Governance with Purpose: A family business case from Vermeer

Families rarely move from one generation to the next without weathering a few storms along the way. The Vermeer family knows this firsthand. Their journey, from early conflict in the second generation to building one of the most respected governance systems in family business today, offers a practical and encouraging model for family businesses.

At his luncheon, we’ll learn from Heidi Vermeer-Quist, a 3G owner, Vermeer Ownership Council founder, former Vermeer board director, and a clinical psychologist who spent her career at the intersection of wellbeing, governance and family enterprise stewardship. With decades of family experience and her own practice, Heidi will share how the family came together to rebuild trust, create clear rules of engagement and develop a governance system that supports more than 50 shareholders and a global enterprise.

• Through the Vermeer case, we will explore:
• How families can recover from conflict and move toward unity with intention and structure
• The role of values, communication and boundaries in supporting healthy ownership groups
• Establishment of practical governance tools such as ownership councils, next-gen development, family employment policies and family assemblies
• What it looks like when a family recommits to shared purpose and long-term stewardship

Date & Time:

Thursday, February 5, 2026
11:15 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Lunch is served at 11:30 a.m.

Location:

Opus Hall (MOH) 201
University of St. Thomas
20 S 10th Street
Minneapolis, MN 55403
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