Our NextGens to Watch Class of 2025 demonstrates the myriad ways young family members can define “legacy stewardship” in their own lives and careers. Many of this year’s honorees hold leadership positions in their families’ operating businesses, having either risen up the ranks within the company or earned their roles after gaining valuable outside experience.
A number of others are pursuing completely separate careers while continuing to contribute to their family enterprises through participation in governance and philanthropic efforts. All have brought their unique talents, youthful energy and fresh perspectives to bear within their families, honoring the generations that preceded them while finding innovative ways to carry those legacies into the future.
Sierra-Shae Brandt
Third Generation
BRANDT, Inc.
Tampa, Fla.
Sierra-Shae Brandt was raised in her family’s agricultural business, BRANDT, a Tampa, Fla.-based company that provides advanced inputs, trusted advice and technical solutions to farmers and growers around the world.
Today, she’s an integral part of the business in her roles as shareholder and marketing manager. At BRANDT, Sierra-Shae focuses on the company’s sports marketing platforms. In her marketing manager role, Sierra helps lead several of BRANDT’s most highly-visible sports sponsorships, including with the Tampa Bay Lightning, The Tampa Bay Sun, NASCAR’s JRM racing team and several local dirt racers. She also helps manage the company’s other regional semi-professional teams and developmental sponsorships. Read more
Caroline Kolavo Cordes
Fifth Generation
Miniat Holdings
South Holland, Ill.
As a proud fifth-generation family member, Caroline Kolavo Cordes is passionate about keeping the family engaged and informed. In her role as NextGen education and engagement lead on the family committee, she’s laser-focused on creating smart, thoughtful programming that brings education and connection to life for her generation.
“With a legacy of over 125 years of innovation in the food industry, The Miniat Family of Companies has always been a constant in my life,” Caroline says. “Its roots are deeply woven into my own family’s history, with many fond memories made with family gathered in the kitchen or around the dinner table. After a decade working in public relations for other organizations, I found myself curious about how I might contribute to the family business while continuing my independent career. With a background in communications, my role on the family committee has offered me a unique opportunity to stay close to my family and find meaningful ways to add value — both professionally and personally.” Read more
Dianne Mattar Detwiler
Second Generation
FRC Global Inc.
Salt Lake City, Utah
Dianne Mattar Detwiler is the director of electrode sales and a second-generation owner of FRC Global, a leading supplier of refractories, electrodes and high temperature combustion systems. The company rebranded from Fedmet Resources Corp in 2020, after Dianne and her sisters — President Julianne Lord and Director of People Operations Leanne Pate — stepped into executive leadership roles.
Dianne joined Fedmet as a product manager and ceramic engineer after spending five years in engineering roles with Corning Incorporated, where her experience spanned multiple industries, including ceramic substrates and glass fiber optics. Read more
Nick DiMarco
Fifth Generation
Baldwin Real Estate, a DiMarco Group Company
Rochester, N.Y.
Nick DiMarco is a rising leader in the DiMarco Family of Companies, a multigenerational enterprise that includes DiMarco Group, Baldwin Real Estate, DiMarco Constructors, J. DiMarco Builders, DiMarco Realty Services, JD Aviation and ADMAR. He was recently elevated to director of commercial property management at Baldwin Real Estate, where he is quickly establishing his own legacy as a member of the fifth generation of family leadership.
In this role, Nick manages a commercial portfolio of more than two million square feet across more than 50 properties. He leads a growing team of six direct reports — including property managers, a lease administrator and a commercial facilities administrator — while overseeing all aspects of tenant retention, leasing renewals, facility operations and strategic leasing initiatives. Read more
Joey Gamer
Third Generation
Gamer Packaging, Inc.
Minneapolis, Minn.
Gamer Packaging Inc., was founded in 1987 by Ron Gamer. His grandson, Joey Gamer, joined the team in 2019 in a new business development role, helping to spark growth and innovation at the company. The responsibility to carry the torch to greater heights felt immense, but Joey has utilized the trust the company’s employees and his family place in his leadership ability to foster a successful and sustainable business environment. “Since riding to school with my father and second-generation owner, Kenny, on his way to work, I’ve dreamt of one day joining Gamer Packaging and contributing to the business that has afforded me so many opportunities — opportunities made possible by the sacrifices of the generations before me,” Joey says. “I take the responsibilities of a third-generation owner — and the commitment to our employees — seriously every day.” Read more
Gino Ghilotti
Fourth Generation
Ghilotti Brothers, Inc.
San Rafael, Calif.
Gino Ghilotti knows what it takes to be a next-generation leader. As a fourth-generation member of his family’s construction business, Ghilotti Bros. Inc., he is committed to developing both leadership and technical expertise over time while steadily earning the trust and confidence of the existing management team.
“What sets Gino apart is his deep respect for the company’s current success under his father, Mike Ghilotti’s, leadership,” says Allie Taylor of Orange Kiwi, which has worked closely with Ghilotti Bros. on its succession plan. “Rather than accepting the status quo to avoid conflict or rushing change, he prioritizes understanding the foundation that has made the business strong. When Gino identifies opportunities for evolution, he and Mike collaborate thoughtfully, working together to align their leadership styles and ensure that any shift serves both the company’s future and its present strengths —long before taking action. As a NextGen leader, Gino is working diligently to help set the stage for long-term success of the company and the family.” Read more
Maxwell Herbst
Third Generation
Leonard’s Express
Farmington, N.Y.
Maxwell Herbst is a young entrepreneur and a third-generation member of his family business, Leonard’s Express. Maxwell saw an opportunity to contribute to the family enterprise and took it by pursuing family business management throughout his undergraduate career and after. “I respect the legacy and values of our business, set by previous generations, and I recognized that my skills and experience could complement other family members’ competencies and enhance our growth,” Maxwell says. “Joining the family business felt like a way to strengthen bonds, invest in a shared future and be part of something enduring, not just professionally, but personally. It wasn’t just about a job; it was about building something together and positioning ourselves for success.” Read more
Abby Hornady
Fourth Generation
Hornady Sporting Goods
Grand Island, Neb.
Established in 1949, Hornady Sporting Goods has built a sturdy foundation to ensure longevity in manufacturing while staying committed to family ownership. Following a tragic accident in 1981, when the company plane crashed — killing the company’s founder as well as other company leaders — Hornady faced an untimely demise. However, the family stepped in and elected the founder’s son to lead the company moving forward. This transformational event forced Hornady to rethink its succession strategy, among other aspects of the business. The result turned Hornady from a start-up in a small Nebraskan town into one of the largest independently-owned makers of bullets, ammunition and tools in the world. Read more
Logan Kessler
Third Generation
Bronson’s Marketplace
Beulah, N.D.
In 2018, Logan Kessler began working full-time at his family’s business, Bronson’s Marketplace, which was established more than 40 years ago by his grandfather. Since Logan joined the company, Bronson’s Marketplace has expanded into operating two grocery store locations as well as two liquor stores in North Dakota. “One of my proudest contributions has been helping build our beautiful new store in Bowman, N.D., which opened in 2018. This last year we upgraded our Beulah location with new equipment and refreshed décor to create a more modern and welcoming shopping experience,” Logan says. “In addition, I helped launch our customer loyalty program and expanded our services to include online shopping with pickup and delivery options, bringing more convenience to our customers.” Read more
Caroline Landry
Third Generation
The Design Network
Jamestown, N.C.
Caroline Landry is a third-generation family member of massive furniture retailer Furnitureland South. Her father, Jason Harris, is a co-owner of Furnitureland and founder of streaming channel The Design Network (TDN), where Caroline heads up business development. “Working with my dad has been an absolute joy,” Caroline says. “Our relationship has definitely grown and changed as we work together. We’ve cultivated a new kind of trust and mutual respect as we lean on each other to grow this business.”
At TDN, Caroline wears many hats. Working with household brands like Walmart, The Home Depot, Wooster Paint Brush and VRBO, Caroline runs the sales team, integrating these partners into TDN’s original TV series. She also manages their existing and new partnerships with streaming TV platforms like Samsung, Hulu, Roku, Fubo and 13 others. Read more
Eric LaRoche
Third Generation
Pompa Bros. Inc.
Saratoga Springs, N.Y.
Third-generation leader Eric LaRoche has been a member of Pompa Bros. Inc., a 78-year-old family-run stone quarry business, located in upstate New York, since he was old enough to hold a shovel. During his tenure with the company, Eric has not only embraced the legacy of his grandfather, uncles and mother, but also helped to redefine that legacy, bringing both vision and new energy to the business.
“Over the past 10 years, Eric has become an invaluable asset to our company, displaying incredible determination, creativity and leadership at every step,” Pompa Bros. President Marianna LaRoche, Eric’s mother, says. “Eric started from the ground up, literally and figuratively. Beginning his career at the age of 15, he worked alongside our team with a shovel or trowel in hand, learning every aspect of the business, from quarrying and material handling to the complexities of equipment operation, and rounding out with customer and vendor relations and negotiations. His dedication to earning his place and understanding the intricacies of the industry, right from the foundational level, set the stage for his remarkable contributions.” Read more
Paul Lilley
Third Generation
Lilley International
Williamston, N.C.
Paul Lilley, a third-generation leader at Lilley International, a 70-year-old company headquartered in eastern North Carolina, returned to the family business after gaining five years of outside experience. Lilley International is an equipment solutions partner of choice for businesses and farmers in North Carolina. Paul leads business development at the company, primarily working in the new truck sales department, where he supports his sales team and engages with customers.
“I started my career in investment banking working with family businesses and founders,” Paul says. “While I found the financial services sector and advisory work to be intellectually stimulating, I soon learned that I was geared for an entrepreneurial role and wanted to help build a business. Working with other family businesses helped illuminate the opportunity I had right in front of me at Lilley International.” Read more
Natalie Nash
Fifth Generation
Rogers Group, Inc.
Nashville, Tenn.
Natalie Nash is a fifth-generation owner of her family’s companies, with the largest being Rogers Group Inc. Founded more than 117 years ago by her great-great grandfather when he quit school at the age of 14 and took a job digging ditches to support his widowed mother and sister, the company today is the largest family-owned crushed stone company in the United States and one of the nation’s largest highway contractors.
Natalie is an artist with a specialty in decorative gourds, as well as silversmithing, and sells her work online. She is a regular volunteer at Pillar, a residential and day program for adults with disabilities, and Hildegard House, which provides a home and end-of-life care when someone has nowhere else to turn. For the last 13 years, she has participated in her branch’s charitable foundation, nominating organizations for consideration and approving annual gifts and multi-year pledges. In addition, Natalie recently completed her third and final year as chair of the family council. The council, created 30 years ago, serves a critical governance role for the family’s 63 shareholders and beneficiaries. Read more
Brady Portman
Second Generation
Banks Hardwoods
White Pigeon, Mich.
Brady Portman is one of the second-generation leaders of Banks Hardwoods, but this was not always her plan. After spending two years in manufacturing and then attending the National Hardwood Lumber Association Inspection School, Brady left Banks Hardwoods to pursue other interests. The family briefly considered selling the business, founded in 1985, but decided against it. Instead, they established a board of directors and formulated a new strategic growth plan, drawing Brady back to the business to help carry the torch into the future.
Quickly demonstrating her abilities as a quick learner and natural leader, Brady stepped in to utilize her strengths to assist her father, CEO Stephen Banks, with everything from board agenda prep to high-level work like acquisitions, planning and technology integration. Now, Brady is deeply engaged on several levels and enjoys the opportunity to work closely on special projects and initiatives alongside her father. Read more
Elana Schulman
Third Generation
Eli’s Cheesecake Company
Chicago, Ill.
Eli’s Cheesecake was the creation of Elana’s grandfather, famed restaurateur Eli M. Schulman, at Eli’s the Place for Steak in Chicago. Eli’s created its signature “Chicago Style” cheesecake, which made its public debut at the first Taste of Chicago festival in 1980. Elana formally joined Eli’s in 2019 after a career in video production at Vice’s Munchies and quickly became an invaluable asset to the company as it headed into the COVID-19 pandemic.
Following her grandfather’s wise words, “charity will never bust you” and “treat others as though you were the other,” Elana demonstrated empathy and care for the people at Eli’s throughout the pandemic, says her father Marc Schulman, who serves as president of Eli’s. She was also a key member of the team that rebuilt sales coming out of the pandemic and quickly saw an opportunity when a major airline came to Eli’s looking for a unique cookie that could be heated and served in flight. The result was Eli’s Pie in the Sky, a chocolate chip cookie pie, which was an immediate hit. Read more
Samuel Shine
Fifth Generation
Manitoba Corporation
Denver, Col.
Sam Shine is a fifth-generation recycler and director of sales for Utility Recyclers International (URI), a joint venture owned by Manitoba Corporation and Green-Port Environmental, focused on recycling utility-generated materials. Sam’s great-great-grandfather founded Manitoba Corporation in 1916, starting as a rag recycler and expanding the business through the generations to encompass the family-owned, non-ferrous metals recycling business it is today.
Sam recently reached the milestone of 10 years working in the business full-time, and throughout his tenure has demonstrated “tremendous enthusiasm, passion and skill,” says his father, Manitoba Corporation CEO Brian Shine. Sam has become heavily involved with Manitoba Corporation’s national trade association, the Recycled Materials Association, having co-chaired and founded a NextGen committee to support and encourage young owners, operators and industry participants as they embark upon their careers. Read more
Thomas “TJ” Staib
Fifth Generation
DWS Printing & Packaging
Deer Park, N.Y.
After graduating from Villanova University, Thomas “TJ” Staib, a fifth-generation member of family-owned DWS Printing & Packaging company, worked for the German printing press manufacturer, Heidelberg. TJ then started his career at DWS by leading the launch of the company’s first-ever shrink-sleeved canning operation. This expansion served the craft beer and beverage markets, and it allowed DWS to be fully vertically integrated where it could now print, seam and apply the sleeves to the cans — all under one roof. This initiative helped take the company to new levels of success and prosperity.
“There are many reasons that I always knew I would eventually be joining the family business, at one point or another,” TJ says. “My father and my uncle essentially made this company a member of the family itself. The sense of pride they had in taking a business with their names and reputations on the line and using that to fuel their ambitions was truly inspiring. To them, DWS isn’t just their job, it’s their entire livelihood. They embraced the responsibility of having 50-plus families depending on them, and their commitment and enthusiasm is what drew me towards the business at a young age, and it has only grown stronger since.” Read more
Antonia Steinberg
Third Generation
The Diller-von Furstenberg Family Foundation
New York, N.Y.
Antonia Steinberg, granddaughter of Diane von Furstenberg, fashion designer and philanthropist, began her involvement with Buck’s Rock Camp as a 10-year-old camper. That transformative experience drew her to return every summer thereafter as a camper, counselor-in-training and, ultimately, a counselor. Years later, when the pandemic devastated the camp industry, Buck’s Rock did not open for the summer for the first time in its history and was under threat of a permanent shutdown. At the time, Antonia had recently completed a training program, offered by the Gates Foundation, called Next Gen, and joined the board of the Diller-von Furstenberg Family Foundation. With these developments underway, and recognizing the unparalleled opportunities her time at Buck’s Rock afforded her, Antonia made the decision to acquire the camp and turn it into a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Read more
Grant Vermeer
Third Generation
Vermeer Corporation
Grand Rapids, Mich.
Grant Vermeer is a third-generation family member of Vermeer Corporation, a global manufacturer of industrial and agricultural equipment founded in 1948 and based in Pella, Iowa.
Along with his brother Drew, Grant is the co-owner of 616 Amusements, which offers profit-sharing arcade and amusement game placement for businesses in Grand Rapids. But Grant is also active in his family’s Iowa-based enterprise, including serving as chair of its ownership council.
Darla Van Kooten, executive administrator of Vermeer’s family office, describes Grant as “a servant-hearted leader.” As the first ownership council chair to lead the family from out-of-state, Grant, who has held the position since 2021, has led the family through strategic planning sessions, family office kaizen events, the family’s first off-site summer meeting, creating an expectations document, conflict resolution and more. He also leads the executive ownership committee, and is a member of the education, governance, and nominating committees. Read more
Lily Voluck
Fifth Generation
Newman & Company
Philadelphia, Pa.
Lily Voluck represents the fifth generation of Newman & Co., a family-owned and -operated business since 1918. Located in Philadelphia, Newman & Company and affiliates is a group of four privately held, vertically-integrated companies with more than 100 years of experience in paperboard manufacturing, recycling, transportation logistics and paper brokerage.
Newman & Co.’s portfolio of companies is aligned at every level of the supply chain, providing economies of scale that benefit both customers and suppliers to ensure continuity of the recycled fiber lifecycle. Lily has served in a variety of roles supporting the circularity of recyclable commodities through sustainable manufacturing, collection and reuse practices. Read more
Lucy Wood
Third Generation
Windmere Real Estate
Seattle, Wash.
As Windermere Real Estate’s regional director of western Washington, Lucy Wood helps manage the family business’s franchise operations in the region. This includes providing operational support to more than 100 Windermere franchise owners, working with them on business strategy and growth, as well as agent recruiting and retention.
Over the past several years, Lucy has worked in multiple roles at Windermere, including executive assistant to principal company leadership and as a real estate agent. She is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she was a national championship-winning rower. Read more