BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//ChamberMaster//Event Calendar 2.0//EN METHOD:PUBLISH X-PUBLISHED-TTL:P3D REFRESH-INTERVAL:P3D CALSCALE:GREGORIAN BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART:20260520T123000Z DTEND:20260520T143000Z X-MICROSOFT-CDO-ALLDAYEVENT:FALSE SUMMARY:Leading Beyond the Family: Unlocking Next-Level Growth DESCRIPTION:For many family businesses\, evolving leadership is both one of the most significant and most sensitive decisions they will face. Whether you are preparing to hire your first non-family leader or looking to better leverage an existing leader\, this transition represents a pivotal shift from family-led control to a more professionalized\, scalable organization.\n\n\n\nWhen done well\, integrating external leadership can unlock growth\, strengthen operations\, and support successful generational transition\, all while preserving what makes your business unique.\n\nIn this interactive workshop\, you'll gain practical insights on how to:\n\n Define the right executive leader profile for your family business \n Build a strong\, value-creating partnership between ownership and leadership \n Clarify roles between family\, board\, and executive leaders to avoid common friction points \n Navigate challenges and avoid common pitfalls in leadership transitions \n Successfully onboard and integrate a new non-family leader\, or realign with a current one \n Prepare your organization for change while maintaining culture and trust \n\nWhether you're exploring your first non-family leader or refining an existing structure\, this session will provide actionable strategies to help your business\, and your legacy\, thrive.\n\n\n\nFacilitators\n\n\n\n\n\nBill Benson is President and Co-Founder of WilliamCharles Search Group. Bill has led hundreds of executive and senior-level searches across finance\, human resources\, operations\, sales\, and C-suite roles for middle-market\, family-owned\, non-profit\, private-equity-backed\, and ESOP organizations.\n\nWith more than three decades of experience in executive search\, Bill is known for his relationship-driven approach and his belief that long-term success in recruiting is built on trust\, transparency\, and disciplined process. He has advised boards\, CEOs\, and executive teams on hiring and talent\, as well as on adjacent areas such as succession planning\, culture\, and leadership. Bill remains actively involved in search management\, client development\, and candidate evaluation.\n\n\n\nBill is a past Chair of the Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce and a former Chair of NPAworldwide\, a global network of independent search firms.\n\n \n\n\n\nChuck Smeester is Co-Founder of WilliamCharles\, bringing over 15 years of experience across Corporate Human Resources and operations leadership. With deep insight into C-suite recruitment dynamics\, he understands the complexities senior executives face in attracting\, assessing\, and retaining top talent. Chuck partners closely with business leaders to navigate critical hiring decisions\, offering a strategic and practical approach across a range of industries and functional areas.\n\n\n\nHe is also an active community leader\, having served in board roles with the Grand Rapids Civic Theatre and its Endowment Board. Chuck is a past Board Chair of the West Michigan Chapter of the Association for Corporate Growth and Junior Achievement of the Michigan Great Lakes\, and remains actively engaged in ACG.\n\n \n\n\n\nKelly Conway is the CEO of an emerging human capital platform headquartered in Southwest Michigan. Under her leadership\, the platform includes Pondera Advisors\, a premier leadership consulting firm\, and Rep-Lite\, a strategic sales recruitment partner. In partnership with Sleeping Giant Capital\, Kelly is actively acquiring and integrating HR services firms to build a comprehensive\, end-to-end talent strategy platform. X-ALT-DESC;FMTTYPE=text/html:
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\nFor many family businesses\, evolving leadership is both one of the most significant and most sensitive decisions they will face. Whether you are preparing to hire your first non-family leader or looking to better leverage an existing leader\, this transition represents a pivotal shift from family-led control to a more professionalized\, scalable organization.
\n
\nWhen done well\, integrating external leadership can unlock growth\, strengthen operations\, and support successful generational transition\, all while preserving what makes your business unique.
\nIn this interactive workshop\, you&rsquo\;ll gain practical insights on how to:\n\nWhether you&rsquo\;re exploring your first non-family leader or refining an existing structure\, this session will provide actionable strategies to help your business\, and your legacy\, thrive.
\n
\nFacilitators
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\nBill Benson is President and Co-Founder of WilliamCharles Search Group. Bill has led hundreds of executive and senior-level searches across finance\, human resources\, operations\, sales\, and C-suite roles for middle-market\, family-owned\, non-profit\, private-equity-backed\, and ESOP organizations.
\nWith more than three decades of experience in executive search\, Bill is known for his relationship-driven approach and his belief that long-term success in recruiting is built on trust\, transparency\, and disciplined process. He has advised boards\, CEOs\, and executive teams on hiring and talent\, as well as on adjacent areas such as succession planning\, culture\, and leadership. Bill remains actively involved in search management\, client development\, and candidate evaluation.
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\nBill is a past Chair of the Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce and a former Chair of NPAworldwide\, a global network of independent search firms.
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\nChuck Smeester is Co-Founder of WilliamCharles\, bringing over 15 years of experience across Corporate Human Resources and operations leadership. With deep insight into C-suite recruitment dynamics\, he understands the complexities senior executives face in attracting\, assessing\, and retaining top talent. Chuck partners closely with business leaders to navigate critical hiring decisions\, offering a strategic and practical approach across a range of industries and functional areas.
\n
\nHe is also an active community leader\, having served in board roles with the Grand Rapids Civic Theatre and its Endowment Board. Chuck is a past Board Chair of the West Michigan Chapter of the Association for Corporate Growth and Junior Achievement of the Michigan Great Lakes\, and remains actively engaged in ACG.
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\nKelly Conway is the CEO of an emerging human capital platform headquartered in Southwest Michigan. Under her leadership\, the platform includes Pondera Advisors\, a premier leadership consulting firm\, and \;Rep-Lite\, a strategic sales recruitment partner. In partnership with \;Sleeping Giant Capital\, Kelly is actively acquiring and integrating HR services firms to build a comprehensive\, end-to-end talent strategy platform.
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\n \; LOCATION:Grand Rapids Chamber 250 Monroe Ave NW Ste 150 Grand Rapids\, MI 49503 UID:e.9635.840 SEQUENCE:3 DTSTAMP:20260626T120908Z URL:https://members.fbagr.org/events/details/leading-beyond-the-family-unlocking-next-level-growth-840 END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR