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Conway Center for Family Business

Monthly Message -- January 2012

From White Castle to the White House

Beyond the Three Circles:

The Impact of External Factors on Your

Family Business

January 19, 7:30-9:00 a.m.

Ohio Dominican University - Alumni Hall

To kick off the Conway Center's 2012 Educational Program Schedule Jamie Richardson, White Castle's vice president of government and shareholder relations, and Ann Kinkade, president of Family Enterprise USA will discuss family business advocacy efforts, in a format designed to motivate and empower Central Ohio family business leaders. "Beyond the Three Circles" will challenge family business leaders to look beyond the three circles that represent a developing family business' primary areas of focus -- family, business and ownership -- and look at how they are affected by and can change external factors that affect their business.

Family Enterprise USA (FEUSA) is a national nonprofit group started in 2009 to advocate for a broad range of public policy issues affecting family business success. Ann Kinkade will discuss FEUSA's advocacy work and share stories about the family firms that drive its mission. Jamie Richardson will discuss how White Castle upholds its values and maintains its culture in the context of government affairs, public relations and community engagement and the company's involvement with FEUSA. He also will entertain you with the story of America's first hamburger chain, White Castle, the iconic 4th generation business that began in 1921 and now has 10,000 employees in restaurants in twelve states.

Ann Kinkade, of FEUSA, has asked our members to complete a national survey being conducted by FEUSA to clarify the state of family businesses and the issues they find important so that she can share the Ohio results with you on January 19th. It will only take about 10 minutes to complete and will help represent Ohio's family business perspective on a national level. Please complete the survey today by clicking here: 2011 Annual Family Enterprise Survey. All individual responses are anonymous and confidential except one noted optional exception -- when the report is final, you will be sent a final copy for your review. Last year, the results were featured in The Wall Street Journal and were regularly cited in discussions with members of Congress, the U.S. Senate, and the media.

To register for the program, please RSVP to Deana Gordon, gordon@familybusinesscenter.com or 614-253-4820.

FamilyPreneurship:

The Four Keys to Revitalizing Your Family Business

February 16, 7:30-9:00 a.m.

Ohio Dominican University - Alumni Hall

Mark your calendar for this informative program based on the popular MassMutual FamilyPreneurship Study and find out what every entrepreneur wants to know about being in business with a family member. The presentation, led by Conway Center Service Provider Scott Rider, of Rider Financial Group, will be structured around the four key success factors for family-owned businesses identified in the study: communication, work/life balance, trust, and planning. Participants will be led through a self-assessment exercise to gauge how well they are doing with each of these key factors in their own businesses.

Reserve your spot today! Contact Deana at gordon@familybusinesscenter.com or 614-253-4820 or RSVP at www.familybusinesscenter.com.

Valentine's Day Roundtable

Tools and Tips for Working with Your Spouse

in Your Family Business

February 14, 8:00-9:00 a.m.

Ohio Dominican University

Griffin Center, Room 274

One of the more challenging working relationships in a family business is the one between husbands and wives. Learning how to establish boundaries, keep the lines of communication open and find time for your personal relationship can tax even the best of marriages. The good news is that with a little bit of planning, good humor, and strategy it can be done. Bring your spouse and start your Valentine's Day out right by learning and exchanging strategies for working together, making decisions, and delegating tasks in your family business. You'll be glad you did!

RSVP to Deana at gordon@familybusinesscenter.com or 614-253-4820.

Directors' Insight

John F. Kennedy once said, "Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other." For family business leaders those words could not be truer. Although it is difficult to take time away from the many tasks that are essential to running and growing your business to spend time on developing your own leadership skills, it is something that every family business leader needs to prioritize. Taking advantage of opportunities to learn from the experiences of your peers and the knowledge of family business advisors can help you to address the issues and hurdles that confront you. Who else knows family business dynamics and challenges better than those who have walked in your shoes? Make time this year to grow your own leadership, business, and relationship skills by attending programs and peer groups, participating in webinars, meeting with a family business leader you admire, or reading a good business book. We'll share useful articles and information and as many opportunities for education as we can to make 2012 a year of growth and improvement for you and your business.

Dick and Deana

Last Chance to Sign Up for New Next Gen Group!

It's not too late to sign up for the 2012 Next Generation Leaders Peer Group. If you are a leader of a family-owned business who will be assuming a greater leadership role in your family's company or someone who will have that opportunity in the future this would be a great group for you! The Next Generation Leaders Peer Group is led by organizational psychologist Dr. Thaddeus O'Brien, of O'Brien & Associates. Dr. O'Brien moderates the group in a roundtable format that gives members insight into the issues and challenges that affect next-generation leaders through guided sessions and peer-to-peer input. Participants also learn to evaluate their own strengths and weaknesses at a time when they are preparing for expanded responsibilities. The first meeting will be Thursday, January 12th at O'Brien & Associates. Contact Connie Nicholson, nicholson@familybusinesscenter.com, immediately if you are interested in participating.

Upcoming Peer Group Meetings

To sign up for any of this month's peer group meetings or to learn more about peer group opportunities contact Peer Group Coordinator Connie Nicholson at nicholson@familybusinesscenter.com or visit www.familybusinesscenter.com.

Women in Family Business Peer Group
January 10 - 7:30-9:00 a.m.
Griffin Center at Ohio Dominican University
Topic: Does Good Health Matter?

Family Business Leaders Peer Group
January 11 - 8:00-9:30 a.m.
Hosted by Sequent, 4700 Lakehurst, Suite 200, Dublin
Topic: Be st Sales Year Ever!

CEO Peer Group (RSVP Required*)
January 12 - 3:30-7:30 p.m.
Tour of Laser Reproductions
950E Taylor Station Rd., Gahanna, OH 43230
*Members of this group are asked to commit to one full year of meetings. If you are a CEO who's interested in joining, we encourage you to try one out.*

2011 Next Generation Leaders Peer Group
January 19 - Noon - 1:30 p.m.
O'Brien & Associates
47 W. Third Ave., Columbus
Members of this group participate for one full year. If you are interested in joining the 2012 group, please let us know.

Marketing/Sales Peer Group
January 25 - 7:30-9:00 a.m.
Hosted by Catering By Design at Sanese Services
6465 Busch Blvd., Columbus
Topic: Know Your Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats: Developing a SWOT Analysis.
Please note this group is now full but please let us know if you would like to participate as there may be openings later or we may form a second Marketing/Sales Peer Group if needed.

Special Event Invitation for Conway Center members

What's in store for Central Ohio's Economy in 2012?

Conway Center members are invited to attend Commerce National Bank's 2012 CNB Economic Forecast - A Report on National, State and Local Economic Trends. Dr. Jim Newton, an economist and adjunct professor at The Ohio State University, will summarize the past year of economic statistics and anticipate what to expect in 2012. Will Columbus continue to perform better than average in 2012 or will it be affected by high unemployment, lackluster consumer spending, political gridlock, and the euro-zone sovereign debt crisis? Find out by attending this special program on January 12 from 8:00-10:00 a.m. at the 4-H State Building - OSU Campus, 2201 Fred Taylor Drive, Columbus, OH 43210. RSVPs are required. Please let Deana know if you plan to attend: gordon@familybusinesscenter.com or 614-253-4820.

Free Investment Strategy Webcast

On January 25, from 10:00-11:00 a.m., Oxford Financial Group will provide commentary on the outlook for the economy and financial markets during their quarterly webcast. The presentation will feature a panel of investment strategy experts who will provide insight on the following topics: 4Q Financial Market Review, 2012 Outlook: More Challenges Ahead, Make or Break Time for Europe, and Soft Landing for China? To register for this webcast, click here.

Find Us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn

Did you know that the Conway Center shares information for and about family businesses on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn? We also provide program updates and information and encourage you to connect with other area family businesses through these networks. If you haven't already connected with us on these sites, please take a few minutes to add us to your social media network so you don't miss any important family business news. Just click on the appropriate icon on the right side of this page and sign up today!

Welcome New Members

Ohio Support Services/

Ohio Custodial Management

John, Cathy, and Scott Tucker
1291 South High Street, Columbus, 43206
614-443-0291
www.ohiosupport.com

Founded in 1978 by husband wife John and Cathy Tucker, and run today with the help of their son, Scott Tucker, the goal of Ohio Support Services and its subsidiary Ohio Custodial Management has been to provide clients with premium security and custodial services, superior personnel and the greatest return on their safety and housekeeping budgets. The companies provide these services to commercial office, industrial, educational, medical, and improvement districts. OSS is dedicated to its clients, and enjoys numerous long-standing relationships with companies of all sizes in Central Ohio including Grange Insurance, JCPenney, and State Auto Insurance.

OPOC.us

Aron, Toby and Adam Sommer
300 West Wilson Bridge Rd. Suite 300, Worthington, 43085
866-676-2871
www.OPOC.us

OPOC.us is a collaboration of top industry consultants in the areas of employee benefits, retirement plan administration, risk management, and business process improvement specializing in the delivery of FORTUNE 500 "One-Point-of-Contact" solutions for mid-sized organizations. OPOC.us helps businesses improve the lives of their most important asset, their employees, through CARE, Innovation, Education and Service. CEO Aron Sommer, President Toby Sommer, and CMO Adam Sommer, are all integral parts of this second generation family-owned business that was founded in 1991.

Overmyer Hall Associates

Dan and Greg Overmyer
2000 W Henderson Rd Suite 400, Columbus, 43220
614-453-4400
www.oh-ins.com

Brothers Dan and Greg Overmyer launched Overmyer Associates in 2011. Both are third-generation veterans of the insurance industry, having worked with their father Ed Overmyer at Berwanger Overmyer Associates before its sale in 2001. On January 1st of 2012, the Overmyer brothers added Brian Hall as a partner in the firm. With nine total employees, Overmyer Hall Associates is growing rapidly. They are an independent insurance agency with a unique business model that promises clients long-lasting and honest relationships, moral and ethical leadership and a culture of caring for clients and the community. The firm provides property and casualty insurance to business owners as well as a separate division for home and auto.

ADVERSE WEATHER PLAN

If we ever have to cancel a program or peer group meeting due to inclement weather or unforeseen circumstances, we will notify the media sources listed below and send e-mail to all of our members. If you ever wake up and are uncertain whether we will be meeting, just turn on your radio or television and listen for our announcement or check your e-mail before you head out the door. If there's no announcement or no e-mail from us in your inbox, that means we're waiting for you to join us.

Radio Stations: Sunny 95, WLVQ 96.3, 610 WTVN, WNCI 97.9, WCOL 92.3, WMNI am, WOSU 820,WOSU 89.7 fm, WWCD 101.1, 97.1 FM, WBNS 1460. Television Stations 4, 6 & 10

Interesting Reading

Family-Owned Businesses: Starting 2012 Off Right
Fox Business
For family-owned business, year-end planning is more complex because oftentimes it involves an intersection between personal planning, estate planning and business planning. Business planner Matthew Erskine said this junction of personal and business...

Financial controls critical to knowing where you stand
News & Observer
Reflect on the typical family business quote as to why the business does something a certain way: "Well, that's the way dad always did it." While understandable, it does not have that strong feel of business discipline in it. Financial controls are the...

Health Care Costs Double in Nine Years
Sequent E-Newsletter
Don't let the politicians arguing over how to contain health care costs lull you into believing out-of-control health insurance premiums will moderate over time. In fact, health care costs have more than doubled since 2002. Experts predict those costs in the United States will approach 20 percent of all spending by 2020...

SanGregory Cartage celebrates 50 years of family business in Tiffin
Tiffin Advertiser Tribune
"It's a true family business," said Bob, owner/operator. "There has been family in this business ever since it started." Since 1961, SanGregory Cartage has hauled products from larger carriers to companies and organizations, and makes deliveries of...

Family feuds over famous hot dog restaurant
Indianapolis Star
The grandson of the founder of a hot dog diner in Ohio made famous on TV's "MAS*H" was charged Wednesday with stealing more than $100000 from the family business. The charges stem from a yearlong family battle over control of Tony Packo's...

Tax Breaks for Company Investments May Be Fading as Job Creator
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Companies Say Tax Perk that May Expire Spurs Growth/Campbell Fittings in Boyertown, Pennsylvania used tax incentives to buy equipment that allowed the family owned business about 50...

Fathers and Daughters: Passing on the Family Business
BusinessWeek
That's the subject of a new book, Father-Daughter Succession in Family Business, (Gower, 2011) by Daphne Halkias, a social science researcher at Cornell University and senior research fellow at the Center for Young & Family Enterprise at the University...

How to Create a Succession Plan for a Franchise Business
Entrepreneur
"When we started, having a family business was not an objective," says Glenn, who eventually opened a second Fastsigns franchise. "We wanted to find something we enjoyed doing, and Fastsigns was a really nice fit. I won't say I was surprised when my...

Position your farm business for successful transition
Agri-View
There are four most common mistakes when it comes to dealing with a family owned business. First, family owners don't think that normal business rules apply. Second, family status almost always trumps business role qualifications...