Family Business researchers, practitioners and speakers bring their knowledge and experience to the Center’s members in a variety of formats and venues. Topics include those relevant to families in business, as well as topics that are critical to the success of all businesses. Speakers share tools and strategies with members during interactive programs on family business topics ranging from leadership and ownership succession and estate planning to working in sibling/cousin teams and dealing with conflict. Programs also touch on the challenges and opportunities of doing business in a time of change and uncertainty and incorporate topics such as employees and the workplace, technology and data, and staying relevant.
Weatherhead’s Center for Family Business programs are exclusively for family business members – owners, senior leaders, rising leaders, family working and not working in the business and non-family executives. Please contact Laura Bonnet at 216-368-1701 or familybusiness@case.edu if you are interested in learning more about the programs or the benefits of joining the Center.
"The Center for Family Business has been an invaluable resource that fosters an unparalleled thought-provoking and collaborative environment for family enterprises of all sizes and industries to share insights and strategies. The discussions are tailored to address the unique challenges that only family businesses face like succession planning and balancing personal and professional roles. This is a community where understanding and solutions truly coalesce."
Donny Steinberg, Park Equity Investments
"The content of the forums put on by the Center for Family Business has been strong. I have also appreciated the network with other family businesses that it provides."
4th Generation Manufacturer/Retailer
Programs for the 2025-2026 Program Year
Family Business Series
The Family Business Series are half-day programs taught by family business experts. The programs are held at the Tinkham Veale University Center and complimentary parking is available in the Campus Center Garage. The general schedule for the programs is as follows:
- 7:30-8:30 AM – breakfast and registration
- 8:30-11:30 AM – program
Family businesses are welcome to attend a first Family Business Series program as our guest.
Myths and Mortals: Family Business Leadership and Succession Planning
Andrew Keyt – Tuesday, September 30, 2025
By nature, humans seek to mythologize the leaders who have gone before us resulting in long shadows for those who come after. As a result, successors struggle to establish credibility and find their own authentic leadership style. Based on research with successors of family business legends such as Massimo Ferragamo, Bill Wrigley Jr. and John Tyson, this program shares the challenges and resulting strategies to prepare the next generation of leaders to establish credibility, persevere through failure, and honor the past while charting a "way forward." To be successful, family members need to create their own identity and step out of the shadows to be the effective leader the business needs.
Andrew is the Founder and President of Keyt Consulting, prior Executive Director of Loyola University’s Family Business Center and part of a family business.
Driving Sustainable Innovation for Future Generations
Pramodita Sharma, PhD – Tuesday, January 27, 2026
Mission driven family enterprises astutely adopt a sustainable development mindset to innovate and outperform rivals in the short-term. This mindset is also used to identify value creation investments for the long-term. With longer temporal vistas and freedom from quarterly reporting to public, private multigenerational family firms are uniquely positioned to excel amidst rapidly changing environmental pressures. Using case examples, this interactive program will illustrate the opportunities, challenges and practicalities of sustainable innovation strategy, inspiring ideas for your own enterprise.
Dr. Sharma is a professor at the University of Vermont’s Grossman School of Business, former editor of Family Business Review, co-founder of the Family Enterprise Research Conference (FERC), part of a family enterprise, and co-author of eleven books including Patient Capital: The Role of Family Firms in Sustainable Business and Pioneering Business Families of Sustainable Development.
Governing the Family Business with the Four-Room Model
BanyanGlobal Family Business Advisors: Rob Lachenauer, Carol Hannigan, & Sam Gant – Wednesday, March 4, 2026
The Four-Room analogy is a simple but dynamic way of evaluating decision-making in family businesses that can be transformative. Think of the governance structure of your family business in four distinct forums: the Owner Room, the Board Room, the Management Room, and the Family Room. By establishing appropriate boundaries between rooms, business-owning families can avoid conflict and make better decisions, together. This program will be an interactive working session to improve family businesses’ governing and decision-making processes.
Rob is Co-Founder and Partner of BanyanGlobal as well as co-author of The Harvard Business Review Family Business Handbook and Hardball: Are you Playing to Play or Playing to Win? He will be joined by his colleagues Sam and Carol, both of whom are principals at BanyanGlobal with expertise in impact-driven family businesses and family offices/estate planning respectively.
Company Chats
Fiesta Forever: The Legacy of Color & Craftsmanship
The Fiesta Tableware Company: Liz McIlvain, Maggie Kuntz, & Matt Wicks
Wednesday, October 22, 2025
11:30 AM - 1:00 PM (lunch included)
The Fiesta Tableware Company is a renowned American ceramics manufacturer based in Newell, West Virginia. Established in 1871, the company is best known for its iconic Art Deco glazed dinnerware line, Fiesta®, which has been a beloved staple in homes for decades and is the last major manufacturer of dinnerware in the US. The company remains family-led, with Elizabeth "Liz" McIlvain serving as President and CEO and is the first female leader in its history of four generations of male leaders. Under her leadership, Fiesta Tableware has continued to thrive, celebrating milestones such as its 150th anniversary and the 85th anniversary of the Fiesta® brand.
This is a panel discussion with fourth generation Liz McIlvain and fifth generations Maggie Kuntz and Matt Wicks.
Member Mixer
Cheers and Chocolates: A social mixer with CFB members at Malley's Chocolates
Malley's Chocolates: Mike Malley
Wednesday, July 9, 2025
4:30 – 7:00 PM, Chocolate demonstration by Mike Malley at 5:30 PM
Malley’s Kitchen at Malley’s Chocolates | 13400 Brookpark Road, Cleveland
Come mingle with other Center for Family Business members while enjoying some wine, cheese and, of course, Malley’s chocolates! Malley’s Chocolates has grown from one Lakewood store founded in 1935 to 90 years later is an iconic Cleveland brand with 18 locations and more than 250 employees. Mike Malley, third generation family member and President and CEO, will be giving a chocolate demonstration as well as answering any questions you have about Malley’s. This program is for CFB members only. Please note that no pictures or video will be allowed.
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