Family Business/Business Family

In this episode, we sit down with Corinne Burton, G2 president of Teacher Created Materials, who shares how her family built a global company rooted in a love of learning, balancing innovation with tradition through a flexible and age-inclusive governance model. We also chat with Transformational Women in Family Business 2025 honoree Karen Alko, fourth-generation steward of ABC Recycling, who reflects on her path through the business, her leadership in governance and how formalizing philanthropy and NextGen engagement has helped preserve her family’s legacy. And, in part 2 of our interview, Michael Kaplan, whose family founded Lane Bryant, discusses why choosing purpose over fear is essential to long-term continuity — and how clarity around mission and values guides the companies he builds, the partners he selects and the leaders he empowers.

In this episode, Jessica Johnson-Cope, CEO of Johnson Security Bureau, shares how she turned tragedy into purpose, guiding and growing her family's business beyond its 50-year milestone. Ryan Berg, co-president of Lee Michaels Fine Jewelry, reflects on working alongside his brothers to turn their father’s single Louisiana store into a multi-state luxury brand while keeping people and purpose at the center. And, in part 2 of our conversation, cousins Judd and Alex Loewenstein, fifth-generation co-leaders of Loewy Foods, discuss sharing the helm of a 130-year-old company.

In this episode, Judi Sheppard Missett, founder and executive chair of Jazzercise, talks creating a family enterprise built on movement, joy and connection. Also, Michael Kaplan, whose family founded Lane Bryant, recounts how his great-grandmother revolutionized maternity wear in the 1890s, how his father’s attempt to buy back the business ended in disappointment and how those experiences shaped his own path as an entrepreneur and investor. And, in part 2 of our conversation with Jon Vaughan, former president of Brand Vaughan Lumber Company, he discusses what life looks like after the sale of a third-generation family business.

In this episode, cousins Judd and Alex Loewenstein of Loewy Foods share how they’re ushering their fifth-generation company into a new era — blending gratitude, modernization and the enduring spirit of Thanksgiving to honor their family’s humble poultry-shop roots. Also, Michael Horn, former fourth-generation president and CEO of A.C. Horn Manufacturing, reflects on taking over his family’s struggling machinery business, leading its turnaround, and ultimately making peace with the decision to sell. And Pat Soldano, president of Family Enterprise USA, explains how tariffs, policy uncertainty and global trade shifts are reshaping the landscape for family-owned companies — and why advocacy on Capitol Hill matters more than ever.Michael Horn will also be joining us as a panelist at the Transitions Fall 2025 conference, November 5-7 at the Coronado Island Marriott Resort & Spa in San Diego. Learn more about the conference and register here.

In this episode, Jon Vaughan, former president of Brand Vaughan Lumber Company, reflects on the emotional process of leading his third-generation family business through crisis, growth and, ultimately, sale. This episode also features part 2 of our interview with Deborah Jacob, owner and chairman emeritus of fifth-generation MJS Packaging, who discusses the importance of learning from other family enterprises. And Raffi Amit, the Marie and Joseph Melone Professor and a Professor of Management at the Wharton School, explains how prosperous families succeed through shared values, governance and a culture of entrepreneurship.Support for this episode comes from Wharton Executive Education. Through world-class faculty and real-world application, Wharton’s Wealth Management and Family Office Programs offer participants a deep dive into the sophisticated financial concepts paramount to family office management. Learn more at whartonfamilywealth.com.

In this episode of the Family Business/Business Family podcast, Bret Snyder, CEO of W.L. Gore & Associates, a global materials science company best known for its GORE-TEX products, talks building credibility within the business, balancing legacy with innovation and preparing the next generation of his 80-plus-member family to steward the enterprise. Also in this episode, Deborah Jacob, owner and chairman emeritus of fifth-generation MJS Packaging, recounts her journey from reluctant recruit to family business leader, the mentors who helped her gain footing and the stark contrasts between public companies and family-owned enterprises. And Family Business Magazine Contributing Editor Dennis Jaffe explains why families must establish clear structures for decision-making, how to avoid the dangers of conflict avoidance and practical ways to create governance that balances fairness with effectiveness.

In this episode, we sit down with Somia Farid Silber, second-generation CEO of Edible Brands, who shares how she’s reimagining the iconic gifting brand for a new generation while staying rooted in the founding values her father built the company on. We also hear from Justin Papadakis, Deputy CEO and Chief Real Estate Officer of the United Soccer League, who offers a behind-the-scenes look at growing the business of American soccer and the values that guide his family’s leadership. Finally, Scott Saslow, founder of single-family office ONE WORLD Investments, shares five pillars for building a sustainable family office.

This episode features a conversation with Laird Norton CEO Brian McGuigan, who reflects on stepping into a family legacy as an outsider, offering strategies for leading with continuity, clarity, and respect for tradition. In addition, we chat with David Weekley, founder of now-second-generation David Weekley Homes. He outlines his mission-driven ownership model — splitting equity among family, employees, and a charitable trust — to foster shared purpose and reduce the pitfalls of inherited wealth. This episode also features part 2 of our conversation with Jason Diestel, Heidi Diestel Orrock and Jared Orrock, fourth-generation leaders of Diestel Family Ranch. They share how they lean on adaptability, not hierarchy, to lead through crisis and generational change.Support for this episode comes from Wharton Executive Education. Through world-class faculty and real-world application, Wharton’s Wealth Management and Family Office Programs offer participants a deep dive into the sophisticated financial concepts paramount to family office management. Learn more at whartonfamilywealth.com