FAMILY BUSINESS NEXTGEN 2023

 

Welcome to Family Business NextGen 2023 — a place for you to think intentionally about your role in the family business, the family and the outside world. 

In March, we'll be hosting a weekly series of 5 daily one-hour webcasts to address the unique challenges and goals of the next generation of multigenerational family businesses. Each day we'll feature notable NextGen speakers and thought leaders in conversation-style discussions that address key aspects facing NextGens in family business today: governance, building credibility, legacy & impact, support networks and succession. You'll come away with new strategies you can put to use and new peers to add to your network. 


Attending this event will allow you to:

  • Learn from the successes (and missteps!) of other NextGen family business members
  • Offer your own insights and ideas
  • Earn a certificate of completion for use with your family and on your resume
  • Network with other NextGeners
  • Access the NextGen Resources Center with valuable articles and videos

No cost to attend. All that's required is your time.

To earn a Family Business Magazine Certificate of Completion, you must attend four of the five sessions and answer several polling questions in each session.  Recordings of each session will be available, but viewing these will not create eligibility for a certificate.

Take a look at the agenda below and click through to reserve your place!

Featured Speakers

Register Today!

NO COST TO ATTEND All that's required is your time.

WHY ATTEND? You'll come away with new strategies you can put to use day to day and meet new peers to add to your network.

CAN'T JOIN US FOR THE LIVE SESSIONS? Once you register, you will be able to access session recordings and presentation downloads on demand — on your schedule!

**While the content for this event will be especially valuable for those between the ages of 18 and 35, anyone is welcome to attend.

 

Reserve Your Place Today!

To register, click here.

Program


 

 
Mon, Mar 6, 2023 1:00 PM EST
 
 
 



We begin with an in-depth look at how governance of the business and the family works at best-in-class family businesses and discuss how to prepare to serve on the business board or the family/owner’s council.  How should boards and councils be structured?  Who does what? How do you position yourself for open opportunities? And once on board, how do you make a real contribution?
 
Speakers: Audrey Darley Welch, Supply Partner Director, Darley Defense, W.S. Darley & Co.
Greg Henderson, President and Chief Executive Officer, Cilker Henderson Properties
Moderator: Brooke Anderson, National Managing Principal, Private Client Services, BDO
 
 
Tue, Mar 7, 2023 1:00 PM EST
 
 
 



So many young leaders within family business suffer from “imposter syndrome.” They are often surrounded by family and non-family members who remember them when they were in diapers. This session will look at strategies for how to change that, and build credibility as a capable leader, and marketability in and outside of the family.
 
Speakers: Brittany McKee East, 4th-Generation Family Member, McKee Foods
Sonya Ahola, Marketing & HR Consulting Divisions, Ahola
Moderator: David Shaw, Publishing Director, Family Business Magazine
 
 
Wed, Mar 8, 2023 1:00 PM EST
 
 
 



What kind of difference do you want to make in the world? It’s never too early to think about the impact you can have on your community.  This session will look at mindful ways to begin creating a stewardship mentality as a NextGen family business member.
 
Speakers: Julian Boyd, 2nd-Generation Family Member, D'Bo's Wings & More
Megan Green, Counsel and Engineer Manager, Weiler Products
Moderator: Drew Egan, Director of Family Education, Center for Family Wealth, Truist Wealth
 
 
Thu, Mar 9, 2023 1:00 PM EST
 
 
 



Do you have a personal board of directors? Who can you turn to for trusted advice and counsel?  This session will offer strategies and ideas for enhancing your support network, as well as look at how you can be part of the support network of your peers.
 
Speakers: Kate Began, President, Polycase
Celine Fitzgerald, Financial Analyst, Webb & O'Neill Capital Corp.
Moderator: Amy Cosper, Editor-in-Chief, Family Business Magazine
 
 
Fri, Mar 10, 2023 1:00 PM EST
 
 
 



Whether you are in the midst of a succession plan that involves you, or still thinking about what kind of role (if any) you might want in the family business, this session will focus on getting as much out of the experience as possible, not only to help you better navigate the journey, but to create a series of learnings that you can use in the future to make succession to your own next generation smoother and more successful.
This session will be followed by an optional one-hour Zoom chat that will allow you to get to know other participants.
 
Speakers: Aaron Chin, CEO, Organika
Sarah Fultz, 3rd-Generation Family Member, Post Leasing & Sales Inc.
Moderator: Danielle Reyes, Co-Founder, Lions Pride Leadership
 

 

About Conference

Confirmed Speakers

Audrey Darley Welch

Vice President, Defense, Darley Defense, W.S. Darley & Co.

Audrey Darley Welch is the Vice President, Defense, for Darley Defense, W.S. Darley & Company’s military distribution business and largest division. In her role, Audrey manages a team responsible for the company’s partnerships with key suppliers of tactical and firefighting products and services.

Audrey, a fourth-generation family member, joined the company in 2014. Prior to joining the family business, Audrey worked in Commercial Banking. She graduated with a Finance degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

In her time at Darley, Audrey has served as Chair of the G4 Advisory Group, board member of the William J. Darley Charity Fund, and member of the Company’s Management Team and Strategic Planning Committee. She has also led efforts to improve employee benefits and culture, including recently assisting with the development of a formal remote work policy.

Outside of the business, Audrey is passionate about personal and professional development.  She served on the YPO NextGen (YNG) Board for 6 years. Audrey was highlighted in Family Business Magazine as NextGens to Watch 2020.

 

Brittany McKee East

4th-Generation Family Member, McKee Foods

Brittany McKee East is a fourth-generation family member and employee at McKee Foods Corporation. At 14, she began summer internships at the bakery in various functional areas. This early involvement sparked her interest in pursuing a long-term career at McKee. During college, Brittany continued her involvement at the family business, while attending Southern Adventist University in Collegedale, Tenn., where she graduated with a B.S. in Health Science. In 2016, she received an MBA in Operations and Management from the Crummer Graduate School of Business in Winter Park, Florida. Following graduation, Brittany worked in various roles and industries around the country, eventually landing in Denver, Colorado at Fresca Foods Inc., where she was the Materials Buyer for the Larabar brand. In 2019, she returned to McKee Foods as Senior Cost Accountant, and has sense transitioned to her current role, Product Development Manager. Brittany’s husband, Jarred is a real estate investor in the southeastern United States. They live near Chattanooga, Tenn., with their two boys, Carter and Bryson, and their two dogs.

Sonya Ahola

Marketing & HR Consulting Divisions, Ahola

Sonya leads Ahola’s Marketing & HR Consulting Divisions and is responsible for communications, brand strategy, and the ProActive HR Consulting Division for the Ahola Corporation. She manages all internal and external communications, public relations, social media, trade shows, advertising, content creation, and traditional marketing campaigns. She leads a team of marketing and human resources professionals and partners closely with senior management and executive teams, vendor partners, and associations.

Sonya joined Ahola as a third-generation family member in 2017, after working in corporate retail – specifically in e-commerce. She has shifted the company’s focus to support social media, content, and mobile-enabled assets. She led a comprehensive brand refresh for the company in 2019, complete with a new company mission and vision, visual branding, and messaging. In the last 5 years, the company has been selected and endorsed by multiple Associations and Franchise Organizations and has been recognized as a Top Family-Owned Business by Crain's Cleveland Business, a Top Workplace by The Plain Dealer and Cleveland.com, and a Family Business Achievement Award Winner by Smart Business Magazine.

Sonya graduated Magna Cum Laude from The Ohio State University, earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration, with a specialization in Marketing. In 2019, Sonya was recognized by Family Business Magazine as a NextGen to Watch. In 2020, Sonya completed both the Civic Leadership Institute at the Cleveland Leadership Center and Greater Cleveland Partnership’s GCP Lead Cohort. In 2021, she was honored as a Notable Executive in Marketing by Crain’s Cleveland Business.

Julian Boyd

2nd-Generation Family Member, D'bo's Wings & More

Julian Boyd is from Memphis, TN. He feels blessed, as Franchise Development is something that has always been a passion of his, and now he is looking to use that passion to help small businesses expand through the art of franchising. 
 
Julian’s gift and passion is inspiring others to take action and pursue their goals personally and professionally. He truly believes that if he doesn’t have the answer to a solution then we can find a way to discover it together. He grew up in a family business D’bo's Wings that started 30+ years ago in Memphis, TN and his passion for small businesses started there. Julian’s goal in life is simply to help others who can't help themselves and create opportunities so others can truly tap into their potential to achieve success.

Megan Green

Counsel and Engineering Manager, Weiler Products

Megan Weiler Green serves as Counsel and Engineering Manager at Weiler in Knoxville, IA.  Green is also Counsel for Weiler Forestry, Inc. in LaGrange, GA.  Green is a graduate of Iowa State University (B.S., Finance) and the University of Iowa College of Law (Juris Doctorate).  Green worked for 9 years as in-house counsel for State Farm Insurance Companies in Bloomington, IL, counseling clients in multiple states on legislative, regulatory, banking, litigation and public policy issues. 

In 2017, Green and her family moved back to her home state of Iowa.  Her family’s manufacturing business was growing rapidly and needed dedicated counsel.  Green’s work experience and passion for the family business made the move a natural fit.  Green joined as Counsel and Procurement Manager. She transitioned from Procurement to Engineering in 2019 and now manages the engineering, service, product safety and technical publications groups.  Green led Weiler through a major acquisition as they closed on the purchase of Caterpillar’s purpose-built forestry business in the fall of 2019.  Green is a member of the company’s senior leadership team and is President of the Weiler Foundation for charitable giving.  She is also active in several community leadership activities including Habitat for Humanity of Marion County, Marion County Development Commission, Knoxville Housing Steering Committee, multiple apprenticeship and career readiness committees, community bank board member and the Chicago Fed’s Iowa Economic Roundtable.

Kate Began

President, Polycase

Kate is president of her family’s business, Polycase. Polycase, founded in 1990 by Kate’s father, is an ecommerce business that designs and manufactures a proprietary line of enclosures for electronic components and electrical equipment. Kate graduated summa cum laude from Babson College in 2015 with a concentration in finance and computational mathematical finance. After graduation, she worked in investment banking for a year before returning home to join the family business.

Kate initially focused on marketing and process improvements. She spent several years revamping marketing efforts, redesigning the ecommerce website and automating internal processes. In January 2022, after a year and a half transition process from G1 to G2, Kate became President. As president, Kate develops strategic initiatives and goals to continue growing the business while preserving the aspects of Polycase that have made it successful for the past 32 years.

Celine Fitzgerald

Financial Analyst, Webb & O'Neill Capital Corp.

Celine Fitzgerald was born a member of G3 but was unfamiliar with the term until she was 31 years old. Forming a family office was not her desired path, but that path is leading her to greatness. 
Celine earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Fordham University in Bronx, New York. She has also earned her Masters in Fashion, Experience and Design Management from SDA Bocconi in Milan, Italy, and her MBA from Loyola University Chicago.
Celine interned for Anne Smart, Director of the Loyola Family Business Center, while gaining her MBA. Over the course of the internship, she met families, listened to generational stories, and sat in on family business seminars. It was not until this moment that she appreciated succession planning, next gen education, estate planning or governance, and began to understand the terms and use them in her daily life. Her family opened the doors of their single-family office in 2019, and Celine is still learning and developing the best practices for the family unit. Celine thrives with philanthropy and has taken over the office’s donor advised fund and launched the family foundation. She put parameters into place where giving is concerned, and she feels the family is set up for success in the future.

Aaron Chin

CEO, Organika

Aaron Chin always knew that his path in life was to be an entrepreneur and run a company. The company his dad built from the ground up was ready for new leadership. Working alongside his brother, Jordan, Aaron prepared to take on his role as CEO. Since 2019, he has been shifting how consumers perceive wellness and made massive overhauls, putting innovation at the forefront. That coupled with a sincere passion for delivering high quality customer care has become Organika’s key differentiator.
 
It has led Organika to achieve uncapped market success and global growth, even amidst a pandemic. Armed with a master's in international business from France, an unprecedented drive, and an unclouded vision to help all Canadians live healthier, Aaron Chin is a true change-maker, an envelope-pushing entrepreneur making headlines in the health and wellness industry.
 
That path did not come without risk and prejudices. Being a young Asian entrepreneur in a market led typically by Caucasian CEOs in their 50s and up, there were moulds to be broken, including internally. Aaron proved himself by taking massive risks, changing 90% of management, an external rebrand and consolidated manufacturing.

Sarah Fultz

3rd-Generation Family Member, Post Leasing & Sales Inc.

Growing up, Sarah always valued continued growth and education, both in and out of the classroom. She attended Samford University, where she graduated in three years cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish and a minor in Latin American Studies. Sarah’s first roles in her family’s fuel truck business consisted of work in online and print marketing, advertising, customer service and website development, among other things. Primarily self-taught, Sarah quickly realized that wearing multiple hats while tackling new challenges each day was where she thrived. Today, she is a key decision maker in three family businesses. Working as the Office Manager across the companies, Sarah oversees Accounting, Billing, Human Resources, Marketing, Administration and IT while working closely with upper management. Sarah looks forward to continued growth and expansion within the companies and to make her mark in her family’s legacy.

Greg Henderson

Greg is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Cilker Henderson Properties, a specialized medical real estate company in Silicon Valley. CH Properties owns and manages over 400,000 square feet of medical office space. Greg joined CH Properties in 2012.

Greg earned his Bachelor of Business Management from Biola University. He is a member of Rotary Club San Jose and serves on The Health Trust Board of Directors.

Born in Illinois and raised in Northern California, Greg loves Lake Tahoe trips with family, going for a run, and fostering dogs. Greg thinks he is a better golfer than reality suggests.

Brooke Anderson

MODERATOR
National Managing Principal, Private Client Services
BDO

Drew Egan

MODERATOR
Director of Family Education, Center for Family Wealth
Truist Wealth

Danielle Reyes

MODERATOR
Co-Founder
Lions Pride Leadership

Amy Cosper

MODERATOR
Editor-in-Chief
Family Business Magazine

David Shaw

MODERATOR
Publishing Director
Family Business Magazine

Conference Location

Register Today!

NO COST TO ATTEND All that's required is your time.

WHY ATTEND? You'll come away with new strategies you can put to use day to day and meet new peers to add to your network.

CAN'T JOIN US FOR THE LIVE SESSIONS? Once you register, you will be able to access session recordings and presentation downloads on demand — on your schedule!

**While the content for this event will be especially valuable for those between the ages of 18 and 35, anyone is welcome to attend.

 

Reserve Your Place Today!

To register, click here.

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