Family and private business: The heartbeat of America

By Jamie Smith

I have been working in some capacity with the Goering Center for Family and Private Business since my early days as director of advertising of the Cincinnati Business Courier in 2003. It took me all of about two interactions with the Center to know that as much as private business and family business is the heartbeat of America, that the Goering Center is the heartbeat of Cincinnati private and family business. 

After living in both academia and the world of family business, Founder John Goering dreamed of creating a new community of learning, sharing, collaboration and growth. The Goering Center continues to deliver on all of the above. John Goering assembled a founding board of directors more than 30 years ago and began his journey to build a best-in-class resource for business owners in our region.

Through my 17 years at the Business Courier, the last nine as publisher, I have served the Goering Center as chair of the Special Events Committee. The team’s main purpose is to put together an annual awards dinner celebrating the region’s best family and private businesses.  When you see the resources, time, passion and effort that the Center orchestrates to give back to our region, you can’t help but pause and reflect on the fact that John’s dream has truly become a reality. I have also been fortunate to serve on the Center’s Board of Advisors and Management Council where I have developed long-lasting bonds with so many key leaders in the region.  While I don’t run a family or private business, I do run a local media company, and know how important the role of the Goering Center is to these local businesses.

I recently was asked why the Business Courier stays involved with the Goering Center.  I had to stop before blurting out an answer like “because I am not an idiot.”  Instead, I paused and considered what has meant the most to me. I’m sure I looked a lot like a comic strip character with thought bubbles popping out of my head!

Is it their first-in-class succession planning program called the Next Generation Institute? As if running a family business is not hard enough, sustaining it over generations is often impossible. But with the Goering Center’s help, I have watched family businesses move from generation to generation and make it look easy.  I remember Tara Halpin, the second-generation owner of Steinhauser, who took the reigns of her family business and not only sustained it, but totally re-imagined their purpose and reason for being a family owned printing company.  I was lucky enough to join the Management Council while Tara was the chairman of the board. I watched her lead the Center with forward thinking and at the same time reimagining her own business. Others soon followed. I was able to watch people like Jonathan Theders, CEO of RiskSOURCE Clark-Theders, and Mike Sipple, Jr., Centennial President and CEO of the Talent Magnet Institute, both transition their family businesses. These three great family business succession stories are reason enough to stay connected with the Goering Center.

Is it the great team that John has put together to make sure his dream not only stays alive but continues to evolve and pivot to become what the members need to succeed?  I learned so many powerful leadership lessons from Larry Grypp who is the past president of the Goering Center.  After years of success in the insurance business he brought his experience, expertise and passion to the Center.  Larry taught me the skill of patient and intentional leadership. Today, the Center’s new President, Carol Butler, has led with grace and calm during the pandemic. That is yet one more reason to stay involved.

Is it the programming that they so admirably put together as educational resources for their members? I have learned so much from their monthly luncheons, workshops and social events. 

Is it the hundreds of volunteers who help the Center deliver on their mission?

Truthfully, it is all of these things. I could write for days about why I stay involved, but I don’t think I could ever narrow it down to just one reason. And neither could any of the presidents, CEOs or owners of member companies, or the leaders of the corporate partners who join the Business Courier in sponsoring the Family and Private Business Awards each year.

The Center delivers on its mission to nurture and educate businesses in order to drive a vibrant economy. We are proud to be their media sponsor for their annual awards event, and thankful for the support they provide to our readers.

Featured image at top: Jamie Smith, Publisher of the Cincinnati Business Courier, posing for a photo at the company's office.

The Business Courier is a Goering Center corporate partner, and the Goering Center is sharing this content as part of its supplement with the Business Courier for the 2020 Family & Private Business Awards. View more of the digital supplement here.