Family Business Magazine

Meet our Family Business CEOs to Watch, Class of 2024! Steven Lopes grew up in his family company, L&M Corrugated Container Corporation, which designs, manufactures and distributes packaging material. He began his career in 2006, starting on the shop floor as a machine assistant in Zion, Ill., in what was then the company’s only location. Later in 2006, L&M expanded with a facility in Platteville, Wis. Lopes oversaw the management and sales growth of that plant, taking it from startup to $5 million in sales annually in the first five years. In 2012, he was instrumental in the move of the original Zion facility to a new 100,000-square-foot facility in Pleasant Prairie, Wis. After working in almost every position during his time with the company, Lopes officially took over as president in 2022. He continues to lead the organization, which was founded in 1979, with a focus on innovation and commitment to continuous improvement, consistently adding new state-of-the-art pieces of equipment. “Steven has served in just about every role there is at L&M,” says Donna Marino, PsyD, a family business executive coach and psychologist. “He has ensured that the company stays true to its values and begins every leadership team meeting with each leader choosing a value to discuss, with examples of how the company demonstrates those values. Steven puts employees first and wants them to pursue their dreams. He cares deeply about customer service and is always willing to make things right. He steadfastly believes in leadership development and supports the continued education of his staff both by bringing in outside consultants to teach and coach the staff as well as offering reimbursement for educational expenses. He is also dedicated to his own continued growth as a leader, participating in his own leadership development activities.” https://lnkd.in/gEpUpY5R #familybusiness #CEOsToWatch2024

Meet our Family Business CEOs to Watch, Class of 2024! Kathryn Poehling Seymour was named CEO and president of First Supply LLC in 2020, succeeding her father, Joe Poehling. The company, founded in 1897 as a plumbing supplier, now is a wholesaler serving numerous channels, including plumbing, HVAC, PVF, industrial, waterworks, and kitchen, bath and lighting. It has 53 facilities in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, Kansas and Michigan. Poehling Seymour, the company’s first female CEO, has a background in accounting and a J.D. from Notre Dame Law School. Prior to her roles at First Supply, Poehling Seymour was a tax consultant at Deloitte. At First Supply she began in sales and then became chief operating officer of the kitchen and bath stores division. Among other industry leadership roles, Poehling Seymour was the 2023 president of the American Supply Association and is currently the 2024 chairperson. She is a board member of the National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors. “Since taking over, she has grown sales and revenue within the company, created policies to benefit our employees, took the lead on our company’s biggest project to date and has had a huge impact on company culture,” says Jessica Lawrence, executive assistant at First Supply. “She has prioritized policies that improve our work environments for all employees, with a main focus on mothers in the workplace, changing outdated policies to make First Supply a comfortable place to work. Katie’s involvement with our employees allows her to make changes that are crucial for not only our team but our customers and vendors.” https://lnkd.in/gAznwy9S #familybusiness #CEOsToWatch2024

Have you checked out our new podcast, "Family Business/Business Family" yet? If not, there's still time to catch up! We're five episodes in and going strong! https://lnkd.in/emU4zyur You can find/follow us anywhere you get your podcasts! If you have already been listening, let us know your favorite episodes/interviews below! #familybusiness #podcasts #familybusinesspodcasts #familybusinesses

Meet our Family Business CEOs to Watch, Class of 2024! Kenneth Lebersfeld, CEO of Capitol Lighting, works alongside his brother and two cousins. The business, founded by his great-grandfather, originally converted homes from gas to electricity in the early 1900s. As Lebersfeld describes it, “Back then, we were an industry disruptive tech startup.” In 1924, Lebersfeld’s great-grandfather opened a retail lighting showroom and called it Capitol Lighting. Today the enterprise includes seven retail stores, a commercial supply showroom and an e-commerce business. The product offerings have expanded to included mirrors, rugs, furniture and accessories. Lebersfeld assumed the CEO role in 2008, at the start of the Great Recession. “With his innovative thinking and strategic decision making, Ken navigated the company through these turbulent times,” says his brother, Eric Lebersfeld, the company president. “He made tough but necessary choices that ensured the company’s survival and eventual prosperity.” The moves included hiring a new controller and a new accounting firm, streamlining operations, cutting expenses and creating new variable expense business models. “Recognizing the importance of bringing in external expertise, Ken has made strategic hires to fill critical gaps in the family’s leadership structure,” Eric Lebersfeld says. “Notably, his recruitment of a highly skilled CFO and COO has been instrumental in strengthening the company’s financial, sales and operational foundations. These key appointments have complemented the existing leadership and driven the company to new heights.” https://lnkd.in/evWtD_3R #familybusiness #CEOsToWatch2024

Meet out Family Business CEOs to Watch, Class of 2024! Nisha Carrow is the CEO of Baugher Ranch Organics, which handles over one-third of all California organic almonds. The company was founded more than four decades ago by her parents, Chris and Marcie Baugher. Under Nisha’s leadership, Baugher Ranch has grown from a small family operation to a trusted partner to businesses of all sizes. Baugher Ranch has seen significant growth and evolution with Nisha at the helm. The company has expanded its product offerings, improved sustainable farming practices and achieved various certifications for quality and food safety. Notable milestones include advancements in postharvest tasks, such as sorting, cleaning and packaging of almonds. “Nisha has led her family’s business through a transition from first to second generation, installed a state-of-the-art almond processing facility and is building an outstanding leadership team comprised of family and non-family talent,” says Timothy Schultz, a member of Baugher Ranch’s board. “She has also led a professionalization of their governance systems, bringing on two non-family board members to advise her through the transition.” https://lnkd.in/eUaHvC9F #familybusiness #CEOsToWatch2024

Meet our Family Business CEOs to Watch, Class of 2024! Kenny Crofton began working at Crofton Diving Corporation, which his father founded in 1949, as a young teenager in the 1970s.?After graduating from high school a year early, he joined his father, Juan Crofton, and two brothers at the company. He gained field experience as a commercial diver and?worked with his family to expand the company’s service capabilities beyond commercial diving to include marine construction, barge and tug services, and crane rental and rigging. Beginning in 2020, the second and third generations of the Crofton family identified the company’s core values:?Relationships, Integrity, Safety and Excellence. “Since Kenny has taken the helm, CROFTON has developed a monthly values program, which introduces our team to Values Based Leadership and Crofton Core Values as well as other topics like communicating effectively, giving and receiving feedback, and situational leadership,” his daughter says. Crofton has invested in the company’s growth by acquiring new assets like a 350-ton crawler crane with a 700-ton ringer attachment and a remotely operated vehicle. The company has refurbished 1,100 linear feet of waterfront at its facility in Portsmouth, Va., to improve operational efficiency. The company, which began 2024 with 165 team members, is projected to end the year with more than 225. “Kenny is an approachable and genuine leader, with a vision for what he wants to accomplish and an open mind on how to get there,” says Amy Perry, the company’s human resources director. In April 2023, Kenny Crofton’s three older siblings, Camille, Jay and Bob Crofton, retired after working together for over 40 years, and he took on the role of sole owner and president. “While it would have been easy for Kenny to rest on his laurels, he embarks on this new chapter with tenacity and enthusiasm, pushing the company to new heights,” says his daughter?Camille Crofton Cherry, the company’s marketing director.?“Whether it be strategic planning, our safety culture, or making decisions in alignment with our core values, Kenny is challenging our status quo.” https://lnkd.in/gD2CXfCA #familybusiness #CEOsToWatch2024

Meet our Family Business CEOs to Watch, Class of 2024! Jennifer Lahoda is the CEO of Pacific Resource Recovery (PRR), a waste management company founded by her mother and grandfather 30 years ago in East Los Angeles. PRR specializes in fuel blending, a waste-to-energy process that converts flammable industrial waste into supplemental fuel for powering cement kilns. Before joining the family business, Lahoda spent eight years as an entrepreneur and four years in non-profit development. In 2012, she assumed the role of HR director for both of her family’s companies: Ellis Paint Company, an industrial coatings manufacturer, and PRR. Her strategic vision and leadership were instrumental in the successful growth and sale of Ellis Paint Company in 2018. In 2019, Lahoda became the third generation to lead PRR. In 2022, PRR was named a Best Place to Work by the?Los Angeles Business Journal. Evan Cramer, CEO of Willey FamilyVentures/UCW Logistics in Greenville, S.C., has participated in a YPO family business forum with Lahoda. “Her career did not start in the family business, but once she took a role in the human resources department, she began to see a role for herself leading the company and giving back to her family,” Cramer says. “The family and the company have a great story in the development of modern Los Angeles, and Jennifer pays tribute to that every day with the way that she manages her current team and builds for the future. I believe that Jennifer is a great model for family business leaders of how to navigate family dynamics while also giving full attention to the needs of the business and the business’s stakeholders.” “When I talk about my journey to becoming the CEO of PRR, I often joke that I am a ‘reluctant’ third generation-leader,” Lahoda says. “As a child, I always admired my mother for being such an incredible force in an industry that few women were a part of, but I could not see how my love of art, fashion, party planning and theater would lead me to the business world, let alone in the hazardous waste industry. In many ways, the fact that I spent my early career outside of our family business gave me an advantage, because I was able to make mistakes and learn lessons on my own time and grow comfortable in my own skin before taking on a role in the family enterprise. The years that I spent as a creative entrepreneur and in non-profit development shaped my approach to leadership, team building and community engagement. I am so grateful for those experiences.” https://lnkd.in/e_3GZBbN #familybusiness #CEOsToWatch2024

We’re fresh off our Transitions Fall 2024 conference and, in the latest episode of our Family Business/Business Family podcast, we're talking about — you guessed it — generational transitions. In this episode, Accurate Box Company G3 President and CEO Lisa Hirsh; her husband, Executive Vice President Sales and Marketing Mark Schlossman; and their daughter, Director of Sales and Marketing Samara Ronkowitz, discuss how the company is planning for the transition to G4. Also, Meganne Wecker, the 3G president and chief creative officer of Chicago-based Skyline Furniture, MFG. and founder of its sister brand Cloth & Company, explains how her father fostered entrepreneurship and innovation as he handed the reins to her. And Deloitte Private US Family Enterprise Leader Laura Pearson discusses the findings of a recent survey that shed light on the generational divide in many family businesses. Never miss an episode! Follow the Family Business/Business Family podcast wherever you get your podcasts. Interested in being a guest or have a topic you’d like to hear us discuss? Contact host Zack Needles, editor-in-chief of?Family Business?Magazine, at:?[email protected]. https://lnkd.in/eaBZJkuU #familybusiness

Meet our Family Business CEOs to Watch, Class of 2024! Varish Goyal leads Vintners Distributors Inc, a fuel retailer in the San Francisco Bay area; Au Energy, LLC, a fuel wholesaler and retailer in the San Francisco Bay area; and Loop Neighborhood Markets, located across California. As president and CEO of these companies, he has overseen significant growth, particularly at Vintners Distributors, which has become one of California’s largest gas service operations. He has focused on integrating technology and enhancing customer service. “Over the past 15 years, I have had the privilege of watching Varish grow into the strong leader that he is today,” says his brother Kpish Goyal, legal counsel for the business. “When it comes to steering our family business, Varish has always led by example. His vision for Vintners Distributors, Au Energy and Loop Neighborhood Markets is not just about business growth; it’s about upholding the core values our parents instilled in us — integrity, hard work and a commitment to our community. “Working alongside Varish, I’ve witnessed firsthand his dedication to innovation and excellence. He doesn’t just make decisions; he guides us through challenges with a steady hand and a clear vision for the future. Varish’s ability to balance the needs of the business with a deep sense of responsibility toward our employees and customers is what truly sets him apart. He’s not just a CEO; he’s a steward of our family’s legacy, ensuring that the business thrives while staying true to the principles we were raised with. It’s inspiring to see how Varish mentors and empowers everyone around him, from our team members to the younger generation in our family. I couldn’t ask for a better role model and leader of our family’s enterprise.” https://lnkd.in/eadHKek8 #familybusiness #CEOsToWatch2024

Meet our Family Business CEOs to Watch, Class of 2024! Arin Emmert began her career in the automotive industry at age 17 as an office assistant and receptionist in her family business. She then learned the roles of cashier and service writer. She attended Creighton University in Omaha, Neb., earning a degree in entrepreneurial management with a minor in Spanish. During the summers while home from college, she was a traveling service advisor for the Fremont Group (Fremont Motor Company). After college, she took a job with Toyota Motor Sales, USA. She started in Torrance, Calif., as a management trainee and then moved to Toyota’s New York region, where she served as a district service and parts manager in Upstate New York. A promotion brought her to New York City. “After three and a half years in New York, I returned to Wyoming and worked as service director for the Fremont Group,” Emmert says. “I traveled to all dealerships assisting with service processes and procedures, focusing specifically on service profitability and customer satisfaction. In 2015, I became sales manager/general manager for the Fremont Volkswagen location in Casper, Wyo. Midway through 2016, I was transferred to general manager of the Lander Ford/Dodge location, the original dealership of the Fremont Group. “In 2018, I became director of operations for the Fremont Group, focusing on all internal dealership processes, customer retention, market share, customer satisfaction and profitability. In 2021, I became CEO of Fremont Motor Companies and dealer principal for all locations.” “From the outset, Arin has demonstrated an extraordinary level of commitment and passion for the automotive industry,” says Jean Santos of Business Consulting Resources. “Her diverse experience, including her tenure with Toyota Motor Corporation and various positions within the family’s dealerships, has equipped her with a deep understanding of the business from the ground up.” https://lnkd.in/eFuTPHx3 #familybusiness #NextGensToWatch2024