The educational activities of the North Carolina Family Business Forum are directed by Duke University's Hartman Center for Mid-Sized Company Management, within the Fuqua School of Business.

The Hartman Center is charged to support economic wealth creation in the mid-sized firm. It defines "mid-sized" as those companies beyond the start-up phase, with well-established market presence, but whose business is still very much driven by the spirit of entrepreneurship, innovation and growth. As such, family firms are key partners for the Hartman Center. The Center's Executive Director, Dr. Preston C. Bottger, can be contacted at Duke University at (919) 660-7742, e-mailed at pcb1@mail.duke.edu.. The mailing address is: Fuqua School of Business, Duke University, Box 90116, Durham, NC 27708-0120.

Duke University's Fuqua School of Business is among the most prestigious of the leading U.S. business schools, enrolling its first class in 1970. Today, Fuqua's annual enrollment of approximately 1,000 includes MBA, Executive MBA and Ph.D. students. In addition, more than 2,000 managers and executives of firms worldwide attend Fuqua's non-degree executive development programs each year. Fuqua is a leader in preparing executives for the world marketplace with its Global Executive MBA program (GEMBA) and its Global Executive Program (GEP).

The School's mission is to provide the highest quality education for business and academic leaders and to promote the advancement of the understanding and practice of management through research. Fuqua's world-renowned faculty, research facilities, Ph.D. and MBA students have made Fuqua the number 9 business school in the nation, according to US News & World Report (April 1996).

Our program is designed for our membership, always to cover participant concerns. The four principal topic areas for family firms tend to be: Ownership, Business Growth, Family Dynamics and Communications, and Estate and Wealth Management.

Some seminar topics may include items such as:

• Developing the family's mission and developing the firm's mission
• The family firm life-cycle: growing and aging stages
• How best to pass the leadership to the next generation
• Developing the business capabilities of the rising generation
• Compensation arrangements for family members who work in the business
• Compensation arrangements for family members who do not work in the business
• Compensation for key, non-family executives
• Career tracks for the rising generation
• Family wealth and estate planning
• How to grow the family business
• Succession, transfer of management and ownership in the family business
• Family business governance, including the use and compensation of outside boards
• Retirement planning for executives in family-owned businesses
• Buy-sell agreements for family businesses
• Principles of leadership from a practical viewpoint

Exemplary family firms in North Carolina are recognized each year for their leadership in their industry, community and families.

Winners are chosen in three categories: large (more than 500 employees), medium (100-500 employees), and small (less than 100 employees).

Firms are assessed on five criteria: their commitment to family well-being and keeping the business in the family, contribution to communities and industries, involvement by different family members and generations in the business, innovative business strategies and practices, and business growth - as seen in growth of sales, employees or new products, etc.

A special awards ceremony is held in November and all winners are recognized in Business North Carolina.

Past winners have included:

• 1996: Douglas Battery of Winston-Salem, NC (large category)

• Vann York Auto Mall of High Point, NC (medium category)

• Grubb Management of Lexington, NC (small category)
  

• 1995: Harvey Enterprises of Kinston, NC (large category)

• Southern Foods of Greensboro, NC (medium category)

• Eurosport/Sports Endeavors of Hillsborough, NC (small category)
  

For nomination information, please contact Dr. Preston C. Bottger at pcb1@mail.duke.edu, or mailing address:

Fuqua School of Business
Duke University
Box 90116
Durham, NC 27708-0120
fax number 919-681-7761

• Two paid reservations at each full-day seminar or conference
• Three full-day seminars featuring regionally and nationally recognized family business experts
• One two-day, weekend family retreat and conference
• Networking opportunities with other leading family business owners and principles
• A subscription to the Family Business Advisor, which covers topics in family business issues.
• Additional information and guidance in identifying and working on your firm's and family's unique needs.

The Sponsors' commitment adds additional benefits to your membership. They provide expertise in key areas, such as the management of legal matters and financial assets, both within the business and for the family. Expertise includes:

• Legal issues;
• Investment Planning and Investment Management issues;
• Accounting and tax issues; and
• Insurance issues.

For privacy, listings are only available to the membership.

The North Carolina Family Business Forum is a membership organization available to a limited number of family owned and managed businesses. We invite you to join the Forum this year. You may do so by filling out the "Request for Membership Application" and click on the "send" button. We will forward a membership packet to you immediately.

Dr. Preston C. Bottger, Executive Director, NCFBF
Fuqua School of Business, Duke University,
Durham, NC 27708
Tel: (919) 660-7742
Fax: (919) 681-7761