Family Business/Business Family

In the latest episode of the Family Business/Business Family podcast, we sit down with Marshall Klein, president of 100-year-old Klein’s Family Markets, based in Maryland. He discusses the sudden death of his father in a 2019 auto accident, which necessitated Marshall immediately stepping into the president role and trying to keep the family business together while attempting to process his grief. He also talks about keeping his father’s legacy alive through the Klein family’s philanthropy. Also in this episode, we chat with Olivia Reilly-Mountz and her father, Brad Mountz, about the recent sale of their family business, Mountz Inc., to Snap-On Incorporated. They explain what led to their decision to sell and what it’s been like to continue working as executives in a company they no longer own. In addition, we talk with David Savir and Kris Martin of Element Pointe about the many different definitions of “family office” and how families can begin deciding which configuration is best for their needs.This episode is brought to you by Element Pointe, an independent multi-family office and wealth management firm dedicated to guiding individuals and their families through important financial, investment, lifestyle and interpersonal matters — in turn, helping clients build a secure future and enduring legacy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

David Savir, co-founder of Element Pointe Family Office, shares critical insights on preparing family businesses for sale, emphasizing emotional readiness and legacy-building. Peter Blommer, former CEO of Blommer Chocolate Company, recounts his family's near-takeover experience and the governance improvements that followed. He discusses the tough decision to sell to Fuji Oil, shedding light on navigating transitions. The conversation also touches on the importance of staying nimble in changing markets and enhancing communication within family-owned enterprises.

Join Peter Blommer, former CEO of Blommer Chocolate Company, as he shares how a heartfelt appeal from one family business to another helped thwart a major takeover attempt. Discover Andrew Koenig's insights on utilizing Toyota's management philosophy to revamp CITY Furniture. They also celebrate Bergey's 100 years of community impact, highlighting the significance of teamwork and gratitude in family businesses. This lively discussion emphasizes legacy, innovation, and the power of family values in the competitive market.

In the latest episode of the Family Business/Business Family podcast, Brandi Harleaux, second-generation CEO of South Post Oak Recycling Center in Houston, Texas, discusses her journey from Disney executive to CEO of her family’s recycling business — or, as she likes to say, “from pixie dust to real dust.”We also sit down with Ashley Weinaug, director of marketing for Wekiva Island in Longwood, Florida. A few episodes back, we spoke with Ashley’s dad, Bill, the founder of Wekiva Island, about his decidedly laid-back attitude toward succession planning and preserving his legacy. In this interview, Ashley gives her perspective on one day succeeding her father in running the environmentally friendly island resort alongside her brother and several other family members.In addition, Family Business Magazine Contributing Editor Dennis Jaffe joins the podcast to explain how family councils can prevent stagnation and embrace a cycle of renewal. For more on this topic, check out Dennis' latest column.Interested in being a guest or have a topic you’d like to hear us discuss? Contact host Zack Needles, editor-in-chief of Family Business Magazine, at: zneedles@familybusinessmagazine.com.Don’t miss an episode! Follow Family Business/Business Family on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music or wherever you listen to podcasts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we sit down with Torri Hawley, a wealth education expert and seventh-generation member of the Vollrath Company, and Peter Begalla, conference chair at MLR Media and founder of JPB Consulting Group. Together, they discuss how family businesses can better solicit honest, actionable feedback from their shareholders. (For more from Hawley and Begalla on this topic, check out their recent article on gauging shareholder sentiment).Also, Christina Sorbara, vice president of corporate knowledge and lead of human resources and corporate responsibility for the Sorbara Group of Companies in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, talks about the challenge of keeping shareholders educated, engaged and informed as the company and family continue to grow.And in part 2 of our conversation with Mayumi Allison, CEO and second generation owner of audio-visual equipment maker Hosa Technology Inc., she tells us what surprised her after taking the helm of the business her father founded. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the Family Business/Business Family podcast, Bill Weinaug, president of Wekiva Island — a family-owned, environmentally friendly vacation destination in Longwood, Florida — talks about the resort’s beginnings and why leaving a sustainable legacy requires learning to let go. Also, Joanna Bergey Shisler, dealer principal at Bergey’s — a 5th-generation, family-owned auto, truck and tire company with locations in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland — discusses the importance of communication and forgiveness in family business. And the third- and fourth-generation leaders of Accurate Box Company — G3 President and CEO Lisa Hirsh; her husband, Executive Vice President Sales and Marketing Mark Schlossman; and their daughter, Director of Sales and Marketing Samara Ronkowitz — discuss the importance of culture on the longevity and growth of their family business. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Brandon Adkins’ family legacy is deeply tied to the karting industry. When his father died in 2017, he was faced with the difficult decision of whether to take over the family business, Adkins Speed Center. It wasn’t an easy road, but today Brandon and his husband, Jamie Wince, run the karting track, which focuses on spreading a message of positivity and inclusivity. In this episode, they discuss how they connect with the community through go-kart racing. Also in this episode, Dan Berger, second-generation CEO of Berger Communities, talks about why values and culture are key to the longevity of his family business. And, in part two of our interview with Lisa Daniel, Education Chair of the Joseph Lodge Family Council, she discusses the crucial role of the family council in her family’s enterprise. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Mayumi Allison, CEO and second generation owner of Hosa Technology Inc., stops by to talk about how she learned to be a leader in the family business her father founded. And, building on that theme, Aaron Chin, CEO and second generation owner of Organika Health Products, discusses innovating as a NextGen in the company his father founded. Also in this episode, contributing editor and family business expert Dennis Jaffe is back to talk about trusts — specifically, why they tend to cause so many disputes in families and how to prevent that from happening in your own family. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we’re talking about the challenges and emotions surrounding generational transitions. Mike Crotty, fourth-generation president of one of America’s oldest family-owned and -operated uniform rental and facility services companies, Spirit Services, recounts taking over the company and making the difficult decision to fire his grandfather. Duane Bergey, the chief relationship officer of Bergey’s Family Corporation, discusses the career move that caused a temporary rift between he and his dad, and how they mended their relationship over regular — and occasionally awkward — lunches. And Karla Trotman, president & CEO of Electro Soft Incorporated and author of the new book, Dark, Dirty, Dangerous: Building the Vibrant Future of Manufacturing, offers some advice for NextGen leaders who are seeking to make major changes to their family businesses. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Katy Wilder Schaaf talks balancing her role as vice chair of the board of directors for her family business, E. Ritter & Company, with her career as a licensed clinical psychologist. She also talks about how the company utilized governance to reengage shareholders after a family rift. Then, Preston Root, fourth-generation steward of Root Glass Co., explains how a family constitution can bring your family together and help to pass its values down through the generations — provided it’s presented in a format with a bit more gravitas than a Word doc. And Katy Kothmann Abraham, president of Construction Cost Management, discusses the unorthodox career path that led her to buy her father's cost estimation company, as well as how she built confidence and credibility despite not having a traditional technical background. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.