Tuesday, June 11, is the registration deadline for BizTimes Media’s annual Family & Closely Held Business Summit, which will be held on Thursday, June 13, from 7 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the Italian Community Center, located at 631 E. Chicago St., Milwaukee.
Click here to register.
The event will begin with a keynote address from nationally-recognized futurist David Zach, who will provide a business owner’s guide to the future. Zach will provide forecasts and observations about the business world, covering topics ranging from artificial intelligence to generational workforce shifts.
Next, leaders from Bartolotta Restaurants, Ariens Company, Chiapetta Shoes and Wisconsin Lift Truck Corp. will speak, providing insights, philosophies and stories about how they have navigated the complex issues related to growing a successful closely held business. Those speakers will include:
- Dan Ariens, chairman and CEO of Brillion-based Ariens Company
- Paul Bartolotta, chef and co-owner and Keith Trafton, chief operating officer and managing partner of Milwaukee-based The Bartolotta Restaurants
- Nick Chiappetta, chief operating officer and Tony Chiappetta, chief executive officer of Chiapetta Shoes
- Jerry Weidmann, president of Brookfield-based Wisconsin Lift Truck Corp., which is part of Wolter Group LLC
Following their remarks, there will be a Q&A with Ariens, Bartolotta, Trafton, Weidmann and Chiappettas, led by David Borst, executive director and chief operating officer of Family Business Leadership Partners.
Next, event attendees will have a chance to join up to three roundtable discussions led by experts who will provide tips and strategies for handling common issues faced by family and closely held businesses.
There will be 11 concurrent roundtable discussions to choose from. The roundtable discussion leaders will include:
- Nick Chiappetta, chief operating officer, Chiappetta Shoes
- Tony Chiappetta, chief executive officer, Chiappetta Shoes
- Bill Edstrom, former family business owner and shareholder of Advidity Sciences
- Jake Hansen, principal, Jacsten Holdings
- Jay Koenitzer, stockholder and board member of Helwig Carbon Products Inc.
- Sam Maglio, president of Maglio Companies
- Jacqueline Messler, estates and succession planning attorney for Davis & Kuelthau
- Bob Piekenbrock Jr., a founding member of the Schmid Family Council for the Crescent Electric Supply Company.
- Patty Piekenbrock Reiman, a founding member of the Schmid Family Council for the Crescent Electric Supply Company.
- Jalin Phelps, vice president of field operations for JCP Construction
- James Phelps, president of JCP Construction
- Maria Rupena Karczewski, president of Rupenas Fine Foods
- Richard A. Smith, CEO of R.A. Smith
- Robyn Trester-Vaupel, president of Trester-Metropolitan
Click here for more information on the roundtable presenters and their presentations.
The Family & Closely Held Business Summit is sponsored by Davis & Kuelthau, The Riverwood Wealth Management Group at Morgan Stanley, National Exchange Bank & Trust and SVA. Vistage is a partner for the event.
