Seat at the Table: Building a Board of Directors

Build and strengthen your board to ensure lasting stability.

Whether you are currently sitting on the board or will be in the future, this session will help participants learn how to create and maintain strong, effective boards that support the long-term success of a family business. Through expert guidance, real-life examples, and hands-on activities, participants will explore how boards work differently in family businesses compared to other companies. 

By the end of the session, participants will be able to: 

• Understand the basics of family business governance and why boards matter 
• Define the roles and responsibilities of both family and non-family board members 
• Learn how to find, involve, and fairly compensate independent board members 
• Manage board dynamics, plan for transitions, and understand how boards change over time 
• Take part in a role-play to experience how a well-run board meeting should work 

Participants will leave with practical ideas and tools to improve their own board structures and processes - helping their business grow, plan for the future, and maintain strong family relationships. 

Facilitators: Dr. Justin Craig and Dr. Ana González 


 
Justin Craig, Ph.D.
Dr. Justin Craig's research focuses on the strategy, function, management, and performance of multi-generational family enterprises and those who lead and steward them. He has authored 51 peer-reviewed academic publications, numerous book chapters, and teaching cases. His published books include:

“The Science of Business” (with Ken Moores, Elgar Publishing, 2024)
“Continuity Model Generation” (Wiley, 2022)
“Leading a Family Business” (with Ken Moores, Praegar, 2017)

In a review published in 2021, Dr. Craig was ranked #5 in the Top 20 most productive authors by total papers in FBR, JFBS, and JFBM since the year of publication. He was the recipient of the 2024 Lifetime Impact Award from the Family Enterprise Research Conference.
 

Ana Gonzalez, Ph.D.
Ana Gonzalez is the Director of the Family Owned Business Institute and Associate Professor of Management at the Seidman College of Business, Grand Valley State University. She holds a Ph.D. in Management from Tulane University, an M.Sc. in Economics, and a bachelor's degree in industrial engineering from Universidad de los Andes in Bogotá, Colombia.

An award-winning business case writer, Ana's research focuses on entrepreneurship, corporate governance, and sustainability in family businesses. Throughout her career, she has served as a scholar, consultant, and advocate for family enterprises. She is a board member of the STEP Project Global Consortium, the West Michigan Family Business Alliance, and Crain Currency. This Crain Communications initiative supports family offices and ultra-high-net-worth families in preserving wealth and values.