News Briefs

November 1997

Second Annual Dinner

    A Family Business Heritage was the theme of this year's annual dinner program. Bill Shepard, 5th generation family member, blood descendant of the founder and President of the Packaging Group for Menasha Corporation, was our keynote speaker for the evening.

    From cocktails in the beautiful Butte des Morts Country Club Grill Bar, to the fascinating presentation by Bill Shepard, to the sumptuous dinner in the formal dining room, sixty-two members of the Forum family thoroughly enjoyed the evening.

    Shepard introduced us to the history of the company that Elisha Smith purchased in 1882. The Menasha Wooden Ware Company, as it was named then, was a wooden pail company. Over the years it evolved in response to the market and in 1962 was renamed, Menasha Corporation.

    Shepard explained that one of his current concerns is whether he can generate interest in the company in the next generation. He is presently acquainting them with the business and encouraging their future participation. He explained some methods they are using to accomplish this task.

    Shepard responded to the member questions we sent him about his family's role in the business; strategies they have used to successfully transition between generations; policies regarding family entry, mentoring and compensation; the family governance structure; and family values and goals for the business.

    We sincerely appreciated Shepard's willingness to candidly discuss these issues. We learned that despite the generation of leadership, family businesses face many of the same issues at each transition and must be prepared to handle them. We also learned that a family's values have a significant impact on the way they manage and on the success of the business over time.

    Additional information about Menasha Corporation and its family story is available at www.menasha.com

Tools for Managing Complex Relationships

    Dr. Nancy Upton of Baylor University, Waco, Texas, led this November 13 seminar at the Holiday Inn, Appleton. Dr. Upton focused on such things as understanding family dynamics, the impact the family has on the business, potential areas of conflict and strategies for managing complex relationships.

    Upton explained the dichotomy between the family and the business systems. Managing these differences is critical to success.

     Upton presented specific family business cases to demonstrate the effectiveness of various tools in managing these differences: codes of ethics, mutual goal setting, executive team/strategic planning, family business retreats and family business meetings, family councils and operating policies.

    As members of the group identified their key issues, Upton provided guidance in the use of a "Joint Operating Policies" assessment to begin dealing with those issues.

    Members also received a "Family Business Management Skills and Know-How Assessment" that assists families in identifying management competencies, prioritizing competencies and evaluating the implications of the results for specific family members and the family.

    Highlights of the seminar for members included the "tools and work sessions that showed us how to use the survey instruments to identify problem areas," "small group sessions that allowed time to work on specific issues," "the discussion of communications techniques for families," "the work sessions prompted discussion with other non-family managers present," "the idea of documenting family stories," and "the lively discussions."

    Members that were unable to attend can request copies of the program brochure that includes the seminar outline, a case study and management tools.

Family Business Retreats

    How do you

• deal with disagreements: in the family, among individuals, in or between generations?
• teach members of your family about family values and traditions?
• keep extended family informed about business and family issues?
• identify and train the next family leader?

    Families need processes that assist in answering these and other questions and in putting the answers into action. Family retreats are one process for dealing with questions such as these.

    On December 11, Mr. David Namowicz, President of Warren Industries, Inc., Racine, will tell us about his use of the family business retreat as a management tool. Following this case of Warren Industries, Inc., members will participate in roundtable discussions focusing on this management tool.

    Mr. Namowicz began holding family retreats when the early, unexpected death of his father created a crisis for the family and the business. Now Mr. Namowicz plans and carries out annual family business retreats. He will explain why he began holding these retreats, why he continues to hold them, how he plans for each retreat, basic "must include" agenda items, who attends, where they are held and the results that justify holding a retreat each year.

    Organizing and holding retreats requires planning and coordination. During the roundtable discussions we will consider -- Why implement retreats? How are family retreats organized? How long should a retreat be? Where should it be held? Who should attend? Is a facilitator needed? What are the objectives? Should there be an agenda? If so, what should be on the agenda? What responsibilities, if any, should be assigned to family members?

    Please mark your calendar and plan to join us for our December 11 breakfast roundtable at the Oshkosh Hilton, 1 N. Main Street, Oshkosh. Members are encouraged to bring multiple people from their organizations.

    Members may bring prospective members as guests to the program. To find out more about bringing guests, contact Sue Schierstedt at (800) 232-8939.

Upcoming Events

Forum Presentation

    We are introducing regional Rotaries to the value and uniqueness of family business and to the Wisconsin Family Business Forum. If your Rotary has not yet included the Forum in its programming, please help us get on the program calendar by providing us the name and phone number of your program chair. Thank you. Please contact Sue Schierstedt or Eleanor Forseth at (800) 232-8939.

WFBF Packets

    If you would like to introduce a particular family business leader to the Forum, please ask for our information packet. It includes our mission statement, partnership list, benefits, program brochure, a copy of the WFBF News Briefs, and articles about the Forum and our members. You can stop in and pick it up or we will send it to you.