Frontlines:

Navigating the Challenging Waters Where Academia Meets Business.

Saturday, October 20, 2012

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Our panel• Ted Clark – Center For Family Business at

Northeastern University • Shauna Feth – Alberta Business Family

Institute at the University of Alberta• Deb Houden – The Family Business Center at

the University of Wisconsin • Daniel Van Der Vliet - The Family Business

Initiative at the University of Vermont

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Three parts1. The founding and developmental stages of the

FBA. 2. Examine the various centers and relative

strength of the various family business center models.

3. Discussion on ways to more fully leverage the strength of this network and tap into the collective voice of family businesses and their critical needs.

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The Family Business Alliance

The Family Business Alliance is an association of directors from university affiliated family business centers in the United States and Canada. Through its roughly 50 centers, works with over 2500 family business owners and leaders. This discussion will highlight collaborative efforts and new initiatives.

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History• 2003: Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania, USA• 2004: Kennesaw State, Georgia, USA• 2005: Cal State Fullerton, California, USA• 2006: University of Wisconsin, Wisconsin, USA• 2007: University of Vermont, Vermont, USA• 2008: Stetson University, Florida, USA • 2009: University of Illinois – Chicago, Illinois, USA• 2010: Cal State Fullerton, California, USA• 2011: UNC – Ashville, North Carolina, USA• 2012: Tulane University, Louisiana, USA• 2013: University of Alberta, Alberta, CANADA!

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Who is the FBA?• Approximately 50 centers• Canada and the United States• No established governance• Various models of “membership”• Up to 2500 member businesses• University based as well as independent

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Already accomplished• Created the annual meeting• Listserv of 150+• Webinar series - 2010• Family Business Wiki Master Class – 2011• Compile survey data

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Questions?

• Are there advantages to formalizing?• How will we make decisions? • Is the future of the membership model

sustainable?

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“…unless endowed with significant resources of ability, time, and money, difficult choices of focus will have to be made to

enjoy sustainable growth into the future.”

Sharma, et. al., (2007)

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Family Business Center Directors surveyn=28

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Qualitative responsesCollected from a sample of center directors, university faculty and key stakeholders.

1. In your opinion, what is the overall state of family business centers right now?

2. What do you feel is unique or compelling about your center?

3. How do you envision the future of the Family Business Alliance?

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In your opinion, what is the overall state of family business centers right now?

“If there are about 40 centers alive, compared to 100+ in years past, this is an indication of the failure rate that could continue. If there's more than 40, where are they? And why are they not responding to requests that they confirm their existence?

- Ira Bryck

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In your opinion, what is the overall state of family business centers right now?

“(The successful centers) are tireless in contacting and getting to know members and prospects. They focus more on keeping members happy than face time with sponsors.”

- Joe Astrachan

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In your opinion, what is the overall state of family business centers right now?

“I am encouraged by my recent experience, which was the successful transfer of the center at which I am the director from the sponsoring and founding university to another regional university. When the membership learned that the options were to close the center or look for a new home, they overwhelming agreed to and shepherded the process. They obviously found significant value in the program to dedicate themselves to the continuation and hopefully enhancement of the center.”

- Patrice Persico

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What do you feel is unique or compelling about your center?

“I would say that our integration into the University via the creation of the Holistic Model, the emphasis on the next generation, the first major in the field, and an innovative and intimate national outreach program.”

- Greg McCann

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What do you feel is unique or compelling about your center?

“We have the opportunity to offer them strategic programming not only for business training but personal growth within families and organizations. We offer presenters, educators, mentors and peers that have training and have researched these business issues as one and as combined force.“

- Donna Herilhy

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What do you feel is unique or compelling about your center?

“…we are financially independent of state funding through the University. Therefore we are not managed to weather continual budget challenges.”

- Debbe Skutch

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How do you envision the future of the FBA?

“Will hopefully continue with more of the best stuff; making sure discussion is on the edge; challenging assumptions, a healthy mix of content and process, not just a place to find the conventional wisdom or good enough speakers, not trying to prove to anyone else that we are a mini me of some other type of group; avoid foreign entanglements.”

- Ira Bryck

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Your Turn!

As outreach centers how can more fully integrate the emergent issues from the research into the "on the ground" programs and resources we provide?

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Your Turn!

As outreach centers what would make us more relevant to the teaching and research priorities of the university?

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Your Turn!

As outreach centers how can we more successfully integrate and utilize the academic resources both from a teaching perspective and a research perspective?

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Your Turn!

As outreach centers how can we collectively leverage the positive relationships we have with nearly 3000 successful businesses?