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FOX honored Shannon Kennedy, Head, BMO Wealth Management - U.S., with the Glen W. Johnson Legacy Award. The award is presented to a distinguished individual with extraordinary business achievements and who demonstrates Glen’s values and characteristics. Glen was a great admirer of Shannon and we can’t think of a more deserving inaugural recipi...

Many family businesses are undergoing or anticipating transitions, prompting the need for trusted advisors more than ever. This session features experts who have deep breadth of experience in helping families manage business transitions and the complexity that comes with them, including new liquidity, helping founders find their next purpose, and m...

It’s no secret the investment world has changed, causing many family offices to re-evaluate the way they invest. During this session, FOX members will share the process they went through to reorganize their investment function. They’ll explain how they managed the restructuring of investment governance, outsourced relationships, underlying portfoli...

A well-defined governance system is what drives a strategy for portfolio investments—all the while increasing a family’s ability to formulate its goals and policies, make decisions, and perform an oversight function. This paper can help families in the development of their own decision-making framework and focuses on three core building blocks...

For an investment committee to be effective, there must be a written committee charter that will help guide and add value to a portfolio. Following five core elements tailored to fit any family’s circumstance, this sample investment committee charter serves as a strong foundation for short- and long-term investment success.

“You only sell your company once” is a phrase founder/family-owned business leaders often hear before embarking on a major liquidity event. It demonstrates the enormity of the undertaking to effectively sell a business. Ensuring your company is prepared for a sale is crucial to any exit strategy, and should be considered long before beginning a sal...

Preparing yourself and your family can be one of the most overlooked parts of a business sale and exit strategy. But it goes beyond maximizing tax efficiency and unlocking newfound wealth—it’s a monumental transition filled with emotional considerations. This article outlines key questions and critical areas of considerations for business owners an...

Engaging and preparing the rising generation is often top of mind, as the wellbeing of future family leaders is of great concern. Setting out to understand the needs and wants of the rising generation, this research tapped into the wisdom and experience of 55 families, 28 future family leaders, and 38 family office executives. The practical advice ...

The number and scope of women-owned businesses have risen at an unprecedented rate. In an era of new opportunities, this paper profiles eight courageous and resilient women who share their personal stories and the lessons they learned building successful businesses. One theme that emerged from these women’s stories was the critical role of mentorsh...

The decision to sell or continue ownership of a family business is complex. Business owning families who recognize early the importance of both the financial and non-financial considerations of a potential sale are more likely to make good transition decisions.

No matter what stage of the business cycle you are in, you should always have a defined strategy for your business operations and potential exit. For many family business owners, the sale of their business will be the single largest transaction of their lives. Yet many enter this transaction not fully prepared. To ensure you maximize your sale, the...

While many business owners are struggling to find qualified successors, family members oftentimes oppose proposed sales to outsiders because they think they should have the chance to take over the business. Research from Rothstein Kass suggests that advance planning can minimize family squabbles and ensure smoother business transitions.

A major trend with family enterprise organizations is designing ways to develop and retain early career professionals. The most effective emerging practice is to develop a strategy that blends the quantitative skills necessary to meet the financial, legal and technical needs of a family, along with the qualitative skills needed to navigate complexi...

If you’re considering a sale of a business, listen in on this 10-minute interview for some valuable potential tax-savings strategies. Attorneys Jason Kohout and Stephanie Derks also discuss income and estate tax planning opportunities, especially for business owners who are in a high income tax state.

While entrepreneurs are intently focused on building their businesses, they may have less time to spend on building, sustaining, and distributing their wealth. Given the importance of early wealth planning and its long-term impact, this guidebook provides insights and tools at each stage of the entrepreneur’s journey to help them move forward ...