I’ve always loved attending Family Business Magazine’s Transitions conferences. As a family business leader myself, there is nothing more valuable than hearing people openly share their stories and the lessons they’ve learned along the way. As the name suggests, a recurring theme at Transitions is generational change: how families prepare for succession, how leadership evolves and how ownership moves thoughtfully from one generation to the next.
For years, I have listened to families describe what made their transitions work and what made them harder than they had expected. What I didn’t fully appreciate then was that I was preparing for my own transition, as my mom, Caro, steps back after 20 years as publisher of Family Business Magazine.
Our family has had the privilege of serving the family business community for decades, but very few family businesses get the experience I’ve had, the opportunity to work closely with both parents harmoniously. My parents have been partners in life for 50 years and in business together for more than two decades. Family Business Magazine was founded 36 years ago by my grandfather, Milt, and my father, Bob. After a distinguished career in finance and media, including as vice president of a major bank, my mom joined them in 2005, becoming publisher and helping to lead the magazine into its next chapter. I’ve had the great fortune to work beside them and grow our suite of services for the family business community.
From an early age, I recognized my mom as a builder, someone who could not just envision the future, but could bring an idea to life. Before joining my dad and grandfather at Family Business Magazine, she launched Main Line Life, which went on to be recognized repeatedly as the best weekly newspaper in the nation. Even as a kid, I was in awe of her vision and grit. But it wasn’t until high school, when both I and many of my friends interned at Main Line Life, that I began to appreciate how talented she is. I watched her lead a team, inspire reporters, make tough calls and still somehow find time to help my brother and me with homework, cheer for us on the sidelines at soccer games and drive us to more activities than I can count. She made it look effortless. As an adult, who is now a husband and father of two, I now see clearly how much effort it truly required.
When she became publisher of Family Business Magazine, she brought that same attitude to a new endeavor. The family business field looked very different then. It was smaller, less connected and far less professional than it is today. My mom was one of the people who changed that. For two decades, she championed and celebrated family businesses, elevated important conversations and helped guide families through the challenges and opportunities in front of them.
She didn’t just publish a magazine, she cultivated a community where family business leaders and owners could learn from one another, lean on one another and feel understood. Not a week goes by without someone reaching out to share how my mom guided their family or their business through a difficult moment. Her impact was formally recognized in 2018 with the Family Firm Institute’s Barbara Hollander Award, a fitting tribute to the work she has done to strengthen the global family business community. But what makes me proudest is knowing that her words will endure as my daughters, nieces and nephew will grow up reading her columns and understanding the legacy she built.
Her influence has also extended beyond the magazine. She has been a trusted sounding board for our other information, media and market data businesses, offering operational insight, a sharp instinct for talent and an owner’s mindset. She has helped us build new platforms and guided us through inflection points with a steady hand. Moreover, I have admired her meaningful contributions as a board leader of nonprofits. She has led numerous boards, including as vice chair of Jefferson Health, the largest health system in the Philadelphia region, chair of the Rock School for Dance Education and as a board member of many other nonprofits including the Free Library of Philadelphia, the School of American Ballet and our local Chamber of Commerce.
Transitions are rarely easy, especially in family businesses, where roles and relationships are intertwined. But I’ve been incredibly fortunate. I’ve had a front-row seat to a remarkable career and an even more remarkable mother. Her leadership, principled, generous and deeply thoughtful, is rooted in the belief that family businesses make the world stronger when they are supported, understood and celebrated. Her long-term view, her commitment to balancing purpose and profit, and her treatment of our team like extended family shaped the magazine’s DNA and continues to resonate across our events, membership communities and digital platforms. They also underpin the values that guide me in leading the business today.
Many family businesses wrestle with intergenerational tension, but that was never our experience. My mom supported me fully, respected the boundaries of our roles and created space for me to lead in my own way. That kind of trust and clarity is rare in any family enterprise, and I know how fortunate I’ve been.
I’m grateful for everything she has built, for everything she has taught me and for the privilege of carrying her work forward.