Events

The two-day event will bring together professionals in business, government and academia from across the Southeast and around the world for discussion, workshops, mentoring and networking to foster leadership and growth in the Southeast’s cleantech economy. The Summit convenes more than 1,000 attendees and is the largest event of its kind by a university in the United States. Co-hosted by the UNC Institute for the Environment and the Ackerman Center for Excellence in Sustainability at UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School.

Join us for our third annual UNC Kenan-Flagler Spirit Week from March 23 to March 27! Throughout the week, we will be offering several opportunities for you to engage with Business School students, faculty, staff and alumni across programs virtually, on campus, or in your region.

Family enterprises succeed because families learn how to work well across generations, roles, and ownership responsibilities. This two-session virtual program introduces Family Enterprise Fundamentals, a practical and proven foundation for leading at the intersection of family, ownership, and business. Across two highly interactive virtual 90-minute sessions, led by Family Enterprise Center co-founders Cooper Biersach and Steve Miller, participants explore the essential frameworks and conversations that help family firms align, make better decisions, and sustain both business performance and family relationships over time.

This masterclass introduces the core responsibilities of family firm ownership. Participants will examine the importance of articulating a shared purpose; defining a clear, compelling ownership vision; and creating explicit goals for growth, liquidity and control. The course examines how ownership priorities influence strategy, capital allocation, governance structures and leadership selection over time. The program will focus on clarifying ownership roles, decision rights, and governance to support effective communication and long-term continuity. Through discussion and applied examples, owners will strengthen their ability to act collectively, steward the enterprise responsibly and support the long-term sustainability of both the business and the family. This is part of a three-year, 9 module Masterclass. While each topic is stand alone, please consider registering for other topics in the Family Enterprise Center’s Masterclass. Ownership in the Family Firm: Roles & Responsibilities is lead by Cooper Biersach and Steve Miller.

This masterclass will explore how strategy is different in a family enterprise. Topics include how owner goals affect the strategy and growth trajectory of the business, the importance of strategic thinking in creating competitive advantage and the critical role organizational culture plays in the execution of strategy. Several examples of family firms with clear strategies will be discussed to demonstrate key principles of effective strategic planning. This is part of a three-year, 9 module Masterclass. While each topic is stand alone, please consider registering for other topics in the Family Enterprise Center’s Masterclass. Strategy in the Family Firm is lead by Steve Miller.