Family Business Resources  & Member Updates
Welcome New Members!

Please join us in welcoming Sandmeyer Steel, Philadelphia, PA, to our family business learning community. Congrats for celebrating 65 years in business!

And welcome to  Lincoln Investment, Ft. Washington, PA, an investment broker with offices nationwide and more than 50 years experience.

We look forward to learning more with you along your journey!
Congratulations to Our Members!

Congratulations to the Clemens Family and  Clemens Food Group on the opening of their  new facility in Michigan! The new location brings many new employment opportunities to the community.

Also, congratulations to Vertex, Inc.  on being named to the 2017 Top Workplace by Philly.com for the third year in a row!

Last, but certainly not least, congratulations to Gallagher Fluid Seals, Inc. for passing the mantle of leadership to Chris Gallagher, the third generation President!

Maintaining Balance While Navigating Change

At DVFBC, we frequently discuss managing our reactions to change. One common theme during the summer is the ever-changing schedule of our families due to vacation from both work and school. Beth Goshow, Member Support, penned a blog that talks about juggling work priorities with constant ebb and flow of summer activities and being prepared for changes.  Read it here.

As a family business, transition is unavoidable. Without preparation and education about the succession journey before it begins, the journey itself is often insurmountable.  Read more here about how to prepare for transitions.

As we gear up for fall and the schedules that come with kids going back to school, we look ahead to resuming our educational events. The process of learning is never over.

Click here to see all our upcoming events and mark your calendars! 
Best Practice Event September 14: 
An Introduction to Family Councils

A Family Council is a place for the family to uncover their values, develop policies, and prepare for the future. Learn the following from DVFBC and other Members, including Keim Lumber, at this Best Practice Event:
  • What a Family Council is and why it's important
  • The first steps in launching a Family Council
  • The best way to create shared agreements that clarify expectations between the family & the business
  • How a Family Council can develop each family member & the family as a whole
Best Practice Event October 19: Preparing Your Family Business for Transition

Letting go can be difficult. Trying to prepare for transition, and balancing your own personal financial needs with the needs of the business can feel overwhelming. Come hear Paula Barrett from RKL and Andy Santana from Fox Rothschild  talk more about how to prepare for transition. 
Learn and ask questions about:
  • Innovative approaches and simple next steps to guide the process
  • Choices other senior generation leaders have made and what they learned
Join us at this Best Practice Event.

Our morning of learning includes a light breakfast. Register Now! 
Dinner Forum November 16: How the Purell Family is Navigating Transitions in a Unique Way

The family behind GOJO, maker of Purell hand sanitizer, has reinvented the classic family business model to create Kanfer Family Enterprise (KFE), which allows every family member to work on his or her preferred venture, yet still be part of the family business. 

All the other family members work in the wide range of industries and philanthropies that KFE supports. KFE's organizational structure is complex, but its mission is simple: to make the world a better place. Everything in the enterprise, whether for-profit or non-profit, must allow the Kanfers to create meaning and value together as a family.

Join us at this forum for a great evening of learning and dinner! Marcella will share how their family engages by actively being in partnership across generations. Learn how Marcella encourages her fellow team members to seek possibilities to make the world better and champions sustainability, innovation, collaboration, non-stop learning and organizational effectiveness.

Attract, Retain, & Incent Key Employees

When the goal is to attract and retain the best employees and incent their best performance, one important factor to consider is your family business's employer-sponsored retirement plan. Come learn with us how helping your employees save for their family's futures can truly contribute to the success of your family business.

Our Educational Partners

Locher & Asssociates

HRMM_L logo

Proxus logo
Everence logo


TD Bank

Fox Rothschild logo

Our Mission: Flourishing Families & Enterprises  
Since 1988, it's been our privilege to guide multi-generation business families through their complex, unique journeys. We have served over 600 business families across the nation with our customized, intergenerational, team-building process. 

We chart the path, teach the principles, develop the people, and guide the process that provides the direction, confidence, and tools to overcome the dangers, beat the odds, and reach the summit for  each family member & their enterprises !
Our Team
Sally Derstine
Scott Hackman
Jared Byas
Henry Landes
www.dvfbc.com  |  215.723.8413