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Creating
& Preserving a Family Tradition - the European Experience |
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| The
Wisconsin Family Business Forum's first international family business
workshop was an undeniable success. Twenty-nine (29) Forum members
and sponsors flew to Milan, Italy on March 10, 2000 anticipating
a challenging week of workshops, meetings and fun. No one was disappointed. |
| The workshop was held
at the beautiful Hotel Grand Cristallo, Cervinia. Cervinia is in
the Italian side of the Matterhorn about 2.5 hours drive northwest
of Milan and has breath taking vistas. It provided the perfect backdrop
for quiet family meetings and reflection on vision and values. |
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| The participants represented
ten family groups, including teenagers, twenty-two year olds, and
some of our more experienced members. Family groups ranged in size
from two to four. The participants represented first to fifth generation
businesses. The workshop
focus on family vision and mission was handled differently by
each family group depending on its stage of maturity and its family
structure. Interaction with the Italian educator, professionals
and owners provided perspectives on values, culture and politics
as they impact family business.
As the kick-off to the workshop
on Monday, March 13, we welcomed Daniela Montemerlo, faculty member
and family business researcher and consultant from SDA Bocconi
University in Milan. Doctor Montemerlo provided a comparison between
Italian and U.S. family businesses based on her research.
As the kick-off to the workshop
on Monday, March 13, we welcomed Daniela Montemerlo, faculty member
and family business researcher and consultant from SDA Bocconi
University in Milan. |
| Doctor Montemerlo provided
a comparison between Italian and U.S. family businesses based on
her research. We were surprised at the similarity in issues. She
also introduced us to family business owners, their core values
and codes of conduct via a family business video she had co-produced. |
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| That evening Jim
Janes and Craig Smith began our focused sessions on family
mission and vision statements. Jim shared his family’s statements
and how they had been developed. Along with his wife Cindy, he introduced
us to the Sargento family culture and the family’s vision and
mission statements. With instructions for the week and an overview
of the desired results, families committed to working on their vision
and mission and to presenting their work to the group at the end
of the week. On Tuesday,
March 14, at 5:30 a.m., we boarded a bus for the 2.5-hour ride
into Milan for our next meeting. Thanks to the efforts of Dan
Thome of Grant Thornton, we met with business owners, the
head of the American Chamber of Commerce and representatives of
Grant Thornton’s Milan office. Alberto Falck, chairman of
the Italian Association of Family Businesses and owner of 5 Italian
energy plants, explained how his family changed from a steel producer
to an energy provider in a 4 day conversion. He also shared a
little about the effect of the conversion on his family. We also
discussed tax issues and learned about the political efforts of
his Association to modify their tax structure.
Cesare Gorla, Claudio Muollo, Gerolama
Albertazzi, and Mauo Barberi of Grant Thornton’s Milan International
Business Center shared their knowledge and research findings about
Italian family businesses.
Following our meetings, we walked
the streets of Milan exploring the Duomo and Pecks, and enjoying
the sights and sounds. |
| On March 15, families
met to discuss their vision and mission and to relax together. Although
some had planned on hang-gliding in the afternoon, the winds were
too strong. So, skiing, reading, touring, shopping, and planning
were among the activities. |
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| On Thursday, March 16,
we departed early to visit the Fontina cheese factory in Valtournenche
and to meet with Cleto Benin, family business owner of EuroTravel,
in Aosta. Benin and his brother have moved the firm from a small
family owned hotel and restaurant 15 years ago through almost 35%
annual growth since then. EuroTravel now manages properties throughout
Northern Italy, France, the Maldive Islands and will serve over
300,000 guests this year. During
these visits, we heard about the family cultures, the business
environment, and the history and vision for these Italian family
businesses.
Following our meetings, we ate
a superb five course Italian meal with the appropriate libations
in the Vecchio Aosta restaurant. Cleto Benin, our host in the
morning, also owns the restaurant, built into part of the Roman
ruins that once encompassed the city. The family directed restaurant
has been in continuous operation for over 400 years. Benin joined
us at the restaurant to make sure we enjoyed our meal, thank us
for coming, and wish us well with our objectives. |
| Aosta, called the Rome
of Northern Italy, is about the size of Madison, Wisconsin and was
founded in the year 26. Much of the original coliseum, six story
theatre and walls around the 2000 year old city survive, as do many
of the generations old family businesses that have built the city
and kept it prosperous. |
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| On the last day of our
workshop, Friday, March 17, four members of the Badger Mining Corporation
family added an addition component to their workshop experience.
They met with representatives of a prospective customer whose site
was about 2 hours southwest of Cervinia. Tim Wuest, Badger Mining,
had developed the contact prior to leaving for Italy. This customer
meeting is proving valuable to Badger Mining. On
Friday evening, we assembled for the final workshop session. Some
families had accomplished more than they had originally anticipated,
others still felt they had considerable work to do. All agreed
that the workshop experience and business contacts had been worthwhile.
On March 18, the entire group bid farewell to Cervinia and traveled
to Milan for their return trip or, as was the case with two families,
for vacations.
As we prepared to fly from Milan
to Chicago, we commented on the exceptional customer service that
we had experienced throughout Italy. From the incomparable concierge,
Nando, and the staff at the Grand Hotel Cristallo to the business
people with whom we met. This experience of customer service is
another learning that we would carry home with us.
On April 28, the Italy workshop
group reconvened at the home of Ben Ganther for a workshop finale
social and photo swap. Consensus of the group is that the workshop
provided insights into international family businesses and their
issues, the importance of family vision and mission, and the value
of family retreats to reflect and discuss key issues.
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| Many Thanks!
A
workshop of this magnitude required the efforts of many people.
A big thanks to all who worked
on the workshop planning committee and/or helped to facilitate
the sessions: Kim Bassett-Heitzmann, Al Hartman, Jim & Cindy
Janes, Bob Merriam, Jim Neumann, Bud & Betty Simpson, Dan
Thome, and the chairperson and host, Craig Smith.
Thanks to our assistant Angie Gundert
for her support in materials preparation and bookkeeping.
Finally, thanks to the Fidelity
Family of Funds and to Craig Smith, Retained Earnings Company,
and Tim Cornell, Mass Mutual Financial Group for their co-sponsorship
of the workshop. |
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Last
updated: Fri,
Jun 9, 2000 |
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