Design a future for your family business
UNI Family Business Center
Positioned in the University of Northern Iowa College of Business, we provide family businesses with tools for success.
Have you ever wondered how the choices you make today might shape your family’s story seven generations from now? Whether you’ve gathered tales at family reunions or delved into genealogical research online, you might hold a deeper understanding of your family’s legacy than any generation before. Yet, how often do we think beyond the past to consider the ripple effects of our actions far into the future?
Seven Generations Ago
I grew up in south-central Wisconsin, with only a vague understanding of my ancestors who immigrated from Germany. Recently, though, I uncovered details about my family tree. Seven generations ago on my dad’s side, Phoebe Sanger was born in Hartford, Connecticut, in 1796. Her parents grew up during the Revolutionary War. Wild, right? Phoebe married Martin Langdon and their family moved to Ohio when it was still a frontier. She eventually passed away in 1888 in Fredricksburg, Iowa—just 43 miles north of where I live today.
Imagine what life was like for Phoebe. Did she dream of a future where her descendants owned their own land? Or were her days so consumed by the challenges of frontier life that she scarcely had time to think beyond the next week or month? Learning her story makes me wonder: if seven generations take us back to the Revolutionary War, where might seven generations forward take us?
Planning for Future Generations
Have you ever looked forward more than one or two generations? Few people do, yet some families embrace the challenge of long-term thinking. In 2023, our Family Business Center hosted an event at Kemin Industries in Des Moines, where we learned about the Nelson family’s commitment to planning for seven generations of family leadership.
If I were to start a business today and plan for seven generations, that vision would extend to the year 2254. It’s a mind-bending thought. By then, will hovercars finally exist? Will the IRS automate tax returns? Will my fourth-great-grandchildren be prepared to lead a 200-year-old company? Imagining that far ahead is both exciting and daunting—but families like the Nelsons are proving it’s possible.
Learning from Kemin Industries
Libby Nelson, part of the second generation of Kemin Industries, will be sharing this seven-generation plan with us. Her family’s approach blends vision, resilience, and intentionality, ensuring their legacy endures. It’s inspiring to see a family thinking so far ahead, and it’s a model worth exploring for anyone interested in building something that lasts.
We’re thrilled to invite you to a virtual Q&A with Libby Nelson on January 23 at 8 a.m. CST. She’ll share how her family is planning for a sustainable and thriving legacy—one that stretches far beyond their lifetimes.
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Join us on January 23?
Just as Phoebe Sanger’s life on the frontier shaped my family’s history, the Nelson family’s work today is shaping their future generations. Their story is a powerful reminder that the decisions we make now have the potential to echo far into the future.
Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from their journey and envision how you might create a legacy that lasts. Click here to register.
Event Details
What: Virtual Q&A with Libby Nelson of Kemin Industries
Topic: Planning for Seven Generations of Leadership
When: January 23, 8 a.m. CST
Where: Online
Reserve your spot today and start thinking seven generations ahead!
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Article by Katie Kreis-Voigt