By Henry Hutcheson, reporter Raleigh News & Observer.  This blog post originally appeared in the 5/13/12 News & Observer As a consultant to family businesses, my central goal is to bring about a smooth succession from a business, ownership and family perspective. Given that a majority of family businesses do not survive from one generation to the next, it can be complex. Two weeks ago I had the opportunity to witness perhaps the most...read more

  What if your Dad is a bigger than life, Formula 4 European race car driver and the founder of your family business?  Ted Wentz, UNC MBA 2008, had some big shoes to fill as he contemplated returning to his family business, Quadratec, a mail order company that provides parts and accessories for Jeep auto enthusiasts. Ted visited campus last week...read more

By Hampton S. Barclay  ▪  MBA Candidate Class of 2013  Students in Family Business II: Governance and Leadership were treated to a special presentation Wednesday when the class hosted Michael Vlasic of Vlasic Investments who spoke about carrying on the legacy of a family business and preserving wealth through active diversified investments. You may know the Vlasic name...read more

[caption id="attachment_211" align="alignright" width="150" caption="Professor Doug Shackelford"][/caption] By Josh Cooke, MBA 2013 Estate Planning is a huge concern for many family businesses.  Every family wants to maintain a lasting legacy that can be passed on to future generations.  Doug Shackelford, the Associate Dean of MBA@UNC and Meade H. Willis...read more

By Joshua L Gentine  ▪  MBA Candidate Class of 2013 The Family Enterprise Center at UNC Kenan-Flagler brought in Dr. Richard Boyatzis, the dynamic, renowned specialist in leadership, who impressed our audience...read more

Next Generation Leadership(II): Entrepreneurship in the Next Generation Wednesday, May 2 at 9:30 a.m. EST. We are pleased to host Kenan-Flagler’s own Ted Wentz, MBA class of 2008 as our next guest participant.  Professor Steve Miller will lead a lively conversation with Ted about entrepreneurship in a family business. Ted will share his experience with entrepreneurship within his family’s enterprise, Quadratec, that led to founding his own...read more

Hudson Shelby, MBA 2012, writes about Diana “Dini” Pickering’s visit to the Family Enterprise class last week.  “Family meetings represent a reliable forum for the education of family members—particularly those not active in the management of the business—about the state of the business, its financial performance, its strategy and the competitive dynamics it faces.  Family meetings also offer a safe haven in which to teach family members about the various rights and...read more

 A link to yesterday's great post by IMPACT At UNC Kenan-Flagler, the Family Enterprise Center (FEC) specializes in preparing next generation business leaders for success in their own family enterprises. Founded in 2008, the FEC builds upon an innovative family business...read more

From the Boardroom to the Dinner Table How business school can help students meet the unique challenges of family enterprises reprinted excerpts By M. Filtz, Mar 21, 2012 When Ben Grossman received his MBA from Columbia Business School in 2006, he faced a tough decision: he could either take a lucrative full-time job at Goldman-Sachs or go work for his family's business. He...read more

Join the Family Enterprise Center as we welcome Richard Boyatzis, Resonant Leadership author on Wednesday April 4, 2012 as discusses Resonant Leadership:  Inspiring Yourself and Others Through Emotional Intelligence.  To register click here or at fec@unc.edu read more