The Future is in Great Hands – Young Leaders Groups Preparing for The Future,
While Making a Lasting Impact Today!
In June, I attended the annual Family Business Directors Alliance conference in Pennsylvania, hosted by Wilkes University in Scranton, PA. 25 of my counterparts and I met for three days at the Woodloch Pines Resort to discuss our best workshops, speakers, and other special events and programs that we all run. The big take away from this meeting, for me, was the amount of time Family Business Centers, including ours, around the USA and Canada are spending on developing the next generation of family business leaders, and the success of Peer Affinity Groups in each of the Centers.
I came away feeling really good about the progress that we have made here at the Center for Family Business. The future success of any business is in the hands of leaders that are being developed today. With the addition of two new Young Leaders Peer Affinity Groups in 2013, over 20 of our family business member companies are represented and focusing on topics and strategies to strengthen their individual families and companies for years to come.
These groups meet on a rotating basis over lunch, once a month, and the feedback from the members has been extremely positive. Led by experienced executives and facilitators each of these two groups has reported back that they are attacking challenges that they face in their current day-to-day operations, as well as preparing for opportunities and issues they may face in the future.
Here are a few comments from members of our Young Leaders groups:
“Joining the Young Leaders Affinity Group was the best decision I made in terms of getting the most out of my membership with the Center for Family Business. I came to quickly realize that my issues are not unique to my family business. To have a group of peers (who I now consider my friends) who can relate to my situation and give me sound advice is priceless.” – Mayumi Martinez, HOSA Technology
“Being part of the Peer Affinity Group has brought great perspectives to me regarding my family business. We meet in a trusting & supportive atmosphere where we can all share our challenges, experiences and goals. The investment is well worth it to be part of the Peer Affinity Group and the Center for Family Business. – Linh Nguyen, Advance Beauty College
“I have really enjoyed getting to know everyone in my Peer Affinity Group. It is a safe environment where we can share business issues that are not only relevant to just Family Business issues, but business in general. I rely on my group as an informal advisory board who hold me accountable and give me invaluable insight. I would highly recommend joining a group for any Young Leaders out there.” – Jenny Dinnen, MacKenzie Corporation
If you would like to learn more about joining an existing Peer Affinity Group (Young Leaders, CEO, or Women’s Group), please contact the Center at 657-278-4182, or cfb@fullerton.edu. New groups are forming now, and we would love to have you involved in one of these dynamic peer groups!
CSUF Center for Family Business 