Turn Your Family Business into a Business Family
Family Business Center
Success for Generations
The St. Thomas Family Business Center is the leader in family business education, connection and support. Our learning community is built of family businesses, for family businesses, and is more robust than ever. Whether you're from Minnesota or not, are part of the St. Thomas alumni or have never been to campus, we'll serve your needs.
Our programming helps families find their right conversations, leaning into their own history, values, dynamics and goals for the future. The Family Business Center creates an environment where these conversations can be held, with attendees surrounded by other family businesses... who get it, and may have some wisdom to share.
Whether its succession planning, generational dynamics, leadership transition or something else keeping you up at night, our center and its ever-growing number of family businesses, is the community that can walk alongside your family and business.
If you're stuck and want to discuss your family business, call the center. If you want recommendations for advisors, call the center for that too. We'd love to have you join our community and learn the important conversations that will carry your family legacy into its next generation.
Contact
Jon Keimig
Family Business Center Offerings
Family Business Breakfast Series
The Family Business Breakfast Series is our most popular event, averaging about 160 family members in attendance. This event is only open to members of family businesses and is a safe place to tackle unique issues, engage with other families and find your path forward. The 2024-25 Family Business Breakfast Season is just about finalized. Dates are set, but topics & titles could shift a bit. The Series meets Thursday mornings from 7:30-9:30 a.m. on the St. Paul campus.
2024-25 Season:
- September 12: Learn from the Pros: Build Your All-Star Team
- October 24: Branding without Bragging: Marketing the Family Business
- December 5: AI Impacts & Opportunities for Family Business
- January 30: Managing Conflict I: Creating Family Harmony
- February 27: Managing Conflict II: Essential Agreements for Family Businesses
- April 3: A Minnesota Success Story: R.D. Offutt Farms
- May 1: Building a Legacy that Lasts
A season membership is $1,750, which grant access for all family members to all Breakfast Series events, a $300 discount per peer group, and invitations to the next generation event and a women's leadership event. You can register your family here.
For families that are not members, the cost is $300 per family, per Breakfast Series event. First-time families are invited to join us at no cost.
Thanks to the generosity of a donor, the center can provide financial assistance to smaller family businesses who may not be able to afford the full cost of a season membership. There's a short application to fill out.
Questions? Contact Executive Director Jon Keimig, jon.keimig@stthomas.edu or 651-962-4560.
Members-only Events
Center members have access to these additional events, connecting family businesses with programming beyond the Breakfast Series, to create meaningful learning and relationships in a new way.
- NextGen Gathering
Thursday, Nov. 7, 4-6 p.m.
Top Golf Brooklyn Center - Women's Legacy Event
TBD, Spring 2025
Peer Groups
Join a group of peers who share similar family business roles to participate in confidential discussions about critical family and business issues, and help each other to navigate and overcome challenges. The center currently has six groups, including one for executives, two for women and three for next generation members. Groups meet 7-10 times a year, up to three hours each time. The annual cost is $950 per person for members, and $1250 for nonmembers. To ensure that you and your preferred peer group will be a good fit, you must submit an application. For details, please contact us at jon.keimig@stthomas.edu.
Advisor Engagement
The Advisor Engagement Luncheon allows family business advisors like bankers, accountants, financial planners, attorneys, psychologists and coaches to learn together about topics that will help them better serve their family business clients and build their professional networks. Advisors can attend individually at $60 each or firms can sponsor a table of eight for the season, to bring and engage with clients, colleagues and partners, at a cost of $4,000 for the year.
Upcoming Luncheons:
- Thursday, Nov. 7: The Next Stage of Governance
- Wednesday, January 29: Developing an Ownership Strategy
- Wednesday, April 30: What I Learned from the Cows, Trudy Cathy White
Interested in joining our group of table hosts? Email center director Jon Keimig at jon.keimig@stthomas.edu.
Family Business Courses
St. Thomas students can take courses in the family business. Through practical and experiential learning, as well as engagement with a family business, students will learn to be an effective part of their family business or have the tools to help guide someone else's. Learn what makes family businesses unique and harness the dynamics, values and history to create a competitive advantage.
Find an Advisor
Whether your family is experiencing hardship in personal relationships, succession planning or has a general need for financial planning, an advisor can add value to your business family. Learn what to look for in an adviser and see a list of family business advisors.
Community Engagement
The Family Business Center is dedicated to engaging families who have not had access to family business education, whether it be in out-state Minnesota or communities in our backyard. Through focused efforts, beginning in 2021, the center is partnering with local business support agencies including Meda, MMGSA, NDC, NEON and UROC to host multiple Black family business events and in 2023 started a three-year pilot program to engage family businesses on St.Paul's East Side through a charitable gift of The McNeely Foundation.
Family Business Breakfast Series
The Family Business Breakfast Series is our most popular event, averaging about 160 family members in attendance. This event is only open to members of family businesses and is a safe place to tackle unique issues, engage with other families and find your path forward. The 2024-25 Family Business Breakfast Season is just about finalized. Dates are set, but topics & titles could shift a bit. The Series meets Thursday mornings from 7:30-9:30 a.m. on the St. Paul campus.
2024-25 Season:
- September 12: Learn from the Pros: Build Your All-Star Team
- October 24: Branding without Bragging: Marketing the Family Business
- December 5: AI Impacts & Opportunities for Family Business
- January 30: Managing Conflict I: Creating Family Harmony
- February 27: Managing Conflict II: Essential Agreements for Family Businesses
- April 3: A Minnesota Success Story: R.D. Offutt Farms
- May 1: Building a Legacy that Lasts
A season membership is $1,750, which grant access for all family members to all Breakfast Series events, a $300 discount per peer group, and invitations to the next generation event and a women's leadership event. You can register your family here.
For families that are not members, the cost is $300 per family, per Breakfast Series event. First-time families are invited to join us at no cost.
Thanks to the generosity of a donor, the center can provide financial assistance to smaller family businesses who may not be able to afford the full cost of a season membership. There's a short application to fill out.
Questions? Contact Executive Director Jon Keimig, jon.keimig@stthomas.edu or 651-962-4560.
Members-only Events
Center members have access to these additional events, connecting family businesses with programming beyond the Breakfast Series, to create meaningful learning and relationships in a new way.
- NextGen Gathering
Thursday, Nov. 7, 4-6 p.m.
Top Golf Brooklyn Center - Women's Legacy Event
TBD, Spring 2025
Peer Groups
Join a group of peers who share similar family business roles to participate in confidential discussions about critical family and business issues, and help each other to navigate and overcome challenges. The center currently has six groups, including one for executives, two for women and three for next generation members. Groups meet 7-10 times a year, up to three hours each time. The annual cost is $950 per person for members, and $1250 for nonmembers. To ensure that you and your preferred peer group will be a good fit, you must submit an application. For details, please contact us at jon.keimig@stthomas.edu.
Advisor Engagement
The Advisor Engagement Luncheon allows family business advisors like bankers, accountants, financial planners, attorneys, psychologists and coaches to learn together about topics that will help them better serve their family business clients and build their professional networks. Advisors can attend individually at $60 each or firms can sponsor a table of eight for the season, to bring and engage with clients, colleagues and partners, at a cost of $4,000 for the year.
Upcoming Luncheons:
- Thursday, Nov. 7: The Next Stage of Governance
- Wednesday, January 29: Developing an Ownership Strategy
- Wednesday, April 30: What I Learned from the Cows, Trudy Cathy White
Interested in joining our group of table hosts? Email center director Jon Keimig at jon.keimig@stthomas.edu.
Family Business Courses
St. Thomas students can take courses in the family business. Through practical and experiential learning, as well as engagement with a family business, students will learn to be an effective part of their family business or have the tools to help guide someone else's. Learn what makes family businesses unique and harness the dynamics, values and history to create a competitive advantage.
Find an Advisor
Whether your family is experiencing hardship in personal relationships, succession planning or has a general need for financial planning, an advisor can add value to your business family. Learn what to look for in an adviser and see a list of family business advisors.
Community Engagement
The Family Business Center is dedicated to engaging families who have not had access to family business education, whether it be in out-state Minnesota or communities in our backyard. Through focused efforts, beginning in 2021, the center is partnering with local business support agencies including Meda, MMGSA, NDC, NEON and UROC to host multiple Black family business events and in 2023 started a three-year pilot program to engage family businesses on St.Paul's East Side through a charitable gift of The McNeely Foundation.
Join the Family Business Center
Are you interested in becoming a part of our community of family businesses?
Contact us to learn how to join the Family Business Center, gain access to our events and classes, and get help connecting to an adviser.
Contact us:
familybusiness@stthomas.edu
(651) 962-4560
Schulze Hall 433, Minneapolis Campus